TIPS: Motor Vehicle Repair Info From State Of Fla.ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. -- About a dozen state investigators have descended on Central Florida to perform surprise inspections and make sure car repair shops are following the rules. They began scouring the Seminole County area early Monday morning and, within hours, were handing out numerous fines.
At one store, investigators claimed store owners would claim to be handing out one form to customers but, in truth, were providing completely different paperwork.
When Stuart Scott walks into an auto shop, owners better be ready. The state investigator is dropping in for surprise audits and often finds something wrong, including at a Shell oil change store in Altamonte Springs.
There, customers weren't being given the proper forms explaining estimates and listing how the shop justifies what it has charged a customer. Just six months ago, the owner was cited for the same offense.
"So, once again, we have another instance where we don't' have the breakdown of parts and labor," Scott explained.
The penalty was $300.
That business was not alone. Down the street at Sound Advice, which is monitored since it modifies cars, there were more infractions and more fines.
The goal is to prevent what has been seen before in Action 9 hidden camera investigations, stores like Just Brakes under investigation for recommending unnecessary repairs.
Just Brakes said it didn't do anything wrong, but the chain remains under investigation by the Florida Division of Consumer Services.
Over the next few days, Scott and his team will visit all 492 registered shops in Seminole County and look for others that aren't.
On Monday, inspectors visited approximately 150 shops and 28 received citations.
Copyright 2005 by wftv.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Pump Patrol 
Bored Room 
Central Florida's Medical City 
Buy It For Half 
