An oil change turned into a $1,300 nightmare for one woman who says that a tire and brake shop did work she explicitly told them not to do. She says the shop ignored her repeated instructions and left her feeling "swindled and scammed" after what she was expecting would be a quick stop on her way home. Madfye (@madfye), a content creator and "toddler mom," vented in a six-minute, forty-one-second TikTok. The video has since garnered over 315,000 views, with commenters sharing similar experiences they say happened at the same tire chain. "We’re Not Doing The Front Today" Madfye explains that she usually doesn’t visit the store in question, but it was on her way home at a time when someone was watching her two-year-old. After they started her oil change, she asked the staff to inspect her brakes, which had been squeaking. "I don’t know all the things they were telling me that were wrong with them, but they were like, it’s the front brakes and the back brakes and something else along with whatever, something connected to the brakes," she says in the video. The estimate came back at around $1,250 before tax and would take two hours. Madfye says she told them she didn’t have time for the full repair. "I said only do the back. We’re not doing the front today." Was It A Miscommunication? Staff told her the rear brakes would take only half an hour. After 40 minutes, Madfye walked to the back to check on her car. She found all four wheels off and technicians doing work on the front brakes, which she had explicitly declined. "I’m like, are you guys working on the front brakes now? Like, I thought we weren’t doing that. I said, don’t do the front," she says. "And they were like, yeah, there was a miscommunication. Like, we set all the parts out for it. And so we just started working on the front, too." The staff offered to drive her home or call her an Uber while they finished, which only annoyed her more. "I’m like, I’m not riding with you guys. I don’t know you guys. And I need my car seat out of my car," she says. The Discount That Wasn’t When the work was finally done, Madfye says a promised discount amounted to nothing. The staff mentioned they had thrown in free air filters, but the total bill, including the unauthorized work, came to $1,300 with tax. "They weren’t listening to me and coerced me without my consent into having to get these front brakes today," Madfye says. "Honestly, it was like the worst experience I’ve ever had with anywhere ever." She says she called corporate and filed a complaint. The regional manager called her back and, according to Madfye, "was super [expletive] off at how they handled everything." However, all he offered was $100 off her next purchase. Commenters ID The Shop When commenter BNC79 asked, "Was this Mavis by any chance? They are notorious for this," Madfye confirmed with a simple, "Yes!" The comment section quickly filled with similar stories about Mavis Tire locations. Mavis has over 1,300 locations nationwide and has received nearly 1,600 complaints from the Better Business Bureau over the past three years. The volume is high enough that the BBB notes it publishes only one out of every five complaints it processes for the company. BNC79 followed up by sharing their own experience: "They did this to me with tires. I went in b/c I needed one tire repaired. They tried to convince me I needed 4 new tires (even though mine were less than a yr old). I said please replace just the one tire please. Next thing I know I see them taking all the tires off." One commenter, who claimed to be a former job applicant, shared a disturbing allegation. JUMPMAN wrote, "I had an interview there once and the manager straight told me to my face. LIE TO EVERYONE and specially OLD PEOPLE!" Motor1 called Mavis for comment on Madfye’s video and the claims made in the comments. We will update this article if the company responds. Know Your Rights Several commenters pointed out that Madfye might have legal options. One advised contacting "the BAR Association for vehicle repairs" because "you do not have to pay for repairs that you did not agree to." This is likely a reference to the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR), which in California mediates disputes between consumers and auto shops. State law there requires shops to obtain customer authorization before performing work. Beyond California, the Federal Trade Commission recommends contacting your state Attorney General’s office if you believe you’ve been the victim of auto repair fraud. Commenter Expressive Pets suggested filing a credit card dispute, noting that "Mavis cannot produce the documentation that you authorized the service." Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, consumers can dispute charges for services not delivered as agreed, though cardholders must file within 60 days and should first attempt to resolve the issue with the merchant. As commenter arsonkarson put it: "Tbh, $100 off my next purchase means nothing, because I no longer want to do business with you anymore." Many commenters recommended finding a trusted independent mechanic instead. Kate summed up the sentiment: "Honestly private mechanics are the most trustworthy." That sentiment aligns with industry research—a 2024 Consumer Reports survey of nearly 11,000 members found that independent repair shops were the only facility type to receive top scores in overall customer satisfaction, outperforming both dealerships and national chains. Motor1 reached out to Madfye via TikTok direct message for comment. We’ll update this post if she replies. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? 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