Now you would think I'd have learned over the years that going to the local (in my case Ford) dealership for repairs is pretty much a fools errand but...

It had been a few years since the last time I was overcharged and the local independent mechanic was shutting down for a a long overdue weeks vacation when my trusty, dusty 1995 Ltd Crown Vic decided to fail.

I was returning to Tucson from San Diego and stopped in Yuma for gas. Went to start up and the key just spun in the ignition. No dash lights, no starter but a fair amount of profanity (I was alone). Tried shifting in and out of gear, banging on the steering column, even tried the spare key to no avail.

Finally on the 7 or 8th try it started but the digital dash remained dark. I reluctantly shut it down to try again and lo and behold the dash lit up but no starter. A couple more cranks and hallelujah it started and home I went. Got home and it would not shut off until I disconnected the battery.

Called the Ford dealer and he said it was probably not the switch but the rods/tubes in the column. The steering column would have to come out and I was looking at $300. Called the local independent shop and he agreed with the preliminary diagnosis by Ford but said $300 was a little high but what did I expect from Ford?

Not wanting to wait for him to return from vacation I drove it to the dealership and waited for their "Official" estimate. They called and said it would be $550 to $600.

I told him to button it up and I would be in at 8 the next morning to pick it up. I was told I would owe $106 for the hour of diagnostic time and I said "Button it up!" I figured I'd wait the week for the local mechanic to return from vacation and I'd be out around $400 perhaps a little less.

Five minutes later the dealer called back with his tail between his legs bemoaning the waste of stopping now. I correctly assumed they had more than hour into it and were just try to gouge me with the $550 - $600 quote.

He said he could do it for $400 and would have it done the next day. I reiterated that if they could not do it for $400 to button it up and park it. The next day I arrived fully expecting to see an invoice something well north of $400. I handed him $400 in cash, put my wallet back in my pocket and asked for the keys.

Much to my surprise the labor and parts had been adjusted precisely to get
the bottom line to exactly $400.00. Lessons learned: Yes, I paid too much, should have been more patient and just waited for the independent to return. Could have been worse and no I will never, ever use the dealer service department again for ANYthing!

Rant off... for now and yes, I do feel better.

Service departments are not set up to provide service, they are set up to make money. "Money Department" doesn't work too well on a sign.

Mine (Ford) wanted $400 & something for an electric window motor made in Mexico. Guess it was made out of gold.

I firmly believe that, most of the time, the posters above are right-the Dealerships are out to get you.

However, and I have posted some of this before, I am an over twenty year customer of a local Nissan Dealership and won't have my vehicle serviced anywhere else. My wife has her Mazda serviced there, too.

Why? Great service,, cheaper than any local shop I could find (I've stopped comparing, but have several friends who relate their stories).

Better work, always guaranteed and I have only had to go back once in over twenty years.

Personal service-they know me, know my occupation, hobbies, driving habits, etc. I know them, too. Makes for a very pleasant trip when I have to go in for some service.

I could go on, but I think you get the idea why I am happy with them.

But, this could change if these guys leave for greener pastures. Then I'd have to try to find a local place.

Hope that doesn't happen soon.

Bob

$400 is about the average price to replace a door window motor, $200 for the motor and $200 to fit it.

You might try Rock Auto for a price comparison.

