Crooked dealers-what should I do

[tbirdman]

I took my 05 Dodge Magnum to Chrysler Dodge dealer for some extended warranty work. Told me that they found a transmission leak that would be repaired under warranty. Then they told me I should get a tune up which involved changing out 16 spark plugs. They said it was obvious this had never been done and the car was severely neglected. Also it was a labor intensive job. Unknown to them I personally had changed the 16 spark plugs about a month ago. They quickly back tracked when I told them their mechanic was a liar. I actually told the service adviser that the spark plugs had been recently changed to help them diagnose a engine fault light.

[keiser31]

Check with the Better Business Bureau and see if there are other complaints about them. If so, turn their butts in again.

[imported_Bob Hill]

Call Chrysler and tell them - probably won't do anything but it will make you feel better.

Then find another dealer - I would never trust them again personally

[West Peterson]

I also question their decision to change the spark plugs after ONLY THREE YEARS! That is not "severe neglect." It is my belief that plugs are good for more than 100,000 miles in newer vehicles. I put 150,000 miles on my Dodge before I sold it, and the plugs were never changed.

[Oldsfan]

Spark plugs in the Hemi are recommended to be changed every 30k miles. I didn't change mine, but I did take them out and clear and regap them, and put anti-seize on them. They didn't really need to be changed. I think the concern is with the plugs seizing in the aluminum heads.

Paul

[tbirdman]

Paul is correct that Dodge requires that the plugs be changed every 30K miles. However they did not remember that I had told them that the plugs had just been changed. I had to laugh as they were describing the horrible condition of the plugs. I guess I need to buy better plugs that last longer than a month. t takes about 2-3 hours since you have to reove every injector. However the plugs are easy to get to and I did use ant-seize when replacing them. I was waiting for them to tell me that the cabin filter and the air cleaner neeed changing as those I just been done.

For what it's worth, seems like a lot of people have changed them well after the 30K limit.

I ran into a similiar situation at Jiffy Lube. They told me my radiator cap was not holding the proper pressure. It was a cheap replacement aroun $10 so I said change it out. The next time I went into there for a lube, yep you guess it, "Sir your radiator cap has a problem".

Also for the record the best services I have ever received was for a Cadillac.

[Restorer32]

I have my Dodge Diesel serviced at a small Mom and Pop dealership. It was in for brake work and I asked them to change the driveshaft U joints, figuring that at 200 thou it likely needed them. They phoned and told me the joints were fine, no need to replace. Rare to find such honesty these days, especially since I told them in advance to replace them. Unfortunately it wouldn't surprise me if they don't survive the current shakeup.

[Guest robb01]

This is the main reason I do everything myself

[Guest tcuda340]

Not every dealer rips people off. More likely they were going off of what the tech told them. You are only as good as your employees! Just like every other service industry... there are good ones and bad ones!

[Steve Moskowitz]

Well said, and if you do not think customers justify ripping off car dealers think again. I have seen it all, fortunately, you don't judge everyone by the actions of a few.

[Steve Braverman]

My local Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep dealer has been in business since 1927 under the same family ownership. They are very honest. When I go in they know my name, the owner runs the sales floor, and his son runs the service dept. If Chrysler goes under, I will continue to buy cars from them no matter what they sell.

[tbirdman]

I agree that not all dealers are crooked or underhanded.

Dealer called back with a fix for another problem which is covered under warranty. The excuse given for the plugs was that the mechanic thought since the spark plugs wires were not changed, then the plugs were original. Sound lame to me and I was not born yesterday.

[Earl B.]

Hey Ken.. I got a bridge down in California I'd like to sell you.. cheeeepp ..B

[Guest Bluesky636]

However the plugs are easy to get to and I did use ant-seize when replacing them./quote]

You're lucky. I can't even FIND the sparkplugs on my 98 Ford Expedition with 5.4L engine.

[Guest Bob Call]

Ken

I suspect that the technicians (notice that there are no longer mechanics in the auto business) at that dealer are paid a commission. Not all shops pay commissions but some do.

