Merchant’s Tire & Auto Centers

Let me preface this by saying I’ve been going to Merchant’s (Chesapeake/​VA Beach locations) ever since I’ve owned my 2004 Nissan Sentra while in college. The few Merchant’s I’ve been to in the Northern VA locations (Arlington/​Manassas) have been so-​so experiences and my impatience has been building up over time. The only reason I brought my car to this location (two weeks ago) is because a few years ago I purchased the «rotate/​balance for life» program and figured that I would receive the same service as I did in the Hampton Roads area. Don’t get me wrong, the customer service reps were very diligent and helpful, not sure about the service the technicians perform. I brought my car in for a routine rotate and balance so I figured it would be quick and easy. Needless to say, as soon as I drove off the lot I heard a few pops in the rear end and the vibrations continued after only a week and half. Took my car to a near-​by Costco Tire center only to find out all four of my tires were still out of balance and the hubcentric rings on my rear end (pause) had broken off (thus the popping sounds I heard when driving of the lot the first time). Fortunately, the few times I’ve gone to Merchant’s after purchasing the «lifetime program» have paid itself off. Unfortunately, this recent experience has put me over the top with Merchant’s all together and I will not be going back. No point in taking my car into Merchant’s for a routine rotate and balance if I have to get it re-​balanced elsewhere only after about two weeks. Like I said, customer service reps were cool… service on my vehicle was not ideal.

Set an appointment for a oil change and break inspection at 12:30. They finally get my car in at 3 and call me with an absurd list of repairs to include new rotors and a light bulb replacement they want $ 60 in labor for (for just the installation of a bulb that takes 2mins and tried to gice me some bs on how difficult it is to get too) their grand total is near $ 600. I tell them no just do the oil change (because at this point i know somethings up i just saw my headlights on no blown bulb. Another hour passes and they finally finish my oil change i pay and get my keys. First thing i do is verify this blown bulb. Nope theres no blown bulb. Checked them all even cabin lights. Atleast if you are going to attempt a labor scam make it something not so obvious.
DO NOT HAVE YOUR VEHICLE SERVICED HERE.

This place is horrible. I wait for four hours while the lazy employees joke around and take a 20 minute break every hour. Never again will I waste my time with this horrible location.

Another bad experience here. Years ago this place was much better, must have had different management. From around 2007 – 2011 or 2012 it was pretty good. Had several oil changes, new tire purchases, and brake jobs. Lately, it has been awful (see my previous review). Last month I took it back to get the alignment re-​done under the 6 month warranty from my previous review. I told him that the previous alignment had never fixed the pulling, and I also mentioned that my «Maintenance Needed» light was on, and that I thought it probably just was the oil change indicator. He said, yes, that’s exactly what it was. He then grabs a manager, points at my 6 month warranty on the alignment that I had brought in, and says «we don’t honor these any more, do we?» I was dumbstruck, but fortunately the manager said, «yes we do still honor them.» Is Merchant’s considering dropping their alignment policy?
I go to pick up my car that night (they never called me to say it was ready as they had initially promised), pay for the oil change and leave. Get it on the road, not only is it still pulling hard to the right, the «Maintenance Needed» light was still on! I don’t know if they forgot to change the oil, or just forgot to reset the oil mileage counter. Maybe the issue isn’t alignment, but it was my second time there. Why wouldn’t you test it to ensure it isn’t pulling?
I got a call a few days later from Merchant’s corporate doing a customer satisfaction survey. I shared my concerns, and they said they would have the manager call out to me. I received one call while I was at work, but was too busy to pick up. They never tried reaching me again. I think that will be my last time at this Merchants unless I see the reviews turn around. Probably going to start going to Midas, I’ve had some pretty good experiences with them.

I’ve lived in the area for many years and needed an oil change badly. I Goggled places nearby, Merchants came up. Simply booked the appointment online and was in the time slot I signed up for the following morning. There was no wait time and I was in and out in 45min as they said. I highly recommend this place! Service is on the highest level.

Brought my car here for a state inspection at 8am. I normally would have gone elsewhere but I was in Manassas and just needed to find a place without a long line of cars as my state inspection was overdue and my HOA will have my car towed if I don’t get it done soon.
There was one car ahead of me (already being looked at). It took about 20 more mins for them to finish up and take my car — not bad, not great. Typically I’ve found that state inspections take about 20 mins per vehicle. It took the technician about 50 minutes to finish my car and another 20 to write up the estimate. It wasn’t horrible but certainly longer than it usually takes.
The list of suggested repairs was pretty long (about $ 1000 in repairs) but I expected that. I thanked them and paid my $ 20 and went on my way. I’ll take the car to a trusted mechanic now with the list of potential problems and we’ll see what is truly needed. To be fair it may turn out that everything they listed needs to be repaired. But I’ve learned over the years that these state repairs are great revenue generators for car repair joints so I try really hard to always get a second opinion from a trusted mechanic.
The manager of the shop seems like a nice person and wants to provide good service. For the hour I was there I watched him deal with multiple customers and he was professional and courteous with all of them (though none were hostile or upset about anything so that makes it easier to be courteous).
All in all I feel ok about the experience. I was there longer than I should have been but it was fine. Had it been quicker it would have been 3 stars. The service I received was decent, no real complaints. I don’t feel 100% great about the work that was done but I don’t have any real evidence to say it wasn’t acceptable.
In a pinch, or perhaps for tires, I would come back. Definitely not my first choice though.

