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Teh E36 M3
Teh E36 M3 UltraDork
1/16/23 6:29 p.m.

Hahaha. Man. I'd never think of that. Survey yes- main thing- do these hurt the little guys at all? I'd really hate for a $25/hr shop guy get screwed because I wrote a bad review- thrust is I don't know how far these things trickle down. 

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
1/16/23 6:35 p.m.

You're not gonna be able to hurt the dealership owner in a way that he'll notice. You could make a public fuss in the showroom on a busy Saturday, but basically, you got your truck and you're done.

Best thing you can do is keep telling your story to anyone looking for a Dodge.

Ranger50
Ranger50 MegaDork
1/16/23 6:36 p.m.

In reply to Teh E36 M3 :

Phuck em. They put in deep and broke it off. They deserve it because whoever the stupid service manager "said so".

CJ
CJ GRM+ Memberand Dork
1/16/23 6:54 p.m.

Dodge tends to do this E36 M3.  Dad had a Ram that was in the shop more than he drove it.  They had it in the shop *again* to fix broken manifold bolts and said they were going to do a recall on the intake manifold while it was there. 

Long story, they ended up pinching the wiring harness between the intake and the block and screwed up the fuel lines.  Got in the truck to come see me and was 1/2 hour away and came to a road construction traffic stop.  Dad said the flagers eyes were big as saucers and he started waving frantically.  The truck had burning fuel pouring out the bottom.  Dad got mom and the dog out and watched the truck burn to the ground.  Melted all the aluminum off the engine.  Melted the glass headlights.  Went to the dealer - "Not our problem".  Went to Chrysler and got the same story.  Sued, got a judgement, and had the Marshal do till taps until the dealer decided they had better pay.

What the idiots hadn't counted on was that dad was a cop.  He told all his cop buddies what had happened and they told their buddies.

The dealer was out of business a little more than a year later. 

Sounds like these guys need the same treatment.

 

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
1/16/23 7:02 p.m.

I've told my Dodge story a few times, but basically a took them a year to do a safety recall on the steering ("Don't worry, it'll probably just break in a parking lot and not when you're at 19,000 lbs GVW doing 80 mph") and they flat out lied to me multiple times in the process. The manager asked to me stop pressuring the service manager so much for things like details and commitments, because she was just a go-between and I was making her feel bad. Well, Grand Junction Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, you won't let me deal directly with the manufacturer, I have to go through a dealer. This is the result, I hold you responsible because you took my money.

paddygarcia
paddygarcia GRM+ Memberand Reader
1/16/23 7:05 p.m.
Keith Tanner said:

Glad that's sorted out!

From a customer service standpoint, an apology goes SO FAR. But it's a lesson that very few people/companies seem to learn.

Truly, and especially in the auto industry.  Years ago when I worked for the People's Car Company I ran an experiment to pre-order online. No one else wanted to deal with any problems so I put my phone # in the dealer materials. We screwed some things up, as expected, and a dealer called me, hot to chew someone out. He pretty much stopped dead when I said "you're right and I'm sorry about that."

In 20+ years dealing with the OEM he'd never heard that. It wasn't hard to say. We fixed up the problem. But I doubt it changed much.

Floating Doc (Forum Supporter)
Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand UltimaDork
1/16/23 7:38 p.m.

1. This belonged on the front page, no need to apologize. I'm glad it's over.

2. Board complaint? Absolutely! Best way to get this to be a problem for management, probably even the owner.

OHSCrifle
OHSCrifle GRM+ Memberand UltraDork
1/16/23 7:48 p.m.

Hennessy and Crown seem to be birds of a feather. 
 

What a E36 M3 show. Glad you were able to get it resolved. 

Mr_Asa
Mr_Asa UltimaDork
1/16/23 7:57 p.m.
Keith Tanner said:

Glad that's sorted out!

From a customer service standpoint, an apology goes SO FAR. But it's a lesson that very few people/companies seem to learn.

Biggest thing I learned at the hell that was Pep Boys' Service Dept, be honest, simple, and direct with the customer.  Anything other than that and you're begging for bullE36 M3.

