Can Mazda charge me for this???!?!
01-03-2007, 02:06 PM
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Murr14
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Can Mazda charge me for this???!?!
Hey everyone,
I've had a 2004 Lightning yellow RX8 since May 06. I love the car but mannnn the service at my dealership is ridiculous. Listen to this...
I wanted to store my car for the winter (Nova Scotia, Canada). I had it in heated storage for a week, went in to start it and it wouldn't start. Towed it to the dealership (Steele Mazda, Portland St, Dartmouth, NS). They told me it was ignition coils and wiring that needed to be replaced. They also said it was covered under my warranty, or service package or something that had been switched over to my name from the previous owner. Anyway, 2 weeks since they told me that i called to see if the car was ready, they said it was up on the hoist. Two more weeks later, still not having heard from Mazda i called them back today. A guy in their service department told me that the ignition coils were replaced and that was covered under warrenty (saved me about 500$, sweet....but) now he tells me the sparkplug wiring wasn't covered and that cost me about 80$, annnnd it needed a new air filter or something which cost something like 260$. They did all the work without telling me what i'd have to pay. They say that they tried to get a hold of me but the fact of the matter is that they didn't. I had no missed calls from them on my cell phone and no messages on the answering machine. But they did the work and are now flipping me the bill. I said i didn't tell them to do the work that would cost me all that money. The shop guy said that they needed to do it to move it out of the bay. I said they could've just pushed it out, i mean, come on, it was pushed in. Anyway, the shop guy got all agitated and told me 'The fact of the matter is we needed to do the work to move the car, if you have a problem take it up with the Service Manager! *CLICK*"....HE HUNG UP ON ME!!! professional or what???
Anyway, this is my first real post i think. This site rocks, I was just looking for your opinions on this. Thanks!
Murr
PS - i called back and spoke with the General Manager about this. He said he's going to look into it and get back to me shortly. I don't think i should have to pay for work i never knew needed to be done to the car and was done without my knowledge.
I've had a 2004 Lightning yellow RX8 since May 06. I love the car but mannnn the service at my dealership is ridiculous. Listen to this...
I wanted to store my car for the winter (Nova Scotia, Canada). I had it in heated storage for a week, went in to start it and it wouldn't start. Towed it to the dealership (Steele Mazda, Portland St, Dartmouth, NS). They told me it was ignition coils and wiring that needed to be replaced. They also said it was covered under my warranty, or service package or something that had been switched over to my name from the previous owner. Anyway, 2 weeks since they told me that i called to see if the car was ready, they said it was up on the hoist. Two more weeks later, still not having heard from Mazda i called them back today. A guy in their service department told me that the ignition coils were replaced and that was covered under warrenty (saved me about 500$, sweet....but) now he tells me the sparkplug wiring wasn't covered and that cost me about 80$, annnnd it needed a new air filter or something which cost something like 260$. They did all the work without telling me what i'd have to pay. They say that they tried to get a hold of me but the fact of the matter is that they didn't. I had no missed calls from them on my cell phone and no messages on the answering machine. But they did the work and are now flipping me the bill. I said i didn't tell them to do the work that would cost me all that money. The shop guy said that they needed to do it to move it out of the bay. I said they could've just pushed it out, i mean, come on, it was pushed in. Anyway, the shop guy got all agitated and told me 'The fact of the matter is we needed to do the work to move the car, if you have a problem take it up with the Service Manager! *CLICK*"....HE HUNG UP ON ME!!! professional or what???
Anyway, this is my first real post i think. This site rocks, I was just looking for your opinions on this. Thanks!
Murr
PS - i called back and spoke with the General Manager about this. He said he's going to look into it and get back to me shortly. I don't think i should have to pay for work i never knew needed to be done to the car and was done without my knowledge.
01-03-2007, 02:15 PM
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Murr14
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260$ for an Air something...i'm not very car savvy and the service guy hung up on me before i could verify the details. but in the end they're trying to charge me for close to 400$.
01-03-2007, 03:47 PM
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^Ditto in the states they can't start work with out your Ok! Regardless if they couldnt get ahold of you they should of took the car down and parked it till you got back to them.
01-03-2007, 04:19 PM
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Basically, if you don't authorise the work, they can't bill you for it.
Tell them to take all of the parts off that you didn't ask for and see what they say. You didn't ask for them, so you don't have to pay for them if you don't take them.