[novaman]

dealer technicians are usually flate rate. If the book says it should take you an hour to change that part you get paid an hour wether it took you 15 min becuase you figured out a fast way of doing it or three hour because it is siezed on there tighter than a tick on a hound dog, you still only get an hour. That's why Im glad I'm no longer working in a dealership. Hard to make $$ that way. Also not having to deal with the public. We had on tech that got his butt royaly chew for having according to the female owner, grease all over her seats. He went out to the car to clean it and found her kids in it eating rasins, and the "grease" on the seat were smashed rasins. I got chewed out for speeding. The lady's daughter claimed I was doing 70MPH. She was just getting to the dealership when I went by her. I was doing about 50-55 mph. she turned around and caught upto me in about a mile to mile and a half. I couldn't get it through to the service manger or the mom that she had to speed to catch me and I wasn't going that fast or she'd never have caught up to me. Remember the customer is always right (even if they are wrong).

[Guest simplyconnected]

What is the issue? Average time it takes to troubleshoot, dealership charge/hour, or being snitched-on for driving on an open road?

Those dealership charges are "fair averages" for specific tasks, and were actually performed at the factory. They are liberal, customary, and may be used in an estimate/quote. You can work strictly by the hour, if you have your customer's approval, or you can quote a bottom-line price for the whole job.

Since no union is involved, you are at the mercy of your employer, who is on the side of his paying customer. You are on your own, between both of them. Sorry it didn't work out for you, but many thousands of dealership mechanics make a good living and are well respected by their manager.

In Ohio and Michigan, some Ford dealership mechanics have joined the UAW. Talk with one of them and see if it's right for you:

Union Dealerships

These dealerships are still privately franchised, but do a thriving business and offer discounts.

It's rediculous to be fired for something that happened outside of work, but hey, when you're on your own, anything goes.

[Steve Moskowitz]

"Those dealership charges are "fair averages" for specific tasks, and were actually performed at the factory. They are liberal, customary, and may be used in an estimate/quote. You can work strictly by the hour, if you have your customer's approval, or you can quote a bottom-line price for the whole job."

Not that liberal! I know first hand as I had a short stint in product delivery where they did the flat rate time studies for Oldsmobile and I can tell you I never, ever could beat some of those rates despite a familiarity with the job and a large tool box of all sorts of time saving tools. Sure, some of the rates I beat easily but it is not the easiest way to make a living.

Dave, come on, you've never driven 50 MPH in your life! You were probably doing 90!

[Guest windjamer]

Hay guys, go to the DR. today and the first thing he ask is whats wrong. You say I have a cold.He says how do you feel? You say my nose is pluged my eyes water I have chills. a fever,upsit tummy I just feel lousy. DR. says yep you have a cold. Im going to give you a perscription,if it dont work come back and we can try something else. Give He**,the med will cost you 50-100 bucks but he GIVE you the perscription, AFTER you told him what was wrong.If it dont work we can try something else. Yea right, you get anouther prescription AFTER anouther office call at 35 bucks and dont ask what this one cost. But he gave it to you. The perscription that is. Imagine this, customer has his car towed in, you spend an hr. checking it out and tell him I THINK it needs a coil,lets put one in the dist. and if it dont work we can try something else. Yea. right.Todays tech. better have $20,000 worth of tools in his box to diagnose the problem and get it right the first time or go home. We cant fix the new ones in the back yard anymore.

[Guest simplyconnected]

Dick, when you take your car in, the mechanic doesn't "PRACTICE" mechanics, he troubleshoots. I guess the difference is, your doctor isn't going to pull out a knife and start cutting into you, but a mechanic will pull out a few tools and start wrenching.

The prescription analogy is about the same as mechanics that throw new parts at a problem. If that doesn't work, let's try another new part.

The truth is, not all doctors are real good at what they do. Neither are all mechanics. More specificly, a mechanic might be dynamite at fuel systems, but they can't troubleshoot differential problems to save their life. That's why dealerships have those estimate books, to level the playing field. It is no secret, a good mechanic is highly skilled, but even the best don't know everything.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Steve Moskowitz</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Sure, some of the rates I beat easily but it is not the easiest way to make a living.</div></div><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Steve Moskowitz</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> ...I had a short stint in product delivery where they did the flat rate time studies for Oldsmobile and I can tell you I never, ever could beat some of those rates despite a familiarity with the job and a large tool box of all sorts of time saving tools. </div></div> Doesn't it average out, Steve?

[Dandy Dave]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It is no secret, a good mechanic is highly skilled, but even the best don't know everything.

</div></div>

And that's the truth! Dandy Dave!