Dealer left my drain plug loose

[dan_erickson]

Originally Posted By: GiveMeAVowel
Mistakes can happen....but they shouldn't especially when you are working on something as simple as an oil and filter change...

The $tealer is to blame but what I see as encouraging issues like these is NOT SAYING NO when it is necessary to a customer! This is increasingly a HUGE problem with US business culture.

When Dan drove in to the shop without an appointment towards the end of the workday on Saturday, and the place was shorthanded the tech/SW should have politely informed Dan that they couldn't accommodate him and that could he please return on another day.
Any reasonable customer would understand and be happy to do so....how many places offer an oil and filter change with the OEM filter for only 17 bucks??!!!!


That being said Dan handled the situation pretty well, except I would have made sure the SM was informed face to face, politely and I too would have asked for nothing, except that in the future they not accept promo jobs like this when the store is shorthanded, it would be better for the store and the customer alike in eliminating disappointment and comebacks.



Very good point said here. I would have gladly came back next Saturday earlier in the day if I was asked to do so.

I bring my own oil and filter, the $17 covers the labor, multi point inspection, car wash and vac, ect. I think it is normally like $45 for all of that plus 0w20 oil and Honda filter from the dealer.

I did stop in the dealer today after work and had a face to face convo with the service manager and service writer.

 

[GiveMeAVowel]

Originally Posted By: dan_erickson

Very good point said here. I would have gladly came back next Saturday earlier in the day if I was asked to do so.

I bring my own oil and filter, the $17 covers the labor, multi point inspection, car wash and vac, ect. I think it is normally like $45 for all of that plus 0w20 oil and Honda filter from the dealer.

I did stop in the dealer today after work and had a face to face convo with the service manager and service writer.


Nice to see that I'm on the right track, I don't even blame the SW or the tech for accepting your request for that oil change, the problem comes from the top management, THEY (owner, principle, even AHM, pushes the shop to accept ALL work all the time, this is WRONG, and even though they think it is maximizing profit, and shop productivity it causes many serious, and costly problems, and can often times result in the loss of customers.....This is what happens when greedy single minded MBAs get control of business plans.

Did you mention them possibly refusing work when they don't have the staff to get the work done effectively and correctly? It would be interesting to hear what the dealer owner, principal, or SM would have said.

 

[dan_erickson]

Now to add more fuel to the fire I found body damage to my car. I wish I would have seen it Saturday but I didn't notice it until late Tuesday night. It was not severe and I pulled the car into my body shop this afternoon and fixed. Also I am glad that I didn't find any cracked paint.

Remember how I mentioned in my very first post that the tech Steve struggled to get the car set up on the 2 post lift with the blocks and I asked him to just do the oil change on the drive on alignment rack? Well he didn't have the block placed correctly so they can in contact with the bottom on my fenders and pushed them slightly out of alignment to the front doors. So, then there is that to add to the loose drain plug. I called again today and told service what I had found. He knows that I am a body man so we agreed that I would take of it and if something went wrong the dealer would end up picking up the bill. I fixed it with no paint work needed.

I went straight to the dealer after work and talked to the service manager, service writer, and everyone was apologizing to me. Even the tech that messed up my car. They thanked me for being so good about it and taking care of the problem. If it was anyone else off the street I'm sure it would have been a lot worse of an outcome. I explained everything to service dept and told them I am not looking to come in here being a jerk, I am not looking for free stuff, I am not trying to get the tech in trouble, I just want you to be aware of the problem. [censored], I am a body tech myself and have made mistakes, were are all human. The dealer comped me a few oil changes but I am thinking of not using them and just dealing with it myself now.

I had washed the car before I brought it in for the oil change on Saturday so if it was prior damage I probable would have noticed. Also there is no impact mark from road debris so the only thing it could be is the lift at the dealer.

This is what caught my eye


Then I look and see the under side of the fender is bent


This is the passenger side. The bottom was not bent like the drivers side but the fender was pushed straight up slightly.

 

[GiveMeAVowel]

Oh boy....that is a mess.

I'd go back speak to the GM or owner and explain what happened..this tech obviously isn't properly trained! Lifting a pedestrian car like the Accord is cake...


I have to say that years ago at a SEARS AutoCenter some clown
did something similar to my 1996 VW Golf....he didn't place the lift claws on the proper points and proceeded to dent the heck out of the pinch welds and surrounding area...I mean cripes, there are fairly large embossed arrows that tell the tech where to place the lift points how the heck hard is it to lift a passenger car???!!!!

Most importantly if they don't know the correct way to do something
ASK SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW....even the owner! It's way better to ask questions than to damage a car...This kind of [censored] makes my blood boil, and also why I don't trust most ANY SHOP AT ALL.

 

[qwerty1234]

dan, I think it's time to consult a qualified lawyer.

 

[Trav]

No offense but are you rethinking not doing your own oil changes yet?
I also work on cars and hate doing my own work but I would hate someone else messing them even more.

 

[dan_erickson]

Originally Posted By: Trav
No offense but are you rethinking not doing your own oil changes yet?
I also work on cars and hate doing my own work but I would hate someone else messing them even more.


None taken.

Yes I am thinking of just doing it myself now because I can't trust anyone to do the job right.

 

[Gasbuggy]

I wouldn't call up and complain about the loose oil pan bolt, but I would make the dealer eat it over that body damage.

 

[GiveMeAVowel]

Originally Posted By: dan_erickson

Yes I am thinking of just doing it myself now because I can't trust anyone to do the job right.


Yet the auto repair and service industry keep on whining about how they are treated unfairly in the media and judged too harshly by consumer groups and organizations for being unscrupulous and or incompetent...well if you hardly heard about such issues with something as simple as an oil change I would agree but there are tons of such complaints by consumers all the time...