The funny thing is, my girlfriend and her MazdaSpeed Protege in to the same dealership (Steele in Dartmouth, I was wondering why I saw your car there for so long) and they tried the same thing on her.
She was getting water in the trunk, the indicated it should be covered under her extended warranty. They put some sealant on a seam, and tried to charge her $130 without calling to check with her first.
She argued with them for 10 mins saying she didn't ask them to do it, could have done that her self if she'd know it wasn't covered, and it certainly wasn't worth that much money. She took her keys and walked out without paying them a cent.
I've had other cases where they have done things on my car that I specifically told them not to do.
They already hate me at that dealership (and I know all of them, so feel free to contact me if you need to run the situation past somebody and want to know what to say to who.)
*Edits:
1) Do you remember who you were talking to that hung up on you? Was it Danny or Ralph?
2) On a slight tangent, if your car was away for the winter, why were you trying to start it anyway? You know that's BAD, right?
Tell them to take all of the parts off that you didn't ask for and see what they say. You didn't ask for them, so you don't have to pay for them if you don't take them.
The funny thing is, my girlfriend and her MazdaSpeed Protege in to the same dealership (Steele in Dartmouth, I was wondering why I saw your car there for so long) and they tried the same thing on her.
She was getting water in the trunk, the indicated it should be covered under her extended warranty. They put some sealant on a seam, and tried to charge her $130 without calling to check with her first.
She argued with them for 10 mins saying she didn't ask them to do it, could have done that her self if she'd know it wasn't covered, and it certainly wasn't worth that much money. She took her keys and walked out without paying them a cent.
I've had other cases where they have done things on my car that I specifically told them not to do.
They already hate me at that dealership (and I know all of them, so feel free to contact me if you need to run the situation past somebody and want to know what to say to who.)
*Edits:
1) Do you remember who you were talking to that hung up on you? Was it Danny or Ralph?
2) On a slight tangent, if your car was away for the winter, why were you trying to start it anyway? You know that's BAD, right?
Last edited by Redshift; 01-03-2007 at 05:54 PM.
01-03-2007, 04:25 PM
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Oh, and on a side note, in the spring we're going to start taking all of our cars to Mills Mazda in Truro. It's further, but so be it, and they have a really good tech there.
Plus, I have a used (but low km) stock airfilter in a box in my garage if you need one.
Do call Mazda Canada as well. My girlfriend and I have both expressed our issues with this dealership to them and she is trying to spread the word.
Plus, I have a used (but low km) stock airfilter in a box in my garage if you need one.
Do call Mazda Canada as well. My girlfriend and I have both expressed our issues with this dealership to them and she is trying to spread the word.
01-03-2007, 04:52 PM
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Hey there.
I'm Redshift's girlfriend with the Mazdaspeed Protege who has had nightmares with that dealership, including being charged for something I didn't approve.
Take my word for this: Do not pay a cent for this. I went in to find a $128 bill that I never approved, for work they never even completed (they didn't even drain the water), and I just told them flat out that I wasn't paying the bill, and outlined the reasons why.
a) I never approved it
b) It was a defect in the body of the car causing my water leak
c) I could have caulked it myself for a hell of a lot less than $128.
d) They left the water in my trunk
When they were like "No extended warranty in the world covers water leaks" I was like "This is my first extended warranty. How am I supposed to know this when you don't tell me when I say 'I assume it's under warranty' while booking it in, and wasn't told otherwise until after the work was done".
It ended up them going "well, I don't know what to tell you."
and then me going "Well, I don't know what to tell you, because I'm not paying the bill. It's not my problem that you guys never got my approval and that you had taken it all apart and fixed it before finding out it wasn't covered."
They ended up giving me my keys and I walked out without paying a cent.
If a bill shows up in the mail, it will be forwarded on to Mazda Canada along with a nice little note to tell them every problem that I've had with the dealership, from the time of purchasing my car from them in July until now. And there are many many problems --
- Screwed up appointments (not knowing how long a job takes, and booking me in an evening appointment, making me leave the car overnight unexpectantly)
- A sales guy and business manager who were useless and had no follow-up skills, or ability to call me back after I left repeated messages, then tried to delay delivery of the car
- A CD deck that took 7 weeks to replace because they slacked on ordering it, originally telling me it would be 4 weeks, then a tech who took my dash completely apart to put it in when it just slides out with the right tool
- The water leak saga
- Lack of follow-up and status updates on repairs and ordering of replacement parts
- Lack of telling me there was an extended warranty, then trying to sell me one
- A parts department that gave me two different prices on my cargo net, one twice as much as the other (obviously I bought it for the cheaper price) and told me that touch up paint for my car didn't exist, when Mills Mazda was able to order it for me.
