This isn't particularly about service, but it was still a shocking experience. I've been taking my GF shopping for a new car/small ute, and so we've been crusing the local car lots here in Northern VA. We went to a Nissan dealer and met one of theri sales agents. Guy has been there for almost 5 months (so he's new to the job..not that its an excuse). Introduces himself to me first, even though we made it clear at the outset that it was my GF buying the car. First faux pas, we can deal with that.
I know my stuff (I've spent a good deal of time on the wholesale side of the business) and decided to see what this salesman knew about the car (so the Murano is based on the Maxima platform, right? ..that sort of thing). Got most of that wrong.
Long story short, we walked out of the dealership and never looked back after my GF (who is not so knowledgable) asked what the "S" on the shifter housing meant. The guy said- "That's the turbo". This was a Nissan Murano we where in. Irregardless...Nissan doesn't make a turbo (outside of their NISMO parts line)for any of their cars! Flat out lied to her! Unbelievable.
So i put a deposit down on a civic Si and it came in yesterday. They called me yesterday, so i go in a couple of hours later to go get it, i find out they sold it to someone else. I dont blame the salesman who i dealt with but the manager steven jones who decided he wanted to take it and sell it to his customer. No business morals. I know car dealers are shady but this just was absurd.
My fiance and I were in the market for a Honda Fit. We called several dealers, and found one who said they'd charge us $500 over MSRP. We were okay with that since the cars are new, and popular. We had to wait a month for the car to arrive. Before it did they called and said we could only get the automatic ($800 or so more). We decided to call other dealers to see if we could get what we wanted.
Tonkin Gresham Honda in Gresham OR said they only charge MSRP. We cancelled our other order, and went with them. When we went in they insited we had to pay exhorbitant prices for "options" that weren't optional. Also they tacked on $450 of unnecessary anti-theft insurance, also not "optional." Sum total the price came in at about $2000 above MSRP. We were straight out lied to. When we complained the sales manager, Dennis, got so defensive that he yelled at us. It was the most unprofessional, and dishonest behavior I'd ever experienced, even from a car dealer. He was actually yelling at us, and my fiance was nearly in tears. If you want to be lied to, and get yelled at Tonkin Gresham Honda is the place to go. If you want to buy a car AVOID TONKIN GRESHAM HONDA like the plague! They were terrible!
With all of that, you didn't buy the car from them did you? This is one of the reasons I won't have anything to do with Honda, Toyota, Nissan, etc. It's not that I don't like like the product, it's the cavalier attitude they have towards the customer.
"This is one of the reasons I won't have anything to do with Honda, Toyota, Nissan, etc."
Guess it all depends on the individual dealer. I just bought a new Honda back in March. I was very suprised at how smoothly things went. It was by far the easiest/best purchase I have ever made. Negotiations took all of 15 minutes. In the F&I office, they handed me a menu with the extras (warranties, pain sealent, etc...) with prices, and basically told me to look it over, let them know if I had any questions. I told them I wasn't interested in anything additional, and they said ok - no pressure at all.
I'm sure there's some good ones out there. You mean you didn't go for the "pain sealent"? That sounds like a good option to me! Just kidding of course.
I've heard of brake and tranny flushes, and fuel injector cleaners, but never an engine flush. My dealer has been recommending it since a year after I bought my fx. Sounds like some kind of super oil change. I think it's unconscionable to be pushing this (along with other unessential items and oil changes every 3700 miles) especially at a supposedly high-line dealership. Anyone heard of it or know anything about it?
Sounds like that stuff that dealers offer to "flush" carbon deposits out of the combustion chamber. The dealer of my previous car loved recommending this whenver I took the car in for ANY kind of issue. Got to be ridiculous.
Sounds like another one of those schemes they come up with to make money, like the $10.00 bottle of fuel injector cleaner that you can buy for $2.99 at the auto parts.....
I agree, more like a "wallet flush". Jiffy Lube offered something similar, can't remember the name they used for it. Still their most annoying practice (for me) remains taking out the air filter and flapping it so you'd see how nasty and dangerous it is if they didn't replace it. Same for the PCV valve. And there always seemed to be a $0.99 bulb they'd offer to replace for only $(1)9.99. Good grief!
