Going to the Dealer from now on....here is why

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: ethangsmith
Wow, you guys go to some seriously shady, terrible dealers. I work for Lancaster County Motors and I can say we don't do the kind of stuff you guys are talking about. I'm really sad to hear what dealers are doing. We use OEM parts (Unless a customer demands otherwise) and warranty work is only done by trained technicians- not the lube technician. We offer several options of synthetic oil and if there is no aftermarket fluid that is specifically approved for an application, we will only use the OEM fluid. Yes, we're more expensive, but I trust our guys out in our shops to make the repair correctly. It's amazing how often we are getting customers in that took their car to a private shop and the work was done wrong and now we have to correct it. It happens more frequently than you think!


This is how our local Ford dealer is. They even installed an alternator for free for me!

They are also far less expensive than the independent I used to deal with. Who did good work, but took his time doing it.

 

[doitmyself]

I hope all this discussion has helped your decision making, Buster!


My Caravan transmission rebuild last fall was botched by the most reputable (best) independent shop in the area. The Dodge dealer found an electrical problem that several independents couldn't. Go figure.

Being an informed customer is half the battle. Perseverance is required to find excellent mechanics/shops.

 

[01rangerxl]

Dealers are private enterprises and can definitely vary a lot. There are three Ford dealers that I trust to work on my truck. The main thing that all three have in common aside from selling Fords is they have been open since the 1950s. I think that much time weeds out dishonest dealers. A couple years ago when I lived in an apartment I took my truck to one of those dealers for brakes, including new EBC rotors I had bought (originals were done for). On the test drive the ABS light came on...mechanic asked me if the light had ever been on before and I told him no. He found that one of the new rotors had a slightly bent tone ring. He evened the tone ring out and the ABS light has never come back on. A lot of places probably would have told me the rotors were not usable.

My mom has had the opposite experience with her Mazda 3. She bought the car new at one of those Kia Hyundai Mazda Suzuki etc. dealers that has only been open a few years. During the very first oil change at the dealer they left the oil fill cap off. My mom noticed it a couple days later and the only reimbursement offered by the dealer was a new oil fill cap and free oil change. I think they should have extended the warranty on the lubricated parts of the engine since the car was so new, but that was a no go. My mom did contact Mazda corporate about it and they wouldn't extend the warranty either, but did offer $100 towards Mazda accessories. I guess floor mats make up for the possibility of dirt entering a nearly new engine? The car also needed part of the power steering replaced under a recall, so my mom took it to another dealer about 40 miles away. That dealer botched the repair and it had to be redone a short time later. Now that the car is out of warranty it goes to an independent Japanese car mechanic that my mom trusts. That place has been in business longer than any nearby Mazda dealer has and actually has a reputation worth protecting.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: buster
Over the past year I've had some bad experiences from non dealership places.
1. NTB lied about the struts on my car and my wife's car. They also lied and said the power steering fluid was burnt in her car. All of these things I had re-evaluated and it's not true at all.


Chrysler dealer told me that my PT Cruiser's rack and pinion was "leaking".

It never left anything on the garage floor where it is parked and I never had to add any fluid to it....but it was a "bad leak".

I did get a free rack and pinion out of the deal and a loaner car. ( they wouldn't give us a Caliber SRT/4 which I thought would have been an appropriate replacement for a PT-GT but I did get a base GEMA powered Sebring....

meh....)

Then had to take it back to them and got robbed for $87.00 for them to align it correctly....

 

[JOD]

All of your negative experiences are with quick lube/chain places. It's a pretty broad brush with which to paint all non-dealer operations.

My own experiences have been much, much better with privately-owned, independent shops. The indy Volvo guy I used for repairs I didn't want to do/have time to do always gave me the option of OEM, aftermarket, or supplying my own parts. He always gave pretty good explanations as to whether or not the OEM parts should be used--and his prices on OEM stuff was less than the dealer. And I had much for faith in his work, which was much more reasonably priced than the dealer.

There are good shops out there, so I wouldn't lump them all in with chain lube places.

