They might have replaced the calipers with the garbage remans that will get the car back into the shop within a predictable timeframe. The free labor means nothing because the markup on the calipers is plenty enough for them.
problem with Honda dealership oil change.
- Thread starter Gawardawg
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What was the original job? This notion you pay for parts we’ll throw in the labor is Midas’ business model, as old as time. Imho they didn’t do any favors—how did they make it right?
Were the bleeders that you tightened, old or new calipers? Why would they be loose? If shop loosened, why?
Your buddy paid for two calipers. That’s an extreme margin and imho a win for the shop.
BMW ripped out my rear right brake sensor wire which I had just installed 90 miles ago, while
Doing an alignment.
They refused to do anything and said car was already like that (doesn’t make sense as it would have been noted).
Basically I dropped their BBB from A+ to C, and they asked what can we do to resolve? I said cut me a check for $13. The service director laughed that’s it? We can do more! Free oil change (well at the time BMW charged $95). I said throw in a water pump job (that’s like $1400–I was testing them). Dude says we can do that! At any rate I got the $13 check and never went back. Free, or otherwise.
@VersatileGuy and @John105: ooof. So it really is as bad as it could be in that case.
Correct, I only observed a loose bleeder on what I believe was an oem caliper, and a sort-of-almost ok bleeder on another oem.
There’s a 3 week wait to get into the shop and they get good reviews. We both wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt, and since I couldn’t really see much from beneath the car in a parking lot, wondered if there’s something I didn’t know. My buddy doesn’t know enough to argue with them and didn’t want to, either.
Correct, I only observed a loose bleeder on what I believe was an oem caliper, and a sort-of-almost ok bleeder on another oem.
There’s a 3 week wait to get into the shop and they get good reviews. We both wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt, and since I couldn’t really see much from beneath the car in a parking lot, wondered if there’s something I didn’t know. My buddy doesn’t know enough to argue with them and didn’t want to, either.
It was submitted as a warranty claim at that mileage too, wasn't it, and the dealership backed it up by saying "we did the oil changes every XX miles, here's copies of the service records". Right ?
Your locale may or may not be favorable towards the return of old parts. Some jurisdictions require you to hammer out an agreement that the old part be returned prior to the contract being agreed to(verbal or written). Others make the mech be obligated to return the item if you request(although don't wait too long). But, I would at least make the attempt to demand return the caliper. Because they might have used it for their own gain.
I mean, I recall a mechanic who took even the small "Shift Lock Release Button Cover" on my mom's Matrix, a tiny circular thing, and he was being paid by insurance to do body work. https://parts.lakelandtoyota.com/p/...ton--Shift-Lock-Right/3942378/3356302030.html
Seriously, taking a freaking $15 part.
While I don't have personal experience, it seems like good practice to mark parts with an identifier, such as permanent marker, paint, or engraving(even a crude one with a cold chisel) prior to handing custody over to the mechanic.
No. In the 70s the warranty was 12k. I saw many times that some customers brought their own oil for the oil changes and that oil was hidden away behind-under a work bench. The customer got the regular bulk oil anyway. Some real standup people worked the lube rack…
JHZR2
Staff member
I don’t mean to make it glistening damp. It can be obviously clean and not sprayed with solvents that aren’t great for anything…
You're giving these examples that occurred 50 years ago ?
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Seems “reputable” places will return parts. Why would they refuse…
For me
LS430
GMC returned all brake parts from OE job—I saw 4 caliper bolts and sensor, no shims came out and no shims installed, cheap rotors, pads
Timing belt job—all parts returned all looked brand new at 9 years 86k
LCA front bushings
Front 02 sensors
Tech set aside trans fluid for me to see the color at 84k—black
Enclave
Bilstein install, every OE part returned (maybe wasn’t the smartest on my part but had a big black rectangular bucket—sway bar end links still attached to front struts. Even sway bar bushings returned
BMW
Old tpms
Old battery from dealer
I always ask for old parts if I am supplying them
One that would drive me nuts. Brembo brakes on a brand new Escalade or Tahoe is a dealer installed option. Where do the brand new calipers and rotors go if customer doesn’t ask? Tech’s trunk?
