Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  08/01/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On Monday, July 31st, I went to HI LOW GAS located on Main Street in *******, ** to receive a vehicle inspection. My car was brought into the mechanic bay and I was told about 2 minutes later that my car failed inspection because of my aftermarket headlights and them flickering all over the place. I stated to the man that, that statement was wrong and I had tested out my headlights before installation. I have 2 years of experience in automotive so one of my job duties was to do quality checks/inspections on cars, so I knew that was wrong. He told me I needed to put my OEM headlights back on my car in order for it to pass. I knew that wasnt right as well so I contacted a mechanic shop, ********************** located in ********* ** to check my headlights. All they did was look and stated nothing was wrong with them and they shouldnt have failed. I drove to ****************, which is located on Main Street of ********* to have my vehicle re-inspected, to which it passed immediately. The mechanic there also stated that there was nothing wrong with my headlights and that HI LOW GAS shouldnt have failed them. I went back to ask for a refund and showed the person that they were wrong and they met standards to pass for inspection and he told me it wasnt his problem and walked away.

  Business response

  08/02/2023

  Hi Lo Gas ************************************************* 01570
  **************
  *********************
  
  
  08/02/2023
  Better Business Bureau
  *****************************************
  RE: Complaint ID #********
  To Whom It May ************** are writing in response to the complaint filed against Hi Lo Gas Station regarding the vehicle inspection conducted on Monday, July 31st, at our facility located on Main Street in *******, **. We appreciate the opportunity to address the concerns raised by the customer and provide a comprehensive explanation of the situation.
  Upon conducting the vehicle inspection, our certified mechanic identified an issue with the complainant's aftermarket headlights, which were observed to be flickering during the inspection process. As a responsible and state-regulated mechanic shop, it is our duty to ensure the safety and compliance of vehicles undergoing inspection.
  In such instances, where potential non-compliant components are identified during an inspection, we adhere to the necessary state-mandated measures by recording the inspection proceedings. This ensures transparency and accuracy throughout the process. The recordings can be made available if there is any disputes relating to the findings of a motor vehicle inspection. Furthermore, our mechanics are trained to handle various vehicle makes and models, which enables them to identify potential deviations from the standard requirements.
  The complainant stated that they have two years of experience in the automotive field and had conducted quality checks/inspections on cars. While we acknowledge their expertise, we stand by our mechanic's findings based on the flickering issue observed during the inspection that could have been caused by a faulty ballast or ignitor. We understand their frustration, and for any customer who has concerns or disagrees with their inspection results, we provide the avenue to lodge a complaint by calling ************** or visiting www.********/vehiclecheck.
  Regarding the communications that took place when the customer returned to the station for a refund, we apologize for any misunderstanding or miscommunication that may have occurred during the interaction. The law maintains that in order to receive a free inspection after a rejection sticker, the customer must return to the shop where they received the rejection. Our aim is always to provide courteous and professional customer service. 
  We take customer feedback seriously and will always strive to improve our services.
  While we regret any inconvenience experienced by the complainant, we maintain that the complaint was handled in accordance with our standard procedures and state regulations. 
  Once again, we appreciate the opportunity to address this matter and reaffirm our commitment to providing reliable and compliant vehicle inspection services. Should you require any further information or clarification, please do not hesitate to contact us.
  Sincerely,
  Siad K
  Owner
  Hi Lo Gas Station

  Customer response

  08/02/2023

   
  Complaint: ***********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I understand your technicians have experience and are doing their jobs to their abilities, but when I have experience and also know car parts, I also know when someone is trying to get money out of people and not do their job the right way. You mentioned my headlights being aftermarket and needing new ballasts, to which if your technicians were trained professionally they would know those headlights dont have ballasts on them. Those headlights take hid bulbs and thats it. During my inspection as well, your technician also said he sees this all the time implying hes rejected a lot of people for aftermarket headlights and they are able to pass inspection because there is no safety issue with them. As stated in my first statement, I understand your technician is doing their job but when I show proof that two other shops inspected my car and one gave me a sticker because my headlights do pass inspection, your technician is in the wrong. In this scenario, your technician chose to use a personal preference to reject my car. Had this been an issue, that second shop would have rejected my car too, but they didnt. Lastly, when I spoke to your technician about his error, I found it very unprofessional that he had no problem speaking to me until I showed him the paperwork stating my car was too be passed and that I had received a sticker for 2024. Once he saw the paperwork, he decided to get up and walk away from me as if I wasnt speaking to him to show that he was in the wrong. He then told me I had to fix the problem and to come back in a month to which I said I dont need to fix anything and I already had a sticker so I dont need to get a sticker from him. He basically shrugged what I had said off and told me it wasnt his problem and to have a good day. As a woman, Ive seen mechanics try to scam us all the time because they dont believe we know about cars. This isnt the first time for me and probably wont be the last. I asked for a refund because it was wrongful on his part. I do believe your technicians have also done this to other people due to how confident and comfortable he was with completely ignoring me and telling me it wasnt his problem and walking away from me. I do believe this shop now needs to be investigated thoroughly to see if they have taken money from other customers due for this same situation. 

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************************

  Business response

  08/07/2023

  Re: Complaint #********
  We appreciate the feedback and concerns regarding the recent vehicle inspection conducted at Hi Lo Gas Station. If one feels that there was a discrepancy during inspection, we encourage them to utilize the avenue provided by the ************* ********** of *************** One can voice their concerns by calling ************** or visiting www.********/vehiclecheck. This will ensure a fair and impartial review of the inspection process. 
  If needed, a recording of the inspection will be provided that will show that the vehicles headlights were in fact malfunctioning. 
  As a mechanic shop that has been in business for several years, we take claims of impropriety very seriously. We want to emphasize that it is our strict policy to uphold the highest ethical standards and provide honest and reliable services to all our customers. The allegation of attempting to 'scam' is a serious claim that has no merit, and it is something we would never condone or engage in. Our primary objective is to ensure the safety and compliance of vehicles in accordance with state regulations. At no point did our technician try to sell the customer anything, rather he simply asked the customer to fix the issue and come back for a free re-inspection. 
  We take pride in serving a diverse demographic of loyal customers, a large majority being women who have trusted our mechanics for years without issue. Our commitment to quality and safety remains unwavering, and we apologize if their experience did not reflect this.
  Sincerely,
  Said K
  Owner
  Hi Lo Gas Station

  Customer response

  08/13/2023

   
  Complaint:***********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
   Like I said before, your technician failed to do his job properly. If you do look over your footage, youd see when he showed me my headlights, those were actually my day lights, which ARENT used for driving and are not a safety issue. If your technician was doing business properly, he wouldve known his personal preferences arent mass standards for inspection. He chose to also address his personal preference of my headlights to me, and said they were junk. You claim my lights were malfunctioning and dont meet safety standards yet I was able to get a sticker from another location immediately. That right there is proof my lights were completely fine, and your technician chose to take money and fail a car that DID meet safety requirements. Thats scamming. You took money and didnt provide the service you were supposed to. 
  
  

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