kingofsting

already know that I'm getting jerked around. I just wanted to see how you guys think I should handle the situation. First, some background. In January my fuel gauge stopped working; initially I was told that they thought my self installed sound system was related to the error. Turns out it was a busted motor in the cluster but it still cost about $300 to see if the system had an effect or not. In may and June I went through a three or four week ordeal because my car was leaking fluids. The first trip for that cost about $1000; two subsequent trips to correct the problem cost about $500 and that was after I went off on the service manager. Also I got a six month guarantee for the work done in writing. Flash forward to the day before Thanksgiving. I brought my car in for a screech at start up followed by a whistle in the engine bay. I had them do the 95000 mile service according to the owners manual. I was assured the problem was fixed and the $1000+ bill was paid. The next day the noise returned so I brought the car in yesterday. Apparently the screech is my starter rubbing against the flywheel so now they are replacing the starter as I type this. Also a hockey puck looking thing with a donut hole was identified as the source of the whistling and thus replaced. I was told that the repairs would cost just under $500. I told the rep to do it but I have no intention of paying because I feel like I'm being screwed especially since the dealership is independently owned and operated. The only problem is, my father pays for this stuff (I'm a broke college kid!) and he's more passive than my mother and I. I feel terrible because I don't want to see my father being taken advantage of, so ill be going to get the car with him even though I've for class. I am fully prepared to leave my car out of principle if the bill is not nullified; am I being irrational? Do I have any other recourse short of the BBB?

kingofsting

By the way the dealership is Dana Ford Lincoln Mercury in Staten Island, NY. They became the only game iin town after Island Ford shut down last year

05 Mustang

my question is, if the bill is now going to be ~$500 to fix everything, what did you exactly pay for the last time when the bill was ~$1,000??

BTW, I commend you for treating your Dad's money as your own!

kingofsting

heres what was done last week:

Complaint: C S screeching noise when starting check belts.
Correction: VERIFIED CONCERN, REPLACE BELT AND TENSIONER

Complaint:Check spark plugs for possible change (service manual says to change em at 100k, which im close to)
Correction: replace spark plugs and ignition wires (apparently they were burning out)

Also; replacement of oil, fuel and air filters, oil change, and cleaning service for fuel injectors and throttle body.

Total: 1218.43, reduced to 1091.02 because they love us so much

kingofsting

Also heres the ordeal I went through from May to July, not June as I previously thought:

5-1-09
Complaint: Vehicle towed in, customer states vehicle has a power steering fluid leak. a lot of smoke coming from under the hood (it was bad!!)
Correction: Unable to verify Power steering leak but found antifreeze leaking from thermostat housing. Removed and replaced thermostat housing and gasket as needed. Road Tested OK
Parts Needed: Housing-Thermostat O Ring
Thermostat Assy Anti-Freeze
Gasket
Also, i had new rear brakes put on, the lower control arms and ball joints were removed and replaced due to excessive wear and my alternator was replaced due to a noise coming from an internal bearing on alternator
Total:$1116.31, with $1030 ESP deductible.


6-16-09Complaint: customer states coolant is leaking
Correction: PRESSURE TEST SYSTEM - REPLACE COOLANT TEMP SENSOR; TOP OFF COOLANT AND BLEED SYSTEM
Labor: $50.00 Parts: $49.36

Total: $107.69 (also some unrelated work was done by my request, including a $100 charge for an inspection that couldnt be done because of my tune bringing the bill too $497.86)

6-26-09
Complaint: Customer states vehicle has a antifreeze leak - 3RD TIME VISIT
Correction: UNABLE TO VERIFY CONCERN. PERFORMED PRESSURE TEST. PASSED. LET VEHICLE WARM UP, NO LEAKS FOUND. NO PROBLEM FOUND AT THIS TIME.
Labor: $120

Also, the oil change was done and the inspection was done @ $120, but I made the dealership split the bill.

Total: $77.26


7-1-09
Complaint: Customer states vehicle has a antifreeze leak - see history attached
Correction: UNABLE TO VERIFY COOLANT LEAK BUT FOUND GREEN AC DYE LEAKING FROM CONDENSER. LINE GOT RUSTED AND DYE IS LEAKING THROUGH O RING. REMOVED AND REPLACED CONDENSER AND RELATED PARTS. RECOVERED SYSTEM AS NEEDED. ROAD TESTED OK
Parts Needed: Condenser Assy Refrigerant - R-134A
Tube Assy
Labor: $250.00 Parts: 184.25

Total: $470.63 with a handwritten 6 month guarantee from the service manager.