I disagree. The most annoying thing about Jiffy Lube (VIOC and the other chains) is printing out the list of recommendations for the SEVERE service schedule and presenting that as the basic recommendations from the manufacturer. "But sir, that is from the SEVERE service schedule and I don't think my driving fits that." Bubba kind of mumbles that everyone fits the severe schedule. To me these feel like fraud or at least mis-representation.
But...sometimes our cars DO need an air filter, and sometimes they DO have a burned out lightbulb that is can be a miserable job to replace!
I would rather have Jiffy Lube tell me about my burnt out lightbulb than a cop!
And, it has to be remembered that the manufactures suggest MINIMUM services. They want to keep the total Cost of Ownership numbers looking good since some people really look at this when they are deciding between cars to buy.
A lot of people, such as myself like to take better care of our cars than that.
I just know that I would rather buy a used car that has been over maintained a bit over one where a tight fisted owner stuck right to the non severe schedule.
I would rather have Jiffy Lube tell me about my burnt out light bulb than a cop! Good point, good point, I agree. May be I'm a little prejudiced, since two out of three times I ended up going straight to NAPA, buying the bulbs only to find out that they work just fine.
A lot of people, such as myself like to take better care of our cars than that. I'm one of those two; agree with you completely. That's why maybe I take their recommendations a different way, because I know what my car needs, know when the filter, for example, was changed and it what condition it is. But for many people such advise could be quite beneficial. But in no way would I take short cuts on maintenance (that's why my CR-V will not see anyone but the dealer anytime soon). I'm convinced that one of the reason I have a nicely running car with over 107K and very low repair expenses is just that - good maintenance (maybe over-maintenance).
I took in a one owner, 1991 Accord. It looked great and it ran even better. Always dealer maintained and the guy was a stickler for more frequent oil changes than the book called for.
Took my '96 RL in to the dealer for the 120K major service last Wednesday (6/21) and was informed that in addition to the complimentary car wash and wax, the oil change and engine tune-up would also be free. I would also receive 20% off parts and labor. Including combustion chamber, transmission, and engine flushes, the estimate was $902. I also got a free loaner, an almost brand-new 2006 TL with 3K on the clock.
Received the almost automatic call of further trouble: leaking seals discovered during the tune-up. Seven hours of labor according to the manual. Later, two additional parts which were out of stock and to be air-freighted in. The estimated bill is now $1750.
It's now 4:00 p.m. on 6/27 and I've had the loaner for six days. Oh, it's lots of fun to drive and some people have suggested that I keep it! Which I'm sure that some salesman at the dealership is about to recommend to me (LET ME SHOW YOU HOW YOU CAN KEEP THE TL IN YOUR GARAGE!).
Now, I don't want to start on a conspiracy kick, but I've been going there for 20 years since I bought my 1986 Legend and have always had an Acura in my garage. Things do go wrong that we can't readily see, but the car was running just fine and smoothly - no smoke, no rough idle, no lack of power, etc. This may be the most expensive "free" tune-up I've ever had.
Where have you been! I think of you all of the time when I listen to my CD's!
Gaskets do tend to go bad after 120,000 miles but unless you smell smoke or it's dripping in your garage, I wouldn't replace them. Just watch your oil level.
My mom just told me how she took her leased 06 chrylser minivan in for tire rotation at her dealer's service dept. Just as she was going on to the interstate the right front tire almost fell off. It appears that they only put one nut on. Is this normal?
Same thing happened to me years ago. The Bucik dealer rotated my tires and didn't tighten the lug nuts on my RF wheel. I had the car on the West Seattle bridge and I know something was wrong!
At first, I thought it was the road but then I knw I had a major problem.
I was able to tighten the lug nuts although the studs were pretty stripped up.
I got it back to the Buick store and the General Manager handed me the kwys to his personal demo. They replaced the studs and the wheel and delivered the car back to me.
Hey, I used to run a large shop and I can tell you, these things can happen. I'm sure the guy who did the work was in BIG trouble!
I came across the term "Lot Assassin" at a local dealer ship in a conversation between two managers. One gentleman said the firm was having trouble with some current employees. He says a number of dealerships in the area are suffering considerable financial loss due to this activity. Has anyone heard of this term and what it refers?
