Merchant's Tire & Auto Centers
Reviews and Complaints

On July 29, 2019, I had an appoinment to take my 2006 Hyundai Tuscon to the Parkville location. The TPMS light had come on and was told that the sensor was bad and the cost to replace it was $179. 39. I had it done. 3 weeks later the light came on again but this time I took it to Mr. Tire. They checked the sensors and tires and reset the TPMS and charged me nothing. I called Charlie who was the service attendant who took care of me and he could not tell me what tire the sensor was put on and to bring it back in and he would show me. Very suspicious. I have dealt with this location for years and now do not trust them. I will not be taking my vehicle back there anymore because I got no resolution from NTB corporate office. I think that the reset of the TPMS light was all that was done and was charged for a sensor. It makes you concerned what else was done that was not necessary over the years. I think that I should be reimbursed by NTB to reestablish good customer relations.

Was referred to merchant by Domino's after a delivery driver hit my car. Manager told me that if there was no body damage to the car then the driver didn't hit me hard enough to knock the car out of alignment without even examining the car. Well I was trying to explain to the manager why I was there, he says to me "does this look like a Domino's to you?" They refused to look at my car even though I was specifically instructed to take my car there and kept telling me to take it to the dealership without listening to the reason that I was there. The gentleman I was referred to speak to, Tosh, came out to tell me that the manager said he could not help me and that he had to listen to what his manager was telling him. I have never in my life received such terrible service.

I recently went to a Merchants Tire on Centreville Rd in Manassas for a simple state inspection. I was told both my high & low beam headlights were "aimed out of whack" and it would cost $120 to reaim them. I was also charged $16 for the inspection and was given a failure sticker.

I went to a different garage (Mars Automotive) and was told my headlights were fine - paid the $16 again and passed inspection. I want to file a complaint against this Merchants - they should be put out of business! I would also like my $16 back!

I went to the location on Rt 28 in Manassas and they failed me for unaimed headlights. They then quoted me $125 to reaim them! That is highway robbery. I do not appreciate being treated this way. If I had the power to put Merchant's out of business I would. You are not running an ethical business. It takes 5 minutes to turn a few screws to reaim headlights!

So I brought my rim into the merchants on Laskin road in Virginia Beach on Monday and gave them the information. They called me Tuesday asking for the vin number off of my car which they should have done Monday. So now I'm stuck without my car for almost a week. And I need my car to get to and from work and to bring my 4 year old places. I can't rely on people while I'm waiting on my rim.

On Tuesday 11/21/2017 I made an appointment to purchase 4 tires on 11/24/2017 at 11:0 am. This was just tire replacement no aliment or anything else. I arrived at 11:00 am. There were 2 people in front of me and it took 18 minutes before I was checked in. I left the tore and came back 2 hours later at 1:00 m and they have not even started to replace my tire.

I inquired with the service adviser why they had not started on my vehicle yet. The adviser cam back an informed me that they would be starting now that was at 1:00 pm. They really had no reason why they had not started on it. Once they started the installation it only took 25 minutes . So a 25 minute job took 2 hours and 25 minutes.

Why even bother to make an appointment when you can walk in and get better service. I have spent thousand of dollars there and you are about to lose me as a customer.
date of incident #: 11/24/2017
customer # [protected]
order # [protected]
time in: 11:18
time out: 1:25
Appointment # [protected]-o236654036

We have taken 3 vehicles to this location and all vehicles have been either mis-diagnosed, repair not completed and/or parts installed without prior authorization from us, the customer.

1. Our Ford Expedition was taken to this location for what we thought was a starter issue and the technicians at this location, cause more damage than good, in which we were without our vehicle for over 3 weeks, due to the fact, they couldn't figure out what the issue was. We took it there in working order, but they did something that prevented the truck from starting at all. The first stated it was the starter, then it was the computer (heart of the truck) and then the wiring.

2. Our Cadillac was taken to them to reinstall the under carriage, which they couldn't completely reattach and now is hanging down again.

3. Our Ford Escort was taken in to be inspected, which was rejected and we purchased the parts necessary for inspection. We took the vehicle back to have the parts installed, went to pick up the vehicle and additional charges were added without our authorization. Also, there was NO oil in the vehicle at all.

