Comments on: Rant: The Dealer’s Mechanics are Messing with My Truck http://www.cleverdude.com/content/rant-the-dealers-mechanics-are-messing-with-my-truck/ Family, Marriage, Finances & Life Sat, 11 Feb 2012 13:09:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: annonymous http://www.cleverdude.com/content/rant-the-dealers-mechanics-are-messing-with-my-truck/comment-page-1/#comment-104920 annonymous Mon, 21 Mar 2011 03:07:27 +0000 http://www.cleverdude.com/content/rant-the-dealers-mechanics-are-messing-with-my-truck/#comment-104920 As a technician I am suprised at the disappearance of the gum. That is just not justified. As for the a/c,radio, other electronic items,accessories. Our shop requires us to do a checklist of these things. Because of customers who have broken components prior to bringing their vehicle to get service then try to claim we broke them to get it fixed for free. Happens every week and this is how we are able to protect ourselves from being blamed for the damage. Just the same I/we dont go through customers personal stuff. But as part of our checklist we check the operation of the audio equipment as in make sure the cd changer works or not thats a item that is usually claimed to be "broken" and by using our checklist we can cover our butts and keep everyone honest. I for one have had to put 5-10 miles on a vehicle to duplicate a customers complaint ie, brakes, steering, noises. You think that because you pay high prices to dealership or service center that, that means you get a quality technician and that is not always the case either there are some out there that shouldnt touch customers property. And as a technician we only see a small portion of what you are paying to the business we are eeking out a living the owner of the business is the one getting most of your money. And im not saying that is a excuse to chew your gum its just something to think about before you go jump on the manager about a cd being left playing when you dropped off your car and they didnt turn it off when they did a road test or let it set and run while doing diagnostics. Because who do you think is gonna get balled out for a probably honest oversight. I always remember who treats me bad when I work on their vehicle and admittedly I could care less if I work on their car again. Especially when I did nothing wrong. As a technician I am suprised at the disappearance of the gum. That is just not justified. As for the a/c,radio, other electronic items,accessories. Our shop requires us to do a checklist of these things. Because of customers who have broken components prior to bringing their vehicle to get service then try to claim we broke them to get it fixed for free. Happens every week and this is how we are able to protect ourselves from being blamed for the damage. Just the same I/we dont go through customers personal stuff. But as part of our checklist we check the operation of the audio equipment as in make sure the cd changer works or not thats a item that is usually claimed to be “broken” and by using our checklist we can cover our butts and keep everyone honest. I for one have had to put 5-10 miles on a vehicle to duplicate a customers complaint ie, brakes, steering, noises. You think that because you pay high prices to dealership or service center that, that means you get a quality technician and that is not always the case either there are some out there that shouldnt touch customers property. And as a technician we only see a small portion of what you are paying to the business we are eeking out a living the owner of the business is the one getting most of your money. And im not saying that is a excuse to chew your gum its just something to think about before you go jump on the manager about a cd being left playing when you dropped off your car and they didnt turn it off when they did a road test or let it set and run while doing diagnostics. Because who do you think is gonna get balled out for a probably honest oversight. I always remember who treats me bad when I work on their vehicle and admittedly I could care less if I work on their car again. Especially when I did nothing wrong.

]]> By: Clever Dude http://www.cleverdude.com/content/rant-the-dealers-mechanics-are-messing-with-my-truck/comment-page-1/#comment-16586 Clever Dude Fri, 21 Dec 2007 13:08:29 +0000 http://www.cleverdude.com/content/rant-the-dealers-mechanics-are-messing-with-my-truck/#comment-16586 Guiness, I understand all the potentials, but my truck's service light wasn't on, I didn't bring it in to check the A/C, and the transmission wasn't replaced. And yes, I'm not ruling out the porters. They're kinda shady looking. However, they seem to be busy enough to not have enough time to drive around. Plus they're not given the keys by the service techs until it's time to pick it up for the customer and bring it to the front door. Guiness, I understand all the potentials, but my truck’s service light wasn’t on, I didn’t bring it in to check the A/C, and the transmission wasn’t replaced.

And yes, I’m not ruling out the porters. They’re kinda shady looking. However, they seem to be busy enough to not have enough time to drive around. Plus they’re not given the keys by the service techs until it’s time to pick it up for the customer and bring it to the front door.