This is going to be a lengthy review so have a seat. First, let me give you a back story so you can get the clear picture. More than 7 months ago I unknowingly ran over a metal object which punctured my tire. I discovered this because my vehicle has a tire pressure sensor on it and I noticed the indication on the instrument panel. I checked the tire pressure and it was slightly low so I added more air to the tire to put it at the recommended 33psi. The following day the low tire pressure indication light was on again so I checked the psi again and it was only slightly low. I removed the tire and started searching for the cause. This is when I discovered the metal stuck in my tire. I then took my spare tire off the winch and put it in the place of the damaged tire. I put the damaged tire on the winch where the spare had been. Let me remind you that this happened more than 7 months ago. I was out of the country for 6 months. Now this brings us up to the present date. On Thursday June 19, 2014 I decided I would get the described tire patched because I have a worn tire that needs to be replaced. Upon arriving at Merchant’s and removing the tire from the winch I was surprised that the tire was still completely full of air as if nothing was wrong with it. There was no sound of leaking nor could I feel air leaking out. I took the tire to the garage the technician assured me that the tire could be fixed and I told him to put it on the front passenger side once it was patched because that tire is worn. After waiting over an hour and a half the technician took me to the garage and showed me that my tire had another leak in it that was about an inch to the outside of the original spot that needed patching. He used a soapy mixture to show me the leak. I could hear and feel the air leaking out as well. At that moment I did not put much thought into it so I instructed the technician to just winch the tire back up on my car. I waited a few minutes and they brought my keys to me and I left. About a mile down the road I stopped for gas and realized that the technician had not winched the tire back up, he just left it hanging there. Later in the evening I started thinking about how the tire had held air for 7 months if it had been leaking as the technician showed me. I decided to go out to my car and check the condition of the tire. Needless to say, the tire was completely flat and, I could depress the tire a good two inches with my hand. Now you tell me how this tire could hold air for 7 months but after an hour and half at merchants it is completely flat. I’ll tell you how. These dishonest technicians intentionally punctured my tire in attempt to get me to buy a $ 120 tire from them instead of just the $ 25 patching service. They punctured the tire on the edge of the tire where it cannot be fixed. Even a brain dead person can tell you it doesn’t make sense for the tire to hold air for 7 months and then instantaneously start leaking air from another point on the tire. Of course they denied any wrong doing and that they are saints with the integrity of a monk. So I made a complaint with the corporate office and received a call from the regional manager a few days later. He was no help in resolving the matter and was actually quite rude and defensive about someone making this claim about one of his locations. He kept talking over me and tried putting words in my mouth such as claiming that I told him I took the tire in because it was leaking, which is not what I said. I told him exactly what I told you all above, that I took it to get the tire patched because it has a piece of metal in it and I was surprised that it had stayed full of air for over 7 months. He tried to tell me that the reason I had not noticed the leak is because there was no pressure in the tire. Well numbnuts, the tire held air for 7 months so obviously there was pressure in the tire. I told him that I am going to take this further to top management and he tried to tell me that he is top management. I’m a business major so I know that regional managers are middle management. Anyway, it’s obvious that everyone all the way up to middle management in this company is complicit in this type of behavior. They have no integrity. One of the technician is an army veteran who should have the utmost integrity, but obviously he doesn’t. I will let you all know if I hear from top management and if this is taken care of in an honest manner. I may even take this to small claims court simply for the principle and integrity. These people do not deserve your business.

I got an oil change at Merchant’s and then 3,000 miles later at a different mechanic. This 2^nd mechanic told me that whoever did my previous oil change WAY over tightened the drain plug and filter and that it was damaged and most likely would need to be replaced. They told me to go back to Merchant’s and they should cover the repairs for their mistake. Spoke to the manager, Brian Carver, and he was very rude to me and wouldn’t take any responsibility for the damage. He just argued with me, didn’t help provide any solutions or meet me half-​way. He said the other mechanic probably damaged it themselves and it would be «a bad business decision» to fix the drain pan for free. He essentially told me «too bad, your problem» and sent me on my way. Will never go back.

Please do yourself a favor and choose a different NTB. Bought four new tires and they blew off the alignment. Here it is six months later and two are ruined. Manager refuses to take responsibility. Ended up going to another NTB location to get things corrected. Very bad place… give your business to someone else please.

I lived in Manassas for ten years and their tire prices are competitive. They also have serviced my vehicles many times, and I have had no surprizes or other complaints.
I had a Smart Car «blower motor» go out this past winter. They got the part from Mercedes. It went out again this past week, and the part was covered under a 1 year warrantee (labor not, bc beyond 90 days) and they got the part and dealt with all the documentation and BS that the Mercedes dealership put them thru.
Go here for routine stuff. My philosophy about these niche retailers (NTB is iwithin their corporate umbrella, Pep Boys, Sears Auto, etc.) is that they make money selling tires, brakes, alternators, batteries, and other spare parts that wear out. If you need stuff done that requires diagnosis (e.g., tricky electrical problems) they might say to take it to the dealer… well you don’t have to go to a dealer if the problem is something like transmission (a transmission specialist would do just fine for a better price) but the point is, if it takes up time in the bay, time is money, and they want to keep vehicles moving through the bays.