Rip-off car servicing! Update

Barbee Q · Oct 2, 2005

Re: Rip-off car servicing! Update

Ya, I was 26 yrs old.. It was on my 1983 olds Toro.. I liked the car, but hated working on it.. A freind of mine tried to pull out the motor in his garage and finally, not being very successful, is when I took it to a shop, but yes the axles did have to be loosened. The motor would not lift out otherwise.. It was hung up on the axles. I have to also agree that the engine and tranny should all comeout together.. It would of been easier and it would of cost me as much..

LubeDude · Oct 2, 2005

Re: Rip-off car servicing! Update

I worked at a chevy dealership one time in the body shop, I allways did my own servicing, but hunting season was coming up fast and I didnt have time to do it. I dropped my 4X4 off in the morning and wanted just a grease job and the tranny and transfer cases checked. Around noon the service writer brought my truck back to the body shop and the bill. I said thanks, and when it was time to go have lunch for me, I looked under the truck. They had lubbed exactly 2 grease fittings and nothing else. This truck had grease fittings on everything, there must have been 20 of them. There was no sign of a mark on either the transfer case or the transmission. It took me four times back there to get it done, the last time I stood right there and watched and pointed. Man was I pissed.

Dunaruna · Oct 2, 2005

Re: Rip-off car servicing! Update

It is not uncommon to remove the entire engine/trans/front end assembly as one complete unit. Drop it out from underneath. Depends on what type of work is required to be done on the motor.

stan_deezy · Oct 3, 2005

Re: Rip-off car servicing! Update

Okay, an update on this: I go to the garage and the service manager initially doesn't believe me. I dump the bin bag full of bits on his counter and starts showing him the date codes. That's the point when he really doesn't believe me and I'm really confused now because I'm beginning to lose my cool (a wee bit). He swears blind that his men never fitted the parts and I say "NO of course they didn't! They've been in the car since it was built three years ago!" He gets a tad angry with me and asks for Ms Deezy's registration number. He runs it through the computer and then turns the screen to me: "NO HISTORY FOUND" is on the screen.

I pull out my phone and phone Ms Deezy at her work and the truth comes out. She has n't taken my advice and has been getting the car serviced at another dealer: one we'd had problems with in the past and I'd already caught them ripping us off. Why did she do it? Because the parking is easier

So I bundle up the bits and try and wipe the oil off the paperwork on the service managers desk

and make my retreat. I then go to the dealership where the car has been serviced just in time to see the owner walk in with a customer

I empty the bin bag full of bits on the showroom floor and start the rant all over again (only this time in the right garage). The owner is angry. The customer he is with leaves quickly and it turns out that the service manager is "taking a break" (I suspect that the other service manager has already phoned and pre-warned him that I'm on my way!). Ended up the owner got all apologetic and blamed a mechanic who was "no longer" working for them. He said they had discovered that he was doing this and fired him. He then offers me a 5% discount off a new car

Cheez! 5% ? Anyway I ended up getting a 50% refund of all the servicing that has(n't) been done to the car over the past three years. But: one thing I noticed when I was in there was that they were doing an oil change in the workshop and they were sucking the old oil out of the sump through the dipstick. I asked about that and they said that was standard procedure and had been for the last ten years. They said the manufacturer recommended that system and supplied the suction pump. Okay said I, so how come you charge for a new sump plug and washer everytime you do an oil change? No answer...........

Nos4r2 · Oct 3, 2005

Re: Rip-off car servicing! Update

Not sure I would have settled for that Stan-It sounds like it was never serviced at all. I would have been sat on their front doorstep with the bag of used parts showing them to every customer til I got a full refund AND the service done with the book stamped. Behaviour like that just isn't on.

tommays · Oct 3, 2005

Re: Rip-off car servicing! Update

i would be concerened with how no correct oil change for 3 years was going affect the long term life of the motor which would have me raiseing HE?? with the car builder and dealer tommays

