My daughter calls me last week while on a road trip and tells me suddenly while driving her car dies and the dash lights go out. She checks things under the hood and continues on and has no further problem. I visit her in Chicago and check out her car and it dies on me and the dash lights go out. I notice it is related to the key and determine the ignition switch is bad. I do some research and find there is a recall and entering the VIN shows her car qualifies for the recall. I schedule an appointment to fix it at the closest dealer on their website. I call them a couple of hours before the appointment to verify they will do the recall and that they have the part. They tell me they have the part, and pending verification and VIN history they will do it. I go to the dealer and they tell me it will be about one and a half hours and I say I will wait. Two hours later they hail me to service and inform me the switch is bad and they will order one and it will be in tomorrow. They acted like they had one and sold it, which is likely a lie. When I reiterated that I called to verify part availability they discounted it since I didn't know the name of the person who told me they had the part. I am a mechanic and almost never have any service done on my cars except safety inspections and alignment. The service writer didn't even offer an apology for the poor service.
Horrible dealer experience today
- Thread starter ledslinger
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File a complant with manufacture. Be very detailed trust me the company will have the service managers butt.
What type of horseless carriage are we talking about here?
If it was a recall, why do they have to discount the part?
If it was a recall, why do they have to discount the part?
Originally Posted By: ledslinger
When I reiterated that I called to verify part availability they discounted it since I didn't know the name of the person who told me they had the part.
"they discounted it" means they don't believe the poster called to verify part availability.
When I reiterated that I called to verify part availability they discounted it since I didn't know the name of the person who told me they had the part.
"they discounted it" means they don't believe the poster called to verify part availability.
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: ledslinger
When I reiterated that I called to verify part availability they discounted it since I didn't know the name of the person who told me they had the part.
"they discounted it" means they don't believe the poster called to verify part availability.
People say that all the time with us. Myself and the other counter people in parts make quotes that are saved for 30 days in our computer system for every part we quote over the phone. Plus there are only 3 counter people and a manager, so we remember most everything we quote anyway. A lot of times people call a different dealer and then blame us.
We also generally dont order a recall part, unless its a current recall until the car is in the shop with an open Repair Order. Idle Inventory is a 4 letter work in the parts industry and a lot of people that call in for recall work that never come in for any other work end up never coming in to have the recall performed.
Originally Posted By: ledslinger
When I reiterated that I called to verify part availability they discounted it since I didn't know the name of the person who told me they had the part.
"they discounted it" means they don't believe the poster called to verify part availability.
People say that all the time with us. Myself and the other counter people in parts make quotes that are saved for 30 days in our computer system for every part we quote over the phone. Plus there are only 3 counter people and a manager, so we remember most everything we quote anyway. A lot of times people call a different dealer and then blame us.
We also generally dont order a recall part, unless its a current recall until the car is in the shop with an open Repair Order. Idle Inventory is a 4 letter work in the parts industry and a lot of people that call in for recall work that never come in for any other work end up never coming in to have the recall performed.
Typical tactic used to get the customer into the shop, then pull the car apart and play stupid. Basically they spiked the job, had they told you they didn't have the part you probably would have gone to a dealer that did have the part, hopefully that is. Either way telling the truth would have cost them the job, it sucks doesn't it?
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I normally have to make three trips to the dealer to get something fixed. Once for them to figure out whats wrong then they don't ever have the part in stock cause their too cheap to keep decent inventory and then I usually have to come back a third time to have them fix whatever they messed up when fixing the vehicle. Either cause they didn't fix it right or they messed something else up that I notice on close inspection in my driveway.
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Through my own experience, I ALWAYS get the name of the person I talked to and the time and write it down. I do this for almost every thing and it puts the person on notice that he/she will be part of any further issues.
Originally Posted By: dave1251
File a complant with manufacture. Be very detailed trust me the company will have the service managers butt.
Basically comes down to finger pointing and will not go any farther from there.
