Joregine
05-04-2009, 09:32 AM
I took my 2004 Nissan Armada to Murray's Auto Clinic, Tech Rd. Location on April 21st for a Maryland State Inspection. Was quoted a price of $75.00 which is and was OK with me. I just bought this car and knew there always could be something that would make it fail the MD state inspection so the fact that they called and told me it failed was no surprise. What I found and still find confusing is what ensued after it 'failed' the inspection.
The gentleman who took me in and called to let me know the car failed the inspection was not really upfront about having to pay for Murray to tell me what problem they found that would lead them to 'fail' the car. One of the license plate light bulb was bad (easy replacement) and my power steering return hose was leaking power steering fluid. Those were the reasons for the 'Failed' inspection but in addition to the $66.00 they charged me for the MD state Inspection, they tagged on an additional $44.00 to "Really" determine that it was the power steering return hose that was leaking and had to be replaced hence the "failed" inspection. C'mon, I don't mind paying for diagnostics but the fee I pay for "Inspecting" the car, I feel, should have been enough to let me know the reason why it failed inspection which happens to be a leaking power steering return hose. Did I have to pay $44.00 for that to be determined ?.
Anyway, I asked if the $44.00 will be subtracted from the "repair" cost (which was estimated at about $124.00 including $30. parts) once they got the part (power steering return hose) and was told NO. They promised to get the parts by Thurday, April 23rd 2009 but I didn't hear from the front end person who dealt with me until about 4 PM on that day at which time I had already made other arrangements to have the hose replaced. I went to the dealer and got the Hose the next day for a toatl of $17.00. I also understood I had the option to fix my car wherever I wanted. I had my regular mechanic replace the hose for me (for $28.00) and immediately took it to the shop for re-inspection.
It took about 30 Minutes but once the guy who did the original inspection got to it, he called me in to explain to me that there was too much power steering fluid all over my bottom part engine compartment and that he could not pass the car. I asked him to confirm that the "Power Steering Hose" which was clearly visible was no longer leaking (which is easily determined just by looking at it) since that was why the Car failed inspection in the first place. He refused to do that saying I had to clean all the power steering fluid that was found everywhere. I was kind of surprised myself since that hose was replaced just about 1 hour before I got to the shop. He categorical refused to verify the functioning of the newly installed hose claiming someone had to be "Paid" to clean the fluid before he would do the re-inspection. I agreed to go clean it up and come back but then again another Murray's employee got into the act and asked to take care of the problem. He spent a few minutes cleaning up the fluid which happened to be found in places that could not have come from the Power Steering components since they found out there were no leaks. Now, no one told me I was going to have to pay anything again because of this else I would have prefered to go clean the fluid out before coming back. It took a few minutes but I was eventually given my inspection certificate and charged an additional $36.50.
I don't know if this was for re-inspection or for cleaning up the power steering fluid or what but I have a feeling and this was all about charging me for trivial stuff. I know the Workorder says for "MD re-inspection" but there are signs all over the shop stating that a customer is entitled to a written estimate for all work over $25.00. I had asked to go clean up the car myself so why was I not given the opportunity to do so ?. The guy who finally took care of this confirmed this was all about the Money (I know) but I don't think I will be making another mistake to go near a shop like Murray's auto clinic anytime soon.
I am also very aware of the fact that the amount of power steering fluid that was found and the areas where this fluid was found could not have come from the repair shop that replaced the hose (I was there and witnessed the whole 15 minute task of replacing that hose which is held by 2 clips) and if there was any fluid leak after that replacement, how come the resevoir was still full. There was no fluid in all those places before and after the hose was replaced. THAT POWER STEERING FLUID WAS SPRAYED/PUT/SMEARED all over the place by the inspector himself. He was not smart enough to hide the remaining fluid in a freshly open bottle from view and left it right near the lift console..Yep, right where the controls for the car lift was. He probably did a lot of power steering jobs that day, eh ?. He didn't have to fill my reservoir up since mine had been topped off at the shop that replaced my hose. Where did all that fluid come from since they eventually did not find any leaks ?. The location of the leaks were not even consistent with leaks coming from a car that had been driven while there was a leak. A baby can tell that...no wind displacement of leaking fluid. You could even tell by the way he was waving his hands and bad mouthing who ever changed the hose.
Again, I know a thing of two about cars and witnessed the replacement of that hose. If there was a leak from that whole process, it could not have been as much as was on the car and would not have found itself in places where this Inspector guy claimed there was fluid. It is less than a mile from where that hose was replaced to the Murray's shop and if that amount of fluid came out of my system, there would not have been any left in the reservoir. I checked the spot at the parking lot where the car was parked before they took it in and there was no fluid. I even checked around the bay area where the inspection was taking place and there wasn't even a drip but to see the amount of fluid and listen to the way this guy was mouthing off, you would have thought the fluid had left indelible trails or marks all over the place.
This was nothing more than a rip-off. I don't know why a presumable reputable place would allow 'employees' to do stuff like that and once I knew the fluid had been put on my car, I was reluctant to leave the area and kind of put an eye on everything else that was going on. If he could do something like that, how do I know he was not going to try to cause some other damage. A leaking brake pipe could take a few days to really become apparent and I didn't want to take any chances with these guys.
Anyway, they can do whatever they want with this or can consider my complained just another gripe coming from some disgruntled customer and while my business or none thereof might not register their your radar, i just wanted to let who ever gets this at murrays to know it is just a matter of time before someone else gets really pissed off.