The customer service is terrible! When you take a vehicle to be serviced and it needs repair, it is stores' responsibility to contact the customer to ask if they would like to repair to be done or not. The store should not assume that the customer is willing to pay additional costs to have the issue fixed.

My daughter went in to have front disc pads replaced and they replaced all four rotors, 1 caliper, all 4 lock lugs and she told them to not replace the rotors. The bill came to $1300+. This is an outrage for a $25 set of disc pads. They messed up the lock key because I just used it a month ago to rotate her tires. Something needs to be done to make this right. Maybe NBC 12 ON YOUR SIDE would be interested in this.

This business is marking up prices to parts and performing unnecessary repairs to charge high labor costs. I went in with complaint of front end noise...waa told I needed wheel bearing, came back to pick up vehicle was told part broke during alignment. They kept car overnight charged over $900...week later car has same noise. I return they tell me I need tires. What they couldn't see that 1st visit...by the way was told car needed to be towed if I didn't do 1st repairs...but it was okay to let me drive away with what they now state is unsafe tires that need to be replaced ASAP. How do I know that tires where not the only thing I needed to begin with. And of course they pushed getting a merchant's credit card to pay for repairs. I will be contacting better business bureau and an attorney for liability driving unsafe vehicle that I could have blown a tire on for a whole week. No one returns calls either after you speak with customer service. District manager was supposed to contact me 5 days ago whatever happened to sundown rule. I'm telling everyone I know about my horrible experience. Small community like this, word will spread.

I went into merchants this morning, I scheduled my appointment online one day before. When I arrived no one came out to assist me for about 15 minutes. When someone finally came out he said that all the guys were busy and couldn't fit me in even though I had an appointment. He also said they didn't have the oil to put in my car. He went on to say he could order it but didn't know how long it would take! He was so nonchalant and didn't care that I spent my time to get there ! I couldn't get my oil changed it was a horrible experience!

NEVER USE MERCHANT'S TIRE !
Here is a copy of a complaint that I logged in to the tire kingdom complaint contact center. As you can see I asked for someone to contact me in reference to this overcharge and customer service issues. As of this date I have received no contact.

On Thursday evening July 08, 2010 I went to your store at 2720 Hillsborough Road in Durham, NC store # 332 to purchase 4 tires for my son's vehicle. Once there I was told that the tires I had chosen would cost $44.99 each, even though I'm aware that many of the tire shops have a basic price and an additional charge for installation no mention of any additional charges were made by the store manager when we left the car for the service. I expected the manager Mr. Greene to be more thorough in his presentation to the customer. We were told that it would be an hour and a half before the car would be ready because there was only one person available to mount the tires. We returned in an hour and a half and the car was being completed by another person who I had not seen. This young gentleman was very helpful and courteous when he returned the car to us, he even rode tested the car with my son to be sure that everything was OK. Once we received the receipt for the tires & service, I noticed that the bill had a charge for HIGH PERFORMANCE TIRE SERVICE, so I questioned the person at the counter about the charge. He immediately recognized that the charge was incorrect and told me that I would have to return tomorrow to get the refund posted to my credit card. I explained to him that since the store was open I expected to get the charge corrected then and not have to return to get this matter cleared. The young man told me that he didn't know how to make a refund to a card. So I told him to call his manager at home and have him tell him how to handle it. He called the cell phone of the manager and did not get an answer, I attempted to call the manager also from my cell phone and got no answer. Mr. Rogers who was the young man trying to help me out checked the computer to see how the tire charges populated to see if it was a computer error and it was clear that the computer charged a fee $7.00 per tire less than what was charged to me. Mr. Rogers was finally able to contact the service manager who was able to talk him through the refund process and the card refund was posted. I thanked Mr. Rogers for his assistance and appreciate your having honest persons working within your places of business.

