Wilkens Automotive

DO NOT TAKE YOUR VEHICLE HERE. THEY MADE A MISTAKE THAT COULD HAVE KILLED MY DAUGHTER by mistakenly putting power steering into her brake fluid. Let me start at the top.
Her brakes were grinding and sounded like a dragging caliper along with her brakes just not reacting as fast as I would like (for a teenager especially). So since I had 3 recall notices for her 2005 Pontiac, I figured why not have them check things out brake-​wise as well (usually a retail rip-​off at dealerships but I since the car was there…). Service advisor Sandy (who btw is wonderful and very professional) called to let me know I needed brake pads, rotors, and tire rotation/​alignment and oil change. I fully agreed to the work. Here is where it goes BAD.
Car’s brakes became «strange» is the best I can describe. Took a lot of pressure and had to really push on them to engage. Took about a week when I took the car back. They said they test drove the car (funny the odometer read the same as when I dropped it off) and told me I needed a 1 new rim and 4 new tires. I declined to have them do that there. About 5 days ltr I got 4 new tires on it and none of the rims were needing replacing. Hmmmm. Called Sandy and asked which rim was it that was in question and he said he asked they had no idea since I didn’t do the work there. Okay, understandable. Life continues on for about 2 weeks.
Tired of hearing my teen complain about the brakes STILL. I let her use my car for 2 weeks while recovering from surgery at home (I know this is getting lengthy and I apologize). So…
Now I’m back to health, I take her car out for a few miles. Yeah, it was not great but I dismissed it since it was an older car and I told her it’s not going to feel like my newer vehicle’s brakes. I told her just don’t tailgate and yada yada. HELL I have done EVERYTHING under the sun for this braking system! It has to be at the very best it’s gonna get, right?
WRONG.
After hearing my daughter saying she «SLID THROUGH A RED LIGHT AND WAS ALMOST HIT BY A SCHOOL BUS» I knew the brakes were unsafe.
I had a day off from work, called around and could get into Meineke that same day. Awesome. I carefully drove the car there. Even got a ride home from them while they took a look.
THIS IS WHEN I RECEIVED THE NEWS. GUY AT MEINEKE TOLD ME TO SIT DOWN FOR THIS ONE! Oh man…
THERE WAS POWER STEERING FLUID IN THE BRAKE FLUID. NO ONE ELSE HAD MY TEEN’S CAR OTHER THAN WILKIN’S AUTO. I had the hubby take me down to see for myself. This mucky colored fluid was being flushed out.
*****I NEEDED A WHOLE NEW BRAKE SYSTEM INCLUDING A MASTER CYLINDER, ABS PUMP, LINES AND CALIPERS. $ 1950 W/​LABOR AND THAT WAS WITH A USED MASTER CYLINDER WE FOUND.**********
When I called Sandy, he admitted they checked and topped off any and all fluids (which my receipt states as well). I climbed to chain of command and spoke to Operations Manager Bruce. Wanna know what he said? In a very nice tone…“Since you did not give us a chance to see the damage and a way in which to remedy it, there is nothing we can do”. Excuse me? I went there complaining of something not right a week after the brake job and was told I needed new tires and a rim! WITHOUT A TEST DRIVE BTW. I would never go back to a place that lied about anything. Who would?
I explained I have witnesses, pictures, the fluid in which Meineke drained, and the corrosive parts that needed to be replaced. Even SANDY ADMITTED IT!!! Not to mention a receipt that says they checked and topped off all fluid.
–Let’s just say for giggles that they didn’t access my closed brake system at all when they did brake work (cuz they didn’t have to really).
— And let’s just say my closed brake system stayed just that… CLOSED while they worked on the rotors and brakes in the beginning.
–Now…If someone else compromised the brake system (last oil change was at Grease and Go 6 months previous with no problems at all) Wilkins DID said they CHECKED ALL FLUIDS.
*****HMMMMM well if they did, they clearly missed the black guck in the see-​through master cylinder! And I am going out on a limb here jut to show how ridiculous it is for them to deny they did it. A mistake that could have cost the life of not only my teen, but someone she could have killed.
«Sorry and Have a Happy Holiday and if there is anything we can do for you in the future let us know».
I did tell him we will be going to small claims for this one in a very calm, controlled voice. I have never in 39 years sued anyone. But this, well, I just can’t believe the blatant negligence.
Oh, and if Wilkin’s tries to leave a PR comment below saying how they are sorry I feel this way and bla bla, please understand that I am stating all the facts and not my feelings.