A couple years back, I went into Monro Muffler and Brake Service in Hudson, NH, which is immediately in front of Walmart, to get an annual Inspection Sticker for my car.
About a half an hour or so later, the Monro service rep informed me that my car failed because I had “microscopic cracks” in the sidewall of one of my tires and claimed I needed four (4) new tires on my vehicle. When asked to actually see it, you practically needed a magnifying glass to see what the heck he was talking about – the actual tread on all four tires, incidentally, was excellent.
To remedy the situation, the Monro employee suggested that they could easily replace all my tires for about $400 right then and there. I thought that price was a wee bit ridiculous – just like the claim of having “microscopic cracks” in the sidewalls. Since I had about a month to replace these tires, I told the guy I wanted to “shop around” for a more reasonable deal like at Tire Warehouse, which is just up the street a little ways from Monro’s.
Unfortunately, in the state of New Hampshire, once an establishment “fails” a motorist for an annual inspection sticker, it registers it in a statewide computer system. So to go to a rival service shop assuming they’ll overlook the failure, they instead will notice what previously happened when they plug in your vehicle’s license plate number. In other words, it’s absolutely crucial that you totally avoid shyster establishments like Monro’s when going for an inspection sticker because once they “fail” your vehicle, you’re sort of stuck with them.
Approximately 1-2 weeks later, I went back to Monro’s with my four new tires hoping to now get my inspection sticker. After about 20 minutes or so, while I’m sitting in their customer’s waiting area, they drive my car and park it about 200 feet away in Walmart’s parking lot, despite the fact that there were more than ample parking spaces at the time in front of Monro’s.
The service rep then walked past me and said, without even looking me in the face, “your car’s all set”. Wow, nothing like being a little “pissed-off” about not being able to bilk me for the cost of four new tires – and then actually buying them at a nearby rival establishment about a mile from Monro’s.
In addition to that, at the time, I had a New England Patriots’ chrome license plate frame, which surrounded just the edges of my rear license plate. So rather than putting that back on my license plate after applying the current year inspection sticker, the Monro service rep just simply left my Patriots’ chrome frame on the front passenger’s seat of my car – what a BLEEPIN douche-bag!
Needless to say, I’ve NEVER been back to Monro’s after that rude and ignorant experience, and I would highly suggest anyone reading this do likewise. There are plenty of “reputable” establishments around Hudson NH that offer Mufflers, Brakes, Inspection Stickers and even “reasonably priced tires” – I recommend that you consider somebody other than Monro’s for any of these vehicle services.
UPDATE: I have since found out that Monro Muffler and Brake Service has purchased Tire Warehouse. When it rains it pours, I guess. Needless to say, I DEFINITELY WOULD NOT recommend anyone purchasing tires or anything else from Tire Warehouse, mainly due to the shysters (Monro’s) who now own that company.
UPDATE #2: This incident had taken place on May 2, 2008. Monro’s Manager was: Randy A. Landue; and the Technician was: Dennis Karhan. One of these two Rocket Scientists — 09LER — wrote on the receipt, under the Mechanic Notes and Measurements section: “rear plate bracket removed”. Next time, why not try saying that to my face!
UPDATE #3: As of 3-23-18, I called the Salem NH Court in reference to the Monro Mechanic here in question, Dennis Karhan (residing in Tyngsboro MA), specifically about his Possession of a Controlled Narcotic Drug arrest on Aug. 2011 in Pelham, NH. I was told by the Court rep that Mr. Karhan still has an Outstanding Warrant against him for $259, and was additionally charged with Operating with a Suspended License in that same calendar year. And Dennis Karhan was 37 (now 44) at the time of his arrest in Pelham on Aug. 2011 — hardly considered still a “kid”. I’m sure glad to see, though, that Monro’s in Hudson NH loves to hire good, wholesome, law-abiding individuals representing their company — NOT! How does that old cliche go? Not all Crooks are Druggies, HOWEVER, about 99.9 percent of all Druggies are Crooks. And oh, by the way, if Karhan was arrested in 2011 for Driving with a Suspended Driver’s License, wouldn’t a Mechanic (like Karhan) driving customer’s vehicles in and out of Monro’s service bays to its parking lot also be considered BLATANTLY ILLEGAL? I do believe it would. So now looking back at my whole “failed” Inspection Sticker experience back in May ’08, it appears that Mr. Karhan was screwing me just to support his own Drug habit. Unbelievable!