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Release the Kraken

My recent experience, not Ford, but Hyundai !
Have a 2010 Hyundai SantaFe.
At 38K, a growling, clunking, and skip/hesitation at shifts developed in the rear end. Diagnosis was failing rear differential coupler ( part of AWD, and looks like a small transmission). Hyundai OK'd warranty repair through dealer service department.
At 80K, rear growling,clunking, and skip/hesitation at shifts developed in rear end. Took it to the dealership service department. Guess what!, failing rear differential coupler, binding clutches within coupler. Neither dealer service department or Hyundai repair would fix under warranty. I appealed through Hyundai as the service department said I had to do it!! So multiple calls to Hyundai USA and talk about lies, garbage, delays, long holds on phone, etc. They started quoting paperwork and exceptions, not power train (????part connected through drive shaft to rear end differential, functions as part of AWD?????) So how not power train??? How come Hyundai will not continue warranty on previous warranty part that had failed at same mileage warranty interval, and yet under 100K. To me Hyundai has a QC problem with this part!
Guess what the dealer service wanted to fix it for, part: $1431.52, labor $230.00 (2hrs. @ $115 hour =$1661.52! Hyundai warranty person said no, supervisor said no! Asked why, some of the answers I got........read the fine print, failure of the same part twice showed bad driving, they, the warranty supervisor, could not confirm that the diagnosis was right because she wasn 't a mechanic??, I had waited to long to get repaired after noticing the noise, but no further response when I said that the service department gave me the earliest appointment available, 5 days after I called them! They said I could drive it, but recommended no long trips or anything! Well they told me wrong!
As this was just after the Superbowl, guess Hyundai was worried about the NFL bill and the network bill for the SB ads.
BTW others putting in for warranty repairs the same day were denied also, same warranty field rep , same warranty appeals person and supervisor!
I went elsewhere and got it fixed, $500 for part with 27 miles on it, $100 shipping and handling, $130 labor, 2 hours at $65 hour, synthetic fluid meeting Hyundai. specs= $730 !
Liked the SantaFe until this, Hyundai's warranty and their warranty service department personnel are full of it. Pondering next steps, but good towards Hyundai, NO !

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Wherever my mind isn't
Jim

My best friend told me he was thinking about getting out of his c300 mercedes. When I was last with him a year and a half ago he thought it was the best car he could own. I asked him what had changed. He stated that the car was designed to need a quart of oil every 900 miles (stated in the owners manual) and the tpms leaked constantly. He was also tired of them trying to pop him for a $1000 every time he went in for an oil change. My friend and I are both old gear heads and he knows his vehicles. So I guess the moral of the story is it could always be worse.

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JT

Just purchased my third new Subaru. It's not here yet.

My 2010 Subaru Legacy developed a hesitation at 60k miles it has the CVT tranny. While in for service(oil change) they adjusted the computer. No charge it's fine now. My 2016 cross trek Subaru is on order for the wife.
My next new car could be a Subaru WRX.

NO MORE AMERCAN MADE CARS. I don't need a $60k truck. If I had my health I'd restore a older truck. All I need is basics.

When I was a new mechanic at a dealership the head mechanic called oil leaks running sea page and there ok. I needed this job.

I send the misses to get the cars serviced. When they suggest this extra maintenance she turns on the Edith Bunker look and says Archie can't afford that right now. Play the game.

FMCO had several massive recalls of vehicles related to the ignition key problems

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Still Running Against the Wind

Just know; the dealership Service Writers are paid base wage plus commission. Can you see the conflict with that.

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Bill Bates

I've been happy with my local VW dealer; I know the service writer, he has designs on my car when I eventually trade in (after the extended warranty ends) and they've been upfront with me. The SW has gone to bat a couple times for me on warranty work, and the charges have been in line with the usual dealership rate. Can't complain about that!

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50 Years of DSOTM

You're right Bob, there's no substitute for personal relationships. From car dealerships to bankers and everyone else.... life runs a lot smoother.

Incentives depend on the shop, but they are incentivized to write the most they can. Dealer service advisers are SALESMEN.

One thing I've learned, if it's not something with the drive train sometimes a body shop will fix it for a lot less than a mechanic. I've had power window motors, door locks, tail lights and other things replaced by paint/body shops for much less than a dealer. My wife's 08 Buick LaCrosse had a power door lock go out right after the warranty expired and the dealer charged us $460. A few months later another lock went out, then another, then the last one. So all of the sudden I had 3 power door locks out and the dealer wanted nearly 1,400 bucks to fix them. The guy at the small town body shop across the street from where I was building a dental office said if I bought the locks he would install all three of them for $125. The locks cost $110 each so I paid a total of about a third as much as the dealer would have charged.