]]> By: Guiness810 http://www.cleverdude.com/content/rant-the-dealers-mechanics-are-messing-with-my-truck/comment-page-1/#comment-16565 Guiness810 Fri, 21 Dec 2007 06:43:00 +0000 http://www.cleverdude.com/content/rant-the-dealers-mechanics-are-messing-with-my-truck/#comment-16565 The reason why they probably left your a/c is because it is required of them to check the a/c properly operates, yes even in cold weather. The reason your trip odometer was possibly reset was they press that button for resetting your maintenance light and have to toggle through to get to that function and sometimes accidentily reset your trip. Sometimes the cars are driven in excess of 10 miles if something like a transmission is replaced or there is a intermittant noise or engine concern that needs to be driven over a period of time, not mileage. There are porters who actually park and retrieve the vehicles, so it very well may have been them who were messing with the radio, gum. The reason why they probably left your a/c is because it is required of them to check the a/c properly operates, yes even in cold weather. The reason your trip odometer was possibly reset was they press that button for resetting your maintenance light and have to toggle through to get to that function and sometimes accidentily reset your trip. Sometimes the cars are driven in excess of 10 miles if something like a transmission is replaced or there is a intermittant noise or engine concern that needs to be driven over a period of time, not mileage. There are porters who actually park and retrieve the vehicles, so it very well may have been them who were messing with the radio, gum.

]]> By: Michael http://www.cleverdude.com/content/rant-the-dealers-mechanics-are-messing-with-my-truck/comment-page-1/#comment-16238 Michael Thu, 13 Dec 2007 14:30:45 +0000 http://www.cleverdude.com/content/rant-the-dealers-mechanics-are-messing-with-my-truck/#comment-16238 If you want to get some results, escalate the issues to Honda's regional customer service. Also, I am surprised you did not get a survey from Honda to rate the quality of the service at the dealership. If you go elsewhere you will only take a few dollars away from them. They don't care. If you get Honda corporate involved and threaten their service ratings, you will get results. If you want to get some results, escalate the issues to Honda’s regional customer service.

Also, I am surprised you did not get a survey from Honda to rate the quality of the service at the dealership.

If you go elsewhere you will only take a few dollars away from them. They don’t care. If you get Honda corporate involved and threaten their service ratings, you will get results.

]]> By: Michael http://www.cleverdude.com/content/rant-the-dealers-mechanics-are-messing-with-my-truck/comment-page-1/#comment-16216 Michael Wed, 12 Dec 2007 19:12:22 +0000 http://www.cleverdude.com/content/rant-the-dealers-mechanics-are-messing-with-my-truck/#comment-16216 I've owned nothing but GM cars, and I've gone to probably 10 different GM dealers over the various lifetimes of my cars, and have never had my radio stations changed, my CD changed, my trip meter reset, or mileage that I was concerned with. And definitely haven't ever come up short on anything in my car. Most of the time, when I get the car back, the radio is turned off but it's always on the station or on the point of the CD that I left it. I suggested another dealership because maybe there are problems with that one dealership in particular or maybe you have developed a reputation where they think it's funny. Either way, I don't think it's all Honda dealerships, so if it is just that one, I wouldn't give them my business if I had a choice. Even if it's warranty work and not out of your pocket, the dealer still gets a good chunk of change from each warranty repair from the manufacturer. Taking your business elsewhere would be no different switching grocery store chains if you were treated poorly or got sub-standard products. I’ve owned nothing but GM cars, and I’ve gone to probably 10 different GM dealers over the various lifetimes of my cars, and have never had my radio stations changed, my CD changed, my trip meter reset, or mileage that I was concerned with. And definitely haven’t ever come up short on anything in my car. Most of the time, when I get the car back, the radio is turned off but it’s always on the station or on the point of the CD that I left it.

I suggested another dealership because maybe there are problems with that one dealership in particular or maybe you have developed a reputation where they think it’s funny. Either way, I don’t think it’s all Honda dealerships, so if it is just that one, I wouldn’t give them my business if I had a choice. Even if it’s warranty work and not out of your pocket, the dealer still gets a good chunk of change from each warranty repair from the manufacturer. Taking your business elsewhere would be no different switching grocery store chains if you were treated poorly or got sub-standard products.

]]> By: Rob http://www.cleverdude.com/content/rant-the-dealers-mechanics-are-messing-with-my-truck/comment-page-1/#comment-16214 Rob Wed, 12 Dec 2007 18:47:16 +0000 http://www.cleverdude.com/content/rant-the-dealers-mechanics-are-messing-with-my-truck/#comment-16214 @ Beyond..., I understand how they could seem petty, but at the same time, there is a certain level of privacy/respect that you should expect. Sure changing the radio station isn't a problem as long as they didn't change your presets (of course thats going to happen if they have to disconnect your battery). But if they have no viable reason to be in a particular area of your car, then messing with your personal items is a breach of trust. In CD's case, it would be like leaving your coat at a coat check desk and finding out that the attendant went through your pockets. Worse yet, that they wore your coat out when they went on their lunch break. @ Beyond…,
I understand how they could seem petty, but at the same time, there is a certain level of privacy/respect that you should expect. Sure changing the radio station isn’t a problem as long as they didn’t change your presets (of course thats going to happen if they have to disconnect your battery). But if they have no viable reason to be in a particular area of your car, then messing with your personal items is a breach of trust.

In CD’s case, it would be like leaving your coat at a coat check desk and finding out that the attendant went through your pockets. Worse yet, that they wore your coat out when they went on their lunch break.