OP's experience is not unusual in that they will not order/verify the part until the car has been physically verified first.
File a complant with manufacture. Be very detailed trust me the company will have the service managers butt.
Basically comes down to finger pointing and will not go any farther from there.
OP's experience is not unusual in that they will not order/verify the part until the car has been physically verified first.
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You sit there for two hours just so they can run the VIN number. That takes them all of 5 minutes. Maybe another 5 to figure out if they have the part. I would have been [censored]. I know there are people ahead of you but they can atleast let the customer know if the part needed is even in stock.
Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
I normally have to make three trips to the dealer to get something fixed. Once for them to figure out whats wrong then they don't ever have the part in stock cause their too cheap to keep decent inventory and then I usually have to come back a third time to have them fix whatever they messed up when fixing the vehicle. Either cause they didn't fix it right or they messed something else up that I notice on close inspection in my driveway.
They aren't cheap, a dealer's parts dept can actually not be eligible for certain programs and incentives if they have excessive idle inventory. Plus it makes absolutely no sense to stock a part that does not sell on a regular basis or can be acquired either same day or overnight. That's the dealer owners capital sitting on a shelf collecting dust.
Also there are some recalls where a dealer is not allowed to stock the part. The parts can be on a restricted ordering status and the vehicle's VIN and repair order number must be provided when the part is ordered. Mazda's recall on the Mazda 3 and 5 power steering is one example.
I normally have to make three trips to the dealer to get something fixed. Once for them to figure out whats wrong then they don't ever have the part in stock cause their too cheap to keep decent inventory and then I usually have to come back a third time to have them fix whatever they messed up when fixing the vehicle. Either cause they didn't fix it right or they messed something else up that I notice on close inspection in my driveway.
They aren't cheap, a dealer's parts dept can actually not be eligible for certain programs and incentives if they have excessive idle inventory. Plus it makes absolutely no sense to stock a part that does not sell on a regular basis or can be acquired either same day or overnight. That's the dealer owners capital sitting on a shelf collecting dust.
Also there are some recalls where a dealer is not allowed to stock the part. The parts can be on a restricted ordering status and the vehicle's VIN and repair order number must be provided when the part is ordered. Mazda's recall on the Mazda 3 and 5 power steering is one example.
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
They aren't cheap, a dealer's parts dept can actually not be eligible for certain programs and incentives if they have excessive idle inventory. Plus it makes absolutely no sense to stock a part that does not sell on a regular basis or can be acquired either same day or overnight. That's the dealer owners capital sitting on a shelf collecting dust.
Also there are some recalls where a dealer is not allowed to stock the part. The parts can be on a restricted ordering status and the vehicle's VIN and repair order number must be provided when the part is ordered. Mazda's recall on the Mazda 3 and 5 power steering is one example.
Everything you say is correct and defensible. What is not defensible is to tell the guy that the part is on the shelf waiting for him and that the car will be turned around in a day when that is not so. The technical term for that is "lying".
They aren't cheap, a dealer's parts dept can actually not be eligible for certain programs and incentives if they have excessive idle inventory. Plus it makes absolutely no sense to stock a part that does not sell on a regular basis or can be acquired either same day or overnight. That's the dealer owners capital sitting on a shelf collecting dust.
Also there are some recalls where a dealer is not allowed to stock the part. The parts can be on a restricted ordering status and the vehicle's VIN and repair order number must be provided when the part is ordered. Mazda's recall on the Mazda 3 and 5 power steering is one example.
Everything you say is correct and defensible. What is not defensible is to tell the guy that the part is on the shelf waiting for him and that the car will be turned around in a day when that is not so. The technical term for that is "lying".
Originally Posted By: engineerscott
Everything you say is correct and defensible. What is not defensible is to tell the guy that the part is on the shelf waiting for him and that the car will be turned around in a day when that is not so. The technical term for that is "lying".