I was prompted to write you this letter because as I was driving home Mr. Greene the store manager called my cell phone and we discussed the charges. He immediately told me that he would refund my money if I would return to the store on tomorrow. Then he told me that the computer automatically populated the charges and it was a mistake. I told him about the young man in the store checking to see if the computer was doing it and it charged the correct fee. Mr Greene then told me that Mr. Rogers had no business showing me what the computer populated. It was then that I realized that it was clear that Mr. Greene knew what he was doing by charging the higher fee. I explained to Mr. Greene that as a manager he should know his product and know that the basic tire is not a performance tire and should be aware when his charges are incorrect. He insisted that it was a computer error and that it was not his intention to overcharge me. He made too many inconsistent statements and convinced me by those statements that he was clearly aware of what he was doing. In addition when I first entered the store I observed a young lady in there very upset and stating that she was going to get the TV station reporters in there for how she was treated. At the time I didn't consider it any of my business so I didn't try to determine what her complaint was but now I feel that customer service is not a priority at this location, and contacting the TV stations is not such a bad idea. As a business man myself I understand the need to improve the bottom line and in sales you should make every effort to increase the profit margin, but I feel if you cheat the customer all your efforts fail because you have to work much harder to recover from the negative message those cheated customers carry away from your business. It is clear to me that you have a problem in that store and I hope that you will check into it before this manager destroys your customer base. I'm sure your computer system has the capability to check the to see if the there was a manual adjustment to this purchase and I would like to receive some contact from a company official about this matter. The Invoice # [protected] is the original bill and Invoice # [protected] is the refund, my apologies for the detailed email, however even after sleeping on this all night I am still very unhappy with the service provided by this manager Mr. Randy Greene.

I WISH I HAD READ A FEW OF THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT MERCHANTS BEFORE I PURCHASED THESE TIRES, I WILL NEVER USE THEM AGAIN AND I WILL MAKE IT MY BUSINESS TO INFORM EVERYONE I KNOW ABOUT THEIR SHADDY BUSINESS PARACTICES.

I have 4 vehicles been taken them to merchants for oil changes for 4 years don't trust them enough to do mechanical work, all of a sudden at the same time all 4 cars pull to the right brought one back they took it in gave it back and said "your all set sir" meaning it's fixed, drove it down the street still pulled, gave it back put it on the alignment machine they amitted it's out of line, just had new tires and alignment done/w my trusworhy mechanic. they gve me a free alignment, drove down the street it still pulls. all 4 vehicles now pull to the right.district mngr TOM ROWBARKER doesn't return phone calls, several months later all 4 vehicles still pull now all 4 right side tires are worn more than normal! my regular mechanic says so easy to lossen up a bolt the car will start pulling how convenient for merchants to get 4 alignment jobs/w 16 new tires.their bald face liars, that i trusted to take care of my family's cars.

I happen to work for merchants tire, read through some complaints for about an hour. It is true, merchants has some of the highest price markups out there. We mark up a $4 drainplug to $20 on a daily basis. A labor rate of $100.00 an hour is about average between dealerships and franchises. Just wanting to throw it out there that if you go to merchants tire to get an oil change done, make sure you bring a coupon printed offline from their website. If you go to get any mechanical work done, make sure you call around before you agree to let them do the work. I promise that they will mark up the parts as high as they possibly can, my manager for example, will go far beyond our standard price markup (which is too high to begin with) and scam customers whenever he possibly can. If you come to get tires installed and merchants, leave and your engine seizes due to lack of oil, merchants is liable for your engine. Every car is required to have the oil level verified and lugnuts tightened, even if you just come in for a battery.

I live in tidwater Virginia. Merchants tire is a rip off no matter what you do. They have a chart they follow for the mark up on parts and it is ridiculous. A friend of mine retained a copy of it. Example: if they buy a part for $15.00 they are told to sell it for $57.00 a 73% markup! If they buy a part for $25.00 again a 73% markup and to sell it for $90.00. This is how all of it is done. In April I had brought my car there twice for a flat and always get crap for service. Then, while waiting in the "customer lounge" ( which in most of their stores is nasty and dirty and sloppy) here comes one of the sales people to UP SELL you on everything. fluids, alignments, maintanence.. can't you just go in somewhere and get only what you ask for? I just had my car at the dealer for some warranty work and they said all the fluids looked great and the car was great. It only has 26k miles on it. But Merchants always comes in with a laundry list and tells you you need brake fluid, power steering fluid and other flushes. I will tell all I know to NEVER go there! I complained to the manager about how this always happens and he said it doesn't. But while I was there they went to the waiting room to a lady who was in for an oil change and had told her SHE needed some fluhes and an alignment as well. She was VERY upset and asked the question I do. Can't you just do the work asked and stop trying to upsell when it is NOT needed. Is this a normal practice? Yes. After talking to the manager Doug, I recevied no satisfaction. He actually walked away from me. After leaving the location I called another store manager to get a number of his boss, a guy named Brent and he never returns calls. I called the store manager back and asked if this guy brent callls customers back and he said "no, that is typical of our ADS". Some kind of compnay you have there. NEVER GO to merchants, ntb, or tire kingdom!

