screwed by another dealership...

PoweredByDodge

today is the last day of my NYS inspection, so i had to find somebody that would take my procrastinating self in for an inspection after 6 pm tonight - that limited my options... pep boys / firestone / midas / valvoline... everybody was busy -- so i called the two late hour car dealer service areas -- Walden Dodge of Cheektowaga, NY (bout 10 min north) was open and would take the walk in.

so i go down there -- and tell him i need an inspection.

i knew my one licence plate light bulb was out and had to be replaced but i didn't have the time and i'd get the bulb from the parts dept and do it myself before i left if he'd pass it... he's like "fine".

they do the inspection -- put the truck on the lift -- and take nearly 1 hour going over it with a fine tooth comb.

aparently my truck is kept under good maintenance because he couldn't find a damn thing wrong with it.

**** was checking things not even required by NYS inspection... they were looking for something to be wrong and screw me.

i hadn't even noticed it, but my grandfather noticed they put 2 guys on the truck after about half an hour... he's even more paranoid than me.

after an hour guy comes to me and goes "well your tail light is out and the mounting plug for it is broken -- thats 29 bucks -- and then the arm coming out of the power steering box is wearing out -- thats 229, you'll need that too."

i said, "um... steers fine dude"

he's like "oh no - it's very very loose, i dont know how you can keep it straight, its awefully worn"

i said "show me"

he proceeds to have his two lacky's show me... they didn't do a good job of explaining anything at all... and it was clear to me that i believe nothing is wrong iwth it.

i told him "just fail it - i'm going home - i'll decide what i want to do tomorrow, i need a 2nd opinion"

he says " WHAT?!?!! we've had this on the lift for almost an hour, wasting my mechanic's good time, for you to just pay us for the 14 dollar inspection!?!?!! you dont want the work done?!?!!?"

i'm like "i dont even think it needs the work, and besidesa NYS inspection takes about 15 - 20 minutes tops, and doesn't require the lift for more than 5 minutes of that -- i've had enough inspections to notice that. you went gold digging for the rest of the time... charge yourself"

then i go home and find that the bulb that was burnt out is not ripped out of the socket...

the dirty **** broke my light socket... now i cant just replace the bulb i have to buy a 15 dollar light socket (will put in myself - that is just part cost) that is probably a special order so i have to pay more on top of that.

It's going to my normal mechanic tomorrow morning to ahve this power steering arm looked at... called to make the appt - he thinks its a line of **** they're feeding me.

if i want - i have an appt with the owner of the dealership tomorrow morning as well - the service manager refused to give me a new light socket - said "how do u know we broke it - can u prove it?" -- i said "a man who didn't break something says 'i didn't break it' not 'can u prove it?' ... gimme a new socket ****".

so if the owner doesn't give me a new socket i'm going to call chrysler corporate, the better business bureau, and just to be a ****, if they still wont help me, i'll file a police report for intentional property damage... wont get me anywhere but it'll piss em off.

either that or i can let it all go - buy the socket - keep my mouth shut and not waste my aggravation.

i'm on the razor's edge of deciding which of those to do.

opinions?



..... my general opinion of dealers was low before -- its even lower now.

if tomorrow i go and find out that power steering part is fine, then i think i'm gonna go back to Walden Dodge and demand a refund of my 14 dollars for inspection based on incompetence of the mechanic and questionable morals of the service manager. at that point i'll also file a complaint with newyork state department of motor vehicles: inspections control unit.

yes -- i dont like getting f***** ... and i'm quite mean in retaliation.

fireshoes

Give em hell!

avelanchefan

Why do yo have to have a complete vehicle inspection? Is this state law? Sounds like a scam for the mechanics union to me.