Anyway, they suffer from general imcompetence, from the Sales and Business departments, to the Service department, and sometimes parts (although I have a good contact there now because a friend started working there).
On top of that, they talked about us to our friend behind our backs, and did everything but call Redshift an ******* (though they implied it), and they think I'm a mega bitch. I honestly don't care.
I'm Redshift's girlfriend with the Mazdaspeed Protege who has had nightmares with that dealership, including being charged for something I didn't approve.
Take my word for this: Do not pay a cent for this. I went in to find a $128 bill that I never approved, for work they never even completed (they didn't even drain the water), and I just told them flat out that I wasn't paying the bill, and outlined the reasons why.
a) I never approved it
b) It was a defect in the body of the car causing my water leak
c) I could have caulked it myself for a hell of a lot less than $128.
d) They left the water in my trunk
When they were like "No extended warranty in the world covers water leaks" I was like "This is my first extended warranty. How am I supposed to know this when you don't tell me when I say 'I assume it's under warranty' while booking it in, and wasn't told otherwise until after the work was done".
It ended up them going "well, I don't know what to tell you."
and then me going "Well, I don't know what to tell you, because I'm not paying the bill. It's not my problem that you guys never got my approval and that you had taken it all apart and fixed it before finding out it wasn't covered."
They ended up giving me my keys and I walked out without paying a cent.
If a bill shows up in the mail, it will be forwarded on to Mazda Canada along with a nice little note to tell them every problem that I've had with the dealership, from the time of purchasing my car from them in July until now. And there are many many problems --
- Screwed up appointments (not knowing how long a job takes, and booking me in an evening appointment, making me leave the car overnight unexpectantly)
- A sales guy and business manager who were useless and had no follow-up skills, or ability to call me back after I left repeated messages, then tried to delay delivery of the car
- A CD deck that took 7 weeks to replace because they slacked on ordering it, originally telling me it would be 4 weeks, then a tech who took my dash completely apart to put it in when it just slides out with the right tool
- The water leak saga
- Lack of follow-up and status updates on repairs and ordering of replacement parts
- Lack of telling me there was an extended warranty, then trying to sell me one
- A parts department that gave me two different prices on my cargo net, one twice as much as the other (obviously I bought it for the cheaper price) and told me that touch up paint for my car didn't exist, when Mills Mazda was able to order it for me.
Anyway, they suffer from general imcompetence, from the Sales and Business departments, to the Service department, and sometimes parts (although I have a good contact there now because a friend started working there).
On top of that, they talked about us to our friend behind our backs, and did everything but call Redshift an ******* (though they implied it), and they think I'm a mega bitch. I honestly don't care.
01-03-2007, 08:00 PM
#10
Guns, God, and Country
I would like to see them charge me without my approval. I would bitch slap someone if they did anything to my car without approval let alone them try and bill me for it. The service manager at my dealer found out real quick how serious a guy I can be when I overheard a porter bragging about ******* some dudes MS6. Even though it was not my car I was pissed. I told that manager and the punk kid porter straight up that if I ever saw that porter in my car I would put my foot in his ***. The manager just looked at me like
The porter just kind of slinked off into the corner. I wish I knew who owned that MS6.
The porter just kind of slinked off into the corner. I wish I knew who owned that MS6.
01-03-2007, 10:35 PM
#11
Your air filter has nothing to do with bad coils.
Sounds like they did the typical replae part and see if car works strategy. Umm... must not be the A/F ratio after .
Let's see... How about checking the electrical system next.
Or you got Had........ They trying to make money.
Plug wires won't fail because you had bad coils. You'd have to be driving for a long time with bad coils before you affect them. But since wires are related to the igintion sytem your gonna get stuck paying for them.
Sounds like they did the typical replae part and see if car works strategy. Umm... must not be the A/F ratio after .
Let's see... How about checking the electrical system next.
Or you got Had........ They trying to make money.
Plug wires won't fail because you had bad coils. You'd have to be driving for a long time with bad coils before you affect them. But since wires are related to the igintion sytem your gonna get stuck paying for them.