Let's just get this out of the way first: the car I took in for service is 9 years old with 167K miles. Obviously beyond warranty, but be the judge if that should have any bearing on the following. This is mostly quoted from email exchanged between me and Subaru Corporate:
Me: "I got charged $2000 for repairs that did not fix the original problem (and that the original problem is a safety problem, which, if not fixed, could result in injury or death)"
The problem is my stick gets stuck in neutral for seconds at a time when shifting from 1st to 2nd. As noted above I got charged $2000 for all sorts of clutch and tranny work, none of which solved the original complaint.
Subaru's response: "We are sorry to learn that your vehicle is currently in need of repair.
The wear of any component is subject to many factors beyond the control of Subaru of America, Inc. Consequently, its longevity is upredictable. The Subaru Basic Warranty is designed to protect the consumer from any defects in material or workmanship for a period of 3 years, or 36,000 miles, whiehcever comes first. As you know, however, this warranty has expired.
We acknowledge an expense lies ahead of you, but we are unable to extend the warranty coverage beyond those set parameters."
Reducto Ad Absurdum conclusion: If you take your old Subaru in for service, they can charge you whatever they like and not fix the original problem, and you have no recourse.
Did you bring the car to a Subaru dealership for repair? Because if you did, you should write back and explain that the real issue isn't that your car will need repairs, but that they didn't fix the original problem. Emphasize that your issue isn't with the car (9 yrs old, 167k miles, I'd imagine you're happy with it), but with the quality of service received at a repair place that *represents* Subaru.
And, in this case, is giving it a bad name.
Dealership service departments need to be held accountable for that sort of thing.
Note that depending on what state you're in, you *do* have recourse. In CA, you can contact the BAR (Bureau of Automotive Repairs), and get them investigated. I'm sure other states have something similar. Check them out as well.
Yes this was a Subaru dealership. $2000 was the limit I was going to spend on the old car. The additional repairs they are quoting me are another $3000!! If they'd have quoted me a total of $5000 to begin with, I'd have been like "show me what cars you have on your lot." Now I'm out $2000 that could have gone toward a down payment. The new VW Rabbit sure is looking good now: I certainly won't ever do business with Subaru again. I want to try to get my $2000 back, I might consider small claims court, plus a host of other avenues: Georgia Consumer Affairs, Better Business Bureau, Car Talk and/or Ralph Nader!! I'm desperate, anybody have better ideas?
this morning i did what i should have done before complaining to corporate: i complained to the general manager of the dealership. i skipped this step initially because first they told me $2000 for the additional repairs, then the service manager told me he'd make me a special deal: free labor (since they'd had the thing open once before) and cost on parts. Next quote however somehow jumped to $3000 and I pretty much went through the roof.
corporate of course doesn't care if I charge them with consumer fraud or go to the better business bureau, but the manager of the dealership would be more directly affected by such actions. i'm supposed to hear back this week. i'll keep you posted if you'd like
With that many miles personally I wouldn't put any money into it, but if your needs are different than mine then one option is to go to an independent shop and see if they are willing to put a used transmission in it from a lower mileage car. Shifting with a bad clutch is real hard on the transmission synchros, and with that mileage they probably weren't that good anyway.
Last week I brought my 2005 TL to the above dealership for a 10,000 mile maintenance service. My scheduled appointment was for 7:30 am. After waiting a half hour, I finally reached the counter to check in my car. After paying $190, I received the car with grease smeared in the interior, one flat tire, and the "complementary car wash was not performed. This is not what I expected from Acura.
They failed to fix my car and returned it with new problems. Instead of any refund at all, they offered a "deep discount" on new repairs that were still $1000 higher than any other mechanic to make up for the problem. Really awful owner. Charming, but horribly unfair. Just dishonest in my book. How can they look themselves in the mirror? If you want your car returned in worse condition than you brought it in, this place is for you! Warning: don't complain, or your car will be returned badly damaged. And don't ever bring it back for them to look at, they just make it worse. They have records for how many repairs they do. How do you think that happens??? Even the guy who loves them has needed them 10 times in one year for one car. How does that make them great mechanics? If that is how you want to spend all your time and budget, this place is for you! Woo Hoo!! They actually send their mechanics to a school to learn how to jack up repair costs according to a weblink from their website that has now been disconnected! I have informed them that I would share the honest facts and invited them to deny this or provide an explanation.
