Maaco Wouldn't Deposit

Feb 20, 2008

MAACO complaint by Rmarrerocmx

I went to Maaco Center M2046 Hempstead NY 11550 in Hempstead NY after being referred to them by the seller of my car to have the paint re-vitalized. We agreed on a specific paint package and I left a deposit of $200. All is well so far. I then leave Maaco and make a stop at a friends auto shop and someone offers to buy my car.

I sell it immediately and call Maaco to inform them that I would no longer require the car to be painted as per someone just bought the car. (I called them 30 Minutes after I left the deposit)

I was told that the refund is non-fundable that it went towards franchise fees. I was also told by a Steve that "Once a job gets invoiced that they have to pay franchise fees". BS

He then said that I have a $200 credit towards the painting of any automobile.

So Please anyone with a brain, Is my $200.00/Deposit really going towards franchise fees or am I being forced into having any car painted for $200.00???

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Comments (5)

1. Written by Rutherford, on 02-04-2008 20:37

Sounds alot like buying a non-refundable airline ticket,which by the way IS non-refundable.If the contract states deposit is non-refundable,then it is legally NON-REFUNDABLE. If you give a deposit,read the contract first. Caveat Emptor. Buyer beware. They even offered you a credit of the full deposit on painting a different vehicle. Doesn't sound like Maaco did anything legally wrong. It just sounds like you have a bad case of BUYE"S REMORSE. My advice: Get a different car painted (yours or a friend's or relatives) and therefore you will be made whole again. If Maaco didn't give you an expiration date to the credit, you end up in the long run losing nothing. That certainly does not seem that Maaco was unfair.

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2. Written by STEVE FROM MAACO, on 02-04-2008 16:50

The first issue I want to discuss is Maacos' refund policy. Normally we do not take deposits however, this customer came in during the last day of a sale. He could not leave his car so I decided to invoice his car as if it was here so that he could take advantage of the sale. #2, I took the deposit bcause once a car is in the shop we do have to pay a percentage to Maaco corporate. #3 Not only is it clearly written on his invoice that the deposit is non-refundable, but I pointed to it and asked him if he was sure he wants to do this because the deposit is non-refundable and he said "YES". This customer had previously been here a year prior and left a deposit and changed his mind that time as well. HIS DEPOSIT WAS REFUNDED. Unfortunatlly we are not going to loose money because this kid likes to run around and waste peoples time. #4 He said he called us within 30 minutes of leaving.....Maybee it's possible to leave a store, drive to a friends shop, have somebody walk up to the car and say there interested in it, test drive the car and look it over, get the money and fill out the paperwork within 30 minutes, but I doubt it. And #5 he did not loose his deposit. We told him it could be used towards any future work done by him or a friend. I love how this kid left out the part where it was clearly written on his estimate and verbally explained to him that the deposit in that case was non-refundable. After I showed him that and he knew he was wrong he then begged for even $50.00 dollars back because he was broke. What I want to know is..if you just sold your car how do you not have any money? My advice my friend...STOP WASTING PEOPLES TIME. If this is the best you can find to do with your free time....I guess I can understand why you waste everybody elses. If im rude I apologize to the readers, but it's upsetting seeing this situation written out so one sided with important details left out. Please let me know if anything I just said is incorrect or not true.

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3. Written by kenny, on 01-04-2008 12:21

i ran a maaco. the franchise fee is 9%, or 8% if paid in first 30 days. call customer service & tell them. you should be given your money back

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4. Written by Michael, on 09-03-2008 10:30

Make sure that it does not state on your receipt of deposit that there are no refunds. If they do give refunds but will not give your money back, call your banking center and file a fraud claim (this eill only work if you paid with credit card) then visa will force them to give your money back due to moneys received without rendering a service. :grin

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5. Written by Irvin, on 28-02-2008 21:59

A franchise is another word for small business. The difference is that the owner of this business has to pay a fee for the use of the franchise name. The fee is NEVER 100% of the "invoiced" amount. Generally the fee is 5-10% ($20 bucks max in your case). However, there is such a thing as a refund. If the franchise gave you a $200 refund then there would be ZERO franchise fees paid. The negative number would adjust itself off the monthly franchise fees already paid.

This is not a franchise fee issue, it's an issue with the manager or owner not wanting to give your money back. The only reason they wouldn't is if, as a business (not a franchise) they had a no-refund policy. I guess that is possible.

I would expect they would give your money back (common sense), but who am I?

Good luck!

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