01-03-2007, 11:23 PM
#12
Registered
Check on your local consumer laws.
Where I live, a shop has to give you a quote and get your approval before proceding with any work.
I once got a free distributor cap and rotor for my Honda when a dealer service department couldn't get it started. I was getting about $500 of other work done, so it wasn't a big loss for them (or that big a freebie for me), and they were toeing the line on the local laws. They didn't even suggest that I pay. Very classy. (FWIW, Rosenthal Honda at Tyson's Corner VA, but they've changed ownership since then.)
Ken
Where I live, a shop has to give you a quote and get your approval before proceding with any work.
I once got a free distributor cap and rotor for my Honda when a dealer service department couldn't get it started. I was getting about $500 of other work done, so it wasn't a big loss for them (or that big a freebie for me), and they were toeing the line on the local laws. They didn't even suggest that I pay. Very classy. (FWIW, Rosenthal Honda at Tyson's Corner VA, but they've changed ownership since then.)
Ken
01-03-2007, 11:24 PM
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Murr14
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hey, me again, update:
i called the General Manager of Steele Mazda in Dartmouth, Keith McNeil. Told him i was billed for work i didn't approve. explained the situation. and told him i was hung up on rudely and without confirming any details. He told me he'd look into it and get back to me. He did, and after looking into it he is going to take care of the costs....and to be 'nice' he is putting in a upgraded starter or something. he said they're supposed to do it for 'no starts' with floodings...but this wasn't a flood but he was 'really nice' and did it anyway. so i guess it ended well for me.
but yeah, they are pretty bad there...they told me they'd fix the break squek in august. but they had to order the pads first...i called a month later and they had forgot to order them, so they took another month, then the work took forever and they didn't updsate me on when it'd be finished. got the work finally done and the breaks still squeked to this day.
i called the General Manager of Steele Mazda in Dartmouth, Keith McNeil. Told him i was billed for work i didn't approve. explained the situation. and told him i was hung up on rudely and without confirming any details. He told me he'd look into it and get back to me. He did, and after looking into it he is going to take care of the costs....and to be 'nice' he is putting in a upgraded starter or something. he said they're supposed to do it for 'no starts' with floodings...but this wasn't a flood but he was 'really nice' and did it anyway. so i guess it ended well for me.
but yeah, they are pretty bad there...they told me they'd fix the break squek in august. but they had to order the pads first...i called a month later and they had forgot to order them, so they took another month, then the work took forever and they didn't updsate me on when it'd be finished. got the work finally done and the breaks still squeked to this day.
01-03-2007, 11:40 PM
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we should start our own dealer rating/surveying here on the forum .. forget the surveys that go to mazda .. once they see less and less customers coming by they'll find a way to get some sense in their heads
im going to 3 different dealers around here and they're all pretty good .. but everyone of them has different pricing schedules for different kind of work .. so its good to know .. one (outside of the 3) wanted to charge me 240 or 280 for swapping tires couple years back .. thats the last time i dealt with them
im going to 3 different dealers around here and they're all pretty good .. but everyone of them has different pricing schedules for different kind of work .. so its good to know .. one (outside of the 3) wanted to charge me 240 or 280 for swapping tires couple years back .. thats the last time i dealt with them
01-04-2007, 01:29 AM
#15
Originally Posted by Murr14
but yeah, they are pretty bad there...they told me they'd fix the break squek in august. but they had to order the pads first...i called a month later and they had forgot to order them, so they took another month, then the work took forever and they didn't updsate me on when it'd be finished. got the work finally done and the breaks still squeked to this day.
01-04-2007, 05:51 AM
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Originally Posted by Murr14
.and to be 'nice' he is putting in a upgraded starter or something. he said they're supposed to do it for 'no starts' with floodings...but this wasn't a flood but he was 'really nice' and did it anyway. so i guess it ended well for me.
01-04-2007, 07:13 AM
#18
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Murr14: It's good to see Keith reacted, and it will hopefully let him know what Jason and the boys out back are up to, but I'm not too hopeful.
Your car came in with the first batch of RX-8s into Canada. It was delivered on the same truck as my pre-order car. (If your car is the one I think it is.) So, your VIN is in the range for the starter replacement TSB.
You can read it here:
http://pdfdl.oceighty.net/pdf2html.p...48-06-1691.pdf
Basically, they are doing something they should be doing anyway, but better to get it done. Also, find out if they will be replacing the spark plugs as per the TSB as well. The plugs are worth about $250 or so as well, and you are supposed to have the new heat-range plugs along with the starter.
