Stuff dissappears...

[RevoME]

Just returned from a several hour trip to a chevy dealer. Problem:
On my abuse car, a 98 Lumina which I use for stupid runs, winter and so on the waterpump had broken. I noticed a stream of water coming from the general area but wasn't sure if it may be a hose or something else.
Further I was informed by a cop that the brake-lights didn't work which turned out to work if you pulled on the blinkerswitch.

So in I go, talk to a Service Advisor (!) who quotes me $600.00 to replace the pump and the switch. During the conversation I ask him to tell the tech to make sure to check for where that leak is coming from, as in Maine a dealership can charge you for blindly replacing parts based on customers suspicion. That would in extremes result in a car being "returned to service" with the problem it had when it came in, but no solution, other than a lighter wallet on the way out.

Next thing I see, the guy punches 85 dollars ontop for a "diagnostic service".

Thats where the train stopped, with me asking him why he added 85 bucks.

Response: "Well Sir, if you want us to check whats wrong we'll have to charge you for diagnostics".

My response was to grab my keys and turn around.
He came after me and asked me what I was doing. I stated that I was a car technician before my more sucessful days and did not see a reason to bring a vehicle in to be fixed based on what I say, but rather based on what the guy that goes home dirty finds wrong. I'm sorry, why have a certified tech replace stuff blindly, un-able or -willing to see and notice the destroyed brakes, just because you did not pay for diagnostics? Is a look around a vehicle now diagnostics? A drug addict on his last stroll can change a waterpump, and never find out that the leak came from the radiator. What happened to courtesy & a interest in a customers safety? I do certainly not understand how other customers can then walk in having a windshield replaced on warranty, and someone notices the worn tires & the low antifreeze level? How does that work?

Without further argument he deleted the charge with a smile and apologized.

I met a woman in the customer lounge and we got talking, since she listened to my short conversation with the writer. She ended up spending $1200.00 for a set of brakes and rotors & a oilchange. She felt ripped off, and was wondering if she could have them put the car back together to go elsewhere. Since she had also signed up for a state inspection (1 month out) they cut her inspection sticker in half and send her her way. While they treated me like a customer, she was treated like a bitch. Thats a 2005 Trailblazer, mind you! If her hubby would have been there, hell would have broken loose and that quote would have looked darn different!

If you bring your vehicle into any kind of facility, have them explain what will happen, what you are charged for, and let them find a reason why.
Afterall it's money, dumped into a money making machine, mostly driven by pure idiocy. My BMW dealership is pristine, but for some reason I just noticed again that a Chevy customer is far from being a customer... he's mainly the idiot staying in line to watch some Mr. Goodwrench screwhead f*** up a car while being paid big bucks.

Don't be affraid to speak up if something stinks...

 

[bentover]

Ain't that the truth.

I've never had any issue with my favourite inspection/repair shop, hell, they're practically family being Dutch and all. But sometimes even I have to question them when the bill arrives and they charged me $2000 in repairs on a job that only lasted 5 hrs, but they always give an honest explanation and knock some off the next bill.

I found the biggest problem in most repair shops is that the people they hire have a resume that says "excellent people skills" and "high degree of knowledge in vehicle maintenance", sure, it looks good on paper, but in reality, they are just a schmuck looking for job security.

 

[Greyryder]

Reminds me of our GM dealership. We took in an 03 Rendezvous because the gas gauge had stopped working. After replacing the instrument cluster, and then the computer (vecause the old part didn't want to talk to the new one) the gas gauge was pegged atfull for a couple of hours, before the computer realized the data was bad went back to reading empty.

When we took it back, they had to call GM ask them what to check. We'd already told them it must be a bad sensor in the tank sending bad information.

GM later sent a note, asking what we thought of our service experience. They got a two page letter, detailing what happened, and letting them know exactly what we thought of the service we got. (including the craptactular loaner we got stuck with)

That dealership now bends over backwards to try to keep us happy.