Im sick of this BS and when I become financially autonomous I most certainly will NOT be giving these scumbugs my business.

Five Oh Brian

Let me guess: your car is a daily driver, sits outside a lot, is not garaged, and you drive it in all weather types (including snow and salted roads)? Sounds like a lot of stuff is going wrong with the car. Service repair bills are negotiable, just like buying a car, so you never have to pay full price for repairs if you find obvious overbilling going on.

theedge67

You never told us what kind of car this is all happening on.

kingofsting

its an 05 (built late 04) and it is in fact a DD

05 Mustang

I don't blame you for your concerns and remember, there's never anything wrong with going somewhere else for a second opinion.

Glenn

yea stay away from the dealership You will get raked every time.

theedge67

Many other independent shops can handle these light repairs and will charge about half of what a dealership will, often with better results too. It doesn't take a dealership repair center to replace a thermostat or main drive belt. I can do that stuff in my driveway with a few hand tools. I usually reserve trips to the dealer for two things 1) warranty work. 2) large jobs, or technically complicated jobs that I am just not comfortable with an independent shop handling.

MARK

Yeah, take it to some jackleg mechanic who has no clue about how to REALLY fix cars, and calls the dealership parts and service department just to waste THEIR time and pump them for information on how to fix it.See folks like this every day.

ford4v429

ask around neighbors/relatives, see if any recommended shops...small world, and theres both good/bad guys in everything from small shops to large dealerships- best to ask around, bad news tends to travel faster than good

Glenn

x2 on what TIM said. Plenty of good shops out there. No BS about it!

69Mach1-409

It's a V6 right?

..and $1200 for 6 plugs, wires, a belt, and tensioner... It might of taken them what, 2 hours and $300 in parts? That's insane!

karman

You left out "Also; replacement of oil, fuel and air filters, oil change, and cleaning service for fuel injectors and throttle body."
My local dealer charges about $99 for the injector cleaning,$49 for the oil change, +$etc.
Of course, I would have done it myself.
The stuff adds up quick at the dealer.

69Mach1-409

Sorry, missed that.. It still shouldn't of cost $1200.

houtex

To answer the original question:

Yes. You are getting hosed. In as much as it seems you don't really know what's going on, and (I'm guessing here?) can't fix it yourself, so yeah, by having to pay them instead of save the money and do it yourself, of course you're getting hosed. Duh.

---

Ok, serious face now...

More logically... As you don't seem to know where the leak is, how it's happening, they can say anything, and also charge you whatever. Further, since you don't know (again, a guess?) how to fix it yourself, they can say anything, charge you whatever, and know that you don't really know if they're screwin' you or not.

Basically, it comes down to this: You *should* know how to diagnose it and fix it yourself, as well as have the *actual ability.* Then, if it's more convenient to take it to the dealer (warranty, don't wanna, not got the time/tools, etc.) you can tell right away that they're leadin' you on and take the car elsewhere or something. Instead, you're in the position of not knowing, hence your questions, and subsequent ire, which may be misdirected at the poor dealer, but at the real situation... something's wrong, and you don't know what it is exactly. But it's wrong, and you don't want to go back a fourth time to be told "can't see it."

I'm not being critical, mind, it's ok if you don't know... it's also a disadvantage if you don't so they can indeed hose you. But many is the time where a complaint is listed, but nothing's seen at the visit. Happens *all* the time with the computers I have to deal with... "No, really, houtex, I *swear* it wasn't working..." "yeah, well, it's workin' now... I didn't do anything but turn it on. Pay me." Which sucked because I really hated going all the way over to wherever and it works when I get there... they still gotta pay a minimum, but my sympathetic side didn't really like it. Still, gotta eat and gas up the car, so...

You might have to leave it... or go googling and figure out the various ways a car can have a coolant leak. And the fixes that are likely. So many ways I can see this happening...

I'd be putting a "clean" pizza box under the car to see if it leaked overnight, and if so, it'll show *where* it's leaking for sure. Or maybe sign a waiver to go in the shop and look at the car while it's on the rack and find a splatter or residue pattern too. It's not their baby, it's yours. Take responsible control and learn this problem.