I am lodging a complain with the MD state police because I don't think I had to be charged again for re-inspection. I sent a complain to them (Murray's) but have not heard back from anybody. Anyway, they have not heard the last from me.
The gentleman who took me in and called to let me know the car failed the inspection was not really upfront about having to pay for Murray to tell me what problem they found that would lead them to 'fail' the car. One of the license plate light bulb was bad (easy replacement) and my power steering return hose was leaking power steering fluid. Those were the reasons for the 'Failed' inspection but in addition to the $66.00 they charged me for the MD state Inspection, they tagged on an additional $44.00 to "Really" determine that it was the power steering return hose that was leaking and had to be replaced hence the "failed" inspection. C'mon, I don't mind paying for diagnostics but the fee I pay for "Inspecting" the car, I feel, should have been enough to let me know the reason why it failed inspection which happens to be a leaking power steering return hose. Did I have to pay $44.00 for that to be determined ?.
Anyway, I asked if the $44.00 will be subtracted from the "repair" cost (which was estimated at about $124.00 including $30. parts) once they got the part (power steering return hose) and was told NO. They promised to get the parts by Thurday, April 23rd 2009 but I didn't hear from the front end person who dealt with me until about 4 PM on that day at which time I had already made other arrangements to have the hose replaced. I went to the dealer and got the Hose the next day for a toatl of $17.00. I also understood I had the option to fix my car wherever I wanted. I had my regular mechanic replace the hose for me (for $28.00) and immediately took it to the shop for re-inspection.
It took about 30 Minutes but once the guy who did the original inspection got to it, he called me in to explain to me that there was too much power steering fluid all over my bottom part engine compartment and that he could not pass the car. I asked him to confirm that the "Power Steering Hose" which was clearly visible was no longer leaking (which is easily determined just by looking at it) since that was why the Car failed inspection in the first place. He refused to do that saying I had to clean all the power steering fluid that was found everywhere. I was kind of surprised myself since that hose was replaced just about 1 hour before I got to the shop. He categorical refused to verify the functioning of the newly installed hose claiming someone had to be "Paid" to clean the fluid before he would do the re-inspection. I agreed to go clean it up and come back but then again another Murray's employee got into the act and asked to take care of the problem. He spent a few minutes cleaning up the fluid which happened to be found in places that could not have come from the Power Steering components since they found out there were no leaks. Now, no one told me I was going to have to pay anything again because of this else I would have prefered to go clean the fluid out before coming back. It took a few minutes but I was eventually given my inspection certificate and charged an additional $36.50.
I don't know if this was for re-inspection or for cleaning up the power steering fluid or what but I have a feeling and this was all about charging me for trivial stuff. I know the Workorder says for "MD re-inspection" but there are signs all over the shop stating that a customer is entitled to a written estimate for all work over $25.00. I had asked to go clean up the car myself so why was I not given the opportunity to do so ?. The guy who finally took care of this confirmed this was all about the Money (I know) but I don't think I will be making another mistake to go near a shop like Murray's auto clinic anytime soon.
I am also very aware of the fact that the amount of power steering fluid that was found and the areas where this fluid was found could not have come from the repair shop that replaced the hose (I was there and witnessed the whole 15 minute task of replacing that hose which is held by 2 clips) and if there was any fluid leak after that replacement, how come the resevoir was still full. There was no fluid in all those places before and after the hose was replaced. THAT POWER STEERING FLUID WAS SPRAYED/PUT/SMEARED all over the place by the inspector himself. He was not smart enough to hide the remaining fluid in a freshly open bottle from view and left it right near the lift console..Yep, right where the controls for the car lift was. He probably did a lot of power steering jobs that day, eh ?. He didn't have to fill my reservoir up since mine had been topped off at the shop that replaced my hose. Where did all that fluid come from since they eventually did not find any leaks ?. The location of the leaks were not even consistent with leaks coming from a car that had been driven while there was a leak. A baby can tell that...no wind displacement of leaking fluid. You could even tell by the way he was waving his hands and bad mouthing who ever changed the hose.
Again, I know a thing of two about cars and witnessed the replacement of that hose. If there was a leak from that whole process, it could not have been as much as was on the car and would not have found itself in places where this Inspector guy claimed there was fluid. It is less than a mile from where that hose was replaced to the Murray's shop and if that amount of fluid came out of my system, there would not have been any left in the reservoir. I checked the spot at the parking lot where the car was parked before they took it in and there was no fluid. I even checked around the bay area where the inspection was taking place and there wasn't even a drip but to see the amount of fluid and listen to the way this guy was mouthing off, you would have thought the fluid had left indelible trails or marks all over the place.
This was nothing more than a rip-off. I don't know why a presumable reputable place would allow 'employees' to do stuff like that and once I knew the fluid had been put on my car, I was reluctant to leave the area and kind of put an eye on everything else that was going on. If he could do something like that, how do I know he was not going to try to cause some other damage. A leaking brake pipe could take a few days to really become apparent and I didn't want to take any chances with these guys.
Anyway, they can do whatever they want with this or can consider my complained just another gripe coming from some disgruntled customer and while my business or none thereof might not register their your radar, i just wanted to let who ever gets this at murrays to know it is just a matter of time before someone else gets really pissed off.
I am lodging a complain with the MD state police because I don't think I had to be charged again for re-inspection. I sent a complain to them (Murray's) but have not heard back from anybody. Anyway, they have not heard the last from me.