So Mad at CT Auto!

[PurpleBunny89]

I decided to invest in some winter tires this year as the new all season tires we bought in the summer turned out to be absolute crap and would slip even in rain.

So I bought them two weekends ago and was told that they would call me when they arrived. No one ever called. I called and they had them. I didn't have time to bring them in until last Friday afternoon at which point they told me I would need to leave my car for 24 hours. I couldn't at that point.

I went in on Sunday morning first thing when they opened and was now told that I would need to leave my car for 3 whole days. Not happening, I have to work ya know.

Monday after work I went by and they would be able to have my car done within 24-36 hours. So I said fine since I didn't have to work today. I was told they would call when it was done.

Around 3:30pm I can and they tell me its done. No one called me. I go to pick up my car and when paying the guy makes a remark that it had been done for awhile now and was surprised I didn't pick it up sooner. As to which I replied quite angrily that it would of been nice to know that but of course no one calls when they say they will. He apologized and I left just glad to be done and have my winter tires on.

Got in my car and wait for it to heat up a bit to clear some of the moisture/steam from the windshield and side windows and what do I notice? Well my darn windsheild is cracked!!! Right across the bottom from one side to the other! I was livid.

I went back in and they took a look but are basically denying everything and anything and claiming it was like that when I brought it in.

I have to go tomorrow to speak to the manager and show him and I will have to try and contain myself because I am so mad right now.

So basically you spend $800 or so in winter tires, rims and having them installed and the thank you you get for your business is a broken windshield!

If they don't offer to replace it free of charge I will be contacting the BBB.

[shantayl]

stick to it, we had a problem when i was younger, had a nice stereo sysetem got in and speakers were blown. they denied that none of the staff would play with stereo put I did not give up and in end, the replaced and installed a new system

[PurpleBunny89]

stick to it, we had a problem when i was younger, had a nice stereo sysetem got in and speakers were blown. they denied that none of the staff would play with stereo put I did not give up and in end, the replaced and installed a new system

Thank you for your kind words.

Just so upsetting because they were like well we only installed your tires so we wouldn't of even touched the windshield, and I was like thats my point exactly!!! BUT something or someone under your care broke my darn windshield!

I know of the manager in question I have to speak to and he generally seems pretty nice so fingers crossed. I understand where they are coming from and their point of view saying it could of been like that before but I wish there was some way for them to know I'm telling the truth that it was intact and not cracked at all prior.

Just so upsetting.

[Gazpache]

I just have to warn you, good luck with the BBB and CT. I made a complaint against CT about 7 years ago because they told me I needed a new alternator and battery when the work absolutely did not need to be done. I tried to speak to the manager on several occasions but he never returned my calls. So I made a complaint with the BBB. The manager replied to the complaint saying he had tried to call me numerous times and I never answered which was a bald faced lie. I tried to contact the BBB again to refute his claims but they wouldn't listen to me. They took his word over mine. I even went to head office and spoke to a representative there who proceeded to try to talk down to me because I am a woman and couldn't possibly know anything about cars. Eventually after about 5 minutes of my stating I would not back down from my very valid complaints and that I firmly believed they were committing fraud, I finally mentioned that I was considering going to the media (Marketplace specifically) to which the rep from HO said to me (I swear this is a direct quote) "Have fun with that. B****." and hung up on me. I had been calm, rational, was not confrontational or negative at all in this conversation. I'm the type of person who could only dream of being rude to a customer service worker since I worked in CS for many years. I just can't bring myself to be rude or confrontational, its just not in my nature. Because of that, the disrespect the rep gave me just blew my mind.

I warn everybody I know to avoid them like the plague. I won't even step foot into the retail side of the business. no matter how good a deal or sale may be. I cannot give a crooked company that treats their customers like that, even a penny of my business.

I wish you lots of luck and I sincerely hope it works out in your favour. I'm rooting for you!

[GoJays]

Keep fighting for what you know is right, don't give up!
We take our cars to a "mom and pop" garage and have never had an issue with them. They're able to accommodate us at our convenience, not theirs (unless they're crazy backed up and then it's totally not their fault). They've never once told us that we need something done to the car just to make a couple of extra bucks when that whatever-something is just fine. Oil changes and snow tires? Half hour, tops. If we need a ride somewhere, they drive us. It's the type of place you drive by and either don't notice or you think "who in their right mind would leave their car there??" lol
Good luck

[beckie.c]

Yup, CT is on my list of places to never ever take my vehicle to. I'd been to a couple of locations when I was in my first year of University, where I got the "women don't know about cars" treatment. DH's family has had troubles with them too. If I can, I drive my car an hour to the mechanic I trust. He went above and beyond for me many times. While I was in University, I had a bent rim and bald tires, he tracked me down a used rim and like-new tires from a salvage yard in another city that fit my budget.

Good luck OP, don't settle, they should return your vehicle to you in the same condition as you left it!

[Sunshyne1]

Yup, i won't take my car to Canadian Tire since my fiasco with them installing tires and tightening the bolts too tight and they cracked and broke off one by one. Good thing for me that I didn't do much highway driving back then ..horrible enough when the last one cracked and the tire practically fell off while doing 50km's, I couldn't imagine what whould've happened if I had been doing 100km!

Stick to your guns and hopefully you will get a good result.