Hey buddy just so you know any cracks in the sidewall is an automatic fail. Just because you have tread on the tires does not mean they are safe. Also liscense plate frames are illegal if they obstruct the view of the sticker which is why they removed it. Instead of bitching on your website maybe you should review the nh state laws or perhaps go get your nh state inspection license so you are better informed when you need a sticker. Ps $400 for 4 tires is a reasonable price
Source: GM Certified technician (me)
Yo Justin, I’d probably have a lot more respect for you if you just disclosed up front here that you’re an employee @ Monro Muffler & Brake Service in Hudson, but that’s cool.
If the Monro service rep wasn’t ticked off at me for getting new tires elsewhere, then why would he park my car halfway in Walmart’s parking lot when there were about a dozen ample spaces in front of Monro’s??? As a paying customer, I deserved a lot better treatment than that — in this day and age of America’s piss-poor economy, a.k.a. The Obama Administration, does the Monro management group honestly want that kind of reputation hanging over their heads? I don’t think so, but if that’s the stupid ass game they choose to play with their paying customers, I/we can just get our car maintenance, inspection stickers, etc., elsewhere. In Hudson NH alone, there are literally a ton places — with a heck of a lot better reputation than that of Monro’s, to properly service vehicles.
As far as bitching on my website goes, what’s your view Justin of Yelp.com? That’s an entire website solely devoted to bitching about businesses. But again, with this tight economy of ours, it’s all about, “Buyer Beware”. If a person reading this posting honestly wants to flush a couple hundred (or maybe, a couple thousand) dollars of their hard-earned money down the proverbial toilet under the guise of “vehicle maintenance” at Monro’s in Hudson, knock yourself out. I believe there’s a verse in the Bible that goes, “if a man (or woman) be ignorant, let him (or her) be ignorant”.
As far as license plate frames go, if they’re honestly “illegal” in NH as you’re claiming here Justin, then why do they openly sell them right across the parking lot from Monro’s @ Walmart’s?? Heck, aren’t most license plate frames you see riding around NH from car dealerships, who also deal in inspection stickers??? Please give me chapter and verse from the NH state law on that one Mr. Justin.
Lastly, I would’ve ABSOLUTELY LOVED to have taken Monro’s to Small Claims Court and challenged that decision of my tires failing inspection. The problem with that is it takes about 3-4 months to get a hearing in Small Claims Court. If I didn’t get the tires replaced…BY THE END OF THAT MONTH, then I guess I would’ve been riding around in an “uninspected vehicle”.
As far as myself running out and paying some government official several hundred dollars to get my “NH inspection sticker license”, I think an honest and reputable individual/entity who holds such a license would share with me, chapter and verse, what the exact NH law is governing microscopic cracks on the sidewall of one of tires. Personally, I don’t believe this Monro service rep could’ve passed a Polygraph (Lie Detector) on any of my tires failing inspection that day.
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(Wow, apparently a rash of people on Yelp, from about the past year, seem to agree with me that Monro Muffler & Brake Service in Hudson NH, absolutely sucks when it comes to getting your car repaired. The following individuals gave Monro just one Star on Yelp.com due to such piss-poor service. The way I see it, it couldn’t have been said about a nicer bunch of car repair shysters. Hey, Better Business Bureau — are you paying attention?)
Chris B.
Hudson, NH
1/19/2016
Updated review (a failed vehicle inspection)
I take back my review. These guys are morons. They failed my car because they thought I had an aftermarket header. It was the factory exhaust, you could see the primary cat right in the enginebay they never looked. They suspected I had an altered exhaust because of the louder factory catback exhaust. This is a TRD (Toyota) part. Its D.O.T compliant. Otherwise the dealer can’t sell it. It does not remove any catalytic converters hence why its called a catback exhaust.
They failed me for unlawful ride height. They never even measured it? My car has a factory sport suspension. Yes it is lower, not lower than lawfully allowed otherwise it couldn’t be sold in NH. Again, morons with “ASE” patches are the most expensive.
