DETROIT – A tip from one Detroit man uncovered what appears to be a troubling pattern at a West Side auto repair shop.
Motown Automotive Supercenter, located at Greenfield and Lyndon, is facing mounting complaints from customers who say their vehicles have been sitting at the shop for months with little to no progress on repairs.
Months of waiting, no answers
Edward Keith brought his van to the shop in February for what he describes as a minor repair. Since then, he says the situation has turned into a nightmare, leaving him out approximately $1,700.
“I come up here every day. I call every day and I get the same exact answers. Next week. Next week,” Keith said.
Keith says the owner has repeatedly told him he is waiting on parts, continuing to push back the repair date with no resolution in sight. Making matters worse, Keith says items are missing from inside his van.
“They’re checking on the van because they see you here. They haven’t checked on this van since they had it,” he said.
Keith told Local 4 that two flat-screen televisions were inside the vehicle when he dropped it off.
Now, only the TV mounts remain, with no explanation from the shop as to where they went.
“I’m tired. I want my van. I’m fed up,” Keith said.
A pattern of complaints
Keith is not alone. Several other customers came forward with similar stories about the shop.
“Problem after problem after problem. Waste of money. $3,000,” said Lamecia Jennings, who had work done on her car.
Michael Smith, another customer, described a frustrating cycle of being told his car was ready, only to discover it was not.
“Every time they call me the car’s ready. I pull off come back. What’s wrong the car isn’t ready,” Smith said.
James Doss said he has been making repeated trips to the shop just to get someone to pick up the phone.
“He’s not answering the phone. I’ve been up here 3 to 4 times daily,” Doss said.
Shop owner dodges questions
When a Local 4 crew, with Keith, approached the shop to seek answers, a worker at the door said the owner was not present.
Keith disputed that claim, telling the crew the man at the door was, in fact, the person he had been dealing with. The man denied it.
When asked if there was someone who should be contacted for comment, he offered only silence.
“This is what they do to me with my property,” Keith said.
Police investigating
Several customers say they have already contacted the police.
The Detroit Police Department confirmed to Local 4 that multiple reports naming Motown Automotive Supercenter are currently under investigation.
If you have had problems with this shop, Local 4 wants to hear from you.