To hell with Potamkin Mazda, Miami FL
 

Do not buy, sell to, service at, or even walk on the lot of Potamkin Mazda on Bird Rd.

I took my 8 in with loose PPF bolt to get one replaced and one tightened (i had originally thought it was the motor mounts). They refused to cover it under warrenty, and wanted to charge me 1 1/2 hours labor to tighten two fing bolts. I told them to take my car off the lift and Id pick it up after work today. Theyre still charging me for 1 hour labor for putting the car on the lift, since the issue wont be covered by warrenty. $132 for them to give the shaft.

In addition to that bulls--t, the asshat at the service counter (Raul) promised me that if I hadnt come by for my car by the time service close he would leave me keys up front at sales with my bill. Well, sure enough, he didnt. I got a ride out there for nothing this afternoon, and Im SOL for a ride to work tomorrow morning because of this dickhead.

I had heard horrible things about them from many people in the past, so it was my own stupid ass fault for taking my car there, but its only 5 minutes away from my house, and then next dealer is in Ft.Lauderdale. I now have my own story to add to the library of people who have been screwedover by potamkin mazda.

Just letting everyone know the runors are true... Potamkin mazda sucks big time. Do yourself a favor and stay far away from them.

Those Ppl Are A Rip Off And Bad Service. The Only Thing I've Bought From Them Is A Filter For My 8

Dude I could have told you that!! This is why i drive ALLLLL the way to Gunther for service on my 8. It's a little drive but i trust them!

Good luck.

I couldve told you that, wait i already did, I told you the story on how I got my 8. I go to Lehman Mazda, they are really quick and really helpful. The only thing Potamkin Mazda is good for is getting a free test drive from them.

i had bad experience at lehman

i go to gunther, very nice there on sales and svc.

how about ocean Mazda, they relocated near international mall.

I had an awsome experience at lehman cause they had just changed management and staffing when I bought my 8


And as for ocean mazda, i never get service there when I go, not one sales man goes to greet me to see if i need any help. It's almost as if they dont need to make any money so they arent interested in selling any cars.

[QUOTE=Gotian;2045816]I had an awsome experience at lehman cause they had just changed management and staffing when I bought my 8

QUOTE]

i went back in june...very disorganized...

sales...i might as well walked in with shoe box ful of money and a sign that says I WANT TO BUY A CAR!!!!!!!!!!! 2 guys saw me pull up in a mazda...and saw me walk in and out the small ass show room 3 times, and walked around the lot for 10 mins with no one responding...they continued thier conversation and cigarettes.

service, i asked for help with a part and the jerk behind the counter lectured me on how important it is to have the part number when asking for parts...then told me the part didnt exist..then took 2 phone calls while i was talking with him while his team mate who was next to him continued to eat his popeyes chicken. i just ended walking out...omg you didnt want to see his reaction when i asked if he can find out what services was done on my car...i might as well have asked if he could do a one handed hand stand.

That's where I bought my 8. At Potamkin Mazda. I also got my oil change there about a month ago.. I don't know about you guys, but all I've had is good experience.. lol..
I remember the first time I walked in.. About 5 people came out and welcomed me in.. Nice people.

Oh and they also give me discounts on 8 parts..

Bought my car at Potamkin as well. Good sales experience. I don't service my car at the dealer, so I wouldn't know what the service dept. is like. Had an OK experience with a recall issue (only time the car has ever been left there).

i guess its hit or miss to have a good experience then which IMO is not good enough. i went to world for on several occasions with friends who were getting service done or checkin out rides and id say 9/10 times i left satisfied with the service. when the edge 1st came out i went to check it out, and although they wouldnt let me test it they were very apologetic and gave a good reason why but she did sit inside of it with me and showed me the features of the suv, and offered me a pepsi. thats service.

well i use to go at lehman mazda to oil change and servise stuff there is a guy his name is Alex he's to nice and helpfull he's one of the advaisors i had a good experience because this guy,as well the mecanics those guy's talk to you explain you what is going on with your car and try to help you up even if u r out of warrenty other wise the manager in an assol, big pain in the ass and he pretend to be nice and then when u turn back he get u a finger by the ass so if u wanna have good experience and no body scrow you talk to this guy,they chganged the manager so thing's get's diferent's and about potamkin i get some parts there because they give u 20% off no one else do that i mean dellers ,other of the reason that i go to lehman are taht they cover u everything under warrenty u have no idea how many stuff i had changed on my 8 and everything one's again under warrenty i never payed a dollar so (SoFL_RX8)dude my advise is try lehman with the stuff that u have on ur 8 u will get it under warrenty

^HOLY CRAP DUDE!!! That was tough to read. Wow.

wtf.. :Drooling_

I wonder if that was harder to write than it was to read. Punctuation is your friend.

I go to Ocean Mazda not but not overly impressed with there service just happens they are really close to my job.

As far as Gunther I bought my car there and got *UCKED like a 3 dollar crack whore who got paid with a 5 and didnt return the change. In a nutshell when I purchased my 8 I wanted a GT with navigation. They allegedly performed a search in the state of Florida for RX8's with factory nav and found none.

