Should we have stayed or should we have gone ?

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Took our 2008 YARIS ( 23,000+ miles )into a TOYO service center for head gasket replacement and left it overnight for repair sometime tomorrow . Reason I ask is that the other service manager was a bit rude with attitude . When pulled the car into the shop for his observation and ours he says to us with a sarcastic tone " Don't want to get blamed for something we didn't do " . Then when I presented a picture I took and a picture of a torn down YARIS engine showing the exposed gasket from the internet of the same oil leak of cylinder 1 he states " I don't believe anything from off the internet " . Thus I opened the hood , reached behind the hot engine where the oil leaks and scooped some fresh oil onto my finger tip which I showed to him and asked , "Don't you want to see where it came from ? " . He then says " It's the head gasket and that's all I need to know" . Last , I asked if they would replace the spark plug(s) that may be fouled due to an internal coolant leak . He replies " Only if the head mechanic happens to look at them and feels they should be replaced " and " Otherwise we're going to charge you for the plugs and labor and you don't want that do you ? " . Why not under warranty ? So what would you have done ? We already have a rental from TOYOTA under the warranty and if canceled the fix would get charged for it and would need to go through the hassle of taking it to another TOYO service center to get another dose of engine dye , etc.. They too probably wouldn't listen to us . Hopefully it'll go o.k. . Took a picture of the mileage ( trip A , 73 mis. ) and the gas gage (full ) at their lot in case there's any foul play . Also took pics of the outside , inside , and engine compartment for comparison if any damage when we get it back . .
 
I don't know how far it is to another dealer, but with an attitude like that I would not have done business with them or left my car.
 
70+ miles . Wonder what the charge would be for the rental . Could leave a message not to repair it . Thing is we've bought 3 new TOYOTAs there and doesn't mean squat .
 
What a ----. I would have taken my car To another dealership after that first comment. Keep us updated, hopefully they don't mess up ur car, like scratches or dings
 
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You really need to chill out. Seriously.

If I was a service manager, I certainly would not trust most things from the internet that are not supported by another internal dealer source. There's just too much misinformation on the internet.

I don't see anything wrong with what the service manager did. To be honest, judging from your previous posts on this subject, it sounds like you have been quite a pest (in a needless way) and not being entirely cooperative with the situation. And for the spark plugs, it only makes sense to replace them if they have been contaminated. If they are not, there's no reason for Toyota to pay to replace them.

So go leave the dealer alone until your car is fixed, and stop being paranoid.
 
Sounds like you are in a tough spot and maybe that is why this dealer is arrogant. If you go to the other dealer won't Toyota have to pay for a rental? If you complain to the dealer management it might not help your repair. Maybe see what they do, then complain?
 
Originally Posted By: finalyzd
What a ----. I would have taken my car To another dealership after that first comment. Keep us updated, hopefully they don't mess up ur car, like scratches or dings


I agree, even that first comment was accusatory and disrespectful to a loyal customer. Unless he said with a wink and a smile, but even then it is not very professional. Plus if you take the rest of the comments the SA's attitude seemed bad to me.
 
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eh. I dont like one of the SA's at my dealer. I long for the good ol days when dealers were a little smaller - and the owner, parts mgr, and SA greeted you by name. that built loyalty. and I have bought probly 20 cars in the last 20 years.

they will likely fix it just fine.
 
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Originally Posted By: mechanicx
I don't know how far it is to another dealer, but with an attitude like that I would not have done business with them or left my car.



Agreed...


Granted, you gotta be careful too, as I do agree with Critic on people just waltzing in thinking that they know exactly what is going on.(though it does pay to have a clue) A buddy of mine is a service advisor, and it tells me some interesting stories...
 
no waltzing , more of a slow dance .
grin2.gif
 
Maybe he was having a bad day? I've been blamed for so much stuff I didn't do at my job that i've grown to have a passionate hatred for our customers, which is exactly why I decided to quit.
 
put a complaint into toyota... They are rated and they dislike complaints... IF you have that problem and you have to bring it back to them 3 times for the same problem get work order and make sure they are all new work orders also call a lemon law Attorney they look at your case and then if they feel it is a good case they do all the work FREE of charge to you the manufacture pays for it
 
Originally Posted By: odie
70+ miles . Wonder what the charge would be for the rental . Could leave a message not to repair it . Thing is we've bought 3 new TOYOTAs there and doesn't mean squat .


File a complaint with both that dealer and toyota corporate. Get his name and the dates/reasons you brought your car in. There is absolutely no reason for him to be a **** like that. Especially after you have been a customer of theres, pull your car and take it to another dealer. Let it be known you purchased 3 cars there and you will never set foot there again because of his attitude.
 
