Dealership Nightmare/Joke

[osudelt69]

Wife and I dropped off our 04 EX-L for service last night. Wife called two weeks ago and left detailed information of the work to be performed.

Front Struts
4 Wheel Alignment
Check suspension bushings for wear
Balance and Rotate Tires
Oil Change
Adjust rear parking brake

We left instructions referencing our prior conversation, we were told to do this, and signed the ORAL ESTIMATE box as we wanted to be called prior to any work being performed.

Well my wife gets a call today, service appointment was for tomorrow that our MOTOR MOUNTS were replaced (did this last year at the same dealership) and it was ready for pickup.

Since our service writer quit last year, we have had nothing but problems with this dealership. Our dealer has serviced our Pilot every 5,000 miles since 2003. All recalls/preventive maintenance/repairs/fluid changes. I had them print everything out and its pages of info!

Needless to say we are extremely disappointed and will not be paying for a motor mount job that was not needed, asked for, and was performed last year! Just need to vent and laugh at their stupidity.

This event might have me looking for a new dealer.....what a shame!

[rocky]

Since they did work not requested or approved, you have no legal obligation to pay.

[osudelt69]

Ya, fortunately Its just frustrating experience. I am a service writer in the marine industry and know Ohio law. Anything over $25 requires written authorization or oral approval. Just shocked at the experience.

So the update:

1) reinstalled our motor mounts (no charge)
2) installed new rear brakes and adjusted parking brake cable $185
3) did not do struts, said they are "fine". In 2009 they said they needed to be replaced, with 144k miles the front of the vehicle is thrown around every turn.
4) said all suspension bushings are okay


So, tomorrow I will be having them do the struts and an alignment.

[jl_ss]

I'd keep taking it there if they are going to be replacing expensive items that you didn't ask them to. Maybe you'll get a new engine or tranny that you don't have to pay for.

[gewf631]

I guess I'm more surprised that you'd keep going back to the same dealer. If they've screwed-up this badly (and this many times), I think you're just asking for more punishment.

Granted, you're just one customer, so in the grand scheme of things they probably don't care if they loose your business. But factor in your time, frustration, and their obvious lack of ability (to properly read and diagnose), and I'd be worried that they'd screw-up something. Your profile says Cincinnati, so there's got to be another dealer reasonably close.

[osudelt69]

Originally Posted by gewf631

I guess I'm more surprised that you'd keep going back to the same dealer. If they've screwed-up this badly (and this many times), I think you're just asking for more punishment.

Granted, you're just one customer, so in the grand scheme of things they probably don't care if they loose your business. But factor in your time, frustration, and their obvious lack of ability (to properly read and diagnose), and I'd be worried that they'd screw-up something. Your profile says Cincinnati, so there's got to be another dealer reasonably close.

There are many other dealers in the area, we purchased the vehicle there and had 6 years of exceptional service, just poor service 2 times now.

The ended up putting our old motor mounts back on, they were only a year old. No big deal, but what a ride lol


I disagree that they care to loose our business. Who wants to loose a customer that gets every oil change @ 5k miles and has had all maintence done there per the maintence schedule. The service manager is well aware of their recent screw ups and they are very appologtic regarding the poor service.

[gewf631]

Originally Posted by osudelt69

There are many other dealers in the area, we purchased the vehicle there and had 6 years of exceptional service, just poor service 2 times now.

The ended up putting our old motor mounts back on, they were only a year old. No big deal, but what a ride lol

Are you sure they either mounted new ones, or put the old ones back-on? I mean, wouldn't they just cut their losses and leave the new ones in place? Why go through all the extra labor (and potential problems), putting old ones back on? What if one of them fails? What's to say it wasn't because of what they did? This whole thing just sounds fishy.

I have no problem with loyalty, and you might be right that they don't want to loose a customer, but just when does enough become enough?

One time I had some warranty work done, and inspecting the vehicle (while in the dealer's service lane) found a cookie wrapper laying on the manifold, and a rag by the radiator. Who knows what might have happened if that rag fell into the fan? I raised a ruckus, but the service manager only apologized. He didn't care that I threatened negative reviews on the Internet, or negative press with all those I met, or a call to Honda North America. What would it have cost them to offer an oil change for my headache?

That was the last time I'll ever go to that dealer (and I did make the call and write the negative reviews).

[osudelt69]

They remounted the one year old motor mounts. I feel bad for the technician as I'm sure he recieved no flat rate for performing the work.

All is well again, car is finished and we'll pick it up monday night.

I will still go to the dealer for future work that I can't perform but don't think I will ever use the night drop service again!

[TheMuffinMan]

With that much trouble I'm surprised you would go back to the dealer?

This is one of the reasons I stick to independent garages I trust.

[jl_ss]

Originally Posted by osudelt69

They remounted the one year old motor mounts. I feel bad for the technician as I'm sure he recieved no flat rate for performing the work.

All is well again, car is finished and we'll pick it up monday night.

I will still go to the dealer for future work that I can't perform but don't think I will ever use the night drop service again!

You can still use the night drop, just call back first thing in the morning to confirm they processed properly.

[1YESfan]

Service writers are fine and dandy but I always like to talk to whoever will be working on my vehicle prior to anything significant being done personally. All they have to do is call you and then you can relax just that much more. Things have changed quite a bit in the industry but ultimately it's your vehicle. You have a voice in these, more often than not, streamlined procedures or a choice to take your money and buisness somewhere else.

[osudelt69]

Picked up Pilot tonight, first chance to go get it. Drives like a new car again. Dealer did a good job on the work performed and vehicle was spotless when i picked it up.