have been getting my oil changes for 4 years for 4 different vehicles all of a sudden at the same time all 4 vehicles pull hard to the right, complained to the mngt they brought one car in they returned it saying your all set sir meaning it's fixed drove down the street it still pulled, brought it back to them they gave me a free alignment, it still pulls to the right.4 vehicles, 4 alignments now 4 front right tires district manger never returns phone calls, it's been months now all my brand new tires are all unevenwear, my mechanic says it's so easy to lossen up a bolt and whamo car starts pulling, tried to let them fix the problem, they look you in the eye and bold face lie to you, my familys life is depending on trustworthy people to work on my cars. "BEWARE" of merchants tire at richmond va at brook run a bunch of lying thieves don't trust them with your familys lives

Ruptured brake line on Friday March 20, 2009. Limped into Merchants in Rockville. 5 days later, I got my vehicle back and all was well, so I thought. By Friday, 2 days mind you, the lines began leaking brake fluid at a good rate.I live 125 miles from that location, and they wanted me to return to a merchants location for repair.Closest one, 90 miles? Am going to limp in on Monday and demand repair and rental car to get to work in VA. Totally disgusted with service.

I brought my car in to Merchant Tire in Cary, NC with a pinhole leak in an upper coolant hose that was apparent due to some steam emanating from under the hood.

The mechanic who first worked on my car indicated it was just a small leak and the hose could be replaced. I will point out here that at no time did the car overheat, nor did the check engine light come on, nor did I lose significant coolant. This was the tiniest of leaks that had just started.

I asked if any other hoses needed to be replaced while they were at it, and we agreed to replace the two large radiator hoses as they were showing signs of age, and summer is coming. I also had a family vacation planned in a couple of weeks and did not want any surprises.

They replaced the hoses and sent me on my way, telling me all was fixed, no problem.

Shortly thereafter, the car overheated. I brought it back, and they said it was low on coolant, that there must have been an air pocket. They also indicated that the overheating could have damaged the head gasket.

They topped off the coolant and sent me on my again, telling me all was fixed.

The next day the car overheated AGAIN. I brought it back, and this time they found a small leak in a hose and said that was why the coolant was low. They replaced the hose and sent me on my way, telling me all was fixed.

That evening, the check engine light came on, and the car started smoking from the tailpipe. I brought the car back the following morning, and they curtly told me the head gasket was blown and it was not their fault.

I repeatedly contacted their excuse for customer service, each time requesting escalation beyond the local store level, and each time I received a robotic, scripted response that someone would contact me, but no one ever did.

The store maintained that they were not at fault, and when I told them that was not acceptable, they brought in a supposed third-party insurance adjuster to make a determination. The store manager had the nerve to tell me that the insurance adjuster would tell me the same thing. What a surprise, that's exactly what happened.

The adjuster told me that regardless of their recommendation, Merchant would do what they felt; Merchant told me they listen to the adjuster. One of them is lying.

It turns out the store manager also lied about my refusing to have any diagnostics done on the car. He wasn't even there the day of the initial repair.

When I finally tracked down the president of the company's number and called him at home, I seemed to strike a nerve. He told me to call him the following morning. When I did, I was only able to talk to his assistant, who echoed what everyone else has been saying for weeks, and they still refuse to admit any culpability or take any responsibility for the damage due to the overheating after they repeatedly sent me off with the car after indicating it was fixed, only to have it overheat repeatedly.

I should also point out that when I first brought it in, they wrote it up as "customer brought in car smoking, " when it was actually some steam from under the hood, not smoke; after the multiple overheats, the car did end up smoking from the tail pipe.

There was never any indication by the staff or mechanics that there was an overheating problem, a check-engine condition, or smoke from the tailpipe when I first brought the car in, nor for the subsequent two follow-up visits. The problem started on my 4th and final visit.

The vehicle is still in their lot, and they refuse to take responsibility for it.

I expect Merchant Tire to repair the vehicle at their expense.