Oh yeah....I would do everything in my power if I were you to make their lives a living hell.....of coarse that's if they don't refund your money and light socket.

phongnguyent

SHOW THEM THAT THEY MESSED WITH THE WRONG PERSON :P

sntnsupermen131

*Rob Snyder's voice*
you can do it vince...cut THEYRE frickin light socket off!
-Cody

CPHILHOWER

You and me both PBD. I just had my Speedometer recalibrated today. Was told it would be $40. Find out that the ECM needed to be reflashed. Wound up costing me $95 + tax.
While I was there, One of the Partsmen gave me the usual Hard Time. Always making comments about me being there and what I need. Even if I am buying parts or a service like today. Not just Warranty work. I told Russ that I only come there to be hasseled by him sarcastically. I complained to the Service writer. He told the Service Manager. He had me look at a complaint that he was taking to the owner. I explained the situation to him. Told him this has always been a frequent occurence. And that I have Personal problems and that I dont need this abuse.
In a nutshell, I think I am taking my Warranty and Cash work to another dealer. I have a friend who used to work at Town Ford. Where this took place. Now she works at Lucas Ford down the road. I think I am going to see her from now on.
Chris

jamas33

Same thing happened to me last weekend. Took my car to circuit city to get the cd changer removed. My friend was gonna do me a favor and put the music keg in for me. Roadshop warranty says we put it in we take it out.. So they took the cd changer out.. but in doing so. One of the wires in the back of the head unit touched the Air Conditioner controller and fried it.. How I know this? happened before and is also a daily occurence with amateur car stereo installers and sound shops according the GM Parts manager who is a good friend of mine. I come back to Circuit City Roadshop in Lakewood, CA. Roadshop Manager's name is TONY (the ****) He said we didnt do it.. it could be coincidental. I said NO.. when I dropped my car off the air conditioner was working when I got it back It is not working.. He said I cant help you..This was last saturday. I said I'll go half. I called GM.. the parts would cost 220 they would give it to me at 150. STILL this **** wouldnt do it.. so I said FINE.. went to Circuit City in Long Beach, CA where the guys are good friends of mines. They said thats **** up.. and kinda hinted to me.. that on the wall is the number of that **** district manager and the district manager's boss. Hmmmm. The roadshop manager in Long Beach.. KEVIN.. is way kool told me to call Cool Line.. if you have problems at Circuit City.. call Cool Line.. ask them for the number. So it was sunday..about 90 degree weather and I'm burning up in a Black GMC Yukon with NO AIR. I got a HOLD of that ****'s District Manager on his cell phone!!!! He was in a wedding!!! on a Sunday!!! but I was nice and calm and explained to him everything. So he called the **** and told him to take care of this. NOW This **** said to him.. Oh yeah.. we offered him that we pay HALF and he declined... So I decided.. this is gonna be war. I called his boss's boss ON HIS CELL PHONE.(nice to have that list) and very calm and nicely told him about the problem. I told them to put my number in the circuit city computer and they can see the past 5 years I have spent close to 30,000 dollars there. My LUCK the guy started his career as an installer and was aware of that problem. so call from him went to the DM then the DM called the **** again. **** called me.. apologetic.. said they can only go half.. I said NO you pay for the whole thing. to make matter worst I CALLED COOL LINE and have them pull up my information and what I have bought at Circuit City. Now that **** TONY@LakewoodCircuitCity ROADSHOP 562.406.2666 <-- his info. is getting plenty of heat.. from his DM from cool line and all.. still wouldnt budge.. said I should buy it and give him the receipt. I said.. NO you give me the money and I'll buy it.. I called my friend at GMC and he said no worries.. let him call here I'll give him a high price.. He called he gave them a high quote so half would take care of the whole thing. **** finally agreed to give me the money to get the unit then I shall come back and get them to install it and give him the receipt.. Well I got the unit at HALF of what he was quoted so they end up paying for everything.. Got the guy at Long Beach to install it for me free.. last Tuesday.. and **** has been calling me asking me for the receipt.. and I said to him. WHAT RECEIPT.. WHAT THE **** ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT. I'll let him hang for a while.
That is my story for the week.. Hope you have a better week than mines.

