New drain plug with each oil change?

[GCross]

Thanks to all for your replies, I have a letter ready to go to the service manager demanding an explaination. I'll re-post the result.



-George-

 

[sarj]

When you go into any automotive shop, you get, and sign a written estimate. This includes parts and labor and a description of the work authorized.



If additional work, parts, or charges are needed, they have to be authorized. Most the time this is done on the phone, and a notation of the additional cost authorization is made on the invoice along with who received authorization, the number called and the total additionally authorized. There is no dancing around this, and is regulated by the BAR. Plain and simple... if it wasn't pre-authorized by the consumer, if doesn't have to be paid for. You don't walk in after authorizing a tune up and get handed a bill for a new distributor, injectors, whatever. Not only that, but if in the course of the work, if the unaurhorized work cannot be undone to at worst, the original condition of the vehicle, then the work stays, and does not have to be paid for. An example is an alignment that wasn't included in an estimate. The car cannot be unaligned.



I say all this with former experience running an automotive shop.



I also took the liberty of E-mailing Cerritos Dodge and asked if they had any response to any of this, because as a potential customer, I am very interested in how they conduct business, as is all the rest of my CTD friends. I think it's good for us to know who the good dealers are, and the ones to avoid. I think it's good for the dealers to know we talk to each other and that their actions have consequences. Sometimes I'm just amazed what people are willing to sacrafice their integrity for.



sarj

 

[DPKetchum]

Sometimes the plugs with the COPPER gasket that crushes needs a new gasket but thats about it.

 

[GCross]

When you go into any automotive shop, you get, and sign a written estimate. This includes parts and labor and a description of the work authorized.

Good point Jeff, but that's another strange part of this, the amount of the invoice was within the quote, as if they knew they would use these parts before they ever looked at it.



-George-

 

[rbattelle]

I also took the liberty of E-mailing Cerritos Dodge and asked if they had any response to any of this, because as a potential customer, I am very interested in how they conduct business, as is all the rest of my CTD friends. I think it's good for us to know who the good dealers are, and the ones to avoid. I think it's good for the dealers to know we talk to each other and that their actions have consequences. Sometimes I'm just amazed what people are willing to sacrafice their integrity for.

sarj

I'd be interested in reading any response you get from them. Post it here!

 

[Bob4x4]

DPKetchum,

The 3rd gens do not use the same drain plugs as the earlier trucks. No metal gasket,the seal is part of the plug. So far I have not seen any issues with this style plug. The pan is different also,single wall.



Just a hungry management team,seeking to increase their net profit at the uninformed customers expense. Cerritos has the corporate attitude,not the honest policy.



Bob

 

[zues]

Go back to the dealer and ask for the old drain plug. I always ask to see the old parts when I pick up the truck. I just changed the oil and used the old drain plug with no problems.

 

[Moterhead]

There are lots of people on this list who have the dealer change their oil. Who else has had this mandatory drain plug change done? Anyone? Did you ask the dealer to show you where the requirement is documented?

 

[lmills]

My dealer gave me a complimentary service contract so I got 15 free oil changeswhen I bought my truck. I took the truck in to get a freebee change and the wife picked it up for me. She forgot the voucher so we had to pay full price. It was somewhere around $55. That was the first and probably the last time they do one for me. I didn't mind paying. What got me was when I got home, they must not have known how to use a funnel. Their was oil spilled on the top of the valve cover. Then last night when I crawled under the truck to do the next oil change I found that whoever serviced it at the dealer had only put the drain plug in finger tight. I couldn't believe it didn't work loose or leak. That bother's me. How hard is it to do an oil change? I guess it is so simple to do it is easy to screw up.

 

[SKaye]

This is the procedure as shown in the 03 Ram Manual.





TO CHANGE ENGINE OIL

Run engine until achieving normal operating temperature.

(1) Position the vehicle on a level surface and turn

engine off.

(2) Hoist vehicle.

(3) Remove oil fill cap.

(4) Place a suitable drain pan under crankcase

drain.

(5) Remove drain plug from crankcase and allow

oil to drain into pan. Inspect drain plug threads for

stretching or other damage. Replace drain plug and

gasket if damaged.

(6) Install drain plug in crankcase.

(7) Change oil filter (Refer to 9 - ENGINE/LUBRICATION/

OIL FILTER - REMOVAL).

(8) Lower vehicle and fill crankcase with specified

type (Refer to LUBRICATION & MAINTENANCE/

FLUID TYPES - DESCRIPTION) and amount of

engine oil (Refer to LUBRICATION & MAINTENANCE

- SPECIFICATIONS).

(9) Install oil fill cap.

(10) Start engine and inspect for leaks.

(11) Stop engine and inspect oil level.

 

[aaronisbad]

You might just inquire about the state of the oil pan threads. Sure hope they didn't strip that out. I know they actually didnt strip it out (for being in the estimate) but, it might just make them squirm enough to give you your money back on the plug. Why is it so hard to find a dealership that is honest, if not impossible?

