05TouringRX8

This may get long winded but wanted to get thoughts or even prior experiences, if any.

8 was running pretty rough over the past couple of weeks and CEL had been popping on and off regularly. Last code was a "system too lean". Thought maybe the CAT was going bad from a hectic flood restart a few weeks back so took it to a dealer since the CAT is still under warranty. Talk to the service advisor and described everything and his first reaction was also the CAT. Agreed to leave it and let them check it out.

He calls me later that afternoon and tells me the CAT checks out fine but need a major tune-up - plugs, coils, wires and also a couple of motor mounts are starting to fail. Without any other discussion at that point, he quotes me $578 for the tune-up and $504 for the motor mounts. Then the discussion starts. I tell him I know I could do the tune-up on my own for less than that but I felt bad they had spent a couple of hours checking out the car with nothing to show for it. I then question him about the motor mounts and he says I can wait on those if I want. So, I decide in my own mind that the car is already there (over an hour away), and I want it fixed quick and I don't want any bad feelings by pulling the work from them since this was the 8's first visit to this dealer. Since many major parts are still under warranty, I want a dealer relationship of some sort for now. So, I okay the tune-up and opt out on the engine mounts and ask him for the price on the tune-up one more time before I hang up - still $578.

Different guy calls me the next morning to tell me the car is ready. I ask him for the total and he tells me $928.04. I ask if that includes anything other than plugs, coils, wires, and labor and he says know. Explained to him I was only quoted $578 and "we have a problem". He explains he is only sub'ing for the day and the regular guy will be back on Monday - best to take it up with him. I hang up and call Mazda customer service and explain everything. Mazda calls the dealer and calls me back with the same recommendation - wait until Monday and get it straight with the "regular guy".

So, I call this morning and someone had obviously already filled me in and he had already concocted his own reasoning behind it. Now, before I go any further, I'll say that I believe this guy made an initial honest mistake and simply forgot to add in the cost of the plugs in the quote. But, rather than admit that, he tells me he was confused because he thought I told him I wanted to change the plugs myself but later told him to do it all. I never discussed the plugs by themselves with him. I did pause and consider doing the entire job myself than told him to go ahead. Why would I pay him $578 to change my coils and wires and not have him do the plugs while he is in there. So, he tells me he can't do anything on the parts but will knock $40 off the labor - gee thanks. I calmly and politely end the call and call Mazda back. The same guy makes a call to the dealership and calls me back. He tells me the dealer will take $100 off the bill and Mazda corporate will cover another $100. Much better but I'm still out of pocket an extra $150.

Now, if I was going to have them do the work no matter what, I'd just say "oh well, honest mistake" and pay the whole bill. But if I had been quoted the amount of $928 to do a tune-up, I would never have agreed to have them do ANY of the work. There was never an option in my mind to chop up the work to save a few bucks. Either they do it all, or I do.

So, my wife and daughter are on their way to pick up the car and pay $728 for the tune-up work. I am thinking I should write a letter to the dealership's general manager and service manager and explain all of this and express my disappointment. They may not do a damn thing about it but then again they might.

So, what would you do? Make the best of it and leave well enough alone? Or continue to try to hold them to the quote? Or, have you had a similar experience and were able to resolve it? If so, how?

DocBeech

iTrader: (1)

This is why I never do business over the phone when it comes to things like this. I got a voice recorder from my rewards points a couple years ago after being burned on a clutch. I either have them print out and fax me the quote of the cost including taxes with a signature. I then tell them not a dollar more will be paid over the promised and signed price. Now I do explain to them the call is being recorded for assurance reasons because in Texas its illegal to record a conversation without them being notified.

05TouringRX8

I hear ya but hindsight is 20/20. There was nothing said or confusing at the time that should have required something in writing or to be recorded. Everyone makes mistakes so I'm not trying to hold the guy to any higher standard than myself. But when there are 2 parties in a financial transaction, and a mistake is made, it usually costs someone and that someone should be the person that made the mistake, not the other party. I'm not upset about the mistake itself other than it was the difference between me agreeing to have the work done vs. not. I almost walked away on the lower quote, I have no doubt in my mind I would have for the higher amount. The biggest disappointment to me is that the guy is trying to manipulate what went down to explain the mistake, at my expense, instead of just admitting a mistake was made and accepting the cost for it.

DocBeech

iTrader: (1)

Well if he admits it, the shop actually has to pay for it. They are going to get their money back one of two ways. Firing him, or out of his paycheck. Most service directors work on commission so well you can see his point of view lol. Now maybe all he would get is a write up for all we know, but none the less keep it in mind for the future you know.

05TouringRX8

Well, that would also disappoint me. He should be allowed to make a mistake, on behalf of the company he works for, without it costing him his job or costing him personally. Yes, maybe get written up and if it happens multiple times, then take action. But nobody should have to work under the pressure of not being allowed to ever make a mistake.

He admitted that the quote didn't include the cost of the plugs. But rather than leave it at that, he blamed that on me by saying I told him I would change the plugs myself. That wasn't the case and couldn't have been the case because he gave me the quote before any discussion of me possibly doing any work myself even began.

vX-2

iTrader: (2)

With today's online technology, it's much simpler to do an "online review".

Just go Google map their address, click the "write a review".

Fill in the rest.

It's been believe/ researched that 3/4 customers "research their buying online" b4 purchasing their next car, so giving a thorough review on that dealer should be able to ward off future innocent consumers.

or probably just announced it on Facebook or Tweeter. -social networking power-

And sorry to hear that happened to you.

zoom44

write the letter to the GM.