Barbee Q · Oct 3, 2005

Re: Rip-off car servicing! Update

Picture this boys and girls.. Front wheel drive 1991 chev. sil. My mom has been taking it to Lube boys and does it at least 2 a year.. I went with her this time becuase we had a nice lunch. Get back and she told them not to do the tranny becuase it was just serviced about a month ago from a shop that I am just very pissed off at.. The kid comes back and tells my mom that the fluid is contamiated in the tranny.. Wants to charge over 100 bucks to clean it.. Ya, sure, is in my mind, because I was with her when she had that done too.. Get home and the first thing i do is check it.. I just about sht my pants when I smelled the burning tranny fluid.. Instead of using the fluid sucker, I decided to drop the flat lower pan and take a look. The fluid goes all over my hand as I'm lowering the end to drain. I have never had a reaction to tranny fluid in my life, but I was screaming trying to get it off.. The fluid was filled with cleaning salution and metal shaving.. The inside pan was filled with clumps of dark grey super fine metel. The magnet was so covered I didn't even know it was there until I cleaned it up.. Bad news for mom.. For 2 years I've been telling her to get rid of the van.. This time she finally listened to me.. My words to her." You have 500 miles left, so pick your trips carefully." I changed the fluid 6 times trying to get the smell out and it still stunk. She was able to use it as trade and as long as I wasn't asked I wasn't going to tell. . I stayed home and she came back with Chevy Cavalier.. The funny thing is to watch her reach for the electric windows and door locks. That went on for 2 weeks.. I guess you have to give up luxury for economy..

stan_deezy · Oct 3, 2005

Re: Rip-off car servicing! Update

Thanks Nos and Tommays, I've been tossing this around in my head all afternoon and I was thinking the same about the oil and the effect it will have had on the engine. The car has done 80,000 miles on the original oil

It sounds okay and theres no smoking or clattering (well, nothing unusual for a diesel!). I reckon I'm going back to the garage tomorrow with another demand: an extended warranty. I'll let you know what happens: at least this time I know I'm going back to the right garage

djzyla1980 · Oct 3, 2005

Re: Rip-off car servicing! Update

IMO I bet he was just pumpin out the old oil and puttin new in.... I would be more concerned about proper lube through the system due to a clogged filter then I would wether or not the oil hadn't been changed. Might just took a few years off the life of that one

LubeDude · Oct 3, 2005

Re: Rip-off car servicing! Update

Chances are that you were getting most of the oil changed, and likely the filter was being by-passed buy this time. Not a good thing! However, the engine most likely will last you till ya trade it off. Its the next owner thats gonna get it in the end. Pun intended. Have the vehicle serviced at 2,500 mile intervals for the next few changes to clean things up some. Diesel oils have very high detergent additives in them. Might also be a good Idea to throw in a can of SeaFoam for next couple changes also.

deputydawg · Oct 3, 2005

Re: Rip-off car servicing! Update

One thing you could do, report this dealership to the better business beureau in your state. Maybe even see if the attorney general for your state has a business fraud unit. It won't help you today, but it will make you feel a little better. Another idea, if you can prove with receipts all of the money you paid each time you had this car serviced, go after them for a full refund on the money you paid for work not done correct. First go to mechanics with excelent reputations. Talk to at least 5. Get their professional opinion on weather this hurt your engine in the long term. Then go to a reputable service center for the make of your car and see if they really suggest sucking oil out of the filler tube. I can not imagine that, it would be impossible to get every bit of oil and contaminates out. See if he was lying about that too. Then go to court for the cost of action and the money you have paid out. Don't bother asking for future damages, just for what you have lost already. His defense will be that newer cars are not recommended for service until 100,000 miles. He will say synthetic oil or some special oil he is using is good for 100,000 miles, so your car is fine. Get some good reputable mechanics to dispute that claim. You may have to go to another town for this, these mechanics will have to write letters notorized for you or appear in court for their opinion, and may not want to cause waves in their hometown. BUT any mechanic with a good reputation will be angered by this ripoff. It makes them all look bad. I know this because I was a mechanic in a past life. It made me so mad whenever I would see someopne hangin parts or otherwise ripping off the customer. A well placed letter to the editor may give you some satisfaction too.

Nos4r2 · Oct 3, 2005

Re: Rip-off car servicing! Update

No such thing as 'better business bureau' over here. We've got Trading Standards-but they aren't a lot of use. I'm not sure an extended warranty is a good idea-make damn sure you read the small print if you take one-and make sure all specific components of the car are covered. Most extended warranties are sold by companies that specifically deal in warranties and never see the vehicle-They are bigger sharks than the dealers and they want their pound of flesh bloody and red. This means they will probably refuse any engine repairs as 'wear and tear'-so make ABSOLUTELY sure you know what you're going into before you sign anything.Without specific component cover they will say 'wear and tear-bye!' (I've fallen victim to this myself).

