"Dealer serviced" apparently means nothing.....

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simple_gifts

simple_gifts

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Had tracked down a coworker who was selling a 1998 Accord with a bad cat for around $3500, 118K miles, "always dealer serviced"

I get a look at the car yesterday after several setbacks (like her getting tapped in the rear etc) and wow, if this thing is dealer serviced, I'll never go to that dealer.

Belts shot, 6" of power steering belt is only at 1/2 width, the other side has been gouged off. U+L radiator hoses BONE DRY on the outside. No coolant in the overflow tank and system is not holding pressure after a 10 minute ride, "whiffs of coolant" after the car is warmed up. Noticable knock on the top of the engine, perhaps needing valves adjusted (2.x VTEC) but on the verge of sounding like a thrown rod bearing. Tires dryrotted and major abrasions on the sidewalls.

Today I broke the news that I would be deferring on the purchase of the car, she seemed insulted and insisted "there is nothing wrong with my car" I said that the money I would have to put into it for another 100K was more than I expected, trying to be gracious.

I had been waiting 3 weeks to check out this car and what a freaking let down.

-T
 
Maybe it was serviced by a Yugo dealer?
It takes serious neglect to get a fairly new (not ancient) and fairly low mileage (under 200K) Accord to the point the car you are describing is in.
Run, do not walk, away from this money pit.
 
Sounds like she has gotten the same "no thanks" response and was relying on you to buy it. Especially if she knows she wouldn't get anything for it on a trade in.
 
Refraining from commenting about American females in general, their attitudes towards males who do not behave/act as females want them to and their general lack of knowledge about anything outside their compact minimalistic simplistic self-centered universes.

Nope, ain't gonna' do it.

Exceptions abound. Just not enuff.

The simpletons do have their uses, however.

Kitchen/bedroom/harem
 
I've got friends and family that consider going to the dealership for oil changes means 'dealer serviced'. Most of the dealerships in my area now are the mega, multi brand type with a quick loob line staffed by 18yr/old 'techs'. Unless something is falling off, it's not going to get caught.

Joel
 
Quote:

Had tracked down a coworker who was selling a 1998 Accord with a bad cat for around $3500, 118K miles, "always dealer serviced"

I get a look at the car yesterday after several setbacks (like her getting tapped in the rear etc) and wow, if this thing is dealer serviced, I'll never go to that dealer.

Belts shot, 6" of power steering belt is only at 1/2 width, the other side has been gouged off. U+L radiator hoses BONE DRY on the outside. No coolant in the overflow tank and system is not holding pressure after a 10 minute ride, "whiffs of coolant" after the car is warmed up. Noticable knock on the top of the engine, perhaps needing valves adjusted (2.x VTEC) but on the verge of sounding like a thrown rod bearing. Tires dryrotted and major abrasions on the sidewalls.

Today I broke the news that I would be deferring on the purchase of the car, she seemed insulted and insisted "there is nothing wrong with my car" I said that the money I would have to put into it for another 100K was more than I expected, trying to be gracious.

I had been waiting 3 weeks to check out this car and what a freaking let down.

-T

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Before you condemn a dealer take a closer look at the owner's integrity. If she had handfulls of dealer receipts showing that all the problems you mentioned were supposed to have been repaired then you could question the dealer's integrity. I'm betting she had nothing as far as a maintenence log being filled out and her idea of dealer service was getting an oil change there when they sent out direct mail coupons for a low-priced oil change.
 
Quote:


You can bet it needs timing belt, water pump, and tensioner as well.


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These items were done (apparently @ about $1000); that is why I thought it might be a good vehicle to purchase.

Mokanic, good insight on that. I'm beginning to think that oil changes = service.

I'm baffled as to why the dealer wouldn't have / didn't point these items out as an opportunity to make some repair $$, given the owner is a trusting, no nothing (not in a derogative way) individual. My only conclusion is that they didn't catch these items.
 