<stepping off the soapbox>

PoweredByDodge

ya we have mandated yearly vehicle safety and emissions inspections... annoying.

cody - after i cut their "light socket" off - should i mail it to you -- like that weird kidnapping of the son of the guy who owned GETTY gas stations -- they mailed the kid's ear back in a kushy pack so the father paid up.

bloody light socket goes into chrysler coporate -- eerie....lol.

went to my usual mech today --

pitman arm and front end is almost as tight as the day the truck rolled off the goddamn assy line...

get it in writing... get a receipt for the light socket.

go back to the **** dealer.

talk to the owner... owner tells me "well how do you know we did it?"

same ****.

he says "let my mehanics look at it again"

like a **** i relent and let them... another hour on the lift and they're using all kinds of advanced crow bars, pry bars, and other sorts of goddamn midieval torture devices on the front end of my truck going " LOOK IT MOVED A MILLIMETER!"

i'm like "um -- ok it moved... now is that excessive play?"

"oh no not at all - but its play - see we told you it had play!"

i'm like "um, no u failed it for inspection due to excessive play and danger of falling apart on me... not because it had a tiny spec of play"

long silence ............

they say "oh u're mkaing a judgement call"

i said "no - the inspection criteria, right here from new york state DMV website -- 'EXCESSIVE PLAY IN THE STEERING MECHANISM WITH POTENTIAL FOR IMMEDIATE FAILURE'."

silence..............

head mechanic dicks with it, goes "i'd pass that"

talks to owner...

"oh no i wouldn't , sorry i made a mistake, it's a fail"

silence..............

i have some cigarettes again.

they take my truck down and the owner briefly says "we'll give you 15% off some future maintenance over 300 dollars"

i'm like "what about my light socket"

hes like "you cant prove that, its only 12 dollars anyway - what do you care?"

i'm like "uh huh"

i leave

i go home

i stew

i call chrylser corporate on them.

i file a complaint for vehicle damage to a vehicle which is still covered under mopar warranty... somewhat more severe than otherwise -- see otherwise if it was outo f warranty then i dela with the dealer like they're any other mechanic -- just me and them, but as long as its under warranty, anything they trash, even if its like a screw in a mud flap -- they're liable for. how i'm not quite sure. but chrysler will support me and harass them as long as i have warranty - so i ike that.

i filed the claim and the guy says "your district manager will review it and contact u if he feels he can do anything about it"

i said "Whats his number, since u say hes got the last say, i'll call him"

he said " i cant tell u that info"

........ i smoke another one.

call up the dealer i bought the truck from - decent people - cept the service manager -- talk to the general manager's secretary, find out he's on location at another dealership (same auto group owns a jeep / a dodge / a ford / and a chevy dealer)

so i call that place -- ask for him -- wait an hour -- get him... ask him for the district manager's name and number...

he's reluctant, i tell him what happened and how if i dont get this guy's number i'm skinning someone alive... he gives me the digits and i call....

... district manager is on vacation in another country...

but apparently he gets his cell voice mails -- he called me back 2 hours later going " i'm sposed to be on a beach right now "...

really nice guy though -- says he'll deal with the dealer when he gets back (mid next week) and see if he can twist the guys arm into apologizing and giving me my money for the socket back.

*sigh* -- people suck.


I'll tell u the worst one though -- my grandfather drops 32 or 34 grand cash for his truck back in 99... now this is a dealer he had bought his previous truck from too (which was then mine - which is important later in the story).

anyway -- he is like "i want a set of running boards (chrome nerf bars) on there cuz its hard to get in, and me and my wife are old, so if u throw those on, i wont haggle you on price"

so... we pick the truck up -- didn't notice the problem...

a month later there's a rust mark the size of a golfball over one of the two large bolt through's that go on each nerf bar... there is a spot at the bottom of the truck - VISIBLE - its the absolute bottom of the door, like right under that, right where the tu-tone paint ends... they used re-used bolts and they overdrilled the holes so that the bolts didnt' seal them weathertight when they went in... we were getting rust that you'd see on an 78 GM pickup with bad steel in the doors, only it was on a month old truck.

the old man and my mother go to see the service manager from hell... he, Mr. X (i dont need slander liable), takes a look at it and goes, "oh we see that all the time... just happens... its buffalo snow"

old man's like "no its not"

he's like "well whatta u want"

old man said he wanted it fixed.