Yes I agree. What should have happened in that instance is to say "were sorry sir, it appears we made an error, we have taken care of ordering the part for you and we expect it in (insert day time here) we can either set up an appointment now or when the part comes in and we will make sure to put you to the front of the line when you do come in." At least that is what happens at my dealer.
Everything you say is correct and defensible. What is not defensible is to tell the guy that the part is on the shelf waiting for him and that the car will be turned around in a day when that is not so. The technical term for that is "lying".
Yes I agree. What should have happened in that instance is to say "were sorry sir, it appears we made an error, we have taken care of ordering the part for you and we expect it in (insert day time here) we can either set up an appointment now or when the part comes in and we will make sure to put you to the front of the line when you do come in." At least that is what happens at my dealer.
I had a dealer parts guy say "Mmm, nope, don't have it" (taps keyboard for effect) "And there aren't any in the whole state." A lie? Maybe.
Unfortunately for his bluff to get me to special order what I needed for $22, I already knew Advance Auto could get it to me overnight for $3.50.
There are times I'd pay for the convenience of painfully overpriced parts in stock, but nobody wants my business.
This reminds me of when people get a code for a known bad whatever and the dealer says bring it in, then they call back and say "yeah you have a code for xxx and we'll get the part in..."
Unfortunately for his bluff to get me to special order what I needed for $22, I already knew Advance Auto could get it to me overnight for $3.50.
There are times I'd pay for the convenience of painfully overpriced parts in stock, but nobody wants my business.
This reminds me of when people get a code for a known bad whatever and the dealer says bring it in, then they call back and say "yeah you have a code for xxx and we'll get the part in..."
Slightly off topic but it illustrates how many dealerships work! When I was selling cars one of the stores I worked at would run ads for used cars we didn't have. It was always a fantastic deal! Then when customers would call we were instructed to tell them we had the car come on down. Walkins were told the car was sold. When the customers who called actually came to the store they'd be told the ad car was sold and you'd always try and put them into something else. Did customers get mad? YES! As a salesman you learned how to deal with it! If a manager heard a salesman tell a phone up we sold an ad car, they unpack their desk and showed the salesman the door.
Back on topic, many dealerships force their employees to lie, and in OP's case I'm willing to bet he was doing exactly as he was instructed. After all they did get the job, mission accomplished. This is another reason why so many of us hate doing business with dealerships! When you can find an honest dealership, you found a pot of Gold!
Back on topic, many dealerships force their employees to lie, and in OP's case I'm willing to bet he was doing exactly as he was instructed. After all they did get the job, mission accomplished. This is another reason why so many of us hate doing business with dealerships! When you can find an honest dealership, you found a pot of Gold!
I don't think they really lied when they said they had the part, I think they assumed they did, I don't know this but this is probably a common enough repair that most dealer are willing to stock this part, The problem is that they allowed a customer to waste nearly 3 hours because they wouldn't take less than 5 minutes to verify the part in stock. Very inconsiderate.
What kind of car are we talking about here and what is the name of this stearlership so all the good people here who live in Missouri can stay far away from it?
Honda City in Chicago.
The real question is, what did they charge you? Are you telling us that they let you walk out there without paying a dime? Consider yourself extremely lucky! I bet you needed your blinker fluid changed, I am shocked they did not give you a laundry list of things to do on the older Honda.
Seriously, if your daughter had taken the vehicle in, they would most have likely extracted dollars from her for at least some work.
Fortunately, when my Honda needed this work, the dealer was good enough to pre-order and called me when the part came in to set up the appointment. I did talk to the technician and saw the new part because I had concerns about the after market remote starter on my Honda.
- Vikas
Seriously, if your daughter had taken the vehicle in, they would most have likely extracted dollars from her for at least some work.
Fortunately, when my Honda needed this work, the dealer was good enough to pre-order and called me when the part came in to set up the appointment. I did talk to the technician and saw the new part because I had concerns about the after market remote starter on my Honda.
- Vikas
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