Hopefully you'll get your car back soon. But, do repeat after me: "Once I get my car back, and put it back into storage and winterize it, I will NOT start it again until I take it out in the Spring. Periodically starting my car over the winter just to start it is BAD."
A couple of other tips.
1) If you need parts, just call Mills in Truro. A friend of mine works in the parts department at Steele (been a friend of mine for years, just started at Steele), and "his price" on a few parts I've checked is higher than the person phoning Mills out of the blue and asking for one.
2) If you need or anybody you know needs to buy another car, I know the manager at Kentville Mazda. Great guy, a car guy, and he takes care of people.
*edit to add link
Bookmark this site, and learn it.
http://www.finishlineperformance.com...ins_index.html
Your car came in with the first batch of RX-8s into Canada. It was delivered on the same truck as my pre-order car. (If your car is the one I think it is.) So, your VIN is in the range for the starter replacement TSB.
You can read it here:
http://pdfdl.oceighty.net/pdf2html.p...48-06-1691.pdf
Basically, they are doing something they should be doing anyway, but better to get it done. Also, find out if they will be replacing the spark plugs as per the TSB as well. The plugs are worth about $250 or so as well, and you are supposed to have the new heat-range plugs along with the starter.
Hopefully you'll get your car back soon. But, do repeat after me: "Once I get my car back, and put it back into storage and winterize it, I will NOT start it again until I take it out in the Spring. Periodically starting my car over the winter just to start it is BAD."
A couple of other tips.
1) If you need parts, just call Mills in Truro. A friend of mine works in the parts department at Steele (been a friend of mine for years, just started at Steele), and "his price" on a few parts I've checked is higher than the person phoning Mills out of the blue and asking for one.
2) If you need or anybody you know needs to buy another car, I know the manager at Kentville Mazda. Great guy, a car guy, and he takes care of people.
*edit to add link
Bookmark this site, and learn it.
http://www.finishlineperformance.com...ins_index.html
01-04-2007, 07:22 AM
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Originally Posted by Redshift
2) If you need or anybody you know needs to buy another car, I know the manager at Kentville Mazda. Great guy, a car guy, and he takes care of people.
01-04-2007, 07:37 AM
#20
Originally Posted by ToySport
They're supposed to upgrade that starter anyway as per a technical service bulletin to prevent problems in the future with no starts and flooding. Redshift had it done a while back by going in, showing them the bulletin and asking them to do it.
01-04-2007, 07:42 AM
#21
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Originally Posted by alnielsen
Yes, that was a TSB. Not a recall. Only recalls are suppose to be done. TSB's are only required if there is a actual problem described in the TSB.
01-04-2007, 08:08 AM
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Originally Posted by CTrx8
thank you, i was just about to reply the same thing.
As a side note, from conversations with Jason at Steele, I think they've ended up doing this TSB on pretty much every RX-8 they sold within that VIN range.
01-04-2007, 08:54 AM
#23
**** that ****.
First of all the coil cost what 25 each ? I dont see how its going to cost 500 in the first place (they're telling u BS about that)
and there is NO freaking reason that they can just do this and that to your car that cost money without your permission. Unless you signed something when you drop your car off.
If its me I wouldnt pay them ****
First of all the coil cost what 25 each ? I dont see how its going to cost 500 in the first place (they're telling u BS about that)
and there is NO freaking reason that they can just do this and that to your car that cost money without your permission. Unless you signed something when you drop your car off.
If its me I wouldnt pay them ****
01-04-2007, 10:18 AM
#24
Finding a good dealership who does correct work is worth any amount of driving. I drive about an hour when i could go to 2 different dealers in that distance. I went threw 2 different dealers before finding one i really like. One wouldn't return my phone calls and tell me when parts were going to be in. The other one treated me like dirt when i bought the car so i didn't want to go there. Plus i heard some horror stories from a few friends who own an rx7, an mx5 and a mazda 6. So make sure you check up on dealers here or with people you know before you take your car there even if it is for warranty work.
01-04-2007, 11:11 AM
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The nearest good dealership for service is over an hour away (Mills Mazda, Truro, NS). That's where I would suggest he go if he can. Ironically, it's a very small, small town dealership.
The two large dealerships in the city are terrible and useless.
The two large dealerships in the city are terrible and useless.