 

[scott37300]

Good luck with that one! My chevy dealer sucks worse then any other place out there. They have messed up two simple oil changes and many other problems with them. I avoid them at all costs. I have learned to do ALL my own maintenance. The only time I take my vehicles to the dealer is for warranty work, and even then I think twice. If it's something simple I will just fix it myself because my dealer sucks so much. I don't trust anyone with my vehicles anymore.

 

[buster]

Originally Posted By: JOD
All of your negative experiences are with quick lube/chain places. It's a pretty broad brush with which to paint all non-dealer operations.

My own experiences have been much, much better with privately-owned, independent shops. The indy Volvo guy I used for repairs I didn't want to do/have time to do always gave me the option of OEM, aftermarket, or supplying my own parts. He always gave pretty good explanations as to whether or not the OEM parts should be used--and his prices on OEM stuff was less than the dealer. And I had much for faith in his work, which was much more reasonably priced than the dealer.

There are good shops out there, so I wouldn't lump them all in with chain lube places.

I think you're right, but the Jiffy Lubes and PepBoys places I will no longer go too. PepBoys is AWFUL. That places is a disaster.

There are many good local, small mechanics. Problem is finding them.

 

[rpn453]

Originally Posted By: buster
4. PepBoys put the wrong size tires on my friend's car, almost causing her to get into an accident.


What's the story behind that one?

I couldn't imagine paying someone else to work on my car, though it's bound to happen someday if I live long enough.

Once, I allowed a shop to remove and balance some wheels for me. They broke a stud with their impact wrenches. I didn't allow them to install a new one, but I made them pay for an OEM Nissan part so I could do it.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: pbm
I avoid the dealer at all costs (except for warranty work) because they are usually very expensive. I know that dealers can have specials on oil changes, AT flushes etc...that are comparable with independent shops but that is not an issue for me since I generally do my own maintenance work. I also avoid the large chains since their 'techs' are usually not the brightest or most knowledgeable, IMO.
It's hard to find a reputable, honest mechanic but if you ask around you will probably find one...


I agree. Example, my dealer charges $250 for oil and filter change for E430, it needs 8.5 quarts M1 0W40. If I buy M1 0W40 at WM and OEM cartridge oil filter online it would cost about $60 for oil and $15 for filter plus $20 labor at my shop. The total is less than 1/2 dealer charges.

Since I bought oil on sale and have a fluid extractor, I can change oil and filter in less than 20-25 minutes for no more than $50.

Minimum cost: Do It Yourself.

 

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted By: hate2work

In many ways dealerships are not much better than those you mentioned. Cheap labor is used for all mundane repairs/fluid changes, aftermarket parts can be used to keep costs down on expensive repairs, mistakes are made and then covered up, etc.






Bingo! You think a certified tech is changing your oil, but it's just the same level of skill as at a Jiffy Lube.

 

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted By: rpn453
Originally Posted By: buster
4. PepBoys put the wrong size tires on my friend's car, almost causing her to get into an accident.


What's the story behind that one?




Yeah, I was wondering the same...

 

[hounddog]

All these places are different. There are good managers and employees at all these places mentioned. Not fair to lump them as good or bad. Chev dealer I use has Corvette specialty techs and great prices. I pay $59.95 for 6 qts of Mobil 1 and a ac delco filter. No its not done by a Corvette tech unless he has other work on the car. But their Quick Lube is a pit on their service drive. For all to watch as their vehicles are being done. Chrysler store near me has two excellant techs, they do total vehicle from trim,electronics and heavy repairs. They are just outrageous on prices which is not the techs issue. I've had oil service done at a Quick lube using my oil and filter. They fell over themselves to be helpful. I had gear oil for my differential. I ask how much to suck my old out and install my new. Heck they did it at no charge! I went back and had them do a cooling system service with a new BG machine. Their price was more then fair. They let me stand and watch them do it. Letter I went back for another oil service and there was a different manager. He was a jerk. Got all bowed up over my own oil and filter.He took all they had done to make me a customer and shot himself in the foot. All these places are independent of each other. Each needs to be judged on their own merits or downfalls.