They even had me pay for the failed inspection.
I drove my car to Toyota of Nashua, they gave me a soda, donuts and passed my car without any problem.
Ryan A. (2 stars)
Nashua, NH
6/14/2015
I only went here because they had a promotion running for a tire rotation, oil change, and free wiper blades for $20. That said, nothing about the place is really THAT great. I asked them to give me a call when it was ready to be picked up, didn’t hear anything, then showed up an hour later to find out the car had been done for 20 minutes. There were no other cars in the shop, it was just a bad customer experience.
I gave it two stars because the deal was good, and my car wasn’t all greasy when I picked it up.
Ilona N.
Nashua, NH
2/18/2015
If no stars was an option there would be NONE: Mark the manager is very rude and incredibly mean. I called because one of the employees messed up my last oil change and promised me a free one. I called ahead of time to confirm and they said “Yes come in and give us the last name (the name i provided) and you will be all set. So i send my husband in and the manager mark denies we had a free oil change. So i call and he claims my husband was “demanding” a free oil change and that they had nothing on record and that my husband and i were rude.
So now we are rude for walking in and politely asking for an oil change? Even other customers that were waiting were shocked at how rude the manager was to my husband. We wont be back which is fine there are lots of places to change your oil but the fact that this man has no clue how to manage employees and offer a system to track refunds and then is MAD at me over it is disgusting and poor business.
Steve D.
Hudson, NH
2/3/2015
Everything about this place is terrible. Customer service over the phone, in person, the work and the coupons. Of course the coupon says 19.99 for oil change but 2.50 for oil discard and 2.50 for shop fee and they don’t check tire pressure or fill fluids. After I thought they did and me not putting any in it began a problem. As a result my tire pressure warning sign happened to go afterwards and my windshield wiper fluid froze due to them not checking after the coupon said it would. Could not drive as windshield completely got dirty on highway. Very unhappy all around.
Jessi R
Tyngsboro, MA
7/1/2014
Making an appointment means nothing to them. Which would be understandable if when you showed up and asked how long it would take If they gave you an honest answer. Never apologized for the hour delay even once. All of their special pricing signs are lies. I went in with a coupon special for oil change and tire rotation for 19.99. The guy didn’t do do the tire rotation, I had to say I know you didn’t I watched you and he still tried to charged me $22 when a oil change only is only $15 according to the signs. Will never go back the guy was an asshole and I saw him take 3 soda breaks while doing my oil change.
Here are some more one (1) star reviews courtesy of YellowPages.com . Needless to say, I believe each and every one of these reviews. There are a couple of five (5) star reviews mixed in with these four, but they sound more like they’re either Monro employees or their relatives/close friends writing them up. Buyer (or consumer) beware, or just stay the heck away.
http://www.yellowpages.com/hudson-nh/mip/monro-muffler-brake-service-496672170
bikin4fun — 02/15/2012
This was my second visit to store, beside being so dirty, the technicians are rude and don’t really care about the quality of work to your car, I brought my Lexus in for a muffler job, they fixed the muffler buy burned my O2 Sensor and the latch to my hood. They are giving me a run around, I will not go there again. The place is a mess, filthy and the guys that work there simply don’t care about quality, they flushed a trani fluid to another guy’s car and forgot to seal the case causing fluid to leak all over Chelmsford st. Stay away
jcard71 — 07/01/2011
This place is all about trying to get you to do service that you don’t need. They seem to try and nickel and dime you. Won’t go back
qweqweldl — 08/28/2010
It looks to me they are not doing business honestly. I am working on auto industry. I know very well about vehicle. I got vehicle inspection there. They failed my inspection because my brake rotor is too thin… I replaced it by my self so I know the condition of it. I don’t what is the thickness requirement. But I know it is not that bad condition. It cost $700 to get the sticker… I don’t trust most of mechnics but this store is the worst of them
jay123456789 — 06/15/2010
I will never go back here again…
This company is a rip-off according to what I have seen… don’t go here if you have another option… they will over charge you as they tried doing this to me. Make sure you get multiple quotes before doing business with them. They tried to charge me $600 more than what a second quote came in as. They may not have the skills or ability to provide good service.