Does anyone know the name of the company that allows one to pay a monthly fee or fee-per-purchase to obtain a dealers license? I want to be able to attend auto auctions and dealer auctions to purchase cars and pay a dealer a fee (either monthly or per visit) when I purchase a car. If anyone knows the name of this company or can point me in the right direction, I would greatly appreciate it. Please email me at pelshakm@gmail.com
Hi mark, since this is a forum, we don't answer questions by e-mail but instead want the responses to stay here so that everyone can benefit. You might have better luck on our Smart Shopper board, where dealers hang out.
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR Find me at kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name. 2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h) Review your vehicle
Has anyone out there had the unhappy experience of being stiffed for a deposit on an undelivered car? I recently, ya right, two months ago, put down a $500 deposit on a specific Nissan Altima at COUNTY LINE Nissan in Middlebury, CT. I went to this dealer with my TMV printout from Edmunds showing specifically what I was looking for. Money and financing already in place and ready to buy, I was promised that, "WE WILL GET YOU THIS CAR". Delivery was to be on June 27th, 2006. I allowed them to debit my credit card for the deposit. This all took place on the evening of Thursday June 22nd. On the following evening I contacted my sales person to obtain the VIN number of the promised vehicle. This in the interest of completing the finance arrangments. I was told that they had not yet found the vehicle. I asked if "we are still on for Tuesday". The response,,,"Should be". I again contacted the sales rep on Saturday the 24th and was not able to talk to the sales rep. On Monday, I again tried to contact the sales rep and was put to voice mail, leaving a request for the VIN number of the promised vehicle. The salesman returned my call and stated that he was sorry for not contacting me sooner. Ok,,no problem but "I need the VIN off the expected vehicle if we are to close this deal tomorrow". I was told that he was not able to find the vehicle I asked (and put the deposit on)for, but would I be interested in something different. After repeatedly stating I was looking for that particular car set up as agreed upon, I was transferred to a Sales Manager who also proceeded to try and convince me to take something else. I stated that I'd prefer we called off the search as it was more than apparent that the vehicle I asked for and was promised was not on the lot and would not be delivered the following day, Tuesday the 27th of June 2006. After receiving a number of additional calls and voice messages from reps at this dealership, I did in fact try to contact one of the sales managers to reinforce my desire to call things off and wait for the new year models to arrive.
After this time I never heard from any of them again and have been waiting for almost eight weeks for the return of my deposit. I finally contacted COUNTY LINE NISSAN about a week ago and was told I needed to come to the dealership prior to 7:00pm on Thursday, this being the 17th of August 2006, so my "card could be re swiped" and my accounted credited for the $500. I did and upon arrival, I was told by a sales manager that my deposit could not be refunded at that time as there was no one available to conduct the transaction. He asked that I call him "later tomorrow morning", that being Friday the 18th. I have since not been able to contact this person and have been sent to voice mail at least three times since. I was also told by what I guess is the receptionist, that one of my messages would be delivered to him.
I have just now tried to make contact with this sales manager once again and was again put to voice mail. Today is the 24th of August. I would like to know if anybody else has had such a time retrieving a deposit back from a dealer and what if anything they ended up having to do to get it back. I'm not seeing a whole lot of alternatives here except to keep calling them but so far this has not even produced a call back,,,any suggestions?
Call your credit card company. Tell them you want to dispute the charges. Hell, tell them you're the victim of fraud, which, at this point, you are.
Your CC company has way deeper pockets than yours.
You may also want to contact your local police department, and if there is a state agency that regulates auto dealers, call them as well.
Does your local newspaper have some kind of "Action Line"? Give them a call. It's entirely possible this has happened to other people, even if you're the first to complain about it.
You have oodles of options, and all of them start with talking to someone who's not just part of the dealership, that the dealership can't afford to ignore.
I own recent models of Lincoln Town Car and Cadillac Deville, have found service departments at both Ford and GM to be mediocre at best. Do the Japanese car makers (Honda & Toyota) demand higher standards for their dealerships and service departments? I would strongly consider going over to either Toyota or Honda if I could find more courteous and efficient dealers and service departments. In particular are there members here who actually shifted from Lincoln and or Cadillac due to poor service departments? If you made the switch have you found the Japanese to do a better job at the dealer and service department level? I like my American cars very much but am getting fed up with the rudness and ineficiency of the American builders service departments and delaerships.