Skinnywater · Oct 3, 2005

Re: Rip-off car servicing! Update

My first thought of Stans original story was that the servicing technician was the rip-off. There maybe more than one "schlackys" (Schkum suckers lackin' ability and integrity) in that service department. This is case of one or two bad apples, here's why. In the past 30 years of working as a technician at new car dealerships, I've gotten a fair grip on how things are done in the industry. I've worked at 6-7 different dealerships in my career. All the dealerships I've ever worked for had strict policy in place that prevented systematic "charging for parts not replaced". The dealer principal (owner) is not in a position to compromise his reputation in the community over petty filters. Your average dealership employs too many "individuals" that would be part of this blatant rip-off policy, from the parts and service departments and the office staff. There are too many highly paid professionals that would leave such an establishment for better down the road. Skilled and honest dealership personnel are just too hot a commodity these days for the dishonest to survive. The Service Manager, Parts Manager, Service Writer, Shopforeman and Cashiers don't have time in their day or fortitude to deal with customers that are rightfully exploding over being stolen from. The turn-over rate would be weekly. The "platinum" status wouldn't even get a start at such a place. Among the individual "techs" (a loose term as it applys here)that I've known that lacked the integrity to dump new parts, they'd surely hide it from the other techs in the shop. For sure, internal politics among the techs would expose those guilty very quick. Most professionals would not hesitate to "drop a dime" on a schlacky. Successful dealerships are extremely busy correcting problems that the manufactures create and hold account for. Most dealerships don't have the desire to encourage "problems" that expend already limited resources to correct.

ZodFutMk2 · Oct 3, 2005

Re: Rip-off car servicing! Update

When I got the Civic in '95, the dealership did the oil suck out thing and didn't replace the filter. I too am that type that writes on the oil filter, even if I don't install it. When I brought it to their attention, they said that was what the factory directed. I directed them to replace the filter at every oil change. They noted it in the computer. Less than a year later the practice of the oil suck ceased. Always wondered if it was a factory change or if they just got tired of the complaints. They still service it and it's still going strong at 170k with the original clutch. Every time I take it in I get offers to buy it.

OLDSPUD · Oct 3, 2005

Re: Rip-off car servicing! Update

Don't know what happened, suppose only the tech knows, but I spent a least 10 years working in auto shops, the owners I worked for always was on the side of the customer, I mean if any one got cheated for costs and work, it was the owner. Now being an owner of a small bus, reputation is king, at any cost, my reputation from the client's view going out the door is my largerst concern over any money collected or services rendered. Call the owner, if he acts concerned and would like to correct the situation, stay there as a customer, if the opposite, there are plenty of car shops around to try. Spud

OLDSPUD · Oct 3, 2005

Re: Rip-off car servicing! Update

PS There is an old economic principal, and It is as true as any thing around, "THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A RIP OFF" I shouldn't have to explain this for those with any business sense.

stan_deezy · Oct 4, 2005

Re: Rip-off car servicing! Update

Well I think, thanks to you guys giving me some sound advice, that I may have just scored quite a result, see what you think: 1. The owner has offered a full warranty on the engine/gearbox for as long as Ms Deezy keeps the car. 2. The warranty will be in writing and will cover the cost of parts and labour. 3. I now have another 25% of the cost of the previous services refunded and the offer of three services free for the next year. I'm still a bit suspect about the offer of servicing for free because I really don't like the idea of the oil being sucked out and replaced rather than drained off and all the sludge being removed: perhaps lubedude knows more about this? Apparently it's a standard practise now, even Mercedes-Benz recommend this suction routine?? Anyone know anything about that? I'll wait and see what the written warranty covers but he's getting it drawn up by his lawyer so I don't think there's a con going on there..... And finally, he offered me a really good deal on a new car when we need one in the future, hmmmmm

deputydawg · Oct 4, 2005

Re: Rip-off car servicing! Update

The extended warranty is a form of buying you off. That way you will be happy and not complain to friends and neighbors, and they in all likelyhood will not have to put out much money in repairs. I remember years back for a short time it was only recommended to change the filter every other oil change. An attempt at saving money. In most if not all cases the filter is large enough to work even after 3 or 4 oil changes. Not recommended but will do. A good engine in good shape running like it is supposed to should not build upthat much sludge or depisots in 2....3.....or even 5,000 miles.

Skinnywater · Oct 4, 2005

Re: Rip-off car servicing! Update

Apparently it's a standard practise now, even Mercedes-Benz recommend this suction routine?? Anyone know anything about that?

There isn't any problem at all evacuating the oil this way. It does a ver good job at getting the oil out. But for sure,the oil filter needs to be changed. And for dang sure if you're being charged for one. You did good Stan with what the dealership gave you.

Rip-off car servicing! Update

Chief Petty Officer

Admiral

Admiral

Lieutenant Commander

Lieutenant Commander

Admiral

Chief Petty Officer

Lieutenant Commander

Chief Petty Officer

Admiral

Lieutenant Commander

Lieutenant Commander

Commander

Petty Officer 2nd Class

Petty Officer 1st Class

Petty Officer 1st Class

Lieutenant Commander

Lieutenant Commander

Commander