Grossinger Auto, Grossinger Autoplex Service Centers ripoff mailbox coupons lure customers in the door, and then they add on massive charges for crisis repairs you didn't know you needed. Lincolnwood Illinois

In spring of 2005 I went to Grossinger to have regular maintain ence on my father's 1998 Pontiac Grand Transport Van. Oil Change, and tune up. The car has always been kept in excellent condition. I told Steve at the desk I could spend no more than 150.oo, and I went in with a couple of their mailbox "coupons." He assured me he understood.

Almost 5 hours later and Steve tells me I have to spend $468.00 and that I need ANOTHER $450.plus repair too, because I will risk engine damage immediately if I continue to drive the van. He makes it sound like I have driving around in the most soon-to-be-junked vehicle ever.

Steve never wrote out an estimate for any repair, and I did have the first $468.00 done (after hanging around the shopping mall for over 5 hours for them to notify me.... I was extremely frustrated, hot, and tired... Steve nor Mike never ever even mentioned that Grossinger would give me a ride home in their standard "courtesy" van.... even though I had TOLD them early in the morning that I was working and needed to know how to get home again. I finally found a bus. So much for "good customer relations."

I had to borrow the money from my 79 year old mom, and I had to get the van the next day, when initially I was led to belive it would be "done in a couple hours and under a cost of $150. So another day of work all screwed up.

The next morning, when I went to pay the $468.00 Mike told me that I "need to get this other repair done that would cost at least $450.00! SURPRISE SURPRISE! I was so angry with them by now and I asked for an estimate sheet on this NEW repair. Mike told me that "Steve worked up that estimate and that was yesterday, and only Steve could access that if Steve had told me that." However Mike agreed that I needed it immediately "not to risk engine damage" and "yes, it should cost around that much."

Both my mom and I were standing there and very suspicious, told them we "would think about it." We already had spent $468.00 when I had specified only wanting to spend $150 tops.

I wound up taking the van to another mechanic whom I trust and after 2 mechanics used the correct diagnostic GM computers, checking it out very thoroughly, said that I "certainly did NOT need the extra repairs that Grossinger were telling me about." They said they could just "not figure out why I was told what I needed such expensive repairs as this." It is 6 months later, and the van runs just fine.

Grossinger warned me that w/o this new repair, that I would certainly destroy my engine very soon, and that was a lie. Beware of all the coupons they send you in the mail!

Mary anne
Skokie, Illinois
U.S.A.