 

[sarj]

I also took the liberty of E-mailing Cerritos Dodge and asked if they had any response to any of this, because as a potential customer, I am very interested in how they conduct business, as is all the rest of my CTD friends. I think it's good for us to know who the good dealers are, and the ones to avoid. I think it's good for the dealers to know we talk to each other and that their actions have consequences. Sometimes I'm just amazed what people are willing to sacrafice their integrity for.

sarj !

I'd be interested in reading any response you get from them. Post it here!

No reply as of yet.



I never really expected one either. I went to that dealer twice while looking for my truck. Never got any help from a salesdog the first time & the second time I got bounced around like a pinball in their system, trying to get straight answers to questions. I wasn't too impressed... but my expectations were too high :-laf ( of course I had my Sunday-go-to-truck-buyin' clothes on... raggety ole shorts, t-shirt, & sandals... but I only wear that when I'm going into buy).



It's just that I've been on the other side in business, and sometimes honest mistakes happen, especially without the management knowing about it. I just thought it was fair to give them a chance to respond and make it right. Maybe they'll fess up if George goes down and gets in their face. If they didn't, I know my next step would be a written complaint to the Bureau of Automotive Repair... just out of priciple, cuz you KNOW it's happening to the next guy too. Heck... a letter to DC would be in the mail too. NO 5 STARS FOR YOU!!!... ... but that's just me



sarj

 

[JDerbedrossian]

do it sarj, and dont hesitate

 

[GCross]

I received a call from the service manager on Friday (9/10) and have already been promised my 17 bucks and change back. He is doing some more checking to see why this was done and if the policy will be changed. He will call again with the final resolution which I will post as an update, along with some more comments about this and other local dealers, including why this truck came from Kellogg ID instead of a local dealer.



To Be Continued... ... .



-George-

 

[DPKetchum]

He sets the policy! If by chance he's NOT aware he's NOT running the shop and he SHOULD be. Actually HE"S probably got his FOOT up somebody and saying I don't need this kind of headache GUYS.

 

[gsdog1]

You might just inquire about the state of the oil pan threads.

This brings up a really interesting point, and may account for the tube of silicone that was used.



Perhaps in the follow-up conversation with the dealer, you may ask where the silicone was used and more specifically WHY it was needed??



Your next oil change could be very interesting... . Me personally, I'd be changing the oil myself today and finding out the condition of the oil pan threads with a camera handy.



Good luck.



Matt

 

[sarj]

Everyone brings up interesting points. Here's a quick story to show the point.



I'm running my shop, and my service manager comes in raving about some out of control customer. I go out and talk to him, and he wants a new brake line hose put on his Honda. He says he saw the mechanic pinch it off with some vise-grips while he had the caliper off rebuilding it... a common practice in the shop. Did it damage it? I don't know, but it could have. "Replace it" , I say to my Service Manager. 10 minutes later, the customer asks for me again. He wants all 4 brake lines replaced. I ask the mechanic... 'yes, I clamped those off too'. The rears turned out to be special order, and it involved alot of time and effort on top of money. I had to deal with an irate mechanic and livid Service Manager. Were the hoses damaged? Probably not, but maybe. You can't turn a car (truck) out on the street worse than it came in. The guy in the Honda could have had a major brakeline failure 3 years down the road and had no recourse.



We were talking as his car was finishing up, and he said he was impressed. I told him he needn't be, I was only being fair. I told him because the damage was 'possible', I owed it to him. If it wasn't possible, he wouldn't have got anything from no matter how loud he screamed. He agreed that was probably true



I might be interested in the condition of those pan threads if I was George. I might see where the conversation with the Service Manager goes if I were talking to him, and ask him if we can inspect the pan threads together under the truck, so we both know nothing was damaged. I'd be real interested in knowing about the need for some sealant. If I was the Service Manager, I'd give George his next oil change free, and offer to inspect it then, if he was still interested.



That's why lots of us do our own work, not so much to save a buck, but we know what we have when we're done.



sarj

 

[rbattelle]

Everyone brings up interesting points. Here's a quick story to show the point.



I'm running my shop, and my service manager comes in raving about some out of control customer. I go out and talk to him, and he wants a new brake line hose put on his Honda. He says he saw the mechanic pinch it off with some vise-grips while he had the caliper off rebuilding it... a common practice in the shop. Did it damage it? I don't know, but it could have. "Replace it" , I say to my Service Manager. 10 minutes later, the customer asks for me again. He wants all 4 brake lines replaced. I ask the mechanic... 'yes, I clamped those off too'. The rears turned out to be special order, and it involved alot of time and effort on top of money. I had to deal with an irate mechanic and livid Service Manager. Were the hoses damaged? Probably not, but maybe. You can't turn a car (truck) out on the street worse than it came in. The guy in the Honda could have had a major brakeline failure 3 years down the road and had no recourse.

sarj

I may move to costa mesa just so you can be my mechanic. #ad

 

[jelag]

Sarj



Tell your tech that a plastic nipple will fit over the end of that hose and keep it from dripping... ... and he won't have to pinch it off... . any Hyd. hose builder will have an assortment of them... their only pennies a piece..... I personally agree with you... . no damge was done... .

 

[nickleinonen]

This is the procedure as shown in the 03 Ram Manual.



...

(2) Hoist vehicle.

...

with the 315's on my truck, i just crawl under it and work with all 4 tires on the ground... easy...