Typical car dealership BS

[Dominant buck]

13 minutes ago, CJ3a said:

I did not realize Toyota dealerships had service departments.   Based on the posts about Toyota I thought they ran on unicorn farts.

 

That comment really made me laugh,  made my day

[LPJR]

Quick story. Years ago my wife brought her Aviator SUV to get an oil change at a well known/chain shop in Newton.  She was going to drive down to D.C. with my kids to meet me when we pulled with the Police Unity Tour. She asked them to go over it in case it needed anything specific for the ride. 

She tells me that the shop supervisor gave her a bill of repairs that were needed including among a list of other items, a head gasket leak repair. Total bill was $2200.00. I told her to not have ANY repairs done at their shop and proceeded to bring the car to Magnum Motors in Morristown. Asked the mechanic to put the car on the lift and let me know if anything stands out or any of the "so called repairs" are needed. NOT 1 DRIP or leak from the head gasket, as well as every so called "needed repair" was confirmed to be not valid. The entire bill was fabricated. 

Long story longer. I contacted the business owner as well as the corporate office. Gave my mechanics number to both of them to call to have him let them know directly that the bill was fabricated when my wife was there. 

Corporate CEO emails me back then calls me directly after speaking to my mechanic. Apologized up and down.  This was after he spoke with my friend who has been a certified Ford mechanic for over 40 years. Offered me and my family lifetime oil changes and a slew of discounts because he knew the business messed up and was caught. 

I told them the business is dead to me.  Promised him that I would tell anyone that I have the opportunity to let know about what happened so they or their family would not get burned. 

It was the MIDAS in Newton on 206 across from Walmart. 

Since then, have not been to another MIDAS afterwards. Could not pay me to bring any of my family's cars there after this incident. 

Edited August 17, 2022 by LPJR

[Merkel]

29 minutes ago, CJ3a said:

I did not realize Toyota dealerships had service departments.   Based on the posts about Toyota I thought they ran on unicorn farts.

 

LOL - my buddy’s Toyota Sequoia was recalled a couple of months after he bout it last year. His previous one had frame issues. 

[hammer4reel]

I have bought a ridiculous amount of cars and trucks in the last 44 years .

2 dealerships WAY above the rest of the field in fairness , and just great service .

Flemington Dodge , and World Dodge .

could not be happier  than with the service at either one of those dealerships.

 

.

[electric10162]

12 hours ago, LPJR said:

Quick story. Years ago my wife brought her Aviator SUV to get an oil change at a well known/chain shop in Newton.  She was going to drive down to D.C. with my kids to meet me when we pulled with the Police Unity Tour. She asked them to go over it in case it needed anything specific for the ride. 

She tells me that the shop supervisor gave her a bill of repairs that were needed including among a list of other items, a head gasket leak repair. Total bill was $2200.00. I told her to not have ANY repairs done at their shop and proceeded to bring the car to Magnum Motors in Morristown. Asked the mechanic to put the car on the lift and let me know if anything stands out or any of the "so called repairs" are needed. NOT 1 DRIP or leak from the head gasket, as well as every so called "needed repair" was confirmed to be not valid. The entire bill was fabricated. 

Long story longer. I contacted the business owner as well as the corporate office. Gave my mechanics number to both of them to call to have him let them know directly that the bill was fabricated when my wife was there. 

Corporate CEO emails me back then calls me directly after speaking to my mechanic. Apologized up and down.  This was after he spoke with my friend who has been a certified Ford mechanic for over 40 years. Offered me and my family lifetime oil changes and a slew of discounts because he knew the business messed up and was caught. 

I told them the business is dead to me.  Promised him that I would tell anyone that I have the opportunity to let know about what happened so they or their family would not get burned. 

It was the MIDAS in Newton on 206 across from Walmart. 

Since then, have not been to another MIDAS afterwards. Could not pay me to bring any of my family's cars there after this incident. 

I would have been scared knowing @LPJR was on the case

Edited August 18, 2022 by electric10162

[Farmshine]

2 hours ago, Sako76 said:

My dealership got sold (Smith Ford in Washington Warren  County) and Fred Beans took over.  I went in for an oil change and tire rotation aka "the works" and is usually $50.  Beans told me $89.95, when I mentioned it was $50 the last time I was there they dropped the price to $50.

Anyone know a good mechanic near Washington?  I'm in Asbury.

I hated Smith, so to hear Fred Beans is even worse is discouraging.  