[Kwala]

They are Crappy Tire not Canadian Tire. Hopefully, you will get results from them, don't give up. We took our car to them for an oil change about 12 years ago. As we paid for the oil change they told us the car is leaking little bit oil and we should get it fixed next time. We brought the car home and the next morning there was no oil in the car, everything had leaked out. We used to park our car in the garage and there was no leak in it before we took the car to them as we would have seen it on the garage floor, and also when we took the car to them, old oil was still there. Since then we will never go back there.

[abbasgirl]

I've never heard a good story about Canadian Tire Auto. In fact all of the stories I've heard have been equally as horrific as yours. I won't even go there to get a light bulb changed.
I hope you get your windshield fixed. That's crazy!

[hollyquaiscer]

CT has never been know for their customer service skills for sure. I also use a small 2 man shop and haven't had issues. I hope you get some results, I wish you luck. Might I also suggest that you do some talking with friends, family and neighbors and find a small auto shop to use, most of these big guy's think they're the only ones around, and have forgotten what customers and customer service is these days.

[abbasgirl]

CT has never been know for their customer service skills for sure. I also use a small 2 man shop and haven't had issues. I hope you get some results, I wish you luck. Might I also suggest that you do some talking with friends, family and neighbors and find a small auto shop to use, most of these big guy's think they're the only ones around, and have forgotten what customers and customer service is these days.

I totally agree! I go to a family run garage. The service is excellent. They know me by name and they know all the ins and outs of my car. They never suggest anything that I don't need. They have an A+ BBB rating. Their prices are significantly less than I would pay if I brought my car to a dealership.

[PurpleBunny89]

CT has never been know for their customer service skills for sure. I also use a small 2 man shop and haven't had issues. I hope you get some results, I wish you luck. Might I also suggest that you do some talking with friends, family and neighbors and find a small auto shop to use, most of these big guy's think they're the only ones around, and have forgotten what customers and customer service is these days.

Wow! So shocked at all the horrible experiences! I wish I had of known for sure.

I've spoke to friends and families and most of them take theirs to dealerships - which I refuse to do, I'm not paying 5X the price for something, especially since the nearest dealership treats me like scum on their shoe because I'm a woman and young, and thats even the ladies who work there!

Otherwise we were taking it to a local Active Green & Ross but the communication there is horrible between the people who work on the cars and they have local high school kids working on the vehicles for co-op which is an absolute no-no to me. I pay for a licensed technician to work on my vehicle, if I wanted someone who had no idea what they were doing I'd do it myself! DH says they don't do high school kids anymore but how can you trust them after something like that?


An update to the situation - I spoke to the manager who was completely reasonable and didn't even really ask any questions. He remembered me bringing my vehicle to them on Monday and was sorry to hear about what happened when I picked it up the next day and will I come in tomorrow to have it replaced. I double checked that I'm not paying for it and he agreed. It just sucks that I have to be put out but am happy with the outcome atleast.

I need to invest in a basic auto lessons for women class wherein it shows you how to change a tire, oil, lightbulbs and windshield blades.

[walkonby]

oh thank goodness the manager was reasonable, great end results PB.

[abbasgirl]

I need to invest in a basic auto lessons for women class wherein it shows you how to change a tire, oil, lightbulbs and windshield blades.

Excellent idea! The more familiar you are with the car, the better off you'll be. Instructions for changing light bulbs and windshield blades are in your owner's manual. Those two jobs are really easy. If you don't know a lot about cars though, it may not be in your best interest to change the oil yourself. When you bring it in for an oil change, your mechanic does an inspection of the rest of your vehicle at the same time to let you know if there's any other issues or routine maintenance like filters and belts that need to be changed.
I'm glad you're getting the windshield sorted out!

[Shwa Girl]

Wow! So shocked at all the horrible experiences! I wish I had of known for sure.

I've spoke to friends and families and most of them take theirs to dealerships - which I refuse to do, I'm not paying 5X the price for something, especially since the nearest dealership treats me like scum on their shoe because I'm a woman and young, and thats even the ladies who work there!

Otherwise we were taking it to a local Active Green & Ross but the communication there is horrible between the people who work on the cars and they have local high school kids working on the vehicles for co-op which is an absolute no-no to me. I pay for a licensed technician to work on my vehicle, if I wanted someone who had no idea what they were doing I'd do it myself! DH says they don't do high school kids anymore but how can you trust them after something like that?


An update to the situation - I spoke to the manager who was completely reasonable and didn't even really ask any questions. He remembered me bringing my vehicle to them on Monday and was sorry to hear about what happened when I picked it up the next day and will I come in tomorrow to have it replaced. I double checked that I'm not paying for it and he agreed. It just sucks that I have to be put out but am happy with the outcome atleast.

I need to invest in a basic auto lessons for women class wherein it shows you how to change a tire, oil, lightbulbs and windshield blades.

Glad you got satisfaction!

Also went to an Active Green and Ross. They tried to scam by saying extra service is needed, when it's not.

Also hate Master Mechanic in Oshawa. Never going there again! Awful!
We are at the local dealership. They told us that we didn't need the service that Active Green and Ross wanted. Their prices were comparable to Active Green and Ross. On top of that, the dealership tops up the windshield washer and washes the car. Free.