I guess there's probably a big difference between a Honda dealer and a Saab dealer but when I took my Saab in for it's first oil change (1 year, 10K miles) they checked the following as the maintenance schedule says:

Brake fluid status check and level (I believe they actually test the fluid)
Check for oil and fluid leakage, check for damage
Brake pads
Tire pressure, tread depth, and wear
Test battery (using a Midtronics conductance tester)
Condition of drivebelt and tensioner

Really the only one of those that I cannot do myself is the battery test..those Midtronics testers are expensive. I think the test strips for brake fluid are pretty cheap.
 
"always dealer serviced" implies nothing about the quantity of service. Perhaps it's only been serviced once.
 
Quote:

Quote:


You can bet it needs timing belt, water pump, and tensioner as well.


Click to expand...

These items were done (apparently @ about $1000); that is why I thought it might be a good vehicle to purchase.

Mokanic, good insight on that. I'm beginning to think that oil changes = service.

I'm baffled as to why the dealer wouldn't have / didn't point these items out as an opportunity to make some repair $$, given the owner is a trusting, no nothing (not in a derogative way) individual. My only conclusion is that they didn't catch these items.

Click to expand...


Sounds like she decided to bail instead of doing anymore repairs to the car. Most techs are going to look for needed repairs though it is possible that she only visited the lube tech there at the dealer. If that's the case, that would explain the needed repairs. It really sounds like she was an oil change only customer.
 
I mean, the drive belts have to come off with the timing belt. If she declined a half shredded p/s belt, and they didn't top off the cooling system, ........
 
Quote:


Sounds like she decided to bail instead of doing anymore repairs to the car.

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If she did do that, that's not cool at all. Even when I did a trade-in, I told my dealer that they should probably do a timing belt job before selling it. Full disclosure for a clean conscience.
 
When I took my ex-Accord in to have the timing belt done, the "helpful Honda guys" dripped some oil on my oil pan (it wasn't there before I brought the car in) and claimed it was leaking and needed to be replaced. I wiped it off, and the pan stayed dry until I sold the car. No leak at all.
 
It's amazing how much dealers vary in quality. I've used VW dealers taht were so incompetent that when they fixed one issue, they create another. And some were completely lax on attention to detail like not putting all the fasteners on the plastic engine cover under the engine.

I think the secret to dealer service is to try a few, and test them.....mark your tires and your oil filters and have them do a few semi complicated jobs (not the whole shabang) and see how they perform. If they do a good job, then you've found a good one and it's time to befriend one of the senior service advisors, be a good customer (i.e. save complaints for the big things not the little things, and work with them...everyone makes mistakes at times), and complement them for a good job. If they do a particularly good job, let corporate know (they REALLY love this!). I've been working with my current VW service advisor for five years now and he never sells me unnecessary service, gives me large discounts, loaner cars, and even covers some things out of warranty. When I bought a new car from them recently, he also let the sales guys know how good my old car is and I got above kelley blue book for my trade-in .
 
Quote:

When I took my ex-Accord in to have the timing belt done, the "helpful Honda guys" dripped some oil on my oil pan (it wasn't there before I brought the car in) and claimed it was leaking and needed to be replaced. I wiped it off, and the pan stayed dry until I sold the car. No leak at all.

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Wow! You caught them in the act of dripping oil on your oil pan? I'm sure you got the BBB involved. I know I would have if I caught them in the act of doing something like that.
What makes it even more sinister is that replacing an oil pan isn't even very profitable. Flat-rate for that job is pityful. Not only was the place crooked;they were stupid too.
smirk.gif
 
I'm with VeeDubb, the quality of dealerships varies ... and it may have nothing to do with the brand they sell (I worked for a dealership once, this was a given to all of us at the time).

And some owners say "no" when a dealer service writer recommends a particular service. That's their right.

Having said that, I don't think dealership service is a substitute for caring for your vehicle. My vehicles are meticulously maintained (by me) and are in much better condition than someone who is rough with their vehicle BUT takes it to the stealership for service 3-4 times per year.

Bringing this back around full circle: The words "dealer serviced" mean nothing to me.
 
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