Interesting. My experience has been different. The local Pontiac dealer in my area is far and away the best I have ever dealt with. Didn't JD Power just recently designate Pontiac tops for customer dealer satisfaction? I think it's more the quality of the individual business than the nationality of the manufacturer.
Yes great advice. Just call the credit card company and they'll take care of it for you. You obviously didn't sign a contract with the dealer so you certainly deserve a full refund. If the credit card company can't solve it, then call your local District Attorney's office of consumer fraud. That'll get the dealer's attention.
I brought my car (2004 C230K) in to a local dealer because the SRS "system restraint service" light kept coming on. Also, I am planning a road trip so I wanted a check up on the tires and fluid levels, etc. My service advisor was extremely rude at first when I dropped my car off in the morning. In the afternoon when he called to tell me that I needed $$$ service, he sounded a bit nicer. My car is barely 2 years old w/ a 25k mileage. Early last year, I got both rear tires replaced because there were nails found in them. This time around, just 1.5 years later, I was told that all 4 tires needed to be replaced, plus the front brake pads and rotors.
So the following day, I was scheduled to pick up my car in the afternoon. At noon-ish, the service technician called to say that the camber screws also need replacing. Should camber screws ever be replaced?? I expressed my conern in having to replace all these parts so soon and he kinda quickly told me that all these wear items were worn out in a short amount of time due to the way I was driving... I'm still not sure whether I buy it, but in the end, the damage was a whopping $2,000. :surprise:
Anyone share a similar bad experience? Can I get these services done outside of a MB dealer?
T,,, Thanx very much for the suggestions,,,I'm hitting up the CC company as of today,,,your info hits it right on the money. I've been so stuck trying to do things the right way that I've lost sight of the fact that these guys may have put it to, or will put it to somebody else. Be interesting to know. I had a bad feeling about these guys walking through the door, so what's to lose.
Thanx again,,,hopefully I'll have a success story to relate one of these days.
I was just curious, we are going through the same problem currently. the VIN# number on our paperwork is for a different vehicle, this was discovered over a month after i had the vehicle because i went to get the tag for the vqan and it was not in the system. called the dealer over a couple day period, finally got a call back and they said i needed to either come in and sign the papers or they would bring the papers to me. they have not offered any compensation for the inconvenience and i have been curious if the contract having the wrong number gives me the right to renegotiate the deal originally made on the van i am driving before i sign the paperwork.
Comments
I've been taking my GF shopping for a new car/small ute, and so we've been crusing the local car lots here in Northern VA. We went to a Nissan dealer and met one of theri sales agents. Guy has been there for almost 5 months (so he's new to the job..not that its an excuse). Introduces himself to me first, even though we made it clear at the outset that it was my GF buying the car. First faux pas, we can deal with that.
I know my stuff (I've spent a good deal of time on the wholesale side of the business) and decided to see what this salesman knew about the car (so the Murano is based on the Maxima platform, right? ..that sort of thing). Got most of that wrong.
Long story short, we walked out of the dealership and never looked back after my GF (who is not so knowledgable) asked what the "S" on the shifter housing meant. The guy said- "That's the turbo". This was a Nissan Murano we where in. Irregardless...Nissan doesn't make a turbo (outside of their NISMO parts line)for any of their cars! Flat out lied to her! Unbelievable.
There must be a ton of Toyota dealerships for you to pick from in the Philly area.
Tonkin Gresham Honda in Gresham OR said they only charge MSRP. We cancelled our other order, and went with them. When we went in they insited we had to pay exhorbitant prices for "options" that weren't optional. Also they tacked on $450 of unnecessary anti-theft insurance, also not "optional." Sum total the price came in at about $2000 above MSRP. We were straight out lied to. When we complained the sales manager, Dennis, got so defensive that he yelled at us. It was the most unprofessional, and dishonest behavior I'd ever experienced, even from a car dealer. He was actually yelling at us, and my fiance was nearly in tears. If you want to be lied to, and get yelled at Tonkin Gresham Honda is the place to go. If you want to buy a car AVOID TONKIN GRESHAM HONDA like the plague! They were terrible!
Guess it all depends on the individual dealer. I just bought a new Honda back in March. I was very suprised at how smoothly things went. It was by far the easiest/best purchase I have ever made. Negotiations took all of 15 minutes. In the F&I office, they handed me a menu with the extras (warranties, pain sealent, etc...) with prices, and basically told me to look it over, let them know if I had any questions. I told them I wasn't interested in anything additional, and they said ok - no pressure at all.
