Dealing with the service department at the dealership.... Arrrrg!

[Capt Steve]

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.

 

[Gamecock]

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.

 

[Rocksprings]

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

 

[straightshooter1]

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

 

[LVSteve]

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

$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.

 

[walkinghorse]

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 !

 

[Jt7009]

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.

 

[BigBill]

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.

 

[BigBill]

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.

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.

 

[Rule3]

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

 

[Bill Bates]

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

 

[S42N8]

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!

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

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.

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

 

[Gamecock]

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

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

 

[Farmer17]

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.

 

[hoosierone]

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.

 

[ladder13]

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.

 

[Bozz10mm]

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.

 

[Bozz10mm]

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.

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.

 

[NYlakesider]

ed

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

Now 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!