05TouringRX8

I'd like to give the dealer's higher ups a chance to make this right before trashing them or complaining to other authorities. I suspect the only people that know about this, as of now, are me, the full-time service advisor, the substitute service advisor, and the Mazda customer service rep. The service manager or the GM can't do anything about an issue they know nothing about. I'm probably going to send a letter to those individuals and then see if/how they choose to respond to it before turning this negative.

phrenetiK

iTrader: (6)

I would tell the dude that f***ed up he is welcome to reimburse you with his own money to fix his $150 mistake instead of giving you the correct pricing he first offered..if that would be better for him than the trouble he might get into with his job and if not you are more than happy to write a letter to the GM and fight it all the way because he lied to you.

and if he wouldn't come down I'd do all I could to fight the payment, including going through my credit card company....always pay credit...never ever cash....i always pay off my credit card immediately but it is your best protection in the end.

Jacob6875

They shouldn't be charging you more than what they quoted you on the phone. If they realized that they messed up they should have called u immediately and told you the new price deffinatly not doing the work and telling you it costs $400 more.

When I was getting my Mitsubishi 3000GT's timing belt changed once at the dealer I told them to put in a new water pump as well. (its part of the standard 120k maintenance on the car) When I picked the car up they told me that the water pump looked fine so they didn't replace it. About a week later it broke.... so I went back to the dealer and I made them do it with no labor charge (since I had told them to change it a week earlier). Which is quite a bit of money on this car since you basically have to take the entire engine apart to change it.

Just tell them that you will never be back and will go to a competing dealer for your next car / future maintenance if they dont lower the price to what the quoted you on the phone. If that dosen't work i guess find a new dealer if u can.

05TouringRX8

Okay, to set things straight, I do not feel that he lied to me when giving me the quote. I honestly believe it was a mistake. The difference in the initial quote and the final amount is exactly the cost of the plugs and labor. For whatever reason only he, or perhaps nobody, knows, they weren't added in. He lied today when he said it was because I said I wanted to change the plugs myself. If he hadn't given me the quote until after I talked about whether or not to do the work myself, he might have an argument for, at best, a misunderstanding. But before any discussions had taken place about what work would be done or not done, he had already given me the quotes for parts and labor.

I don't expect him to pay with his job or even out of his own pocket. He works for the dealer and, therefore, is the face and voice of the dealer. The dealer should stand behind this mistake and step up.

Old Rotor

Write the letter.......What tires did you end up with?

05TouringRX8

Haven't bought any tires yet.

Thinking about Hankook Ventus - not sure which model and not sure I can buy them locally. If not, and none last any longer than others, may go with Goodyear GT's.

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

if its me, I will tell them straight up to "take whatever **** you put on my car OFF, and Im going to come and pick the car back up, and don't try to charge me a penny for it cuz you messed it up"

I dont cared if its honest mistake or not, you told me that price, so you either honor it, or **** off. its simple.

Thats of course if I would even let them "fix" my car for 578 bux.

I mean come on, I can get set of plugs for what, 70 bux shipped/pick up. wires for 30 bux, and coils for another 100. 1 hour something of my time can save 200+ bux of labor, ****, I don't see why not.

not trying to say **** but lessons learned, do it yourself next time

Bluerenesis

In my eyes he may have made an honest mistake but turned it into dishonesty. Screw him for not man ing up to his mistake. The dealership could probably care less about a couple hundred dollars but would most likely not help out if they think you will just go away. Go in person and talk to the manager. That way your putting a little pressure on him to make the right decision. Stay away from phonecalls since their not as effective and not as personal. If you know anyone in law, have them come with you. Put that pressure on them while maintaining professionalism and maybe letting customers hear in on the conversation. All summed up, your not going to see your money unless you make them worried that you may exploit them at how they do business. The price like you said does sound right w/o the spark plugs but what a dumb comeback on his part. It doesnt even make sense.

DocBeech

iTrader: (1)

Heres another option for you. Use an advocate. Write to the BBB. The BBB then sends a letter to the GM, they actually send two. The company then has one month to respond to the BBB with a plan to make it right. Who knows it might actually work for you. If they don't correct it the BBB puts a mark on there record that anyone who searches can easily find.

05TouringRX8

To add insult to injury, the CEL just came back on so I went to Advance to have it checked. Getting the same code I was getting before all of this. While I was in there, I had them price a full set of plugs, coils, and wires for me. Parts total - $226.

DocBeech

iTrader: (1)

Ive got more insult for you as well. I just asked someone that was a service director some years ago, and legally you only have to pay the price u were quoted.

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

rofl ?


for dealership's price, the parts quote actually sound pretty good

but ... assume that they're charging 100 bux an hour for labor, they were trying to charge u like what, 6-7 hours of labor to do PLUGS, COILS, and WIRES ?

WOW ...

Bluerenesis

And also engine mounts right???

Bluerenesis

I wonder why the light came on again? Do you think something might be wrong with the CAT??

My car was great till I got laid off and turned into a daily driver a year and a half ago. I swear I have spent about three grand in servicing. Which I think is pretty ironic. Having to go to a less paying job yet having to fork out some bills.

05TouringRX8

Dealer checked CAT out and said it was fine. I think the dealer and service department is pretty good, aside from the service advisor's math skills when quoting. Could be a sensor but there are so many things that can cause this code, it's hard to say. I can say that car now runs as good or better than it did when we got it a year and a half ago and that wasn't the case when we got this code before - it was running like crap. So the dealer did fix that issue with the tune-up. The code was cleared after scanning it and hasn't come back so far and the car has been driven every day since.