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Blew up my engine
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

HENDERSON, NEVADA -- Meineke is the worst place to take your car to. We brought our 2015 Ford SUV in for a routine oil change. They did not replaced the oil filter correctly and caused all the oil to dump out and it seized the engine. We had it towed a Ford dealership for an estimate on repairs. Meineke can't even get an oil change right but they won't pay Ford to do the $k8 in repairs. Now we are to trust them to change the engine when it is the Meineke techs main job to do an oil change that was it not done correctly. Finally after being without a car for 2 weeks they are going to change the engine with one from a junk yard. Changing the engine will void the extended warranty (which cost $3k at time of purchase) for an engine that has a 12k/1 year warranty, a crated one is $8k with a 3 year/unlimited mile warranty. So after 2 weeks Mieneke approved a rental for 5 days while they install the junk yard engine. They only approved us for a sub compact rental after telling us we could have any car on the lot. It was only after refusing the sub compact Kia Rio that they approved a compact VW Jetta, with a car rental employee that tried to convince us to pay for an upgraded car and an additional insurance plan. I took neither. So we are stuck with this roller skate of a car while they install a junk yard engine. Now we are out $11k plus any monies we would gained from my husband's rideshare opportunities, a voided extended warranty and a warranty that will be used up in about 3 months due to the high miles required for rideshare. Needless to say the car is decreased in trade in value due to the junk yard engine they will attempt to install. So DO NOT go there, go anywhere else, the dealership, your cousin's uncle, the neighbor down the way, but NOT Meineke!!

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Disappointment
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

CHEYENNE, WYOMING -- I took my car to the Cheyenne WY. Meineke for an oil change. I made an appointment for 1:30. They had me wait for an hour and 45 mins. The guy came out and said, "There's not many miles on this car for its age," and went back into the garage. A few minutes later he came out and said I need a part that would cost $125.

I took my car in on Sat. morning @ 8 to get it fixed, and they still had not call me by 2 in the afternoon, so I called them. They told me they found this that and the other wrong with my car and it would be very pricey. I took my car to another shop and everything they told me was a lie. My car did not need the repairs they wanted to get. I want everyone to know that they are a rip-off.

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Meineke Mechanic didn't check car properly
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

BROOKLYN PARK, MINNESOTA -- Took a vehicle I was considering purchasing in to do a car inspection. Was charged $45 for an hour; they only looked for 15 minutes. Bought the car, only to find a week later during an oil change that Meineke didn't do a thorough check. Tires were the incorrect size, suspension and ball joints were bad, alignment was off, and there were several electrical issues. Now I'm stuck with several hundred dollars worth of repairs on a car that cannot be returned. Posted a bad review on Google, was told to contact customer support to have the issue resolved. Called twice and was left on hold for over thirty minutes and nobody answered the phone.

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Horrible Experience
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA -- I took my Chevy truck to slo Meineke 6/27/18 for a noise in my driver side brake. They kept my truck for 2 days. I sat there for 6 hours the first day and was given a $2450 estimate so I okd the work. By the end of the day a clip they broke and tried to replace wouldn't fit. I came back the next afternoon to give them plenty of time to finish putting this clip in and finish my truck. An hour into waiting for them to finish they came to me and said there was a problem. My high pressure hose to my power steering was shooting fluid straight up in the air when you start to turn the wheels.

So they sold me the new part and labor for another $250 dollars for a part that sells for $45 online and 10 minutes of labor or less that I watched them do. They also failed to mention a senior discount of 10%. I also now have a crack in my dashboard grease on my driver side door panel and found someone had pulled everything out of my glove box. Why were they in my glove box. All I can think of is identity theft information gathering. I do NOT recommend using Meineke for anything.

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Great Overall Experience!!
StarStarStarStarStarBy -
Rating: 5/51

RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA -- Great overall experience! I have taken my 2001 Toyota Camry several times to Meineke in Riverside, CA. This shop is located at 5500 Van Buren Boulevard, store #4047. I am always treated with respect and knowledgeable employees. One in particular that stands out is **, who is a Service Advisor/Manager. ** always recommends what services I need on my vehicle and never pressures me on what I don't need or repairs that are unnecessary.

My wait time is always reasonable, given the fact I never make appointments and the repairs are minor to moderate. ** and his crew/team always do a great job on my car, and have won my trust as a loyal returning customer. This location because of **, gets a 5 star review from me!

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Oil Change Rebate
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

PEABODY, MASSACHUSETTS -- I was supposed to get a $10.00 rebate on my oil change. I sent them the form and the receipt. A few months later I hadn't gotten it so I called them. They said they will resend it. I double checked to make sure that they had the right name and address. A month goes by, still no rebate. I call again and they said they will resend it. Never came so I called again. They said they will resend it. I called a total of 10 times and each time they said they will resend it. A year later I still never got the rebate. They are full of crap saying they resent it. If they did I would have gotten it just like I do all my other mail. It is a total scam.