X said " can't do it" and his reasons were:
1- too expensive for the dealer to absorb the cost
2- would have to repaint a whole panel
3- the pinch weld at the bottom of the rocker panel is not a finished area of the car and he has no responsibility to keep it in good shape.

old man comes home, dejected, and feeling like a shmuck for not killing the demon known as steve.

... next day i go down to see steve, i get the guy who sold us the truck (Salesman) and go, "now dude, did the rocker look anything like that when u sold it to us?" -- dude's like "no"... i'm like "and would u sell a vehicle with a rocker lookin like that?" ... dude is like "no, who did that to it?" .... i'm like "STEVE (X) DID!" salesman was shocked and didn't know what to say... i tear steve up and down a new **** and make him put into writing what he's gonna do to the truck to fix it.

well apparently he has to be lead by the hand step by step because item number 5 on the list "repair body damage and repaint where necessary" didn't hold up.

when my grandparents took it back in steve had a guy come out with a brillo pad and a can of krylon spray paint... they saked him what he was doing.... he said "fixing it -- i'm just gonna brillo off the rust what i can of it, and spray over it with grey that sorta matches.... we're doin this for free - its a favor.. whatta u want?"

my grandfather tells him to get the hell away from his car or he'd put the brillo pad into his colon in the most unpleasant way possible, calls me and asks me what to do...

i tell him to park the truck behind the entrance to the service bay... and leave it there, take the keys, go inside and have coffee.

i got down there 20 minutes later... fresh from waking up (i sleep late -- real late -- i'm a sloth).

i drive in and park said old 88 dodge (who may i add was fresh off a door repaint / refinish and was lookin mighty damn good) square in the front entrance bay of hte service center...

no way in , no way out.

and i trot my wife beater wearing self (it ws a clean wife beater) into stevie boy's office.

"Hi Mr. X, how many service appointments do u have this morning?"

he's like, "actually i'm very busy, and i have a lot so if you want to talk to me make an appointment" in a snotty tone.

i'm like "oh dont worry, i have all the time in the world, i can wait."

by this time a few appointments were lined up outside the bay doors... just "chillin"

he's like "move those, or I tow them"

i'm like "fix that one (pointing to grandfather's) or i put that one (pointing to mine) through your office door."

apparently he must have believed me because he didn't try to say much during the next 10 to 15 minutes of my mindless cursing rhetoric directed straight at his squirmy little face.

i think he thought i was honestly chemically imbalanced and was considering killing him. ... i still wonder what i would have done if he wouldn't have caved... maybe i would have made Old Blue a battering Ram... (get it?... battering ram? ...heh heh heh).

long story mildly shorter -- he offers to again try to fix it, i say no, i tell him to cut me a blank company check.

he does, i take it down to the guys who painted / refinished my doors on the 88, tell them whats up, they're like "3 hour job, if we mask it off right, dont even have to paint the panel, just up to the top of the pinch weld" --- the put i stainless steel bolt kits, remount the boards properly, mig weld patches over the hole areas, refinish , glass, and paint them... now the old man has the nicest looking pinch welds in north america..

then i make the dumb mistake of buying another truck from the same dealer (my current ride)... master cylinder was bad... had it in to **** bag 6 times... it was still under lemon law, not to mention i bought a 4 yr mopar warrnty with it.... well he didn't want to fix it... then i got into an accidnet because the truck would not brake -- pedal ether stuck or went straight to the floor... no pressure or infinity pressure... it was hell.

he kept sayin it was fine.

so... i did the same thing again, only this time he threatened to call the police and have me forcibly removed.

so i walked away, and walked over to the five star rep's desk.

i told him, "hi how ya doin... would u like to buy my truck back ?"

he's like "what?"

i'm like "NYS lemon law states if a problem is not fixed within 3 attempts i can demand u buy the vehicle back as long as its within the lemon law period".