For many years I have taken my cars to the dealer for servicing. When the rear power window on my Honda CRV quit I took it to an independent. Turns out the bill was about $10 higher than the Honda dealer's estimate.

I'm on my third Honda and they tend to need nothing but routine maintenance. Also have a Mazda CX-9 for five years. Nothing but routine maintenance. The CX-9 is a heck of a deal compared to its competition.

I bought a CX5 last spring, it's a great vehicle, not an issue at all, and unreal gas mileage. Mazda's are way underrated, imo.

My Toyota RAV4 was a fiasco with a rear suspension issue(rust on the links), their solution to a major problem(epoxying the suspension adjustments ) much talked about on the net. I received such bad treatment from Toyota corporate and at the dealer level that I'm done with them forever.

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Sure you did

I used to avoid dealerships just because they charged so much more than the independents. That is not necessarily true anymore. The independents have seemed to jack up their prices to equal the dealerships. $90 an hour for labor and the mandatory $90 for diagnostics. Most of the time that just involves plugging in the OBD. At least at the dealer, you can count on getting genuine OEM parts and not some Chinese knock off that might last through the 90 day warranty.

Coincidence. I just bought a CX-5 last month. There is a world of difference between it and the '98 CRV it replaced. Smoother, quieter, quicker, and more comfortable. And really, only a couple grand more than I paid for the Honda back in 1998.

edNow I have been a gear head since age 12 (now70) dragged raced, street raced, worked on stock cars at the local track, worked PT at my buddies speed /shop garage. Do most all my own work for years! Not telling you this to boast but to make a point.

As the cars are covered by warranty most times now and as I have a hard time now do to health reasons working under or low on a car I let the dealership do most all mine & wifes car/truck needs now. That even includes oil changes as my Vette is only a couple inches off the ground. Its at age 70 much easier to set up what needs doing and drop the credit card than get my hands dirty and torque out my back or leg.

Its rare to find a service adviser that DOES NOT THINK you as a owner are a dummy, knows nothing about vehicles and they know it all. I have had to go to the service MANAGER a few times over the advisers attitude and conniving. I know for a fact I got one fired and a few reprimanded. If seeing the service manger does not rectifying my problem I have no problem taking it higher. Nest step the general manager and in one case the owner. I fight to win.

FWIW I now have a very good service department that takes good care of my Vettes (the service manager himself writes up my work orders, and they have a very good mechanic to do the work ) The Toyota dealer they actually have a good service writer there, (after I got the one bozo fired) and he handles my truck & wifes SUV write up very well.(they also have decent mechanics there!

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14 S&W Revs none with locks!

If you think auto dealerships are bad, try a tractor or ATV/Utility Veh. dealer. Spare key was $25.00.

I guess you live in Arizona?

Don't know costs there, but around here, labor alone runs about $90 at a dealer. Parts are additional. What's the labor and parts cost breakdown for the repairs done on your Ford?

I guess mechanics/technicians should work for free? And parts should be discounted or free?

It doesn't work that way.

But you ended up getting the work done for a couple of hundred bucks less than what was originally quoted, and you're still complaining?

I'm fine with independents charging same hourly rates as dealers. The savings comes from the independents doing only what is needed.

I would leave my wallet with my independent (which, in effect, you do every time you leave your car with someone).

The dealership owners where I live are among the class who can afford to buy the best homes, airplanes, and nice boats.

Often the dealership owner isn't even the same state anymore!
In Iowa there are still local dealerships, but even that isn't a guarantee of satisfaction anymore. The kids take over the business, but not the same service level, dealerships go bellyup, dealerships bought out by others, but the warranty approval from the manufacturer is the final, and that is dealing with a faceless phone call.