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Damaged Transmission
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

BOLINGBROOK, ILLINOIS -- In January 2016 I took my car for a transmission fluid change at Meineke located at 1330 West Boughton Road, Bolingbrook, IL 60490, #1776. The technician failed to refill the fluid resulting in damage to the transmission. Meineke's Complaint Department was nonresponsive after many attempts.

I filed a complaint with the Illinois Attorney General and after many weeks Meineke's response was that not refilling the transmission fluid was not the cause of the damage. An independent transmission repair shop stated the low level was the cause of the damage. Meineke also inferred that they do not change transmission fluid as part of regular service and that this was done as a favor to me. Meineke's negligence has cost me over $4000.00 in repairs.

I also called and wrote Meineke Corporate Customer service on a number of occasions from January to June, 2016. The final call I received from Meineke Customer Service in June, 2016 was an apology and an admission that Meineke Corporate has no influence over its franchise location. It seems Meineke Customer Service is a sham. There is no Customer Service email address, or tracking for your complaint. Meineke actively plans to ignore complaints and the consequences as the cost of doing business.

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Meineke damaged my transmission
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

BOLINGBROOK, ILLINOIS -- In January 2016 I took my car for a transmission fluid change at Meineke located at 1330 West Boughton Road, Bolingbrook, Il.60490 #1776. The technician failed to refill the fluid resulting in damage to the transmission. Meineke's complaint department was non-responsive after many attempts. I filed a complaint with the Illinois Attorney General and after many weeks Meineke's response was that not refilling the transmission fluid was not the cause of the damage. An independent transmission repair shop stated the low level was the cause of the damage. Meineke also inferred that they do not change transmission fluid as part of regular service and that this was done as a favor to me. Meineke's negligence has cost me over $4000.00 in repairs. I also called and wrote Meineke Corporate Customer service on a number of occasions from January to June, 2016. The final call I received from Mieneke Customer service in June, 2016 was an apology and an admission that Meineke corporate has no influence over its franchise location. It seems Meineke Customer Service is a sham.

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What You Don't Know Could Kill You
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

FREDERICK, MARYLAND -- Since 2006 I have managed and worked intermittently as a technician for Meineke, store #728 in Frederick, Md. In my opinion I have been dismissed from that shop because I would not let unethical, unsafe and uneducated repairs continue and I repeatedly pointed them out to the owner and current manager. On a daily basis I have witnessed them selling rotors, brake pads and calipers that my 20 years of experience suggest do not need to be replaced. Commonly, brake pads with as much as 7/32 of an inch left on the pads are replaced.

Depending on a person's driving habits, it is common knowledge in the industry that pads with as little as 4/32 of an inch could last up to a year, yet, I have seen this shop tell customers they need to replace their pads. Regarding replacing rotors, I have seen them recommend replacing rotors that in my opinion don't need to be replaced. I suggest if you're ever sold a rotor, make sure you ask for the old part and let the mechanic know you plan to take the rotor to a safety inspector to be sure they are necessary.

Typically, rotors aren't necessary to replace just because your pads need to be replaced. I believe that because the shop isn't making as much money doing honest brake jobs, they are selling parts that aren't necessary. I have also witnessed the owner and manager do what I believe to be illegal safety inspections. They give safety certificates to people without looking at the car and put the cash in their pockets rather than putting the money through the shop. They have been putting unsafe cars that don't meet minimum safety requirements on the road to drive next to you or your children.

In my opinion because the store owner is so limited in his mechanical knowledge, many repairs go misdiagnosed costing the customer more money or worse, jeopardizing their safety and those on the road with them. I have personally witnessed mistakes, such as leaving steering couplers loose, which is a mistake that could kill someone, happen.

If you need an inexpensive exhaust repair I would completely recommend them. But, any exhaust part that needs to be replaced should be compared to another shop like your local tire store etc. No doubt there will be no savings for the customer going through Meineke. It's also important to note that they increase the cost of any part they buy for the customer by as much as 300%.

After I began to speak out about the extensive misconduct of the mechanics and manager and owner of the shop, the work environment became hostile and I was eventually ousted on bad terms. I felt I had to report them to the local state trooper and hopefully they will never be able to do a safety inspection again. Also, be aware that the Better Business Bureau gives them a D minus rating as of August 2012, on a scale of A through F. To see that information go to www.bbb.org. I wonder if corporate gets paid for bogus inspections or all the work done under the table?

