Our Response to a Matthew Tecson Google Review
Matthew Tecson recent review stated:
“Took my vehicle to Dale’s auto for new tires and wheel alignment. Tires provided by me. Was charged over 700$ at the end and took whole day to finish job 9am to 445pm. I do not recommend taking vehicle here
Price breakdown
-230ish$ Wheel Alignment
-400ish$ Install & Balance 4 Tires
-120ish$ Taxes-TOTAL 750ish$
Been to many alignments shops for my vehicle. Many that are cost effective. Autotech Alignment,Valley Alignment, Beacon Offroad. Comparative prices are 150$-220$ for the same exact service and same quality.
There is no excuse or explanation as to why service took so long as well or to be so expensive. Should only take 2-3hrs tops. All of the alignment specific parts were new on the vehicle as well or in good shape. Upper/lower control arm bushings with ball joints. New wheel bearings. New tie rod ends. New cam bolts that are not seized and installed with antiseize. Absolutely nothing they can say about why labour costs is so much for a general job.
This shop also tries to upsell you on parts that aren’t urgent to replace or specific for job to be done.
Don’t be fooled by these guys like I did. I’m an admin for a 4×4 club and have pretty good connections via online. Will be sure to let everyone know within my car community to not go here for any type of service in the future….
As a response to the reply by Dales Auto.
No, I was not given a full quote of 750$, given hrly rate, given an estimate as to how long appointment would take. It was never established via phone, email, or in person at anytime. Not to say that Jameson at the front desk or Josh was bad to deal with or anything. They were great.
All I wanted was a basic service of mounting tires and an alignment on my 2012 Toyota Tacoma.
Previous shops Ive used
-250-350$ alignment with mounting tires
-great quality alignment
-time efficient/complete in a few hrs
Dales Auto Service
-750$ alignment with mounting tires 300% – 214% more than the other shops
-great quality alignment. No different than other shops
-8 hr turn around per given task. An inconvenience for customer.
Due to reasons above I cannot recommend Dales Auto Service even though they “Stand behind their Pricing” at 300%-214% extra cost over normal
As a fellow customer reading this would you?
Matt Tecson out”
Matthew's review leaves out several important facts
This was not simply a “mount four tires and perform an alignment.” Matthew supplied his own oversized off-road tires and wheels, and his 2012 Toyota Tacoma arrived with a slide-in camper installed. We were never advised the vehicle had a camper when the appointment was booked, and Matthew acknowledged this during our conversation.
The camper significantly affected how the work could be performed. Because of its height and weight, the truck could only be accommodated on 2 of our 13 hoists, both of which are dedicated primarily to wheel alignments and vehicle inspections. This created scheduling limitations that would not have existed had we known about the camper in advance.
Matthew’s review states that he was never told the cost or how long the work would take. That is simply incorrect. We have video of the conversation in which our advisor explained the labour required, discussed the expected timeframe, and advised Matthew that, due to scheduling and the nature of the job, the vehicle might need to remain overnight. Despite this discussion, his review claims none of this was communicated.
Matthew’s review states he was never told the cost or timeframe. Those are objective statements that can be verified against our recorded conversation. The recording clearly shows both the labour costs and expected timeframe were discussed before work proceeded.
Notably, at no point in Matthew’s review does he criticize the quality of the workmanship, the tire installation, or the wheel alignment. His complaint is almost entirely about what he believes the job should have cost.
Following his review, we compared our pricing with five reputable repair facilities that perform similar work including ones he mentioned. We found our pricing was toward the middle to higher end of the market, but it was consistent with the level of service we provide. We also discovered that several shops do not install customer-supplied tires, and many are closed on Saturdays, whereas Dale’s Auto Service offers both services.
Every repair facility has different labour rates, operating costs, technician experience, equipment, warranty policies, and operating procedures. Comparing invoices without comparing the complete scope of work and level of service is not an accurate comparison.
Matthew references other shops he has used in the past that he says charged less. If those businesses consistently provided the pricing and experience he was looking for, it raises the question of why he chose not to return to them. Instead, he chose to try a different repair facility, received quality workmanship—which he does not dispute—and then publicly criticized our pricing because it exceeded what he personally believed the service should cost. He says in his FB or review that he was in a pinch, wouldn’t this create more value that we were able to fit him in?
Matthew also references having a young family and financial responsibilities. We understand that vehicle ownership is expensive, and everyone has financial obligations. However, our pricing cannot be based on a customer’s personal circumstances. We apply the same labour rates and pricing structure fairly and consistently to every customer. Our responsibility is to charge appropriately for the time, expertise, equipment, and facilities required to complete the work safely and correctly.
Finally, rather than continuing to work with us to resolve his concerns, Matthew created a Facebook post encouraging friends and followers to “like” his Google review so it would remain at the top of our Google Business Profile and discourage potential customers from using our business.
We encourage anyone reading this review to consider all of the documented facts, including the signed work order, the digital inspection with photographs and videos, and the recorded conversations, before drawing their own conclusions. We are confident that the evidence accurately reflects the service we provided.
Click Image Below to Play Video of Matthew's Interaction with Service Adviser
Click Image Below to Play Long Version Video. No edits
"This shop also tries to upsell you on parts that aren’t urgent to replace or specific for job to be done."
When Matthew brought his truck to us, he requested an alignment to protect the life of his new tires. As part of every alignment, we performed a complete digital inspection. During that inspection, we documented several significant issues, including:
- Severely damaged exhaust components.
- A damaged driveshaft caused by contact with rocks etc when off-roading.
- Worn sway bar bushings.
- Worn tires(before tire chnage)
- A TPMS warning light.
- 3 out of the 4 wheels are bent, this is the reason for all of the wheel weights on the rims
The exhaust and driveshaft damage were significant enough that continued operation could result in additional mechanical damage and substantially higher repair costs. Every finding was supported by photographs and videos in our digital inspection report.
Despite what Matthew implies, we never prepared an estimate or attempted to sell him any of these repairs. We simply documented the condition of his vehicle so he could make an informed decision. That is exactly what a professional inspection is intended to do.
Matthew also claims we attempted to “upsell” unnecessary repairs. Identifying legitimate mechanical and safety concerns during an inspection is not upselling—it’s our responsibility as professional technicians. The fact that we did not quote these repairs demonstrates that our goal was to inform him, not sell him additional work.
Matthew even asked if we check things like “wheel bearings…..” during our inspection as seen in our video.
This is Our In Depth Inspection Report: Images and Video for Full Transparency
Matthew Tecson Asking Others to Like His Google Review
Matthew’s Facebook post went well beyond sharing his experience. He encouraged members of a local Facebook group to “like” his Google review so it would remain one of the first reviews prospective customers would see when searching for Dale’s Auto Service. He also promoted several competing repair facilities located in our immediate service area. Readers can draw their own conclusions as to whether the objective was simply to share an experience or to actively divert potential customers to competing businesses.
What Was Approved
✅ The customer approved and paid for an inspection/report, wheel alignment and 4 customer supplied oversized tires
Our Commitment
We’re always happy to explain recommendations and prioritize repairs based on safety and urgency. If a customer chooses not to proceed, that’s completely their choice—but we stand behind the accuracy and value of the inspection they booked.
Dale’s Auto Service
Unit #107 – 19415 56 Ave, Surrey, BC
📞 604-530-9160
✉️ sales@dalesauto.ca
