Just Brakes - Just Garbage

[Soul_Patch]

So i needed to get the brake pads replaced and rotors turned on my truck. I normally take care of this myself, but the parts run about 50 bucks, and can be a little more to take the rotors somewhere to get turned. 99.88 advertised at Just Brakes did all i needed to get done. I left the car there, within 30 minutes they call me to tell me my "calipers needed to be rebuilt" and they needed to "flush the brake system" and it would cost 845.00 to fix everything...hah..

Calipers are so rare of a thing to have problems with i asked him how on earth ALL of my calipers were bad? I also asked him why they would flush or replace brake fluid? what would ever be a reason for doing that??...passed on both of those. told him either do the 99 dollar job or give me the truck back, if it is so unsafe ill take it to the dealership. The guy then went on about how unsafe it was going to be to drive it, i shouldnt even go around teh block...etc..etc...Got home and pulled off the tire. The calipers were absolutely fine. he said the driver side caliper was siezed up and cracked...absolutely false...

Bottom line is, this place is a fucking rip off scam. While there getting my truck i was looking at all of the service orders. None of them had anything less than 400 dollars worth of work written up on it. Checked online and there are about 15 pages worth of complaints on this consumer affairs site regarding Just brakes...


I highly reccomend NEVER EVER going there...i doubt the brakes i did get will last longer than about 10k miles, so the money you think you will save is not worth it at all.

[Bender]

hmmm... I definitely won't ever go there, thanks!

a while back my wife & I took her car to CarX to get some stuff checked (I think it was overheating bad). Anyway, they showed us a long list of super-necessary repairs... something like $1200. We said we just wanted a quote to fix the overheating, so we could drive around for a little while, and then we would get the rest fixed later...

Then they said well, the minimum to get it drivable was $900.

Went to Firestone, and got it nicely drivable and the overheating fixed, for only $300.

[CosmicCowboy]

Brake Check pulls the same shit. They prey on uneducated consumers that don't know any better.

[Soul_Patch]

This is the other site i was talking about.

what these people report having happened, was EXACTLY what they tried to pull on me. Luckily i know a bit about brake systems and didnt fall for their shit, but the place was loaded with people who were paying them stupid money for nothing.

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/just_brakes.html

[I. Hustle]

So which place doesn't screw you?

[BacktoBasics]

So which place doesn't screw you?Good luck figuring that out. The automotive repair market dictates that its a loss for even the most basic of jobs if you can't get the ticket pushed over 250 bucks and really the 350 mark is more typically the goal.

[angel_luv]

I had the same experience as you at Just Brakes about a year ago. Thankfully I went for a second opinion and got just the work I actually needed and paid just a fraction of the price.

If any of you ever need any car maint. or repair, Bo can refer you to reputable mechanics if his shop doesn't do what you need done.

[I. Hustle]

I had the same experience as you at Just Brakes about a year ago. Thankfully I went for a second opinion and got just the work I actually needed and paid just a fraction of the price.

If any of you ever need any car maint. or repair, Bo can refer you to reputable mechanics if his shop doesn't do what you need done.

Bo works over there on Nastycooches right? That's not far from me. I might have to ask him for a good brake place.

[angel_luv]

That's not far from me. I might have to ask him for a good brake place.

Bless your heart! You are too much.

Bo works at the Express Lube on Nacogdoches.

[Soul_Patch]

Check this out

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/06/22/Northpinellas/Tactics_at_Just_Brake.shtml

Under federal investigation back in 04, in Florida....

[Mark in Austin]

they tried to pull the same shit on me when I was in college. fuck those fucking fuckers.

[I. Hustle]

Bless your heart! You are too much.

Bo works at the Express Lube on Nacogdoches.

Why am I too much? Did I do something nice?


My wife needs new brakes so I need to get that done. I will take both cars there when it's time for an oil change since he is ST peeps.

[boutons_deux]

Remember several years ago when 1000% All-American, True-Blue Sears (Automotive Service) was exposed as a systematic fraud (doing unnecessary work, not doing the charged work, using generic rather than OEM parts) across their entire system?

I think the only working assumption is that all auto services are going to screw you more often than serve you.

I have a friend in Switzerland!! who ran his own garage with a couple buddies when he was young. He said they had a hard time not laughing when a woman would drive in needing some work. They just knew they were gonna screw her out of $100s.

[Soul_Patch]

My family has been using Temple Hill Automotive over on the south side for years...since before i was born. I should have just taken the truck there for brakes, but this 99 dollar thing was just too appealing.

Temple Hill has always been nothing but honest with us, in fact some of their mechanics are now family friends that get gifts from my grandma at Christmas.

Not to plug another business, but they are officialy the only auto mechanic (other than my gramps, who is getting too old to do it) that i trust.