 

[hamz9561]

I had a GMC pick-up a number of years back. I started having problems with the engine sputtering and dying. They first replaced the O2 sensor and the fuel filter after running the OBD II diagnostic. After about a week it started doing the same thing, so they then replaced the distributer drive on the little 4-cylinder. The shop manual I had showed the tear-down including the entire bottom-end of the engine. They just pulled the water pump cover and replaced the gears. A week later, I was on my way to work and there was a loud bang and the engine compartment started billowing smoke. The crankshaft had failed and the engine threw a rod through the oil pan. The dealer said that it wasn't their fault and they wouldn't pay for the repair or the tow. I wrote to GM and explained the problem. The local dealer in the meantime had decided that I wasn't going to fix the truck, so they sent it to the crusher before the GM rep could see it. Needless to say that the dealership is no more because of this fiasco.

 

[Rolex]

Never, never, ever, ever go to a dealer after the car is off warranty. Find a small dirty shop with old parts piled around it, that's been around for some years. Walk in, tell him several people recommended the place, so you knew it would be done right for a good price.
The LAST thing they want to do now, is think of you badmouthing them to people that recommended them.
If you go to a surgically sterile shop, they're more interested in appearance than customer satisfaction with their work.
I even stopped dealing with Jiffy Lube. They ALWAYS want to sell you something else, rather than just the oil change, and they make you feel like you are neglecting your car if you refuse.
Know nothing kids in a very clean place, though. Also $10 more than the local guy. Same Penzoil, same filter, and even some good conversation and a few laughs at the neighbor grubby garage.

 

[Monkey Wrench]

Know what you mean, RevoMe. Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt!

Personally, best investment I've made in regards to vehicle repair and maintenance were two things; an OBD-II diagnostic reader and a shop manual.

The reader cost about $125.00 or so. You can get one at AutoZone, Sears, etc. Plug that sucker in and, wah-la! You have the code and a description. Even if it just throws a code, Google it and you have the answer.

If it's something I cannot personally handle, be it because of time or complexity, I can almost instant credibility when I walk into the shop and tell them my Tahoe is throwing "this" code and I'm not going to pay $85.00 for someone to plug their reader in to get the same reading.

My wife's van was throwing a chronic EVAP failure code and the shop kept charging me $85.00 to tell me the gas cap wasn't tightened down. After two of these incidents, I discovered there was a small crack in one of the little hoses to the charcoal canister that filters the gas tank fumes. $2.34 (with tax) later, the van hasn't thrown the code since. A little piece of hose and two O-clamps, and all is well.

That bit about $2K for brakes, rotors and an oil change is BS! I hope she writes GM and her local DA because that is crapola!

 

[RevoME]

I just really feel bad for the people that get tricked out.
I neither care what it costs to fix a problem, nor will I argue a charge that has been explained and communicated properly.

In younger years I had my job on the other side of the desk, I understand the need to convert poop to gold and make money, but don't be "farm smart".
I sold enough cars to understand how dealerships work, I could not sleep bringing my BMW to someone else than my dealership, there is just never enough training & product knowledge.

But Chevrolet? C'mon guys... it's a regular car for regular people... don't make it more complicated than the NASA makes it to launch a rocket.

I understand Ellery's point, it sure helps knowing your poop walking in, but in my case I really could not duplicate the problem without seeing the vehicle on a lift, nothing I could have read from the diags. Besides I know pretty much every dealership within 100 miles and had already selected a place where i know the GM & SM.

My point was, however to make sure you don't get ripped, I'm not easy to rip, and versus other garages paid maybe 80 to 100 bucks more to have stuff done by certified techs, with a warranty that lasts longer than my stay in the garage. I am starting to loose my respect for what they call techs over here, they are certainly not educated up to par and their peers (service advisors & managers) may suffer from some serious underexposure as well.

 

[SMaxxin]

I have also been there. I had a 95 Chevy pick up that had a miss, it had 500 miles left on the warranty so I didn't wait time bringing it in. I took the tech for a ride and he acknowledged the miss and said it wouldn't be a problem....I'm happy at this point. I get a call the next day saying I could pick my truck up. I get to the shop and I'm told they couldn't find the problem because there is no miss...At this point I'm not happy. The head tech said I should run it for a week or two and if I notice it again to bring it back in. I told him it would be out of warranty by then and I didn't want it back until it was fixed and then left. They call me the next day to let me know if I didn't pick up the truck they would have it towed.....Now I'm really not happy. The short story...the cops made me leave. I call GM and tell them the problem, they log the problem so even if I do run out of warranty this problem has been noted and will be fixed. They then tell me I can take the truck to any certified shop of my choice, I would have to pay for the repairs but they would reimburse me.....I drove it across the street to the Ford dealer, I have a buddy that works there. He calls me 2 hours later and tells me the truck is fixed, it was a sensor for the throttle body.