Yes. So obviously you are familiar with dealership hiring practices currently. Are new hires (lube) randomly drug tested? Are only squeaky clean applicants interviewed based on background checks?
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Of course you realize the hiring practices will vary greatly, from one dealer to the next. Nobody is "familiar with dealer hiring practices currently."
The last dealer I worked for has an automotive trade school nearby, and a relationship with that school. They sent in the students interested in making a few bucks in their free time, that showed they were good students. That school had an interest in keeping that relationship good.
Most dealers don't have that luxury.
BUT you can bet none of them want to deal with replacing engines, due to mistakes.
Some dealers build empires, while others can't maintain one.
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I’ve mentioned this story before, I had just gotten a 10 yo LS430 so I went to Lexus of Edison passing through to get touch up paint (nobody stocks it, 10 yo and Pearl).
A SA goes, that customer was not happy. Said it shouldn’t be almost four thousand to maintain his car.
“What car?” Goes a boss like man.
“‘14 GX.”
“That’s about right,” says the boss.
I was thinking a 3 yo Lexus is under warranty and $4k for service?
Imho it’s part of the business model.
It is necessary to upsell to survive.
My buddy’s wife got a new Lexus and there’s a service every 5k. C’mon likely go 100k without any service other than fluids.
All the stories I’ve heard about Honda weren’t very flattering. A lot of wallet damage too. Not like Lexus but not nothing.
A SA goes, that customer was not happy. Said it shouldn’t be almost four thousand to maintain his car.
“What car?” Goes a boss like man.
“‘14 GX.”
“That’s about right,” says the boss.
I was thinking a 3 yo Lexus is under warranty and $4k for service?
Imho it’s part of the business model.
It is necessary to upsell to survive.
My buddy’s wife got a new Lexus and there’s a service every 5k. C’mon likely go 100k without any service other than fluids.
All the stories I’ve heard about Honda weren’t very flattering. A lot of wallet damage too. Not like Lexus but not nothing.
The dealer business model is broken from top to bottom. If you overlay car sales and population growth car sales have languished for decades. Just means dealers must "sell" each customer more services - from start to finish.
The fact that OEM's are not allowed to sell me a car direct in many states is a crime. RIP free enterprise.
If there were ever a reason to buy a Tesla it would be this. If they made a ICE powered vehicle I would seriously consider it.
Could be worse. They drained my daughter's boyfriend's Subaru transmission fluid and then added 4 quarts of oil to the crankcase. Drama ensued.
The dealership model is for the consumers' protection from those big mean manufacturers. Or so the dealerships say.
A lot less overhead, that's for sure.
Well, they built those big beautiful dealership showrooms and hire all those people just for our benefit, right?
They just like us sooo much…
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I've only purchased 3 brand new cars over my lifetime, so limited experience.
When I bought the 2007 BMW, I ordered it off of an allocation, and waited 9 weeks for it to arrive.
The order was "mine." I could call an 800# or go online to see where it was in production. It was even the wrong color for 3 weeks as it was an existing allocation which someone cancelled.
I could have had the car shipped to any dealership, pick it up in Regensburg (order would have been done differently), or at the SC Performance center. I'm convinced that this order, build, allocation, was mine. Why? Because BMWNA had my name associated with the build.
This is 100% not the case when one "orders" a Japanese car. The "order" is strictly between the customer and the dealer (think about the sales as I type of a Lexus LX). I suspect, and probably people here know, that Corvette is no different than the Japanese car. But I could be wrong. Maybe GM is aware of who ordered the vehicle. I just would not think the level of gouging would exist if it were like BMW (used to be $75k over list for a Z06 and today I think even higher).
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