I walked into this auto repair to get a NYS inspection. It was a set up from the first question he asked me. I've been debating about whether I would post a scathing review because I try to only highlight good experiences and let the bad go, but..
Since they keep reminding me everytime I get another spam email from their marketing partners, with the from email being "Scruggs -no reply" I'm pissed and now I'm going to tell what happened, as a warning to unsuspecting future would-be victims of their VERY SCAMMY OPERATION!
I walked in to get my inspection immediately before starting a 13+hr trip south, on February 10th at 3pm. Please note, my car is 8 yrs old but in perfect shape, new tires, new brakes all the way around, everything in perfect working order.
I said, "Hi, can you tell me what you charge for an inspection?" The guy says (I'm sorry I don't remember his name but tall guy, dark hair. They have 3 stations where they wait in unison to pounce on people), "How old is your car?"
My scam-dar detector flag went up red. I said, "It's a 2015."
He said, "Perfect, we happen to be running a one day special today, inspections are just ($0.23) twenty three cents.".
I said, "I'm leaving immediately from here on a long trip and need to get on the road soon." He said, "No problem, we have no wait!" and handed him my keys and waited. While I did, I listened. A nursing student's dad who came in to complain about them quoting $268, and charging his daughter's card over $900, without first telling her the price had jumped so much from the quote. He was seething when he left, but no refund, no apology. That was one of two gouging events I heard of, while waiting. My (friendly) Aussiedoodle service dog lunged at the guy who quoted me $0.23.. I've never seen him do that to anyone before, so I knew something was very off with this outfit.
After an hour, a young (20ish) man tells me he has good news and bad news. Turns out my car wouldn't pass inspection due to the peddle pressure being 2% less than NYS requires to pass a vehicle's safety inspection criteria; they would need to run a diagnostic to see what the problem was. $186.
Me: "Nope. No diagnostic. My brakes are brand new, there's plenty of peddle. I've driven it for two weeks since the brakes were replaced and the brakes work perfectly. I want you to put my car back together the way you found it. Get it off that lift now. Put my $0.23 sticker on it. And process my payment for same."
On queue, this 20yr old blonde jumps out from behind the doorway. "Ma'am, you don't understand, my manager is gonna have to take your car for a 20 minute drive, after the diagnostic to see what the problem is and then we can determine what we need to do to fix it.".
I took a deep breathe, and said to her, "No, you don't understand. I came in here for an inspection not a scam. My brakes are perfect. Put my car back together get it off that lift put the sticker on it and I will pay you the 23 cents I agreed to when I walked in here."
"Ma'am I don't think you understand how it works. We can't actually put a sticker back on your car. Iit doesn't pass inspection." To which I responded, "No diagnostic! Get my f****** car off that lift now and leave my sticker intact if you're not putting a new one on."
She went in the back, came back in a about 5 minutes and said, "Good news ma'am, my manager said he can pass the inspection."
I said, "Fabulous."
I have listened to a rattle since. Steer clear of these bastards. They sold my email address about a hundred times already, just got one from their partner CarFax.
NYS state inspection requirement is just a scam to allow repair facilities like SCRUGGS AUTOMOTIVE to screw people for diagnostic tests and work that does not need to be done.
In South Carolina there is no such inspection requirement and there are also no broken down cars all over the road. NYS INSPECTION REQUIREMENT is fee income and an opportunity for scams.
SCRUGGS- SCAM ARTISTS!
BEWARE.
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