The Bureau of Automotive Repairs did a three-year undercover investigation and says these shops performed a lot of unnecessary repairs. Thirteen of them are located right here in the Bay Area.
Mike Glad owns 22 Midas stores in California. He says he's mystified about the accusation filed by the state's auto repair watchdog agency.
"It totally caught us by surprise. Frankly, it was super devastating because you must understand that not only did we get it, but the media got simultaneously, so we're trying to assimilate what it's all about," says Glad.
The 100-page accusation says consumers were charged for unnecessary repairs and auto parts at the 22 Midas shops that Glad owns. They include 13 in the Bay Area and nine in the Central Valley.
"They might tell us that our struts were blown or that our rotors needed re-machining, or something like that, when they didn't really need it," says Russ Heimerich with the California Bureau of Automotive Repairs.
Heimerich says undercover officers used pre-inspected cars and were charged for work that was not needed.
"An average of about $270 for the vehicles for repairs and other products that we didn't need," says Heimerich.
Glad would not address the claims directly, but said his shops give customers a fair shake.
"I can't really comment on what they're talking about. It's truly amazing to me that we would do unnecessary repair work. Certainly if there was one instance of it I could say well, maybe that's true, but our people aren't incentivized to do unnecessary repairs," explains Glad.
He says if there are problems he wants to correct them.
"What's upsetting to me is that if they had this issue for three years, why did they not ever, not once, discuss it with me?" says Glad.
State officials say Glad should not be mystified. He was warned several years ago after two consumers complained. Glad was told if there were more complaints there could be action taken.
Glad says he plans to address the problems and hopes the state will work with him to fix things.
Bay Area shops under investigation:
1236 White Oaks Avenue
Campbell, CA 95008
2525 Monument Boulevard
Concord, CA 94520
6955 Village Parkway
Dublin, CA 94568
4045 Thornton Avenue
Fremont, CA 94536
3741 Washington Boulevard
Fremont, CA 94538
1078 La Playa Drive
Hayward, CA 94545
24659 Mission Boulevard
Hayward, CA 94544
93 S. Capitol Avenue
San Jose, CA 95127
4244 Monterey Hwy.
San Jose, CA 95111
5287 Prospect Road
San Jose, CA 95129
2200 Stevens Creek Boulevard
San Jose, CA 95128
13745 E. 14th Street
San Leandro, CA 94578
2710 N. Main Street
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