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Wherever my mind isn't
Jim

97 F150. Engine would idle down until the oil pressure light came on. Local mechanic, who is great with mechanicals, doesn't have a computer in the shop, and has trouble with electronics. He replaced the idle motor. Engine would not slow down. $150. Took it to Ford. One hour to diagnose and took it home to wait for parts. Then the mechanic replaced the MAS and two vacuum lines. Truck hasn't run this good in years. $600. Granted, I have to drive the truck for two more years to get my money out it, but it is a pleasure to drive again.
There is a lot more to go wrong on the new vehicles, and the equipment and training to fix is just more expensive. But I have 207000 miles on the original muffler, the bearings are original, and the motor is strong and the air and heat are functioning well. Steering wheel is wearing out from hand contact

You got away cheap for an ignition switch. I had a 2002 Impala, out of warranty that had a "well known" defect. Dealership wanted $1500, local guy got $650 and it was so high because they had to pull the dashboard to get to it. On my 2010 Silverado, the thermostat went bad on Black Friday and I needed it done stat. A $6 part cost $300 at dealership (again out of warranty) but my regular shop was closed till Monday. Joe

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Wisdom chases me; I'm faster

Rick Hendrick and Bruton Smith own all the dealerships around here.

I'm a car guy and watch the Barett-Jackson auction. You people down there must buy a lot of his cars and also have them do repairs because the amount of money he spends on his hobbies could buy some third world countries.

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14 S&W Revs none with locks!

the local Hyundai dealership is great...........we pull right in, promptly greeted, information written down and we go to the waiting room, watch TV, eat complementary donuts and coffee and in a little while the repair/maintenance is completed.........get in our washed and vacuumed car and off we go..........with service like this.....i will be back

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There's nowt so queer as folk

Bruton Smith has more money than God, and still isn't happy.

Don't even get me started on Rick Hendrick.

Bit of an old school gear head myself. I picked up a part time retirement job last year, delivering auto parts for a large national parts chain.

Nice little scam I noticed.

A part may retail, for say, $100.00. If you walk in and purchase, it will be less, maybe $75.00. If you are a commercial account, that same part might be $55.00, delivered to your shop.

The mechanic charges the customer his hourly rate, along with the full, or close to full retail price for the part. "Double dipping", as it were. Not all do that, but all make at least some profit from the parts they use.

R/E Dealerships. In the town where my parts store is located, there is a huge Ford dealership. They sell a ton of trucks and cars, but their service department is almost always slow. The next town over, there is a small Ford dealership, that maybe has a dozen new vehicles on the lot, on a good day. Their service department, however, is always packed. Many of their clients are customers from the big dealership. They learned long ago, that the real money is in honest service and repeat, satisfied customers.

From what I have seen in my parts delivery travels, when you find a good and honest dealership / mechanic, stick with them. There are quite a few out there I wouldn't trust to change my oil.....

Larry

I have bought cars from both of their dealerships. I don't begrudge their wealth. As dealerships go, they are better than most.

I don't use their service departments. Looks like it's not hurting Rick.

I have to realize all my cars I repaired as a kid and trucks too. I'm 65yo and can't do much anymore. I get one free oil change for every five I pay for. The brakes my son does now. I probably saved a small fortune up to now on car repairs.

My system is we need two cars. I'm always gonna have one car payment.
I bought one new car in 2010. It's paid off in 2015, it should last another five years no payments. I just purchased another new car. By the time this one is paid off the 2010 car is done. Get rid of it before the repairs start. So by 2020 I buy another new car. A new car should last 10 years with no major repairs. Flip the new car every ten years. Stagger the purchases every five years. Two good cars one car payment.

My dad took a 2004 GMC 4X4 into the dealership in Siloam Springs AR.
He was charged $12.00 for the girl at the counter to write the work order
he wont be back.

It may save shopping around, but going to the dealer will cost you a lot more money. Often more than a lot.

Doc fee in the service department !?!?

I had a car battery installed at Tires Plus and they hit me with a fee for "shop supplies". I didn't have my glasses with me, so I didn't notice the fee until I arrived home.
I quickly sent an email to address on website and a few days later the manager of the shop called me and said I just should have given him a call and he would have taken care of it.
I asked why it was on there in the first place, and he told me the computer automatically adds it to the bill.
He credited the $10 to my charge card that day.
From now on, I will go in there with my glasses