Dealer story

[Warpig]

Last week my wipers started acting up on my 02 2500. They would only run on high speed at first, then they completely went. My thoughts were that the motor went. I brought the truck to the dealer thinking that it was under warranty. It wasn't, due to the fact that I have 39,000 miles. The dealer diagnosed the problem as a bad park switch, and told me that the module needs replacement. He told me that it would cost me $236. 00.

I found the part (OEM) online for $81. 00. I declined having the dealer repair it, figuring that I'd do it myself and save some money. The service manager then said he would do the repair for $200. 00, saying that the part cost him $105. 00 and telling me that the diagnostic charge would be $83. 00 anyways. I declined the repair for now I was getting peeed off. He wrote up the diagnostic charge for $83. 00, and I reluctantly payed. He wrote up that he removed the motor and tested it, thats why the $83. 00 diagnostic charge is so high.

NOW COMES THE FUN PART:

I started on the repair. First removing the wiper arms, then the plastic cowl. Well, back when I bought the truck (from same dealer) new, the rubber seal on the front of the windshield cowl was slipping off. I siliconed it in so it would stay in place. When I did this repair and removed the cowl, I had to peel the rubber seal/gasket off of the cowl, as it was glued on from when I siliconed it. If the dealer removed the wiper motor like he wrote up in the diagnostic charge, they would have had to break my silicone seal on the cowl. They obviously lied about the labor intensive diagnostic charge.

Any advise on how to deal with this ripoff artist (besides burning the dealership to the ground) would be appreciated.



Tim W.

 

[rrausch]

I would go back and confront the guy directly, showing him exactly what you did, and how you know his story was innacurate. After all, he may have been lied to by the tech. I would ask him in a nice way if is willing to refund your $83, and be very direct and Manly. If he doesn't, tell him you will go to the Owner or General Manager. The Owner probably doesn't want this sort of thievery going on either and will probably back you up. If they all refuse, I would tell them you will contact the "Channel 7 Trouble Shooter" or whatever the local TV station's much-raker is called. They don't want bad publicity. If that fails too I would take the Dealer to Small Claims Court.

 

[illflem]

Write your story here-

http://dodgeram.info/survey_dealer/Dealers.htm

 

[JyRO]

can't reply...

I'm too p. o. 'd reading this to even reply. I'd be screaming at someone.



- JyRO

 

[rbattelle]

I'm with Jyro. I hope DC reads this and knows some of the crap going on at their dealers.

 

[LightmanE300]

Dealers will do stuff like that. Similar thing happened to me at vw. My stereo sounded funny, and the forums revealed a left front speaker wire was backwards on my stereo. I took it in to be fixed by vw, waited an hour, and they came out and told me it was no better. They said they were ordering me a new stereo. Well they never called or got a new stereo in, and when I had stereo equipment added to the car by a stereo shop later, they showed me that the head unit had NEVER been out, and the wires were STILL backwards. I was furious. Bottom line in situations like these - how much is your time worth? You either take a lot of time and get really ugly about this and fight the dealer for the small amount - or you just bend over and take it... stinks!

 

[HBarlow]

I agree that $83 is pretty steep but a one hour labor charge for diagnosis by a dealership service department is pretty common even if actual time required is less. Diagnosis of a problem requires the time of a trained mechanic as well as use of specialized equipment in many cases.



Harvey

 

[Warpig]

My point is that the dealer said he removed the motor for testing purposes. That required removing the cowl, which would include removing the rubber seal that I siliconed in place. That never happened, as I broke the silicone seal when I did the repair myself. I wouldn't complain if the diagnostic labor was honestly reported.



Also, when I picked up my truck, the counter person tryed to get me to sign a paper authorizing the work. I asked her what it was that she wanted me to sign, and she said that they should of had me sign it (authorization) when I dropped the truck off. I refused to sign it.

 

[BV]

Just another reason for spending the $100 for a Factory Service Manual and throwing the warranty papers out the window as you drive off the lot.



How about a complaint to the Better Business Bureau.

 

[rkressg]

Warpig,

Please tell me you went or plan to go and talk to the service writer. Chances are, he is just relaying what the technician told him. If you go and confront them, Ask politely for your money back, or ask what they can do to remedy the situation. If they can not remedy the situation, I would consider them to be stealing from me.

Please do not let this go. Any reputable business would not want their name to be tarnished by something this bad. Also, remind them, "would the dealer like any future business from you or your friends"?

If this gets you nowhere, get the dealer general manager, the service manager, the owner, any body who will listen, and raise hell in the sales lobby. Just make sure there are a lot of customers around to hear you.

-Rich

 

[JLEONARD]

Warpig,

Care to PM me with the dealer in question? I may need dealer help someday , so tell me who to avoid.

I also have a son in the repair business in town... . sometimes he's forced to send a customer to a dealership for certain things... . I'd like to advise him.

Thanks

Jay Leonard

 

[HEMI®Dart]

They may just say the tech re-siliconed the hood to cowl seal after he was done.