Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Another Dealer Rage

[wcaldwell]

I was having transmission problems with my ’98. 5 after having the transmission service done at Zangara Dodge here in Albuquerque. I'm not saying that the problems are or were the result of Zangara servicing my transmission, but the problems started a week later. Including three different test drives (two by me and their mechanic and shop foreman; and one by their mechanics) and two separate times in their service area to “fix” the problem, I was there a total of 5 different times for one problem - stop the transmission/torque converter “slip” and “rpm fluctuations” that I was encountering. The first visit (11 June), I took one of their mechanics for a drive and showed him what the trans was doing (slipping at 2000+ rpm’s) and had to take it back the next day (12 June)(second visit) for them to find out what was wrong. That day, two of their mechanics took it for a drive and then told me it was the torque converter locking and unlocking (at 2000+ rpm’s). The third visit (14 June), I took their shop foreman for a drive with his plug-in computer hooked to the truck’s computer and it was again slipping at 2000+ rpm’s so I had to set up another appointment for a week later. The fourth visit (20 June and $78. 00 later), their transmission mechanic said he adjusted the line pressure as high as he could and adjusted the throttle cable. Now, besides slipping and fluctuating rpm’s, the transmission began to shudder occasionally and also not go into low when totally stopped or when shifting from reverse to drive. The fifth (last) visit (11 July), they replaced a couple of solenoids in the transmission. $100 dollars (extended warranty deductible) later, I left their shop and drove home to Belen NM (35 miles south of Albuquerque) with it slipping all the way and then into Belen where it was so erratic that it was embarrassing to drive. I was so highly ticked off I was about to pop a cork that I pulled into Auge’s Dodge in Belen. I talked with Karen, their Service Representative, and then with Danny, their diesel mechanic, for about 10 minutes explaining the problem (and cooling down). Danny listened, asked me a couple of questions, told me what was wrong, then drove the truck into their shop. He hooked it to their computer and reflashed the transmission. He was able to solve the problem in less than 60 minutes from the time I drove in. I went back to Zangara on 12 July and let their service representative and shop foreman know what happened the day before after I left their shop and how my truck was fixed in less than an hour at Auge's Dodge. Now, I have to say that Zangara did refund the $100 extended warranty deductible I paid the day before. But my complaint wasn’t about the $100 – it was that it took them 2 drives with me, 1 drive alone, and 2 tries in their shop to fix the transmission, but Auge’s took less than an hour total. If you live in the Albuquerque NM area and need to take your Goat in for service, warranty or otherwise, I would recommend that you:

a. Stay away from Zangara Dodge in Albuquerque



(Since I don’t have first-hand experience, I can’t say anything (good or bad) about the other Dodge Dealer Service in Albuquerque, but another NM TDR member suggested I/we stay away from them, too)

b. Take it to Auge’s Dodge in Belen



Wayne

(sorry about the long post, but I needed to vent and then applaud)

 

[mediccummin]

Feels good to vent huh

I have vented multiple times about my crappy dealer too, then one day I get a phone call from who use to be my service manager. Boy was he ******, started with I saw what you said about us on TDR, then he really laid into me with "now your F*&^ing with my lively hood, and my mechanics don't suck". bla bla bla bla (short version of conversation). So that goes to show the dealers are watching and paying attention to us on TDR, wether it does any good or not who knows. I was pretty much warned not to return to CROWN DODGE of VENTURA CA. and that all the dealers are a close nit family here in Ventura County CA. BooHoo hurt my feelings. So don't go there they suck. Enough from me probably get another phone call now... ... ... :-{}

 

[EMDDIESEL]

I have no decent Dodge dealer anywhere near me. The closest dealer i found has a TINY shop in the middle of a city. My truck bareley fits in there. I brought it in for the ClockSpring recall and told them i would wait while they did it. They drove my truck around the corner to an abandoned gas station and did the work there in the parking lot (I am not kidding!). I have the leather interior and around the "Ram" emblem on the passenger seat, the leather is ripping away where it was stitched, i just cant bear the thought of bringing it back to that dump. When i brought it in for them to llok at, the mechanic was like "Wow, i have never worked on one of these diesels" How reassuring!

 

[wcaldwell]

Auge Dodge in Belen NM isn't a large dealer, looks like their shop might hold 15 cars or trucks, though probably not all at the same time. Their sales staff don't pressure you, they will make pretty good deals though they still have to make a living, too, and it seems their service department does a good job of taking care of the customer. They have been the only Dodge dealer in Belen for close to 50 years. New showroom/shop/sales lot in the last 5 years. Good people... ... ... ... ... I bought my Goat, my wife's Stratus, and my daughter's Cavalier from Marco Martinez there at Auge's.

 

[Straight6Jeff]

some of the best garages I have found are the holes in the wall. The little guy depends on repeat business. As far as diesel work, I wouldn't let any dealer touch it, regardless of size.



bigger does not always mean better... . except for my belly