I have wanted to have an RX-7 since i was a kid but now that I have my RX-8 I will never by a car from Mazda again. Everytime I go to have something done at the dealer there is always an issue....you name it...wrong oil, no parts, getting different stories, stuff missing from car...

I took my car in for the TSB brake job and they found a nail in the sidewall of my tire when they did the brakes. So they tell me that I need a new tire( 248$) and they have to send me to another garage to have them replace the tire because they don't have to machine to do the work( How do you sell a product and don't have the means to fix it ?!?!?, plus they have to keep the car the whole day.....to fix a damn tire??!?!!?!?

I give up......

 

I think you're confusing your local dealership with Mazda, they are not one and the same. Go to a different dealership.

 

try a new dealership...you are right Mazda has been scolded for having some nasty service places out there...but personally, there are 3 very good ones nearby, of those 3, one is great, and one is outstanding

My family and I have been taking Mazdas to the 'oustanding' dealership since 1982, and never one complaint...always accomodating, great service...the guys there even know me by name...its great. They were even excited for me when I got the 8 (Mazda Millenia S was prior Mazda, great car, we still have it).

Just go shopping...you went shopping for your car right? well go shopping for a service center that treats you right...it should be a given that the service centers should all be great but you'll have to wait as mazda is slowly (and I do mean like a turtle) correcting this

 

oh by the way for my Minnesota RX-8 friends...that 'oustanding' service center is at Morries Mazda (494 and 394 acros the hwy from Best Buy)

 

I'm taking my car to Oak Tree Mazda in San Jose, CA for warranty service (taillight condensation and headlight film) and an oil change on Thursday. Based on all the horror stories I've read here about Mazda service departments, I feel like standing next to the car while the mechanic works on it. I'm fully expecting a scratch on the bumper or the incorrect weight oil or an extra 20 miles on the odometer. I'll let you all know how it goes.

 

Stuaburn.. they are right.. you gotta remember the treat the our cars like they are difficult to work on.. far as rotaries go.. i highly recomend you go to a rotary shop in ya area.. order your parts from mazda but have someone else install them.. unless you goin to do it ya self.. Pineapple racing have good parts as well.. good luck on ya search for a shop..

 

Listen to these people...its the dealer, not Mazda. With any manufacturer its the dealer that makes it of breaks it for people.....not just Mazda. I've had problems in tha past with Dodge dealers. I knoe how it can taint your judgement about a brand.

 

Mazda is awesome, dont let some crappy dealership put a bad name on them. At first i didnt like mazda, but now that the RX8 is here and i own one it is all good. The dealership that i go to is nice, right now they are helping me to just about kill Jiffy Lube for killing my car.

 

I agree with the other posters, and if I'm getting this right, it's your tire this time, not the car. Mazda is not in control of your tires--separate manufacturer and separate warranty. Even the best car dealership service departments are not Wal-Mart super stores. Body work, tires, etc. have to be farmed out by many if not all of them.

 

I have gone to the both dealerships in my area and it is the same **** poor service . I strongly believe that the dealership is a representative of the company and their performance reflects badly on the company. I also indicate that on every Mazda survey that I recieve that I have had less than acceptable service.

In comparison, my wife has a base model 2004 Sentra and each time that she has gone to the dealership for anything it has been an entirely hassle free experience. Even last week when she went in for an oil change & tire rotation, they informed her that it would be a few hours because they were very busy and offered her a loaner car for the inconvenience. But when I went to my dealership for the air bag recall and had to argue for a car even though it was supposed to be availble for this recall and they spent 7 hrs to change my brake pads this weekend.

Now I know the dealerships do different things for their customers and offer different perks( the nissan dealer gave tons of free stuff ,tshirts, glasses, free car washs for life of car and more), but I would like to think since I spent double the amount of money for my car than my wifes that I should get better than half the service.

 

dealers, pfft.. i'm not very impressed with mine either.. I purchase the best car mazda offers and the dealer has no clue what that really means(or how this car works which is even more of a pissoff).. They all drive "demos" and drive the **** out of them, not saying all mazda people but a lot of them. a friend of mine is a ford salesman, and he has to much fun .. But, as everyone states, mazda doesn't dictate how the dealership runs their business..

and since i'm in a pissy mood cuz of no sleep, those damn hooks for your matts? well they didn't put them in my car and now my mats are all screwed up, and they said they would get me these hooks after i questioned them about it (thanks to rx8club.com). However, that was 3 months ago.. If I wasn't in Buenos Aires right now I'd go and bitch at them.. hehe


MrJynx

 

Stauburn...you should post the dealers in the Good Guy/Bad Guy forum to warn others about them

 

I have also been unimpressed with the two dealers I have used in Massachusetts. Overfilled oil, changing my air filter at 15k miles for $65, never clean the car when in for service, charging me $300 when the car flooded, etc. I went to the service department last week to get new wiper blade refills and they didn't have any! The car has been out for over a year and they have never stocked wiper refills. I don't trust the dealers and they do represent Mazda. Mazda needs to do a better job of qualifying the dealerships and forcing them to live up to certain standards. Personally, even though I have the "free" service for 50k miles, I will service the car myself and only bring it to the dealer for warranty work.

 

Of course, hind-sight is always 20-20. Before I bought my 8, I asked other rotary owners about who had the best service dept. and chose them. It's been hassle free up to now. Anything I have asked for, they have done, and did it right, and quickly. It's a little further than the closest dealer, but worth it in my book. Most of it has to do with attitude, and some dealers really don't care, which is sad. Others, who are the only dealer around in a given area sometimes feel like they have a lock on you. Sorry you have a bad taste in your mouth, but find another dealer, then complain direct to Mazda. Don't let this ruin your experience and attitude about the car.

 

The problem is with the individual dealerships. some people are lazy, some are good workers, it;s a crap shoot

 

Well, it looks like this post sat for a while and looked dead, but since someone had to stir the pot... I hate Mazda's service. Not the dealerships... Mazda's. I have been fighting issues with my transmission since August 9th... yes, almost 5 months! The dealership says they can't do anything becuase of the HQ, the HQ says they can't do anything becuase of the District Manager, but neither could get me in touch with her. What kind of service is this? The whole time I have been fighting over a clutch that got replaced, then 5 days later it "exploded". Ya'll know the story... ABUSE!?!? Come on, I was driving it back and forth to work in heavy city traffic. Now I have been making over $500 a month in payments plus over $300 a month in insurance since October 12th and my car has been broke down. They know it wasn't abuse!

Sorry to go off, but I've just been getting pissed about this situation and am ready to get my vehicle back on the road. So far Mazda gets a 5% satisfaction from me. The only reason they get that much is... well, nevermind. I can't even think why I'd give that to them. Ok, everyone have a great New Year!

 

Im in the same boat as youu, 500/month, 250$/month for insurance, and the damn thing floods

 

Dont put the blame on Mazda, they have nothing to do with the fact that you dealer sucks. Move to a new one. That should fix the problem.

 

I hope Mazda keeps tabs on dealers ........ otherwise sucky dealers would be a major reason for Mazda to loose return business in future car sales. The dealers are afterall our primary interface to Mazda.

Anyone in the car business care to elaborate on how manufacturers influence their dealers to keep customers happy?

 

If you have an issue with your dealer....3 things need to happen,

1/ Send a certified letter listing your individual complaints to the GM of the dealership. State facts and be realistic.
2/ CC MNAO on the letter.
3/ Find a new dealer. I know you mentioned you tried bot in your area. Branch out!! Have a little fun on a drive to a dealer further away.

I love steak. I don't blame the cow if it's cooked too much!! :D

Good luck.
- Irish