You mean you didn't go for the "pain sealent"? That sounds like a good option to me!
Just kidding of course.
I would rather have Jiffy Lube tell me about my burnt out lightbulb than a cop!
And, it has to be remembered that the manufactures suggest MINIMUM services. They want to keep the total Cost of Ownership numbers looking good since some people really look at this when they are deciding between cars to buy.
A lot of people, such as myself like to take better care of our cars than that.
I just know that I would rather buy a used car that has been over maintained a bit over one where a tight fisted owner stuck right to the non severe schedule.
Good point, good point, I agree. May be I'm a little prejudiced, since two out of three times I ended up going straight to NAPA, buying the bulbs only to find out that they work just fine.
A lot of people, such as myself like to take better care of our cars than that.
I'm one of those two; agree with you completely. That's why maybe I take their recommendations a different way, because I know what my car needs, know when the filter, for example, was changed and it what condition it is. But for many people such advise could be quite beneficial.
But in no way would I take short cuts on maintenance (that's why my CR-V will not see anyone but the dealer anytime soon). I'm convinced that one of the reason I have a nicely running car with over 107K and very low repair expenses is just that - good maintenance (maybe over-maintenance).
295,000 miles!
Received the almost automatic call of further trouble: leaking seals discovered during the tune-up. Seven hours of labor according to the manual. Later, two additional parts which were out of stock and to be air-freighted in. The estimated bill is now $1750.
It's now 4:00 p.m. on 6/27 and I've had the loaner for six days. Oh, it's lots of fun to drive and some people have suggested that I keep it! Which I'm sure that some salesman at the dealership is about to recommend to me (LET ME SHOW YOU HOW YOU CAN KEEP THE TL IN YOUR GARAGE!).
Now, I don't want to start on a conspiracy kick, but I've been going there for 20 years since I bought my 1986 Legend and have always had an Acura in my garage. Things do go wrong that we can't readily see, but the car was running just fine and smoothly - no smoke, no rough idle, no lack of power, etc. This may be the most expensive "free" tune-up I've ever had.
Gaskets do tend to go bad after 120,000 miles but unless you smell smoke or it's dripping in your garage, I wouldn't replace them. Just watch your oil level.
Glad you are still around!
Ah...no!
Same thing happened to me years ago. The Bucik dealer rotated my tires and didn't tighten the lug nuts on my RF wheel. I had the car on the West Seattle bridge and I know something was wrong!
I barely got off the freeway.
At first, I thought it was the road but then I knw I had a major problem.
I was able to tighten the lug nuts although the studs were pretty stripped up.
I got it back to the Buick store and the General Manager handed me the kwys to his personal demo. They replaced the studs and the wheel and delivered the car back to me.
Hey, I used to run a large shop and I can tell you, these things can happen. I'm sure the guy who did the work was in BIG trouble!
Me: "I got charged $2000 for repairs that did not fix the original problem (and that the original problem is a safety problem, which, if not fixed, could result in injury or death)"
The problem is my stick gets stuck in neutral for seconds at a time when shifting from 1st to 2nd. As noted above I got charged $2000 for all sorts of clutch and tranny work, none of which solved the original complaint.
Subaru's response:
"We are sorry to learn that your vehicle is currently in need of repair.
The wear of any component is subject to many factors beyond the control of Subaru of America, Inc. Consequently, its longevity is upredictable. The Subaru Basic Warranty is designed to protect the consumer from any defects in material or workmanship for a period of 3 years, or 36,000 miles, whiehcever comes first. As you know, however, this warranty has expired.
We acknowledge an expense lies ahead of you, but we are unable to extend the warranty coverage beyond those set parameters."
Reducto Ad Absurdum conclusion: If you take your old Subaru in for service, they can charge you whatever they like and not fix the original problem, and you have no recourse.
Feedback appreciated
And, in this case, is giving it a bad name.
Dealership service departments need to be held accountable for that sort of thing.
Note that depending on what state you're in, you *do* have recourse. In CA, you can contact the BAR (Bureau of Automotive Repairs), and get them investigated. I'm sure other states have something similar. Check them out as well.