Mr_Asa
Mr_Asa UltimaDork
1/16/23 7:59 p.m.
Teh E36 M3 said:

Hahaha. Man. I'd never think of that. Survey yes- main thing- do these hurt the little guys at all? I'd really hate for a $25/hr shop guy get screwed because I wrote a bad review- thrust is I don't know how far these things trickle down. 

They look at Google reviews and all the rest.  Maybe not the service manager, but someone does.

Olemiss540
Olemiss540 HalfDork
1/16/23 8:29 p.m.

Post a video on tikeytockey. Pray it goes viral.

Post a link here once complete so we can share your heartburn with our own Chrysler stories.

Do it.

AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter)
AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) UberDork
1/16/23 8:31 p.m.
Datsun310Guy said:

In reply to Teh E36 M3 :

No, no, no - a small pebble or BB under the valve stem cap - tighten just enough.  Do all 4 tires.  He'll get the message....

Schrader valve tool.  Remove all 4 and tape them to the windshield.  It really lets people know how much you like them and they can't do much except whine profusely.

bearmtnmartin (Forum Supporter)
bearmtnmartin (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand UltraDork
1/16/23 8:56 p.m.

I had a similar and equally infuriating situation a few years ago with a heavy truck. It needed work at a shop that I did not have an account at, but  the service manager knew me well and I had had work done in the past there. They decided they could not do the repair and suggested another shop that I could take the truck to. It was at that point a three hour drive away from me so I offered to settle up with a credit card over the phone. The service manager took my card information down and said I was good to go. The bill was pretty small. I sent a heavy tandem axle tow truck in to collect my truck and deliver it to a different shop. They let him back in and hook up to the truck but when he went to leave the branch manager saw the truck leaving and ran and shut the big overhead door down on top of the tow truck so he was stuck half in and half out. They said that that's where the truck would remain until the bill was paid by me in person. The driver of the tow truck was not very happy to say the least. I called again and explained that I've been given permission by the service manager to take my truck, but the branch manager overruled him and said that the bill had to be paid before the truck can go. So I tried again to convince him to use my card information that they already had so the tow truck could get rolling, but they declined to accept it over the phone so I had to drive the three plus hours to hand them my credit card and pay the bill plus the 3-hour standby time for the tandem axle tow truck . I wanted to burn that place and I never went back.

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter)
Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
1/16/23 9:58 p.m.

For future reference, they can absolutely keep the vehicle until it is paid in full.  Every state is different, but they all have a mechanic lien process.  In TX for instance, if I have a signed repair order giving me permission to do the work and they don't pay, I could file a lien after 30 days for $55 and get a title in the shop's name in a few weeks.  I can then sell it, burn it, enter it in a demo derby, whatever I want.  It's my car.

 

Mndsm
Mndsm MegaDork
1/16/23 10:40 p.m.
OHSCrifle said:

Hennessy and Crown seem to be birds of a feather. 
 

What a E36 M3 show. Glad you were able to get it resolved. 

I was just about to ask if op was around the time Hennessey Honda of Woodstock sucked a fattie fixing poopshovels fit and they hit the front page of google due to our shenanigans. 

Teh E36 M3
Teh E36 M3 UltraDork
1/16/23 10:46 p.m.

@bearmtn- that is berkeleyed and would piss me off to an enormous level. I'm sorry man. 
 

@curtis- also- I am sure that mechanics are on the losing end of the rules most of the time and for that I am sorry. I'm sure there are plenty of people who try to take advantage of them. That said- I'm not and wasn't ever that guy- my understanding of the mechanics lien was an acknowledgement that they don't own the vehicle but they own a part of it having done a repair and can place the lien as a last resort for non payment so the dilbag who stole their labor can't re register or sell the thing without payment. But in the meantime it's not held hostage.  
 

I think I'm wrong now but I wish I wasn't. 

Teh E36 M3
Teh E36 M3 UltraDork
1/17/23 12:04 a.m.
Mndsm said:
OHSCrifle said:

Hennessy and Crown seem to be birds of a feather. 
 

What a E36 M3 show. Glad you were able to get it resolved. 

I was just about to ask if op was around the time Hennessey Honda of Woodstock sucked a fattie fixing poopshovels fit and they hit the front page of google due to our shenanigans. 

I was there when Hennessy Honda failed big time. I'm sure poop got it worse than me, but it doesn't feel good. 

Byrneon27
Byrneon27 Reader
1/17/23 8:08 a.m.