.... i had a new master cylinder and a complimentary brake job within 4 hours. truck stops like a beast ever since. has some braking problems as far as other **** -- it eats rotors and pads, and the calipers are noisy as hell, but as far as function, it stops on a dime, so i could care less.

whoa -- that was a lotta typing...

rskarvan

PoweredbyDodge,

I wouldn't stop until I was at least even - if you know what I mean.

jamas33

MORE POWER TO THE PEOPLE, Go Dodge... Heck I was gonna send some of my boys to drop or the receipt and put the fear of God in that ****'s heart

PoweredByDodge

jamas -- wouldn't that be sort of like sending the mafia to deal with it ? lmfao. good idea tho.

at least your stuff is getting paid for, although, as you said, you had to scheme and plot to do so... i suppose that is what it takes now a days tho - schemeing and plotting in order to get what is justly due to you, cuz nobody is gonna be honest about it with you.

i had a thought, but.. i dunno...

i can easily park a few blocks away and walk to this dealership in the middle of the night, wearing all black and a ski maskt to book... stealth like.

they have a couple used ram's on the lot from my bodystyle and i could easily snag the light socket from one of them and then leave a little note that just says "Muahahahahaahahahahaahaha!" taped to the tail gate, and slither on home.

or maybe i ought get ahold of about 100 "Built Ford Tough" bumper stickers and put one on every car in the lot.

i think i'm goin off my rocker.

rskarvan

"Revenge is a dish best served cold."

- Star Trek's Revenge of Kahn

CPHILHOWER

So we have another Star Trek II The Wrath of Kahn fan here. You know wht the Borg would say? "Resistance is Futile"
Chris

jamas33

Originally posted by PoweredByDodge
jamas -- wouldn't that be sort of like sending the mafia to deal with it ? lmfao. good idea tho.

at least your stuff is getting paid for, although, as you said, you had to scheme and plot to do so... i suppose that is what it takes now a days tho - schemeing and plotting in order to get what is justly due to you, cuz nobody is gonna be honest about it with you.

i had a thought, but.. i dunno...

i can easily park a few blocks away and walk to this dealership in the middle of the night, wearing all black and a ski maskt to book... stealth like.

they have a couple used ram's on the lot from my bodystyle and i could easily snag the light socket from one of them and then leave a little note that just says "Muahahahahaahahahahaahaha!" taped to the tail gate, and slither on home.

or maybe i ought get ahold of about 100 "Built Ford Tough" bumper stickers and put one on every car in the lot.

i think i'm goin off my rocker.

Or break all the light sockets on all of them.. LOL.. but remember one thing PBD.. Two Wrongs Never Make A Right.. But Three Rights Make A Left.

sntnsupermen131

ive never really had any problems with mechanics etc
but this stuff with thezeb is going to stop...i plan on blowing the amp today or tomorrow
and sending it back asap
im fixing to take my truck back to the place where it got tinted at though...its starting to bubble in some places...and thats b/c i didnt roll my windows down at all for like 2 weeks
jamas33...youre complaining about no a/c @ 90*
lol
last year my air compressor went out and i was without a/c for about a week and a half with temperatures averaging just about the 100s and the heat index(humidity by the coast is HORRIBLE)was around 110
now thats HOT
lol
good luck vince....im rooting for you!
and cutting out their tail lights at the lot in the middle of the night was a pretty good idea...lol
-Cody

jamas33

YIKES!!! your a better man than me... Evil.. just plain Evil.. make that Doctor Evil.. I didnt go thru four years of Evil school to be called Evil.. its DOCTOR Evil...

PoweredByDodge

you guys are a bad influence on me...lol.


i'm holdin off till the district rep comes back next week -- he supposedly is gonna tke care of it...


i'm watching sesame street and the cookie monster has a giant cookie twice the size of him with a lettre G on it - he goes "today's letter is G, like gee this is a big cookie, Gigantic cookie.... Goooooooooooooooooooood cookie."

then he like got all upset that he couldn't teach the letter of the day anymore without the letter of the day cookie whih he just ate.


poor cookie monster.

jamas33

the new word for today is...... PAIN
Like... They are a pain in the ****.. or.. We can be a Pain on their neck... or... they need to feel the PAIN!!!