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Destroyed wife's engine & lied about installing rebuilt engine!
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

WOODBURY, NEW JERSEY -- On 1/28/14 I took my wife's 2003 Toyota Camry to the Meineke located in Woodbury, NJ for an oil change. For the scheduling and payment, I dealt with an individual by the name of **. After payment, I drove back to our apartment and right before I parked, I noticed the "Check Engine" light had come on and there was a slight "tapping" sound coming from the engine.

I told my wife about it and she said it would be best to go back to the Meineke to have them check it. About 200 ft. before the Meineke there was a red light. I stopped and the car began to violently shake and the "tapping" sound quickly became a "loud knocking" sound. I pulled in and spoke to ** and told him what was going on. He went to pull her car into one of the bays and the car died out. He asked a few of the mechanics there to help him push the car into the bay so he could inspect it.

Once on the lift, he called my wife and I into the shop area and told us that they had installed a "defective" oil filter and that her engine was blown! My wife became extremely upset and began to take an asthma attack and I had to try my best to calm her down because she did not have her inhaler on her. ** told me to tell her that they will "do the right thing" and replace her engine free of charge. My wife and I insisted that at the very least, they must install a "rebuilt" engine with a warranty. He said he was not sure if he could do that.

Once we went back to our apartment, my wife called Meineke Corporate and told them what had happened and demanded that they install a "rebuilt" engine with a warranty. She spoke to a CSR by the name of **. He said that her request was extremely reasonable and that he would contact the Woodbury Meineke and tell him to honor the request. ** called my wife back and told her they would install a "rebuilt" engine with a warranty.

About 2 weeks later, the Woodbury Meineke called us and said that her car was ready. Once there, we spoke to someone named ** and he said that he personally took care of everything and had ordered a "rebuilt" engine from a company called "ITC". He said that if we had any problems whatsoever, to take her car back to Meineke and her would personally take care of it. About 5 days later, the "Check Engine" light came on again.

We took it back to Meineke and ** said that he would take a look at it. He called us up and said that there was just a simple "communication" problem between the catalytic converter and the engine and all he had to do was "reset the soft light" and everything would be fine. He asked if he could keep the car for a few days to test drive it to make sure that the "Check Engine" light would not come back on and that everything else was OK. My wife agreed and we picked her car up 3 days later.

Everything seemed fine with the car... at first. 3 weeks afterwards; on my wife's birthday no less; the "Check Engine" light went off again. We took it back to the Woodbury Meineke to find out that they now have a new owner, new management, and all new mechanics. No one that was working there now was there when we had taken the car for the initial oil change or when we brought the car back after the "rebuilt" engine was installed.

The new manager; **; had no idea what we had gone through, but we explained everything to him. He said he would inspect the car to see what the problem was. He called my wife and told her that she would need a new catalytic converter. My wife and I were sure that the "rebuilt" engine had something to do with the catalytic converter going bad.

My wife called Meineke Corporate and asked to speak to **. She was told that ** no longer works there and spoke to an extremely rude CSR that would not let my wife explain anything or get a word in edgewise. My wife told the CSR everything that had happened to her car and that she was sure that the "rebuilt" engine was the cause of the catalytic converter going bad. The CSR told my wife that her warranty was only on her engine and that there was no way that would have made the catalytic converter go bad.

My wife had become extremely frustrated with this CSR and told her that we would contact a lawyer. The CSR told my wife that if she did that, she would "erase all records of all of her phone calls and complaints!" The next day; **; the new manager of the Woodbury Meineke; called my wife. He said he wanted to try to find out any information he could about the "rebuilt" engine that was installed. He told my wife that it was not a "rebuilt" engine. He said that it was a "used engine from a junkyard"!!!

My wife and I have gone through so much since the economy went down the drain. We both lost our jobs, we lost our home, and have gone through bankruptcy. I am back to work now, but my wife is still unemployed and needed her car to look for a job because I cannot afford everything. We are in an apartment now and are falling back further and further in debt. We don't know what to do now. We cannot afford a lawyer unless we can find a pro-bono lawyer or possibly a lawyer that would handle our case on a contingency basis and add all of their charges and fees to the total amount my wife and I are seeking.

We gave Meineke one shot to "do the right thing" and they did not and lied to us! The only way I can see them doing "the right thing" at this point in time would be to cut my wife a check for the entire amount that she has paid to Toyota. I have heard that the best we could hope for would be "Blue Book" value, but we will not be able to get a car as reliable as her's was with that value. Besides, none of this would have ever happened if they just recognized the defective oil filter BEFORE they put it on. Are they any lawyers that would be willing to take on this case as described earlier? Either by pro-bono or on a contingency basis? Someone... anyone?

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Meineke Rating:
Star Star Empty star Empty star Empty star
1.9 out of 5, based on 19 ratings and
41 reviews & complaints.
Contact Information:
Meineke
440 S Church St Suite 700
Charlotte, NC 28202
1-800-447-3070 (ph)
www.meineke.com
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