 

[CharBaby]

All of these reasons are why I do my own work and should I have work done on my vehicles, I am informed enough to know what I want and what the car needs.

 

[exranger06]

My girlfriend bought a used PT Cruiser from a Kia dealership her friend works at. One day driving home the power steering went out. She took it to the Kia dealer she bought it from because the car had a dealer-issued warranty. They replaced the steering rack and they drove it to another shop to get it aligned. My girlfriend went to pick the car up, starts the car and tries to drive off, and there STILL is no power assist! Like I said, the dealer drove the car to a different shop for an alignment after the rack was replaced. How could they have not noticed the car still didn't have power steering?? And they had the nerve to give the car back, claiming it was fixed! And it's not like we just said "replace the steering rack," the dealer was the one who diagnosed the problem! They ended up replacing the PS pump for free, which finally fixed it.

 

[MrCritical]

Quick lube here changed oil and filter on one of our customer's Z06's. Didn't put oil in the sump.

Estimate for new engine installed with tax-$20,000. That's a lot of quick lubes to make up for a screw up.

 

[INDYMAC]

If you can't do the work yourself, the next best thing would be to take it somewhere that allows you to observe the work being done. If those options aren't available, then you have no good options. Sorry, but that's reality.

 

[SLCraig]

If you want something done right you have to do it yourself

Luckily I don't have to deal with any of this [censored]. Would not be pleased if I had to. I don't even like going in for warranty work. Just find it a hassle.

 

[FZ1]

Originally Posted By: buster
Over the past year I've had some bad experiences from non dealership places.

1. NTB lied about the struts on my car and my wife's car. They also lied and said the power steering fluid was burnt in her car. All of these things I had re-evaluated and it's not true at all.

2. Local mechanic told me he was using OEM calipers. Never did. Put cheap calipers on that rusted after 3 months.

3. Friend went to some Iffy Lube place. Filter was loose and leaked oil until engine was bone dry.

4. PepBoys put the wrong size tires on my friend's car, almost causing her to get into an accident.

5. Another quick lube place put the wrong MTF in the Honda.

6. Another quick lube place put in that ATF mix in the Mazda, which technically is not the correct fluid.

I take some responsibility for not checking on these guys, but I shouldn't have too. Back to the dealer and using OEM parts.

In addition, I've found that after market brake pads and rotors are just not as good.

+1. The dealer is always your best shot for the best work. They only have to know 1 brand of car,so they are less likely to mess up. That said,I won't let,anybody,change my plugs. I do those,myself.

 

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted By: FZ1
Originally Posted By: buster
Over the past year I've had some bad experiences from non dealership places.

1. NTB lied about the struts on my car and my wife's car. They also lied and said the power steering fluid was burnt in her car. All of these things I had re-evaluated and it's not true at all.

2. Local mechanic told me he was using OEM calipers. Never did. Put cheap calipers on that rusted after 3 months.

3. Friend went to some Iffy Lube place. Filter was loose and leaked oil until engine was bone dry.

4. PepBoys put the wrong size tires on my friend's car, almost causing her to get into an accident.

5. Another quick lube place put the wrong MTF in the Honda.

6. Another quick lube place put in that ATF mix in the Mazda, which technically is not the correct fluid.

I take some responsibility for not checking on these guys, but I shouldn't have too. Back to the dealer and using OEM parts.

In addition, I've found that after market brake pads and rotors are just not as good.

+1. The dealer is always your best shot for the best work. They only have to know 1 brand of car,so they are less likely to mess up. That said,I won't let,anybody,change my plugs. I do those,myself.


You would think this to be the case, but I can't count how many times I knew more about my vehicle than the dealer! Most of them don't even check for service TSB's before work and 90% of the time the TSB is what is needed.

I trust no one.

 

[FZ1]

Lol,Tex. I understand. But the less variables,the better,so I take my shot with the Honda dealer. Too many variables with the independent shops. Dealer has Express oil changes so I can watch them do that.