AlexCisneros

I have an 04 Mazda 6spd, bought in 03. Lately the car was having rough idle issues and would turn off at times while at idle.

I took the car in thinking the coil or the spark plugs were bad. Dealer claims that the trailing plug wire was disconnected.

ok, that's weird.

I dropped the car off again yesterday for the SAME problem. and the dealer calls me today to tell me the engine needs to be replaced.

Problem is the "tech line" has denied the replacement under warranty. I only have ~35,500 miles on the car. When asked why, the answer was because you show in the computer as not ever doing an oil change.

The next step was to call the customer service number to "plead my case".

Their response was either furnish proof of oil changes or go buy a new engine.

I do my own oil changes every 2,000 miles to save money. Once in a blue moon or when the temps reach over 90, I'll have a pro shop do it. I don't keep the receipts of the oil changes or the oil and filter purchases... I just don't keep receipts.

that's 17 oil changes over the span of almost 4 years! I'm being penalized for not getting my oil changed at a Mazda dealer or not keeping 4 years worth of receipts!

Has this happened to anyone else, and what ended up happening?

mysql101

yeah, if you don't have a shop do it where you can ask them to print out receipts, you really need to keep a copy for your own records... receipts are also useful when you sell your car, as you can show a trail of maintenance on the car.

shazbot28

iTrader: (2)

alex, do you go buy your oil filter regularly at a certain place? If you do and it's like a AutoZone, they should be able to pull up your whole buy history.

zoom44

you pay with credit card? get your CC/bank statements out.

konradk

wow. this is the dumbest possible thing i have ever heard of. ever.

where do they hire these people who come up with strange and wonderful ways to stiff customers on warranties???

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

Oh for cH***T sakes...this is so bullshit.....go get them Alex!

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

If you're doing your own maintenance work and want to maintain your warranty then the receipts must be kept as proof. Believe it or not there are people out there who don't maintain their vehicles properly and then expect the manufacturer to pony up. Manufacturers are in the business to make money, not pay for other people's mistakes. That's why the service information is published in the OM. Mazda is not the bad guy for asking to see maintenance records under this scenario

I'm not doubting your word at all, but Mazda doesn't know you from Adam ...

if you didn't believe in keeping receipts before you probably will now. It's a hard lesson to learn, I've been there ...

AlexCisneros

according to the customer service rep I spoke to, the receipts to the oil and filter purchases "may" help. There is no definite yes or no.

The rep went on to say that "Just because you bought the oil, how do we know you changed it". Again, it appears that doing your own oil changes to save money will end up costing you more.

Great message Mazda is putting out there. Buy are cars, but if you don't spend your money with us don't come crying when our poorly R&D'd engines fail.

I don't think I'll ever be buying another Mazda after this treatment. Tomorrow I'll tell the Dealer its a no on the CX9 I was going to buy.

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

Damn that suck.

Seriously if one day they pull this **** on me, I will just go ahead and make a big fuss about it. call Media up, interview me and I will just take the media to Junk yard, cuz I am just going to crush my car. Sure I will lost all the money I've spent on my car. but I guess it will hurt Mazda alot more than my money's worth.

Then I will use my money to go with somewhere else.

I understand is a business, but have they ever wonder why Toyota being so successful ? Their customer base is like X times larger than Mazda, Im sure they have way more ********** than Mazda has. They still honor warranty most of the time, unless its really obvious ones. and just like what Alex said, it depends on who but if the *tech line* rep is an *******, he can pull whatever BS he has, just to **** you off. What do they mean by *Just because you bought the oil, how do we know you changed it?* ? Does that mean I brought all the engine oil for my dinner or something ? Whoever said that crap should be fired and ban from being an Rep for life.

Maybe Mazda should learn something from Toyota.

Spin9k

I feel for you Alex, and Mazda is an idiot (or a bunch of them) for bothering to try and stiff you for this. I'd sue um. I decided like many decades ago that crawling under a car to change my own oil, figure out what to do w/the waste and clean up aftwards was far and away not worth the $30 or less it costs to have any shop do it, less with coupons. Also I learned it is wise to save each and every receipt for everything I buy not matter how inconsequential. You just never know. Really, the world if a phucked up place and if you can't document each any every thing that has consequences, you can easily get the short end of any stick you might try and grab onto.