They then told me the factory nav could be installed at the Dealership for roughly 3 grand but we could work something out when the time came, so it wasn't a real issue or so I thought. So content with that I go ahead with the purchase of a brand spanking new Ocho and drive off a happy little sucker.


Roughly a month and half latter I decide to go to Ocean Mazda for an oil change as its close to my job. When there a light bulb goes off in my head, I'm thinking Ocean Mazda is close to my job and I got a bonus check for a few grand coming from work, I'll let them install the factory nav.

So I walk over to the service supervisor armed with my bright idea about having the factory nav installed. After telling him my idea he's looking at me like I have a penis for nose that dripping semen (sorry for the disturbing visual). After he composes himself he tells me that the factory nav can't be installed at the dealership and even if it could the just the labor to do it would be like 10 grand.

Now I'm thinking no way my buddy Chris at Gunther lied to me (but doubt is starting to creeping in :(). I decide to give Mazda corporate a call just to see if there were actually RX8 with nav in Florida when I purchased my car. To my horror they send me an email with about 10 RX8's in Florida with nav at the time I purchased mine ( I called a few dealers and some were indeead still available and were available when I purchased mine)

Okay I'll wrap it up its getting long, I go back to Gunther armed with my email from Mazda corporate and my newly found info that the factory Nav can not be installed at the dealership. I have a sit down with Chris (sales person) and his manager can't remember the pricks name (it may have been prick) and was basically told piss off sucker you didn’t get it in writing, enjoy your lesson learned.

I can't comment on the service department at Gunther I was so disgusted with the incident I never been back there.

Don't get me wrong I enjoy my little gas guzzler especially after putting in a carpc and sweet stereo system. But pretty much every Mazda dealership and mazda corporate can kiss my entire &SSHOLE preferably starting a the base of my nut sack.


Sorry for the rant and thanks for the heads up about Potamkin

Let me see if I can fix this abortiion of a post.....

Let me be the first to say I pray you are 8 years old. If this is how you would normally type something I weep for the future of this country. :Eyecrazy: :Eyecrazy: :Eyecrazy: :Eyecrazy: :Eyecrazy:

That sucks, sorry to hear that. But yeah, in the future... We have a saying where I work. If it isn't in writing, it didn't happen.:icon_no2:

Have you had any other estimates on cost from other stealerships? I was toying with the idea and the ones here in Cali say they can do it. Didn't quote a price though, said they'd "have to run the estimate with our service manager". I just asked in passing so I didn't follow up.

I figured it out.. I'm thinking it's some guy who doesn't really know how to speak/write english well. Just check all his posts.. It's all good I guess. An 8 owner is an 8 owner.

I did a little research just factory navigation parts are 3 grand and the labor would be sick expensive. If you look arournd 1 member on the forum actually put in the factory nav himself had to pretty much take apart the entire car to do so you can see it here.

In the end I ended up putting in a CarPC myself which worked out much better got Nav, Bluetooth and huge mp3 library, you can check it out here.... 05 RX8 done

Yeah I saw that, VERY complex. Anyway, don't want to hijack this thread. Thanks for the info!

wanted to give more props to gunther...i got my tranny serviced there on tuesday and installed a flywheel and clutch...price was a lil higher than what i saw elsewhere (630 bux for work plus 59 for differential fluid change), over priced but i feel very confidnent the job was done well...a good 1st impression is a good sign whether or not a job will be done well and after meeting mike the assistant svc mgr i knew i would have no worries.

i got a courtesy rental for the day, and since i wasnt able to make it back before closing i called his cell and he told me to keep the car another day on him.

my package was missing flywheel bolts, and he said he installed mazdaspeed bolts since he said he felt uncomfortable putting regular bolts in, there was no charge listed on my invoice for it (not sure if he really did put mazdaspeed bolts tho, im hoping he did since he said he would)

they wraped my interior in plastic and my trunk in plastic (since i asked to keep old parts)...one thing i cant stand is when some oily greasy mechanic sits in my car with no protection.

courtesy car wash

courtesy vehicle inspection

mike called today to ask how i liked the car now and we had a lil BS conversation for a few minutes...nice to see even after ive finished spending money someone still had interest in me lol.

stealerships are the last place i like to go to get work done, but i do like the rare feeling of being taken care of properly instead of the horrible feeling of being shafted.

only issue was the cashier was kinda unpleasant but w/e


oh yea the gunther vw dealership next door is nice too, i test drove the GTi and its not a bad lil car, i jus cant go back to fwd tho but for a hot rod compact its a very nice car.

^Magik, If you notice on the Service Invoice they gave you they have coupons on the bottom of it.. they come in handy when you need work done! I suggest you keep it around.

i didnt notice it but i will check it out:)

not sure wat else ill have done there, i wana do my suspension but i dont have time to sit and do it my self and since its not as technical as a tranny job im more willing to go outside the stealership to get it done...ahh ill see...im sure the coupons are more for likr tune ups and oil changes and stuff right?

I advise you guys to post your complaints on the Better Business Bureau website. It'll make thousands of people aware of the problems in these dealerships. http://www.bbb.org/