THL Auto Service

Hi Dana, THL Auto Service takes all customer feedback and concerns very seriously. While we respect the customer’s right to share her experience, we believe the claims shared in this review are presented in a misleading manner and do not fully represent how our team carries out roadworthy inspections. My name is Steven, owner of THL AUTO SERVICE. I wish to clearly state that we categorically deny any accusations that our team intentionally manufactured defects, sought to mislead a customer, over‑inflated repair pricing, or treated this customer unfairly on the basis of her gender. A roadworthy inspection exists solely to assess a vehicle against Victoria’s official roadworthy standards, and is not intended as a sales exercise. Our qualified testers follow regulated inspection protocols. We fully acknowledge that vehicle owners are entitled to seek a second independent opinion or arrange repairs at another workshop. That said, a differing assessment from another mechanic does not on its own prove our original inspection was incorrect or dishonest. 1. Headlight alignment A different assessment from another workshop does not confirm that our team fabricated a headlight alignment defect. Headlamp aim must be evaluated using official testing methods and Victorian inspection criteria. We reject the claim that this defect was invented intentionally. The claim that a member of our staff offered to mark this defect off‑the‑record is a very serious allegation. Our business strictly prohibits any staff member from falsifying inspection outcomes or bypassing legal roadworthy requirements. Should the customer believe this conversation took place, we warmly invite her to share any supporting evidence directly with our management team for a full and fair internal investigation. 2. Brake fluid Prior brake fluid servicing does not guarantee the fluid’s condition at the time of our inspection. Vehicle components and fluids can degrade over time, and past maintenance work does not automatically guarantee compliance with roadworthy standards on a later date. Should there be a dispute over brake fluid condition, we are willing to review our full inspection documentation alongside any evidence the customer can provide. We do not agree that removing an item from a quote following a customer’s enquiry constitutes proof that our initial inspection finding was fabricated. 3. Wiper pricing Roadworthy defects and repair quotations are separate matters. A quote can include multiple options for parts, labour or complete replacements, depending on the work required. Customers are always welcome to question any quote and are free to decline any proposed repairs. We respectfully push back against the suggestion that we quoted an inflated price deliberately to see if the customer would agree to pay it. This is an accusation of dishonest behaviour which we cannot accept. 4. Re‑inspection fee I would like to clarify the re‑inspection fee matter. We have updated the wording on our website to bring greater clarity: a re‑inspection fee will apply when repairs are completed outside our workshop. This is because our technician needs to dedicate additional time to re‑check all identified defects thoroughly. We deny any suggestion that we deliberately altered our published policy to mislead this customer. We recognise that clear communication around inspection and re‑inspection fees is important. If there was a misunderstanding or inconsistency in what was discussed in‑person versus our website wording, we are prepared to review our internal records to resolve this. However, a disagreement over fees or website text does not prove there was intent to deceive. For context, the customer’s total out‑of‑pocket cost with us was only $195. Following her completion of repairs elsewhere, we carried out the follow‑up re‑inspection, verified the vehicle met roadworthy requirements, and issued her a passing RWC. 5. General allegation regarding gender‑based treatment We find the assertion that our team assumed a female customer had no mechanical knowledge and sought to take advantage of her deeply concerning. This claim is not supported simply by the fact the customer disagreed with some of our inspection findings and repair quotes. THL Auto Service serves thousands of customers across Victoria. Our inspection outcomes are based purely on vehicle condition against regulatory standards, and are never influenced by a customer’s gender, mechanical experience, or whether they choose to have repairs completed with us. We accept responsibility for genuine human error. If any member of our team acted inappropriately, we will conduct a thorough investigation and take appropriate action. At the same time, we cannot accept unsubstantiated claims of dishonesty being shared publicly as established facts. The customer has advised she holds original tax invoices, text messages, receipts, photos and timestamps to support her account. We therefore formally invite her to submit all of this supporting material, together with details of the vehicle and inspection, to our management team. This will allow us to cross‑reference each point against our records and Victorian roadworthy regulations for a complete review. We stand behind the integrity of our business and our regulated inspection processes. If genuine mistakes are confirmed, we will take appropriate steps to address them. If the evidence does not uphold these allegations, we would respectfully request that the public record be corrected. Steven Owner, THL Auto Service Pty Ltd Ringwood, Victoria