Boston auto repair company accused of bait and switch
Published on November 1, 2009
COMPLAINT: Sameh Tawfik, Cambridge, Mass.
"I went to Expo Motors for an annual certification. After they ran the tests, everything passed. Nobody told me the car had passed. They told me I needed a new muffler that would cost $50 for labor and $150 for parts.
"I was under the impression I needed this work done in order to pass the state test. When I got the final bill, I found out my car had passed the state's test and that the work was unnecessary.
"When I agreed to the work, I was told that the part would be between $100 and $150. The final bill was $478."
DESIRED RESOLUTION: "I want a $300 refund."
RESPONSE: Peter Vaserman, manager, Expo Motors
"The customer came for an inspection sticker. We put the car on the lift and diagnosed that the car needed an exhaust system. We gave the customer an estimate and he OK'd the work and left the vehicle for that day.
"After completing the work, we did the inspection and car passed. The customer came back and paid on the bill, but was $20 to $25 short. He asked for a discount and we gave him the discount. Two months later, he started to negotiate.
"No one forced him to do the repair. He could've gotten a rejection sticker good for 60 days and had a free inspection after completing the repair. We will not return him one penny. This claim that we did the sticker and then sold him the job doesn't make any sense."
STATUS: Stalemate
COMPLAINT: Linda Behar, Lexington, Mass.
"I hired Safety Signal to rewire replacement windows as well as install and wire window screens in the kitchen and living room. I continued with their service because the previous owners of my home used them and I've been satisfied with their service.
"I had new windows installed in the living room, and since they needed to be connected, we decided to upgrade the system at the same time. They did all the work except on the screens of four windows. These were sent to another company to be wired with an alarm barrier.
"They took the screens to send out and, for two weeks, I called them and got no reply. They finally came to install the screens and discovered they'd been wired wrong and needed to be sent back.
"It took another six weeks of calls to get them here and the screens are still wrong."
DESIRED RESOLUTION: "I want them to wire the screens correctly and install them."
STATUS: Resolved