Angry Over Diagnostic Fee, Customer Leaves Bad Review—Shop Owner Deletes Five Years of Positive Reviews in Frustration

Kody, owner of an auto repair shop in Wisconsin called Inn-N-Out Automotive, recently shared an experience on TikTok: a female customer, whose car wouldn’t start, agreed to have him tow it back to his shop for diagnosis. Two days later, Kody identified the issue as “no spark, no fuel” and informed her that the total charge would be $305 (including towing and labor). However, the customer had expected to pay only $250, refused to pay, threatened to call the police, and even attempted to take her car back without settling the bill. Kody legally placed a mechanic’s lien on the vehicle, and she eventually paid and retrieved her car. The next day, however, the customer and her friends posted multiple false negative reviews on Google, falsely claiming he “charged without fixing the car.” Overwhelmed by the backlash, Kody felt compelled to delete 134 positive reviews—accumulated over five years—that had previously given his shop a 4.7-star rating. The shop’s rating has since recovered to 4.6 stars. Industry experts advise confirming repair costs in writing beforehand and note that responding professionally to legitimate negative reviews can actually build customer trust.