[Rjtfd]

Went to have my oil changed and tires rotated on my Tacoma when I owned it. Service manager comes out tells me I really need to change the plugs they were overdue. I think I had 75k, I said ok how much? He said $450, I said I would have to wait until next oil change. As he was walking away I stepped over to parts counter said “need 6 plugs 09 Tacoma” ok $18. Purchased went home change all 6 in under 30 minutes. Thieves! I only do my oil changes at dealership. They usually rope women and older people selling them what they don’t need like air filters, plugs, brakes and rotors. 

[Sako76]

10 hours ago, Farmshine said:

I hated Smith, so to hear Fred Beans is even worse is discouraging.  

I liked Smith, always did the oil change in an hour or less.  To be honest, the last two trucks I had (both F-150's) didn't need much fixing.

[Dominant buck]

What a joke!!!

[BHC]

Many people when buying new or used don't research the model, make they want. Sales people pick up on that and that opens the door $$$$$ for them. Use the internet to your advantage.  Searching for my truck exactly what I wanted took months, I was looking in a 100 mile radius and dealers within one hour of me looking. I found what I wanted it was out near Pittsburgh but the dealer wasn't selling to people far away. I gave up late April but within days the nearest dealer called and I went in and made the deal.

Same goes for repairs, use the internet.  Check engine light comes on, stop at autozone they can scan it and print out the problem now your ahead of whatever repair shop you deal with. If a shop tells you what is wrong no shame on taking it to another shop to confirm or search the issue up on the internet, it maybe a ongoing problem and the manufacturer has a recall or bulletin out

[electric10162]

41 minutes ago, Dominant buck said:

What a joke!!!

I remember when it was Dayton Ford. They tried beating me out of a warranty claim on a Econoline van. 

[huntyctyboy]

i worked at a dealership years ago as a service advisor and the mechanics did say this is not required work to the service advisors. I go let go as the work wasn't for me its tough gig for sure.

[Rjtfd]

Being a service manager or service advisor is a “salesman” they are there to make the dealership money. Most don’t know anything mechanical they just relay what the mechanic tells them and will embellish on it. Maintenance on a vehicle is pretty much standard by mileage. Oil changes 3000

Airfilters and tire rotation 5000. 
Etc. now when you go for oil change and your car has 45k of course they’re gonna tell you “your breaks are very worn you really shouldn't drive this vehicle and your cabin filter is putting a strain on your system really needs to be change. BTW transmission is not smooth have you had the transmission flush yet? “We offer the 45k package that is recommended by the manufacturer it will save you a bundle down the road plus while vehicle is here we may be able to save you few bucks on  it since it’s already on lift. LOL they are full of crap and most people don’t know where else to go and fall for it. 
I listened to one sell an old man a cabin filter installation cause he really needed it cause the manufacturer never installed a cabin filter in his model car. Do you think they were gonna install entire vent system for filter? Manufacturer didn’t put it for a reason

[vdep217]

21 minutes ago, Rjtfd said:

Being a service manager or service advisor is a “salesman” they are there to make the dealership money. Most don’t know anything mechanical they just relay what the mechanic tells them and will embellish on it. Maintenance on a vehicle is pretty much standard by mileage. Oil changes 3000

Airfilters and tire rotation 5000. 
Etc. now when you go for oil change and your car has 45k of course they’re gonna tell you “your breaks are very worn you really shouldn't drive this vehicle and your cabin filter is putting a strain on your system really needs to be change. BTW transmission is not smooth have you had the transmission flush yet? “We offer the 45k package that is recommended by the manufacturer it will save you a bundle down the road plus while vehicle is here we may be able to save you few bucks on  it since it’s already on lift. LOL they are full of crap and most people don’t know where else to go and fall for it. 
I listened to one sell an old man a cabin filter installation cause he really needed it cause the manufacturer never installed a cabin filter in his model car. Do you think they were gonna install entire vent system for filter? Manufacturer didn’t put it for a reason

Telling you you have to have somthing done a recommending somthing be done is 2 different animals.  I brought my truck to a local shop for water pump they quoted me 250.  Called my buddy who is a manager for an auto parts store with his discount the pump would have costed me 130.  For a 120 bucks it wasn't worth the aggravation to me told the shop to do it.  The mechanic came to me n goes hey I noticed your wipers are going to need replacing (they did) do you want me to do them or get them on your own completely up to you.  I gave him the extra sale as he was honest and didn't tell me I had to

[archer36]

14 hours ago, Merkel said:

I heard technicians and service departments have been on commission or incentivized to recommend additional work.  IDK but they are always pushing work despite owner manual maintenance interval recommendations. once our cars are off warranty, we go to a trusted local shop. 

I think they are on "Flate Rate" repair time. Every service has a value assigned to it. If you do it under the flat rate, you get paid more. If it takes you more time, you don't get extra. May not explain the scheme exactly but it's something like that.