 

[2010Civic]

Make sure there isn't any cracked paint on the bottom of that fender. Otherwise rust will start.

 

[Cyclicrate]

I recently took a lead role in installing an accelerated program in my Dealership. Thanks to the kind of [censored] I see in this forum, I strive to "inspect what I expect" and make sure that we are doing excellent work for a fair price. Not all dealerships are the same, I have instituted a process in our shop that includes torquing all lug nuts, drain plugs and filters, with a torque wrench that's checked monthly against a comparator. For $33.95 my accelerated techs remove the wheels to do a complete brake inspection, make the customer aware of any leaks (but do not diagnose anything), and remove both air filters, in 30 mins or less total cycle time, and we are a Mobil1 dealer so every car is getting Mobil Super Synthetic(group3/4 blend) in the appropriate weight, no upsells, no gimmicks, no high pressure [censored]. Long story short, I am aware of the reputation that dealerships have, they are usually run by people who do not understand the value of long term relationships with customers and the middle managers' job depends on month end profit numbers. I read some of these stories and cringe. I am of the opinion that the dealerships should be staffed with the very best technicans and I am disappointed in the low quality service that most dealerships charge a premium for.

 

[Gasbuggy]

Originally Posted By: Gasbuggy
I wouldn't call up and complain about the loose oil pan bolt, but I would make the dealer eat it over that body damage.


To add to this, my Cavalier has a fender that gets a bit pushed out when I jack it up there. When someone hit the car and their insurance adjuster came to estimate they stupidly tried to plant some seeds of doubt about my car being in a prior wreck because of the fender not lining up. I told the adjuster he was a J/O and knew what causes that to happen, then I pushed the lower fender back with my shoe.

 

[GiveMeAVowel]

Originally Posted By: Cyclicrate
I recently took a lead role in installing an accelerated program in my Dealership. Thanks to the kind of [censored] I see in this forum, I strive to "inspect what I expect" and make sure that we are doing excellent work for a fair price. Not all dealerships are the same, I have instituted a process in our shop that includes torquing all lug nuts, drain plugs and filters, with a torque wrench that's checked monthly against a comparator. For $33.95 my accelerated techs remove the wheels to do a complete brake inspection, make the customer aware of any leaks (but do not diagnose anything), and remove both air filters, in 30 mins or less total cycle time, and we are a Mobil1 dealer so every car is getting Mobil Super Synthetic(group3/4 blend) in the appropriate weight, no upsells, no gimmicks, no high pressure [censored]. Long story short, I am aware of the reputation that dealerships have, they are usually run by people who do not understand the value of long term relationships with customers and the middle managers' job depends on month end profit numbers. I read some of these stories and cringe. I am of the opinion that the dealerships should be staffed with the very best technicans and I am disappointed in the low quality service that most dealerships charge a premium for.


I'm so happy to see a program like this. It is DESPERATELY needed across the board at MOST ALL dealerships!

I have no issue spending more money using the dealership service department, however I am not going to spend all that extra for shoddy service, incompetentce and dishonest employees that seem to be the rule not the exception at dealerships.

Do you care to mention which brand store you are working at and is the program manufacturer sponsored or just happening at your own store only ?

 

[Cyclicrate]

It is an Acura program that I am 100% behind, the reason it is not more widespread in my opinion is the huge additional overhead that comes from the tool purchases and hourly wage of the Acelerated team. We provide the tools and pay by the hour 3 two tech teams to perform a step by step procedure on every car. The trick was getting the dealer management team to understand the intangible benefits. I have zero tolerance for non standard repair procedures and unneeded repairs, our goal is to facilitate our customer's desired end state, not "get them to buy service." If you want to do the bare minimum to keep your car on the road, no problem, who better to explain the cost benefit analysis to you than someone who is intimately familiar with the product. That kind of respect for the customer has been very profitable as most people really care about good value more than bottom dollar pricing. I am the most expensive, I know, but I will also be the highest quality.

 

[Vikas]

Do you know exactly what words to use when I call my Acura dealer if they have this program in place?

 

[Cyclicrate]

The Acura Accelerated program. They will have a dedicated writer to take your info and no appointment will be necessary. I will warn you though, this program succeeds or fails based on dealer support. There should be two accelerated techs working on your car at all times, they are hourly so there is no incentive to sell anything but filters, which will be removed and presented to you within about 15 minutes. Any major concerns and the writer should give you an option to have it diagnosed by a main shop technician, or not. You decide your level of engagement with the Dealer, we are not going to dictate to you how we serve you.

 

[The_Eric]

Originally Posted By: Cyclicrate
It is an Acura program that I am 100% behind, the reason it is not more widespread in my opinion is the huge additional overhead that comes from the tool purchases and hourly wage of the Accelerated team. We provide the tools and pay by the hour 3 two tech teams to perform a step by step procedure on every car. The trick was getting the dealer management team to understand the intangible benefits. I have zero tolerance for non standard repair procedures and unneeded repairs, our goal is to facilitate our customer's desired end state, not "get them to buy service." If you want to do the bare minimum to keep your car on the road, no problem, who better to explain the cost benefit analysis to you than someone who is intimately familiar with the product. That kind of respect for the customer has been very profitable as most people really care about good value more than bottom dollar pricing. I am the most expensive, I know, but I will also be the highest quality.


You sound like the right kind of person to have in a dealership- bravo.

Our thoughts are quite alike on the topic of repairing a vehicle and you're right about how they respond to respect, thorough explanations and illustrating to them the value of a repair. I would guess that 90% of my customers will say yes to a proposed repair.