What service did they actually do?
this did not solve the problem. now they say its worn synchros and/or an entirely new transmission.
this morning i did what i should have done before complaining to corporate: i complained to the general manager of the dealership. i skipped this step initially because first they told me $2000 for the additional repairs, then the service manager told me he'd make me a special deal: free labor (since they'd had the thing open once before) and cost on parts. Next quote however somehow jumped to $3000 and I pretty much went through the roof.
corporate of course doesn't care if I charge them with consumer fraud or go to the better business bureau, but the manager of the dealership would be more directly affected by such actions. i'm supposed to hear back this week. i'll keep you posted if you'd like
Shifting with a bad clutch is real hard on the transmission synchros, and with that mileage they probably weren't that good anyway.
What was that link??? My techs need some help jacking up the repair costs.
Sincerely,
Mark P.
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On Monday, I again tried to contact the sales rep and was put to voice mail, leaving a request for the VIN number of the promised vehicle. The salesman returned my call and stated that he was sorry for not contacting me sooner. Ok,,no problem but "I need the VIN off the expected vehicle if we are to close this deal tomorrow". I was told that he was not able to find the vehicle I asked (and put the deposit on)for, but would I be interested in something different. After repeatedly stating I was looking for that particular car set up as agreed upon, I was transferred to a Sales Manager who also proceeded to try and convince me to take something else.
I stated that I'd prefer we called off the search as it was more than apparent that the vehicle I asked for and was promised was not on the lot and would not be delivered the following day, Tuesday the 27th of June 2006. After receiving a number of additional calls and voice messages from reps at this dealership, I did in fact try to contact one of the sales managers to reinforce my desire to call things off and wait for the new year models to arrive.
After this time I never heard from any of them again and have been waiting for almost eight weeks for the return of my deposit. I finally contacted COUNTY LINE NISSAN about a week ago and was told I needed to come to the dealership prior to 7:00pm on Thursday, this being the 17th of August 2006, so my "card could be re swiped" and my accounted credited for the $500. I did and upon arrival, I was told by a sales manager that my deposit could not be refunded at that time as there was no one available to conduct the transaction. He asked that I call him "later tomorrow morning", that being Friday the 18th. I have since not been able to contact this person and have been sent to voice mail at least three times since. I was also told by what I guess is the receptionist, that one of my messages would be delivered to him.
I have just now tried to make contact with this sales manager once again and was again put to voice mail. Today is the 24th of August. I would like to know if anybody else has had such a time retrieving a deposit back from a dealer and what if anything they ended up having to do to get it back. I'm not seeing a whole lot of alternatives here except to keep calling them but so far this has not even produced a call back,,,any suggestions?
Steve F
Your CC company has way deeper pockets than yours.
You may also want to contact your local police department, and if there is a state agency that regulates auto dealers, call them as well.
Does your local newspaper have some kind of "Action Line"? Give them a call. It's entirely possible this has happened to other people, even if you're the first to complain about it.
You have oodles of options, and all of them start with talking to someone who's not just part of the dealership, that the dealership can't afford to ignore.
to be mediocre at best. Do the Japanese car makers (Honda & Toyota) demand higher standards for their dealerships and service departments? I would strongly consider going over to either Toyota or Honda if I could find more courteous
and efficient dealers and service departments. In particular are there members here who actually shifted from Lincoln and or Cadillac due to poor service departments? If you made the switch have you found the Japanese to do a better job at the dealer and service department level? I like my American cars very much but am getting fed up with the rudness and ineficiency of the American builders service departments and delaerships.
I think it's more the quality of the individual business than the nationality of the manufacturer.
So the following day, I was scheduled to pick up my car in the afternoon. At noon-ish, the service technician called to say that the camber screws also need replacing. Should camber screws ever be replaced?? I expressed my conern in having to replace all these parts so soon and he kinda quickly told me that all these wear items were worn out in a short amount of time due to the way I was driving... I'm still not sure whether I buy it, but in the end, the damage was a whopping $2,000. :surprise:
Anyone share a similar bad experience? Can I get these services done outside of a MB dealer?
Thanx very much for the suggestions,,,I'm hitting up the CC company as of today,,,your info hits it right on the money. I've been so stuck trying to do things the right way that I've lost sight of the fact that these guys may have put it to, or will put it to somebody else. Be interesting to know. I had a bad feeling about these guys walking through the door, so what's to lose.
Thanx again,,,hopefully I'll have a success story to relate one of these days.
ST