Omicron

New sticky thread, simply to give us all a reference for which service departments are to be avoided.

Perhaps Mazda, who is definitely monitoring these forums, will apply some pressure to clean up their act. After all, they definitely have a vested interest... Mazda has a whole bunch of VERY compelling products now, but poor dealers and the word of mouth they carry can undo a lot of this.

THREAD RULES:

• KISS: Keep it Short & Simple. This is NOT a thread for you to vent. Unnecessary commentary will be deleted.
• No rambling discussions, I want to keep this thread short enough that it is easy to search. Again, unnecessary commentary will be deleted. If you want to add that you have had the same or different experiences with a particular dealership mentioned, feel free, but remember KISS.
• Off topic discussions or thread hijacks will be deleted.
• Questions about this thread? PM me... do NOT post them here.

Clear enough? Have at it then... this should be useful info. :D

Omicron

I'll start.

Mazda of Longmont, Colorado: NEGATIVE. Transparently lied to us about what cars were available in order to try to sell us what was on the lot. Service dept also has a bad rep locally for dishonesty. Have never been back.

loco4rx8

Flow Mazda, Charlottesville, Virginia: NEGATIVE. Didn't buy from them, only take car there for service. Takes forever to get parts in, and they refuse to follow up with you. Still waiting on new oil pan/sensor (6 weeks). Had to give them the correct part number for a replacement wheel - they couldn't find it.


EDITED:
Update: Well, today I finally got the oil pan replaced, over two months later. But I wanted to also mention they did the "M" flash for me today with no questions asked, so I did appreciate that.

Hou-TX-RX-8

Houston, TX Jeff Haas Mazda.. Neutral. They still haven't fixed my squeaking rear brakes.

Update 4/23/04

I think Jeff Haas has finaly come around. I brought the service bulitin in for the M flash and told them the brakes are still freakin squeaking. I brought in the car Thursday they kept it over night. THey flashed to M they replaced all pads, gave me a free oil changed (I asked for one, didn't expect to get it free) and vola everything is working AOK. No squeal either. So for now I am giving a Thumbs Up

tpryor

Jeff Haas, Houston - NEGATIVE - they are more interested in what they "think" you want as opposed to taking care of the customer. Could not order a car the day they were available - didn't have the information.

Genom

Gunther Mazda in Ft. Luaderdale: NEGATIVE. I drove out to them (45 minutes each way) twice to test drive cars that they told me on the phone they had, only to give me some BS when I was actually there. Bunch of LIERS that are lucky enough to be friendly.

musclecarconvrt

Nelson Mazda Tennesee, Neutral. I scheduled an appointment for today to have the airbag, trans damper heat shield, and the all important "M" flash. Service rep said all could be done over the phone. Got there (135 mile round trip!) and he didn't have anybody who could do the "M" flash and tried to tell me it wouldn't improve anything.

SL01

Classic Mazda South (Orlando) - Negative

Taking my RX-8 here for service was one of the most aggravating experiences in recent history.

The dealership itself is disorganized and charges a 'dealership fee'. I've taken my business elsewhere.

--SL01

RotaryJeff

Sullivan Watts Mazda, Ocala FL, SALES: NEGATIVE
Went in with all my price research and told them exactly what I wanted. Was met by two 21-year old junior sales associates (Beavis & Butt Head), and all they did was hassle me. No adult supervision present. Would not negotiate in good faith. NOT RECOMMENDED.

Drive 40 miles up the road to Gainsville if you want to be treated fairly.
(Click Here to see the difference)

Jeff

Rock-8

Burdick Mazda, Mattydale, NY. NEGATIVE: I've brought the car back twice now for the check oil light and they still havn't fixed it and just now decided to order a new oil pan. I told the about the "M reflash" TSB and they told me I had the most up to date, however they couldn't tell me if it was "M" or "L" or which I had.. And lastly when I showed them the "whirrring sound" that goes away when you depress the clutch the mechanic said "well thats definitly not normal" however when I went to pick the car up, he told me that it WAS normal and that Mazda had issued a bulletin telling them to do nothing about it for now....

D MENAC 7

Green Mazda, Lincoln, Mercury in Springfield, IL...BAD! Lied to me about every aspect of the car except the color and that it was a Mazda RX-8. Legal action pending.

However...Service has been good, decent time turnarounds, didn't even blink when I asked fo rhe L flash. Cannot complain there...yet.

Air Force RX8

Five Star Mazda Macon, GA (SALES) NEGATIVE The sales manager tried to bully me into taking the DEMO at sticker with over 500 miles and significant body/interior flaws. He did not believe I would walk away and I did, but to make matters worse they continued to submit my credit app after I told them to shred it.

pcldletter

Ira mazda of Danvers ma..... sales are horrible, if it wasn't for the product, I would never have gotten the car.

Aratinga

I've dealt with the following three service departments:

CLAREMONT MAZDA, Claremont CA: NEGATIVE

Cannot seem to accomodate "while you wait" appointments for even the simplest services (pulling a code on a CEL, oil changes). Everything seems to require that the car be dropped off and left all day long, and the next available appointment is always several days in the future.