If you sign/agree to an RO you become liable for payment, can a shop "keep" your car, not exactly at least not here. I can't legally hold a vehicle, when people refuse to pay and your ducks are in line you call the police, an officer will generally politely explain that while they can take their car they won't be leaving in it but in the back of a patrol car due to theft of services, the tune usually changes shortly thereafter. If you abandon your car ie never come to pick it up and there is a bill the business can file for a mechanics lien 

 

Yes the estimate and wait time was probably excessive, literally everything in automobile repair currently is this way. 

 

You cannot do anything that hurts the dealer principal, your bad review/survey will be pinned on the mechanic and service advisor, management at bad dealerships never suffers. 

Ranger50
Ranger50 MegaDork
1/17/23 8:32 a.m.
Byrneon27 said:

You cannot do anything that hurts the dealer principal, your bad review/survey will be pinned on the mechanic and service advisor, management at bad dealerships never suffers. 

But they are willing accomplices to the act. So they are on the roasting hook yet and still. I'd personally ask for all the parts back. Why? Becuase berkeley em. Normally they have to provide you ALL those parts back unless there is a core needed. And if they can't there is a clause they themselves are on the hook for some kind of repercussion, but I do not know what it is anymore. I feel a dishonest tech "stole" parts to fix someone else's E36 M3box at your expense.

I also disagree on management never suffering. You get called into the office/woodshed if you get too many black marks.

RevRico
RevRico GRM+ Memberand UltimaDork
1/17/23 10:03 a.m.

Aimed at OP, but good advice someone. Get a call recording app for just such things. Don't make a single phone call without turning it on, and expressing explicitly that the call is being recorded for your records. 

Turn the he said she said game into "isn't this your voice consenting to be recorded and then detailing everything?"

AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter)
AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
1/17/23 11:03 a.m.
Teh E36 M3 said:

Sure- so parts get ordered, Chrysler Amanda emails me saying they remitted the $8k payment to the dealer on 20 Dec.. Finally get the call that it was finished on Friday- verified with my service advisor that I owed $2400, as it came in a little cheaper with the labor. ...

So he gets there after dropping off his rental car, and they say, ok, your bill is $10,400.  ...

I need closure on this.  Was the dealer simply going to bank the $8k in customer care bucks and horse-berkeley you for the total?  Did the dealer clear that up internally, or did Amanda from Corporate have to straighten them out?

codrus (Forum Supporter)
codrus (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
1/17/23 11:29 a.m.
RevRico said:

Aimed at OP, but good advice someone. Get a call recording app for just such things. Don't make a single phone call without turning it on, and expressing explicitly that the call is being recorded for your records. 

Turn the he said she said game into "isn't this your voice consenting to be recorded and then detailing everything?"

Just make sure that you get that consent on the recording.  Some states only require one party's consent for a recording to be legal, others require both and without it you might be in violation of wiretapping laws.

 

bobzilla
bobzilla MegaDork
1/17/23 11:57 a.m.
Pete. (l33t FS) said:

Ecodiesel?

Run away quick!

 

This. All of this. 

RevRico
RevRico GRM+ Memberand UltimaDork
1/17/23 12:18 p.m.

In reply to codrus (Forum Supporter) :

Oh I'm very aware. Wiretap laws are bullE36 M3. If you stand outside and record your neighbor screaming obscenities at your house all night, you get yelled at by (useless and ignorant) Pennsylvania State police for violating wiretap laws. 

California is a One party consent state. If they say they don't want to be recorded then demand all communications be done over email or text or registered letter. Paper trail is king these days, because nobody wants to admit to being wrong or ever have the buck stop with them. 

I won't talk to my ISP, any of my banks, or anything "official" without recording the call on my end, even if they're "recording this conversation for quality and training purposes" because I've had too many of those internal recordings magically disappear when someone got caught up trying to pull a fast one. 

Shadeux
Shadeux GRM+ Memberand Dork
1/17/23 12:49 p.m.

In reply to RevRico :

"Oh I'm very aware. Wiretap laws are bullE36 M3. If you stand outside and record your neighbor screaming obscenities at your house all night, you get yelled at by (useless and ignorant) Pennsylvania State police for violating wiretap laws. "

That sounds awfully specific.

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