[mrsmaalox]

When I first moved here 6 yrs ago and my husband was in Iraq, I took my car to Midas on 281 for various problems over the course of a couple of years. Every person I dealt with was honest and helpful. They would give me a diagnosis and an estimate, I'd call my dad (who would have done the work for me if he was here) and he'd always say "Sounds good, go for it". I never paid more than the original estimate and several times it was less. It felt very good to know that I could go there if I needed them and not worry about being taken advantage of.

Now that I've said that, I'm sure 20 people will post nightmare stories about dealing with them :lol

[Soul_Patch]

When I first moved here 6 yrs ago and my husband was in Iraq, I took my car to Midas on 281 for various problems over the course of a couple of years. Every person I dealt with was honest and helpful. They would give me a diagnosis and an estimate, I'd call my dad (who would have done the work for me if he was here) and he'd always say "Sounds good, go for it". I never paid more than the original estimate and several times it was less. It felt very good to know that I could go there if I needed them and not worry about being taken advantage of.

Now that I've said that, I'm sure 20 people will post nightmare stories about dealing with them :lol

That is great. Apparently honesty is very hard to come by in this business...such a shame.

[angel_luv]

Why am I too much? Did I do something nice?


My wife needs new brakes so I need to get that done. I will take both cars there when it's time for an oil change since he is ST peeps.

You have a witty and entertaining personality. I think that is really awesome.


Bo and his team will do a great job on your cars- great choice to go there! :tu

[SequSpur]

they all do that...

[Soul_Patch]

You went to a brake place and you expected them to be honest. :lmao

inorite....expecting people to be decent human beings these days is pretty laughable...

[thispego]

You have a witty and entertaining personality. I think that is really awesome.


Bo and his team will do a great job on your cars- great choice to go there! :tu

:lmao if angel lov thinks this, you most certainly DO NOT have a witty and entertaining personality.

[I. Hustle]

:lmao if angel lov thinks this, you most certainly DO NOT have a witty and entertaining personality.

ok I lawled

[angel_luv]

thispego, I have excellent judgement.

Honest truth: Years ago when I met you and the crew at a gtg, I thought you were cute.
I haven't seen you since so can only assume you still are.

[Soul_Patch]

thispego, I have excellent judgement.

Honest truth: Years ago when I met you and the crew at a gtg, I thought you were cute.
I haven't seen you since so can only assume you still are.

ohh...flattery!

[PM5K]

It seems pretty obvious to me that with a price like that, brakes for all four wheels, and rotor turning on all four wheels, the only way they can make money is either by giving you the cheapest China shit parts they can find AND/OR screwing you every chance they get.

I'd bet my car that they have an unbelievably high percentage of customers that wind up having to get their rotors replaced because they "can't" be resurfaced.

How many 99 dollar brake jobs do you think wind up being a lot more because all four rotors need to be replaced rather than resurfaced? I bet your invoice calls for it!

So in your case they gave you shit parts and tried to screw you, if they put a carrot up your ass you'd have a hat-trick!

I'd never take my vehicle to a 99 dollar brake job place, especially not four all four wheels, the pads I buy alone cost that much.

I *might* take a beater in for that type of job, but then again I might not.

So anyway, here is mine: One time I went into Firestone for something or other, and they did their courtesy (Read: find a way to get money from you) check and told me I needed a new serpentine belt, the thing was almost brand new, and it was a Gatorback. It showed absolutely zero signs of wear, you can be sure I was pissed and they heard about it, I basically told them if they wanted to go around screwing people they picked the wrong guy, and to just do what I brought the vehicle in for.

[thispego]

thispego, i have excellent judgement.

Honest truth: Years ago when i met you and the crew at a gtg, i thought you were cute.
I haven't seen you since so can only assume you still are.

i was as stoned as one could possibly be and didn't talk to anyone that night, i felt bad and didnt want people to think i was a jerk. I will be less stoned at the next gtg (at the beginning)

[Oneton]

So anyway, here is mine: One time I went into Firestone for something or other, and they did their courtesy (Read: find a way to get money from you) check and told me I needed a new serpentine belt, the thing was almost brand new, and it was a Gatorback. It showed absolutely zero signs of wear, you can be sure I was pissed and they heard about it, I basically told them if they wanted to go around screwing people they picked the wrong guy, and to just do what I brought the vehicle in for.

You are one tough cookie.

[Fat Bones]

I'd like to thank Just Brakes for giving me the courage to do my own brake work.
The nacogdoches and thousand oaks location tried to climb into my shorts about twenty years ago.


http://i714.photobucket.com/albums/ww148/lmposter/50581114.jpgThanks Just Brakes!!http://i714.photobucket.com/albums/ww148/lmposter/bush-finger.jpg

I've had fair work done at Midas on Pat Booker, but it too was a long time ago.

[PM5K]

I know it's not practical for everyone to do their own brakes, but if you can you should, it's incredibly simple.

Brake fluid is hygroscopic so it should be flushed from time to time (Whatever the service interval calls for).

[Soul_Patch]

Yep, its pretty easy to do...first time and last time ill pay anyone to do it.