]]> By: Clever Dude http://www.cleverdude.com/content/rant-the-dealers-mechanics-are-messing-with-my-truck/comment-page-1/#comment-16212 Clever Dude Wed, 12 Dec 2007 18:35:05 +0000 http://www.cleverdude.com/content/rant-the-dealers-mechanics-are-messing-with-my-truck/#comment-16212 Actually, the gum was what got me checking in the first place. Also, the first time, they filched a few quarters, but as the first draft of this article had the dealer's name, I left that out. And going to another dealership won't really help. I do almost all of the service myself, except for something that should be covered under warranty, or anything that has to do with a safety system like the brakes. I don't touch the brakes. Actually, the gum was what got me checking in the first place. Also, the first time, they filched a few quarters, but as the first draft of this article had the dealer’s name, I left that out.

And going to another dealership won’t really help. I do almost all of the service myself, except for something that should be covered under warranty, or anything that has to do with a safety system like the brakes. I don’t touch the brakes.

]]> By: BeyondtheConsumer http://www.cleverdude.com/content/rant-the-dealers-mechanics-are-messing-with-my-truck/comment-page-1/#comment-16211 BeyondtheConsumer Wed, 12 Dec 2007 18:26:36 +0000 http://www.cleverdude.com/content/rant-the-dealers-mechanics-are-messing-with-my-truck/#comment-16211 I think you need to pick your battles! Your complaints do seem petty, but I suppose it depends on your perspective. When you go in to the dealer hoping the tech won't cut your speedo cable, slash a transmission coolant line, or take out random bolts and bang on things to generally create some other issue for which they can charge you, having the guy browse your CD collection doesn't seem like such a bad thing. Whenever I've taken my car in to a mechanic, which is extremely rare (see reasons above), they ALWAYS play with the GPS and changed my radio station, and yes often turn on the AC. It never really bothered me though. The gum thing is a little bizarre. I think you need to pick your battles! Your complaints do seem petty, but I suppose it depends on your perspective. When you go in to the dealer hoping the tech won’t cut your speedo cable, slash a transmission coolant line, or take out random bolts and bang on things to generally create some other issue for which they can charge you, having the guy browse your CD collection doesn’t seem like such a bad thing.

Whenever I’ve taken my car in to a mechanic, which is extremely rare (see reasons above), they ALWAYS play with the GPS and changed my radio station, and yes often turn on the AC. It never really bothered me though.

The gum thing is a little bizarre.

]]> By: Rob http://www.cleverdude.com/content/rant-the-dealers-mechanics-are-messing-with-my-truck/comment-page-1/#comment-16210 Rob Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:54:59 +0000 http://www.cleverdude.com/content/rant-the-dealers-mechanics-are-messing-with-my-truck/#comment-16210 @ Michael, Do you really think that they'll care if one customer leaves? I wish more businesses thought like that, but most don't. I'm with you though CD, I take everything that's important to me out of my car when it goes into service. And if the techs cleared my tripometer, drove my car excessively, stole from me, or messed with my things, I would be livid. Stangely enough, the tripometer thing probably ticks me off the most. How do they know that you don't use that to track mileage for buisness? That could really throw off your records. In fact,.. I would probably pitch a story to the local news to see if they would do a undercover report on the poor service you had been getting. It would be interesting to have them put a GPS tracker (and maybe a camera) in the car and see where they have been driving it. @ Michael,
Do you really think that they’ll care if one customer leaves? I wish more businesses thought like that, but most don’t.

I’m with you though CD, I take everything that’s important to me out of my car when it goes into service. And if the techs cleared my tripometer, drove my car excessively, stole from me, or messed with my things, I would be livid. Stangely enough, the tripometer thing probably ticks me off the most. How do they know that you don’t use that to track mileage for buisness? That could really throw off your records.

In fact,.. I would probably pitch a story to the local news to see if they would do a undercover report on the poor service you had been getting. It would be interesting to have them put a GPS tracker (and maybe a camera) in the car and see where they have been driving it.

]]> By: Michael http://www.cleverdude.com/content/rant-the-dealers-mechanics-are-messing-with-my-truck/comment-page-1/#comment-16209 Michael Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:33:44 +0000 http://www.cleverdude.com/content/rant-the-dealers-mechanics-are-messing-with-my-truck/#comment-16209 Just because it's a Honda doesn't mean it's immune to rattles and squeaks. I would expect that an 18-month old G6 to have minimal squeaks, and conversely, that a Honda with 130,000 would not be squeak-free. The anti-American poke was somewhat unnecessary. Also, I'd recommend going to a different dealership. If complaining with your mouth won't work, then complain with your wallet. They'll get that one. Just because it’s a Honda doesn’t mean it’s immune to rattles and squeaks. I would expect that an 18-month old G6 to have minimal squeaks, and conversely, that a Honda with 130,000 would not be squeak-free. The anti-American poke was somewhat unnecessary.

Also, I’d recommend going to a different dealership. If complaining with your mouth won’t work, then complain with your wallet. They’ll get that one.

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