ZERO STARS- I am going to make this as short and sweet as possible, but long enough to save someone…read morea LOT of grief.
I brought my 2003 Subaru Baja in for a clunk in the back right wheel area. Meineke at 1306 E Santa Fe diagnosed a long list of additional issues. I approved front strut/coil assemblies (both sides), CV axle replacement (both sides), rear strut and shock replacement (both sides), an alignment, and an oil change. Paid $4,642.12.
Immediately after pickup, the steering felt floaty, unsafe, and abnormal, my air intake was left disconnected and open, now broken, and the filter box was unlatched and open.
The front struts were mismatched: left strut gray, scratched, and damaged; right strut black and with top hat showing signs of flaking and stress cracking after less than 10 miles. The gray strut did not match the correct part on O'Reilly's website, and its box was missing a part number sticker entirely. The black right strut's box matched the correct part. When I raised these issues, Service Advisor M. Ayala became hostile, combative, extremely disrespectful, talked over me to my husband, didn't even ask my name, and used absurd analogies like: "If you bought new tires, would you reject them because there was road wear?" (Yes--I expect brand-new parts to have no damage, just like new tires.) I was physically shaking with rage and fear, but stayed focused on the safety of my family and car.
I gave them all the chances in the world to show concern or take my complaints seriously, but they insinuated I was dramatic, stupid, and made ABSOLUTELY NO attempt to rectify anything--only denial, denial, denial, without even LOOKING at the car first.
Then came the refrain: "That doesn't matter." When I pointed out the misreported odometer reading on my invoice while I had Service Supervisor M. Ayala drive it so he could assess the steering issue (at my insistence), he ANGRILY snapped, "AND WHY DOES THAT MATTER?" (It matters because it proved the car had not been test-driven after the initial repairs, despite their claim that it had been driven 20 miles--on a disconnected intake/filter box) They dismissed the mismatched strut, the visible damage, and the disconnected intake and open filter box as irrelevant, repeating "That doesn't matter" to ALL of the concerns I had raised with them.
Because no alignment paperwork existed from when the parts were installed, they performed a "second" alignment--they told me I could watch, but then did it while I was consulting with my husband--and gave excuses about why their alignment laser machine couldn't provide accurate readings or printouts. It's obvious they did not perform a proper test drive and refused to provide final inspection notes or before-and-after documentation.
Technician T. Johnson then adjusted my tie rod without my consent while the vehicle was still on the alignment lift and while I was inside the office taking pictures of the mismatched strut/coil boxes and cross-referencing them with O'reilly auto parts' website(one was an obvious mismatch) . Only after this unauthorized adjustment did they identify a severely leaking steering rack and unsafe tie rod that "explained" the steering issues.
Their estimate for rack and pinion replacement, tie rod, and flush was $1,867.17, which, combined with hostility, disrespect, fraudulent paperwork, and lack of transparency, is OUTRAGEOUS.
For the safety of my family, I will never have ANY MEINEKE near my car EVER again. We have contacted Meineke Corporate and if that comes to nothing we intend to pursue legal action following an inspection by an independent mechanic.
TL/DR: Pricing was inflated, service was disrespectful, HOSTILE, dismissive, and my car was returned in an unsafe, WORSE condition--effectively TOTALLING it. Do NOT bring your car here, but if you have no other choice because it's the closest and your car is towed or limping, protect yourself by taking pictures of your odometer before and after EVERY time they touch it, all invoices, and ask for all your paperwork(alignment, parts, final inspection). I'm sure glad I did. Ladies--if you bring your car here, be prepared for your concerns to be ignored and dismissed simply because you are a woman, even when you are doing everything right, trying to protect your family, and know ball.