Great Dealership Rip-Off story

I had a new Subaru die from a bad cam position sensor. When I went to the shop to pick it up after being fixed (warranty), The service manager told me the spark plugs were worn out and that caused the cam position sensor to fail, I would need to pay 249.00 dollars. After I stopped laughing at him, I described how that was so ridiculous. I drove out with no charges. I stopped to tell the story to a few people on the lot that were looking at new cars. I bet a lot of people accept that stuff and cut a check no questions asked. I used to be ASE certified and know a little about things so he really stepped in it. Bastards!

 

Man really stinks to hear all these stories about dealerships. The one by my house is awesome. They do any work I need done on mine. There is another one down here though that I would never take mine too. My dad got his 06 tundras oil changed at one and when he went to pick it up they told him he needed a tranny flush because he fluid looked dirty. My dad asked to speak with the tech that supposedly checked it and asked him how he checked it. To my disbelief he actually said the dipstick. You would think a Toyota tech would know that it does not have one

 

damn all these stories making dealerships look bad im a dealership technician for honda and stuff like this would never fly at my dealership only things that are needed are recommended at my place unless customers ask specifically for the service and customers are always welcome to come back to the shop and look at the stuff we recommend before its done and all services get done no short cut shit.

 

Well that's nice but with all the service contracts these days, I'm sure some people at even your workplace (not saying you) have pencil whipped at least some oil changes, why wouldn't you when the lube guy is making a solid 12 bucks an hour and you are sitting in your empty stall polishing your scooter wheels when the lot jockey (sorry, relocation engineer) brings you a 0.2 tenths oil change cuz the lube guy is backed up. lol

 

Would it happen to be one in the bay area?

I know some people love the dealer, I just can't believe what they told me, it's not like it was something they made a mistake on but they flat out lied to me. I couldn't live with myself doing that to other people, it's despicable.

 

naw in the central valley but i have buddies that work at honda and acura dealers all over the southbay. honestly sometimes i think its the service advisor trying to get over on you most (not all) dont know shit about cars and have that shady business man mentality who just wants to sell so he can make money and his numbers look good so theyll tell you some bs when the technician probably like noted down aftermarket brake pads or pedal pulsation during braking or some crap

 

Yeah those guys give me the used car dealer vib.

 

After KNOWING what goes on, why didn't you check the transmission pan to know if the service was really done as soon as you got the truck back???

This site has a fair share of dealer horror stories like this and that is one of the main reasons so many do their own service. I got hammered by a friend for doing my own oil changes until one day I went to his house and saw him cleaning a spot on his driveway from the loose oil plug that the oil change "guy" didn't tighten.

 

When the a/c compressor died on my truck I took it to a dealer (was just barely coming out of warranty), they tried to convince me that since the AC compressor was dead that it was going to kill my heater and blower as well. I looked at him and said wtf are you talking about? Do you even know how a heater in a car works? They wanted over 2k to replace the air conditioner and I just said f it and did it myself. Ordered all the parts i needed, and replaced it myself in an afternoon. Parts came to something like 660 if I recall?

Dont go to the dealership and expect them to be 100% straight up with you, someone will always try to nickel and dime you (or in this case, buck and grand you)

 

If you were actually "playing ball" like the dealership wanted you to, wouldn't you just take the truck back out of sight for an hour or so then just bring it back without ever doing anything to it? Why actually even do the flush if that's the dishonest way the dealership is run? These are the reasons that the dealerships deserve to get played by people getting warranty stuff done for free when the owner caused the problem to begin with. Because they do it way more often than they ever get played and they do it by default as standard operating procedure and just see if anyone notices then act stupid about it when they get called on it. Fuckin bullshit racket.

 

I actually experianced the oil change issue at my Toyota dealership where I purchased my 2010 Camry and 2011 Tacoma. I do sometimes change my oil and other times take it to the dealer. In this case I decided to change my oil my self before going on a 5000 mile trip. The time before, I allowed the dealer to change the oil and filter. To my surprise, I found the old filter that I changed (non toyota brand)still in the canister, it had about 8000 miles on it and looked pretty bad. I did receive a free oil change,filter and tire rotation with several applogies after my warm and fuzzy conversation with the service writer and service manager.

 

dang only one free oil change? another guy caught on the forums caught them and the service manger gave him 2 years free of oil changes

 

wow. I might have all of you beat.
Went in for my first Toyota Care service today.
I marked my oil filter before I went up there.
Told the service writer that I was there for my first oil change/service. He proceded to tell me that no oil change was included for the 5000mi svc. I showed him on the Toyota Owners website where it says 5000mi.
He calls the Service Manager over and hesays nope its 10k not 5k- I show him the website- he says what website is this? I say its Toyotas. he looks into it further and what do you know it comes up 5k in his little system. He thanks me for bringing it up & to his attention and then makes some BS excuse about a 4cyl Forerunner engine having the 10k interval not 5k like the Tacoma. WTF ever buddy.
So all is good to this point we agree on what should be done and they drive it into the svc bay.
1hr later of sitting outside on a retaining wall (lobby is being renovated), my name is called over the intercom ready for pickup.
No charge at the cashier - she hands me my keys and out I go.
I didnt leave the lot- I just pulled into the sales area, crawled under the truck and what do I see?
My old marked up oil filter. WTF!?
So i go back into the Svc dept. find the Svc Mgr. and began to tell him what was going on. I was frustrated and I did drop the F bomb. I said -"we agreed on what was going to be done today and now you've wasted my fucking time and Its still not done." He says-"Woah woah, Im the one that can help you" I say-"Ok so help"...
He goes and gets the shitbag tech that supposedly did the work. On the way to my truck the Svc Mgr says to me-"did you tell all these people we didnt do your oil change?" I said-"No!, what I told them was if they were getting their oil changed they might want to check to see if the work was actually done."
He looks at me and says-"Thats it. Get off this lot"
I say-"really? I came up here for my service and now your kicking me out of here?"
Then , he steps chest to chest with me and looks at me. I say what the hell are you doing? what are you going to do? hit me?
I turn to head back to my truck and I say - Toyota is about to hear about this.
He says-"Toyota doesnt have anything to do with me."
I say - "Fuck off" and get in my truck to leave and he walks up to my door and says-
"I get off at 6pm if you want come back up here then you fucking pussy"
wow.
I already called Toyota HQ. Filed a complaint & got a case number.
what would you guys do from here?
fuming.....

 

WOW that is what you call a shitty service manager

 

What would I do? My civil side would say video visits to dealerships or at least have a digital voice recorder in your top pocket. Also I'd have the cops show up after you file charges against him for fraudulent business practices and making threats because you called him on it. The people that you warned would make nice witnesses. But more likely than not, my "treat people how they show you they want to be treated" self would be back there at 6 like he invited you to do and shove that non-changed oil filter up his ass.

 

Well Bob, it was pretty slow that day meaning not many people there, and I waited like a good hour till it was done so just figured they did it. Like I said I checked at home, just wish I had checked on their service drive.

 

i come back at six, then I follow him home. then the planning begins.

 

Oh that sucks!! Sorry to hear that, this gets more and more prevalent on this thread. If this many people have had problems out of just the people here on Tacoma World, Just imagine how many people a day are not getting their oil changed.....mind boggling.

Maybe it's some secret durability campaign by toyota to see how durable their engines are!!!!

 

Okay I'm officially freaked out now. I'm marking things from now on and asking to see my old filters and such.

 

Would not be easier just to find somebody (boyfriend, girlfriend, friend with benefits) to do your oil changes [No pun intended]