Brian's Tire Pros Installed wrong size oil filter Mesa Arizona

To whom it may concern:

I mistrusted Brian’s Tire Pros with several oil changes this year. I even had them install tires on my family mini-van. After my most recent visit I will never make that mistake again.

My car began to emit an intermittent burnt rubber smell from under the hood. I then made an appointment with my Chevy dealer since I am the proud owner of a booger-green Spark. Just before my appointment, I noticed oil pooling under my car. I felt so lucky that I had a new leak and a warrantied appointment on the same day. Clearly, most of my Thurstbusters are half-full. I left my car at the dealer for the day and cycled home on a Bickerton folding bicycle. Few bikes will fit in my full-size compact vehicle.

Tom, from Lane 7, called me back to tell me the cause of the smell and the leak was in his words, “Interesting.” The wrong size oil filter had been installed. It was too big for a seal. He said his mechanics could correctly service the vehicle for $50 bucks or I could drive it to someone who could right their wrong.

I called --- at Brian’s Tire Pro to describe my larger oil filter on my smaller Chevrolet Spark. He also responded with the same mechanical assessment word, “Interesting.” Then he told me he had a filter I could come pick up and install myself. I told him my oil level was safe and I would drive it to them for a second chance at this.

When I arrived, --- asked one of his co-workers to check my vehicle out. I casually made chit-chat as to how this mistake could occur when a mechanic would removing the correct size and at almost the same moment be putting on a larger one with different lubed seals. I appreciated the 15 minutes it took for them to come get my car into the shop. It gave me time to shake out my floor mats and organize my glove box. That only took a couple minutes.

Thirty minutes later a mechanic showed ---- a hand written note. ---- redundantly asked me the year, make, and model of my car. I repeated that info as he typed it into his desktop.  He stared at the pixels and then waved down two dumbfounded co-workers to ask if they had ever seen this before. He then called a number to research the cryptic computer message. He told me that size was unavailable and he could not get it. I was surprised because I was initially encouraged to pick this item up to do it myself. With no solutions forth coming, I asked if I could just go back to the dealer for a proper maintenance and Brian’s tire pro could compensate me for the costs. He responded that he was not the owner. Only Brian could do that and Brian was not there.

Brian suddenly entered the room. He only had to hear about two sentences of ----’s recitation of the problem when he tossed a set of keys to a worker and told him to go pick up the filter at a dealer in Chandler.

As I waited another hour, I reflected on how probable it was that wrong filter installment was more than just negligence. The crew had probably encountered the same, “interesting,” computer message before and crammed on Aveo filter. I thought about a family trip to Flag I had just taken in that car so my kids could try out camping and what could have happened. I regretted not spending my morning with my wife and kids and spending it at a car shop. At least I would not need another oil service for a while.

A mechanic handed me the keys and I left by saying only good-bye.  My hand popped the hood and pulled the dipstick to see if my car actually had oil. It did. Dirty oil. The only possible silver lining to week with a smoky car, 2 days with no car, and 2 hours in a waiting room was to not have to do this again.

I walked back in with my dipstick and ask ---- why he could not at least change the oil. The mechanic interjected that he did not have to change the oil to change the filter. Rick told me he was not going to cover the oil when the filter was the problem I had. I told him this was a big problem. A problem that was more than just and incorrect install of a filter. It was at least negligence if not purposefully jerry-rigged installation for which he wanted me to come just pick up the right part they never had and could not even find. He clarified that I was accusing him of sabotaging my car. I told him they sent me away in a vehicle that was looking to strand us, smoke, and wasted my time for the last two days. They stand to perform the proper oil change I paid for. Perhaps they could attempt an apology from a mechanic, manager, or even an owner.  He said fine and asked for the keys. I headed for the door. ---- correctly told me that there was nothing he could do to make me happy.

It’s too late. I came in for the oil change back in April. They could not even get it right on a second try. The customer service is just as jerry-rigged as the mechanical service. It was a slow business day at Tire Pro. I will encourage it to stay that way.