 

[digger]

Got one small garage I take my stuff to. Think they charge a flat rate of $60 an hour? Doesn't matter what they are doing. They treat me pretty good. Several other little garages around like that, but I wouldn't let them work on my lawnmower.

Hope I never have to go to a dealer for anything.

Won't send the 'Ol Lady out to a garage. I deal with them. She knows nothing about a vehicle and if a muffler bearing is going out, she'll have it replaced. You guys know the deal.

Had the ball joints replaced on her Bronco 2 or 3 years ago. The guy that worked on it had no way to do a front-end alignment. Thought he would take it to Sears. ( not something I would do.) First thing Sears told him.... Gonna have to put ball joints on it.

I used to work on all of my junk. Brakes and a oil change is about it now. Just don't have the patience. All the computer crap on one. They left this old fart when they quite using points in the distributor....

 

[SMaxxin]

Had the ball joints replaced on her Bronco 2 or 3 years ago. The guy that worked on it had no way to do a front-end alignment. Thought he would take it to Sears. ( not something I would do.) First thing Sears told him.... Gonna have to put ball joints on it.

Thats about right!

 

[HeartBreak]

I have my own horror stories about car shops. When I picked up my Durango, it started developing a misfire (P0302). As monkey said, the shop manual and OBDII scanner are your best friends.

After seeing what kind of nightmare I'd be in for, I started shopping around for quotes. The dealerships all wanted $2,500 to replace the head, some wanted even more. Either way, it was at least $80 to just park it on their lot.

A family-friend that owns a repair shop repaired the head (something about a gas-type-weld filling a crack.... I don't remember what he said they did; only that it works), replaced the loose tie-rod ends, tuned it up, and basically put new gaskets on the top half of the engine. All for about $1,900. He even tossed in a 3 year warranty on the repair.

The best part? When I got the truck, I ponied up for the Wynns' used car warranty. Out of pocket? $5 to get it to the shop and back in gas.

The truck runs like a top.

Now, as for "clean" shops vs "dirty" shops... There are dirty shops that can hose you over just as bad. The key to knowing you're not getting the run-around on a shop you barely know is to ask for your old parts back. Or at least to ask to watch them do the repair.

I watched a guy do a repair on my car that I had before I got my Durango. He would literally spend 5 minutes on my car, 30 minutes on the phones, and 15 doin who knows what in the back room. Had I not watched him do the repair, a job that would have been 3 hours would have been an 8 hour bill.

 

[Rolex]

A few years ago I was given an estimate of 600-800 dollars to rebuild the carb and electrical system on my Cadillac stretch limo. They probably saw dollar signs painted on my forehead. I just told them I'd get back to them.
A neighbor recommended a shop that was actually INSIDE a junk yard. All clay driveway, and pouring rain.
Since the car was running so badly, and I was thankful that I got there without it being towed off the highway, I left it there.
The next day, while driving past the shop, I stopped in to check the progress. There were so many parts piled against the wall that they couldn't get the whole car in there, and were working in the cold with the garage door open.
"Come back in two hours." I was told.
When I returned, and asked how much, he asked if it was CC or cash, then told me CC is $200, cash would be $175.
He got the cash, I got no receipt, and the car ran like the day it was new.

 

[godale03]

A few years ago I wrecked my car. Took it to the the body shop that has repaired our families cars for years. I totally trusted and repsected the business. They have always provided great body repair and prompt serivce. So I figured this time would be no different. Now I did some pretty signifigant damage to the car. To the tune of $12K. My insurance company was not happy at all. LOL Basically I tore the entire bottom half of the motor out and everything else on the bottom of the car. I also buckled the roof and tore the front valence up. Anywho.... it took them almost 3 months to repair the car. Well when I showed up to inspect the work and pick up the car, everything looked great. Except there was blue overspray all over the sunroof. I pointed it out and the guy at the body shop said it was there when he got the car and that he was not going to take care of it. He even tried to tell me that it was not overspray. So I left and immediately and called my insurance agent. We made arangements to meet at the body shop to discuss the situation. Well to make a long story short, the body shop agreed to pay half the bill to replace the moonroof and agreed it was overspray.