Detrich

man, that sucks...

even if u produced step-by-step DIY pix w/ dates on them they'd still say, "hey, that doesn't look like u in the pix" -or- "how do we know that's even your car?"

there are a million and one excuses they could use. and, it sounds like they are just being a-holes and don't want to pay for it. if they had any conscience or cared anything about their reputation, at least they'd offer u something, like split the bill with u or what not- instead of telling u to f off outright.

every one of these type of posts just lowers my respect for mazda as a car company...

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

Where did you buy your filters...I get mine at the dealer for just that reason......They have documented receipts from when I buy the filters. They always laugh at the #'s that I go through...

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

Well I dont keep my receipt

So if they ever pull this kind of **** up on me. I will do what I've said above.

I mean it.

jeffe19007

I have been getting my filters at Mazda too. Maybe that will be my saving grace.

Just in case, maybe I will keep the empty bottles.

My receipts are spotty at best.

There has to be a way to get around this. Maybe have your spouse take the car another dealer. They won't expect her to have receipts... (I know, a little sexism there, but use it if it helps!).

MyRXdrug

look in your manual. Something about not needing to follow the guidelines they have set in there for your warranty to be valid. Hope that helps.

MyRXdrug

ah you beat me to it!

MyRXdrug

what does 'emissions warranty' mean?

ps1726

They cannot deny warranty coverage by that reason, they have to prove that the damage was caused by lack of oil changes, and not by the well known issues of inssuficient oil injection by the OMP, as seen with the previous PCM flashes. Get a lawyer.

olddragger

iTrader: (3)

print up some bogus receipts. ******** everywhere. Doesnt Mazda have to prove that because the oil wasnt changed is what caused the problem? It is like saying Ok you didnt change your air filter --so your transmission problem is not covered.
olddragger

swiftnet

I feel for you but I also can see Mazda's side. If you sell something that is known to require maintenance, you need some proof that this maintenance is being done. There are people who don't ever do any maintenance, my sister is one of them. One day her check engine light came on with me in the car. I told her to pull into a gas station. I checked the oil, none on the stick. Radiator 1/2 empty. Asked her last time the oil was changed, answer...NEVER! The car was over two years old!!! I asked what was she thinking, her answer - it's under warranty for 3 years...She is a dumbass.

G-ReX

Since it specifies your 'emission warranty', that would be the catalytic converter, not the engine.

My dealer specifically told me to document the oil changes and save the receipts if I do them myself. I get my filter & washers there and keep the dates on a spreadsheet. If the store can print the receipts for oil and filters, I'll bet Mazda will back off.

scats

I totally agree. Not to be dishonest, but fabricating receipts is easy.

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

Mazda cannot just *assume* the customer did not change their oil and deny warranty.

I would like to know how will Mazda prove that u've *never* change your oil.

But we have the facts that there were engine failures because Mazda didnt program their thing right.

Its time to raise your voice !

swoope

iTrader: (5)

http://www.finishlineperformance.com...res_recall.pdf

did you ever have this recall done alex?

that is you issue.. if you had it done and it still shows signs it is in the flow chart that they have to replace the motor.. read through it...

as to the oil change fight. i think they will lose that one. this is a known issue, lack of oil is the problem not lack of changes..

good luck.

beers

RoXanneBlack8

it doesnt have to be done at MAZDA, they need proof u had the car maintained. dont blame mazda for covering their own *** for the OTHER dumbasses who tried to stiff them in the past.....weve gotten compalinst of hard starts and the engine is fried and the damn oil pan is BONE ******* DRY.

did mazda warrnaty that engine? hell no. screw the ppl who dont take care of their car. they deserve it. in ur case, its a shame but u have no proof u did those oil changes so how should ANYONE kno ud di them? by YOUR word? haha!

u go buy an evo and do ur own oil changes and if the motor pops w/in warranty good luck gettim them to pay for it when u have not a single record of an oil change. let alone a 30k service.....mitsu is out on racetracks writtin down VINS and license plates so they can *** **** the guy when he comes in for a blown fuse......mazda pratically sponsors kids to race their cars.....give me a break man, its not just mazda.....any company will say that bc its being smart and knowing when customers are tryin to swing one past u.....

and we do not have a "poorly R&D'd engine" there was more money pumped into the renesis than u can dream of and it is not normally the engines fault for failure, most espeically not at 35k miles. if it was a poorly R&D engine, they ALL would fail at a similar time.....since this is obviously not the case.....start the finger pointin. 35k is early for a REW let alone a MSP, so chill out.