ANAHEIM MAZDA, Anaheim CA: NEGATIVE

Accomodates while you wait appointments, but refuses to use the specified grade of oil (5W20) for the RX-8. Doesn't even carry that weight of oil.

WEST COVINA MAZDA, West Covina CA: Was POSITIVE, but is currently NEGATIVE

Positive: They accomodate while you wait appointments, they use the correct weight oil, gave no hassle about doing the PCM reflash, and they'll even wash your car for free. Negative: I called several days in advance for an appointment for the recall work to be done, I took a day off work to bring it in, waited over two hours, and then was told that "We have to order the parts. We can't do the recall work until the parts come in." SO WHY DIDN'T THEY ORDER THE PARTS KNOWING THE CAR WAS COMING IN FOR THE RECALL WORK??

Edit: It has now been one whole week since they told me they were ordering the parts, and they still have not called to tell me they're in. This is ridiculous. If Mazda sent out recall letters, don't you think they'd have an adequate stock of the parts required to do the recall work? I have no patience for incompetence.

Chrisbert

Moss Robertson - Gainesville GA.
Service - Negative. Took car in for scheduled appointment to have oil pan TSB done. They lied to me about the repair time and took 3 days to do a 2 hour job. Said their Mazda Master Mechanic was unsure about how to do the work. Yikes!

emailists

Manhattan Mazda (Manhattan Auto group)- NEGATIVE

WHo knows - maybe they are overworked, but I have been dealing with them on and off for years (with my ford probe)
and they just don't seem to listen. (nor are they accomodating, have loaner cars, whai U wait appointments, etc)

Aside from breaking my glovebox damper and not telling me about it- they wanted me to leave me car for a day just to ID the broken part- then need it another day to fix. They had no idea about doing the "L" flash even though I gave them the TSB- "not available from Mazda" they said.

They replaced my cd unit with MP3 unit- didn't give me the CD player back- it's mine it was 3 weeks old - why shouldn't I get it back? Now they cant find it. AFter giving them the part #, they Said they would order glovebox damper, when I called to schedule appointment- they said they forgot to order it.

Also why did it take 2 days to install my mp3 player and airbag recall when I had an appointment set up in advance and all parts were there waiting? My salesman said the paperwork was the problem, proving I actually paid for the MP3 player when I bought the car. "redtape " he called it. They are owned and opperated by Ford I believe. They are one sad organization, but the only dealer in Manhattan. I bought from them but wish I didn't. (reason: they had the car I wanted and were bargaining since it was winter- normally very high priced) I have real horror stories about my Probe GT in thier service dept.

(also the only way they would give me first oil change for free -even thought at sale they said they would- was for me to bring them the un filled out dealer survey and let THEM fill it out- which I didn't)

BARK

Dave Wood Mazda, Newmarket, Ontario - INCOMPETENT.

Service tech used 5 litres (>5 qts) for a routine oil change.

Cheers

Zedcaster

SIgnature Mazda - Richmond BC (Vancouver) Indifferent
Bought car - tank half empty
Down 3 liters of oil

Previous oil change - they claim to have overfilled oil causing airbox to get contaminated -don't buy it..why would oil be so far down??
Installed new floor mats without bracket - even after special ordering same
Jury's still out, but...so far not impressed.

Zedcaster

Signature Mazda - Richmond BC (Vancouver) Indifferent
Bought car - tank half empty
Down 3 liters of oil

Previous oil change - they claim to have overfilled oil causing airbox to get contaminated -don't buy it..why would oil be so far down??
Installed new floor mats without bracket - even after special ordering same
Jury's still out, but...so far not impressed.

doccable

Sales: Spradley-Barr, again. Negative. They were not cooperative, unwlling to work with me. I would avoid at all cost.

NAVILESRX8

iTrader: (1)

Champion Mazda in Brockton, MA

Replaced diff in my car
Work was good, fixed the car, but they just came accross as not giving a f*** about me or my car. Twice made appointments ahead of time and when I showed up I was given the run around and had to reschedule. So after 2 weeks of the initial diagnosis the car was repaired.

So they get a nuetral rating from me. I only used them because they are a block away from where I work and live.

rx8miami

Potamkin Mazda, Miami Fl.
Sales Department- Major Possitive No b.s. and straight to the point negotiation. Left happy as heck
Servie Department-Major Negative The worst service department you have ever been to. Extremely unproffessional and uncooperative.

rx8miami

Potamkin Mazda, Miami Fl.
Servie Department-Major Negative The worst service department you have ever been to. Extremely unproffessional and uncooperative.

DOMINION

Courtesy Mazda
Las Vegas, Nevada
BAD
See clicky->CLICKY!

MEGAREDS

Rosen Mazda, Waukegan Illiinois: Negative. Sales people were pushy - they ordered the only Touring Pkg in my color and trim to their dealership while I waited for them to "check local inventory," then announced I had to deal with them because they had the only car in the area that met my criteria. I upgraded to the GT and bought somewhere else - I'm not going back.

Liberty Mazda, Libertyville Illinois: Neutral. Sales guys were excellent, but service department always seems to want to charge for things that everyone else on this forum gets under warranty - like flooding repair or ECU upgrades. They did a nice job on air-bag recall, though -- no broken glove box and not a mark... hey, did they really do the recall work?