Tom

 

[hamz9561]

Well, I can understand going to a private mechanic opposed to the dealership after warranty expiration. Dad and I currently use a small mechanic's shop where they encourage you to watch if you want to. I had to replace the fuel pump in my truck and the dealer wanted $600 plus parts. The mechanic wanted $300 including parts and diagnostic. This included dropping the fuel tank.

 

[RevoME]

The mechanic wanted $300 including parts and diagnostic. This included dropping the fuel tank.

I hope this means dropping the fuel tank as to loosen up some screws and take it out, rather than "dropping" it?

My Uncle has a Volkswagen Phaeton, and elected to have Volkswagen tow it after it made trouble. They hooked up the steelrope to pull the vehicle on the flatbed. The angle did not fit all that well, so they ripped his front bumper, rear bumper and stainless steel exhaust (scratched exhaust and bumpers cracked).

When all was set and done he got new bumpers & exhaust tips and a new windshield, as during unloading something hit the windshield. According to the description the steel rope ripped and hit the window.

All Warranty... LOL... but still two weeks with a crappy loaner.

It's not that they tried to rip me, that happened before with the same car, and please keep in mind that it's a trash car, it's value is just about big enough to me to keep it running. But how can you treat customers with new cars or almost new cars like crap?

I know that Customer Service & Skilled workers are being lost left and right, but how bad will the americans let it get? How can they accept this and never punch someone?

My Alternator kicked the bucket on the way up Mt. Washington, (Engine will not run) and the tow downhill cost 150 bucks for 12 miles. When it finally landed in a Chevy dealership the ripoff started. I waited 1.5 weeks and when I picked up the vehicle it was full of fingerprints, never washed.
Again, I know it's a old car, but how else can you show your customer that you value his business then by returning a clean repaired vehicle with a complimentary wash & vac. Thats how my dealership would run...

 

[bentover]

This is like the longest ripped off thread I've ever seen here so far!

 

[redneckracer1979]

I love it when you go to an oil change place and they always tell you you need a trans flush. Even when you just had it done less then a month ago. One time they tried to show me the trans dipstick for my wifes Sunfire and tell me the trans fluid is bad. I looked at them and asked them where they got the dipstick because it didn't come off the sunfire. The trans in it doesn't have a dipstick.

 

[.21Rc10GT]

There is also the oil change place that you pay for a certian oil, and they give you whatever they have on tap. Exactly why I do my own maintanence.

 

[Karl M]

Took my wife's van to Jiffy Lube, (I know, bad idea with a reputation like theirs.) for an oil change. I'm glad that they pulled the dip stick to check the fluid but to have to ask me to put it back in because 3 flippen "Technicians" can't figure out where in the world it came from... Naturally they were shocked when I put it back for them without the aid of a lamp, service guide, and bloodhound. I always ask questions, especially if I already know the answer or suspect I do, if you are thinking enough to ask for explanations before work is performed, the less likely they are able to rip you off.

 

[HeartBreak]

I love it when you go to an oil change place and they always tell you you need a trans flush. Even when you just had it done less then a month ago. One time they tried to show me the trans dipstick for my wifes Sunfire and tell me the trans fluid is bad. I looked at them and asked them where they got the dipstick because it didn't come off the sunfire. The trans in it doesn't have a dipstick.

Depends on the model of Sunfire. The early 90's sunfires, 92-94 in particular, shared pretty much everything with the Oldsmobile Achieva's of the same years. The only major differences were the badges and the bumpers/grills.

Getting back on point; if it's a front wheel drive equipped with the Quad4 engine, it will have a dipstick for the trans. However, if it has the 6 cyl, if it's not by the battery or by the passenger-side of the firewall, it won't have it.

Now, if it's a 95 or newer, it won't have a dipstick. You check the level with a code scanner.

Gotta love GM's attempts at making cars idiot proof. Too bad they can't make an autopilot for people who don't use blinkers/cut people off/don't look when backing up.... Then they'd have a good idea!

There is also the oil change place that you pay for a certian oil, and they give you whatever they have on tap. Exactly why I do my own maintanence.

Seconded there, brotha! Last time I took my car in for a change, they overfilled it. After that, I invested in a good set of ramps and an oil catcher.