Rather than taking it to my trusty mechanic whom I’ve know since, well forever, I chose to take it to the dealer because I had a COUPON…

Drop the car keys in the night drop box with the coupons, of course, and away I go.  Not a care in the world.  Inspection is free with my COUPON…

10:30 AM – 2 hours after scheduled start time.  “Mr Swain, Your oil’s changed , tires rotated (Another coupon…) but I’m sorry your car did not pass the safety inspection.”  Wha? (Insert your own cartoon sound effect here)

All I heard after that were “brake pads, blah, blah, blah, rotors rusted out, blah, blah, blah, not safe, blah, blah, blah, $980!”

How could this be?  I drive the car daily, Shouldn’t there be some sort of sign that brakes are going bad?  Oh yeah, there is…that squealing sound they make…like 16 months ago when I had them replaced or maybe the awful sound rotors make when there’s nothing left on the pads (I was young and didn’t know better once…no COUPON here…)

So my dilemma begins, trust the mighty auto dealership, or the guy I’ve known my whole life who just inspected my brakes three months ago… Hmmmm… what to do…???

So when I take my car from the dealer (Didn’t have to pay for the failed inspection thanks to my handy-dandy COUPON!), it’s parked in what they call a “drive-thru,” subsequently all I can think of is the Joe Pesci line in Lethal Weapon 2 or 3 about Leo getting F’ed at the Drive Thru!

Fast forward to Day 2 of the stand off between myself and the safety of my family…

Mechanic who checked the brakes in April checks them again… fine, no safety hazard.  Brake pads – almost new, rotors – only slightly rusted… blood boiling.  Damn COUPON!

So they tell me I need new everything on the phone but to skirt the legality of it all they only write “Needs New Rotors” on the inspection form.  (Yes it passed the second inspection with no changes.)

Why did they have to be so stereotypical?  I hate when they do that.

I guess it was their bad luck that I just had my brakes checked and they dupe a lot of people this way.  Get them in the door with a -COUPON- and have them grab their ankles.

So what do I do?  Call the “Better Business Bureau”?  Rat them out in the blogosphere?

Way to go Reedman Toll!