Title: Lost a 7-year customer over dishonest inspection tactics.
I have brought both of my vehicles to this location over the last seven years, spending over $5,000 in loyal business. Never again.
During my recent visit for a new battery the service advisor told me I need a Virginia State Inspection for my pristine 2021 Mercedes GLE 350. Then after doing it the service advisor attempted to fail my vehicle. He claimed the front left rotor had "gravel grooves" that required a complete replacement of both front brake pads and rotors. Curiously, he claimed this damage was strictly on the "inside portion" of the rotor where I couldn't visually verify it without crawling under the vehicle.
Knowing my vehicle's meticulous service history (the current pads only have 18,000 miles on them), I declined the massive upsell and researched Virginia State Police inspection rules (19VAC30-70-80). Minor cosmetic scoring or pebble grooves are NOT legal failure points unless the rotor is cracked or worn below the manufacturer's strict minimum thickness—measurements the advisor failed to provide.
I took my vehicle down to the Mercedes dealer in Chantilly this morning for the inspection. It passed with absolutely zero issues or safety concerns. To make matters worse, I reviewed my recent tire purchase receipt with this same advisor. He promised to price match Tire Rack, but I discovered he secretly billed me $179 for road hazard protection—a service Tire Rack includes completely free.This shop broke my trust by padding invoices and using false inspection failures to push unnecessary repairs. Check your bills, know your state laws, and take your business elsewhere.
Net Promoter® NPS®, NPS Prism®, and the NPS-related emoticons are registered trademarks of Bain & Company, Inc., Satmetrix Systems, Inc., and Fred Reichheld. Net Promoter Score™ and Net Promoter System™ are service marks of Bain & Company, Inc., and Fred Reichheld.
Attention
We use cookies to personalize content, enable certain functionality, and track site analytics for marketing purposes. You consent to our cookies if you continue to use this website.
I have brought both of my vehicles to this location over the last seven years, spending over $5,000 in loyal business. Never again.
During my recent visit for a new battery the service advisor told me I need a Virginia State Inspection for my pristine 2021 Mercedes GLE 350. Then after doing it the service advisor attempted to fail my vehicle. He claimed the front left rotor had "gravel grooves" that required a complete replacement of both front brake pads and rotors. Curiously, he claimed this damage was strictly on the "inside portion" of the rotor where I couldn't visually verify it without crawling under the vehicle.
Knowing my vehicle's meticulous service history (the current pads only have 18,000 miles on them), I declined the massive upsell and researched Virginia State Police inspection rules (19VAC30-70-80). Minor cosmetic scoring or pebble grooves are NOT legal failure points unless the rotor is cracked or worn below the manufacturer's strict minimum thickness—measurements the advisor failed to provide.
I took my vehicle down to the Mercedes dealer in Chantilly this morning for the inspection. It passed with absolutely zero issues or safety concerns. To make matters worse, I reviewed my recent tire purchase receipt with this same advisor. He promised to price match Tire Rack, but I discovered he secretly billed me $179 for road hazard protection—a service Tire Rack includes completely free.This shop broke my trust by padding invoices and using false inspection failures to push unnecessary repairs. Check your bills, know your state laws, and take your business elsewhere.