I agree - lodge as many complaints as possible. With the bad press Toyota has had recently you would think...eh, I never did get paid to think! But if it had been me, fixing the head gasket would have been the least of his worries as I sat in the owner or GM's office...Yep, I can be a hothead. SA's are pretty easy to replace...I'd probably head out to the shop and parts counter and inquire if this guy is like this often or normally and report it back to who ever will listen at the dealership or Toyota of America.
 
A little mixed- I do go in with an idea of what has happened, but I have a relationship with my dealership and recommend them because of the service department. They have even let me go back and discuss matters with the tech working on my car and given specific techs based on my diagnosis. Regardless, I don't see why they would replace the plugs if there is nothing wrong with them. Give and take is a great way to get and keep people on your side. Getting into peeing contest doesn't usually work out so amicably.

ref
 
The service writer's sole job is to be a middleman between the customers and the mechanics. This rude jerk is paid well to flap his lips and write stuff down.

For his own internal marketing, he should walk the line looking at the internet pictures, saying it could be that or it could be something else. The internet and "expertise" isn't going away, he needs to figure out how to transition that to brick & mortar. Like saying, even fibbing, that his tech was the first guy in the state to do a gasket on that motor years ago and its still running great.

Yes there are probably a lot of know it all customers that don't know anything that need putting in their place. However if someone has a picture attached to a diagnosis and resolution for someone else, it would be good practice to mute thyself.

Warranty work is lousy and they only do exactly what's needed so no plugs for you. I had a saturn that got one new piston under warranty, I don't know the story: out of round, burning oil, just saw the slip. The labor to get at that one piston was many hours but they didn't want to spend a penny more on parts.
 
I would have dropped him like a hot potatoe and contacted Toyota directly. With all the problems they got going on, I'm sure they would be interested in hearing about a [censored] service department.
 
A mechanic can have sarcastic attitude and survive at a dealership but not a service adviser. In 25 years, I have come across bad service advisers but never rude service advisers. I am one of those hard nosed customer too. For example, I will tell them and show them that I have a scanner and all the data and they will NOT charge me for reading the code.

What I have found is that being nice but firm and professional works wonders with service advisers.

- Vikas

P.S. Dealers hate doing warranty work. Manufacturers, especially, Honda and Toyota, pay less than half of the hours that dealer usually charges to a paying customer. Put it other way, dealer is losing money on every warranty work. Some dealers are smart and understand that occasional warranty work keeps customer coming to the shop for 7500 mile "inspection" gravy jobs.
 
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write a letter to the owner of the dealer and toyota corporate about the treatment you received from this flunkie. hey, toyota cares about their reputation since the gas pedal fiasco. maybe the guy would get a good reaming about how to treat a customer.

I'm pretty sure that most if not all dealers hate doing warranty work. that's why he's giving you such a hard time.
 
Good ol Toyota Service !

I would find another dealer if this clown is that rude. You should talk to the tech and tell him what you have found and would appreciate feedback from him once he remvoes the head.


Originally Posted By: odie
Took our 2008 YARIS ( 23,000+ miles )into a TOYO service center for head gasket replacement and left it overnight for repair sometime tomorrow . Reason I ask is that the other service manager was a bit rude with attitude . When pulled the car into the shop for his observation and ours he says to us with a sarcastic tone " Don't want to get blamed for something we didn't do " . Then when I presented a picture I took and a picture of a torn down YARIS engine showing the exposed gasket from the internet of the same oil leak of cylinder 1 he states " I don't believe anything from off the internet " . Thus I opened the hood , reached behind the hot engine where the oil leaks and scooped some fresh oil onto my finger tip which I showed to him and asked , "Don't you want to see where it came from ? " . He then says " It's the head gasket and that's all I need to know" . Last , I asked if they would replace the spark plug(s) that may be fouled due to an internal coolant leak . He replies " Only if the head mechanic happens to look at them and feels they should be replaced " and " Otherwise we're going to charge you for the plugs and labor and you don't want that do you ? " . Why not under warranty ? So what would you have done ? We already have a rental from TOYOTA under the warranty and if canceled the fix would get charged for it and would need to go through the hassle of taking it to another TOYO service center to get another dose of engine dye , etc.. They too probably wouldn't listen to us . Hopefully it'll go o.k. . Took a picture of the mileage ( trip A , 73 mis. ) and the gas gage (full ) at their lot in case there's any foul play . Also took pics of the outside , inside , and engine compartment for comparison if any damage when we get it back . .
 
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