Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community - FT86CLUB - View Single Post - Free paintchips & attitude w/ your tail lights

Aznek · 02-10-2013, 12:29 PM

Sorry in advance for the venting guys. I’m in need of some advice.

This Friday was probably the worst snow day that my region has had all season (15cm of snow), so of course it was also the day that I had booked off work to get my tail lights replaced (4th tail light, 3rd visit). Confident in my abilities and in my snow tires, I decide to drive to the Toyota dealership to have my tails fixed. This dealership is in the next town over, so the drive in a lightweight, RWD, low cog coupe was quite brutal.

As soon as I arrive at my dealership I am greeted with applause from the sales staff for my bravery in the snow J. I speak to the service advisers and I am told that the shop is really slow due to the severe weather and that the service manager is also off for the same reason. I ask the adviser if I can speak with the tech that is to be working on the car as I have another concern that I would like to discuss as well (sometimes when it’s cold, the shifter will get stuck between neutral and a gear and I’ll hear grinding despite the fact that the clutch is all the way down).

After the car is brought in, the adviser brings me into the shop to speak with my tech and leaves us to it. Said tech completely ignores my presence for 2 minutes but I figure he’s busy reading the TSB (or the newspaper, whatever) so I decide to just check out my car until he’s ready to talk. I ask him to get into the car so that we can try to replicate the issue but as I am explaining the problem the previously silent tech blurts out “You shouldn’t have even fucking came in today bud… these cars weren’t made for this kind of fucking weather”. I was stunned, I wasn’t sure how to respond so I chalked it up to the dude having a rough day and I try to explain my situation. A previous service adviser would not allow me to book the tail light replacement for the weekend because the new TSB was super complex, and he would not allow me to book it for a weekday evening because they wanted the service manager to be present for the installation (lol, the service manager couldn’t be present anyways), and that I had booked this day off work just so I could get the tails fixed (In total I have sacrificed 3 vacation days to get my tails replaced.) My explanation falls on deaf ears as the tech is still giving me attitude and being a complete ass.

As I walk back to the waiting room I contemplate complaining about the tech and requesting a new tech to work on my car. But as a white collar worker in a blue collar industry, I understand that not all service techs are going to be saints, I understand that everyone has their grumpy days and as long as the work is done properly I’d prefer to avoid having anyone get into trouble, so I let the incident slide (BIG MISTAKE!). 45 minutes goes by and a service adviser gives me my car keys and lets me go, he says they’ll mail me my invoice later “it’s all free warranty work anyways, no worries”, I figured sweet, lets gtfo of here. I do my usual post-servicing inspection and that’s when I see it! At first I thought it was grease, or ink or dirt but the closer I looked the more I realized that some punk had scratched my car!!! (Pics below) It looked like some idiot took a flat head screw driver, wedged it between the light and the bumper and pried the thing out! (Pics below!!!). I was furious! I walked back explained the situation and demanded to know who my tech was. I show the damage to the assistant service manager and he calls over his detailer to have a look, they ask if I can wait a little bit so that they can use a paint pen on it (lol) and I agree. Inside, I recognize the tech that did the work. I ask him if he noticed the paint chip and he plays dumb. I ask him again and he says that the way the tail lights sits causes it to rub back and forth which causes that damage over time. I ask him to clarify and he says that the previous tech must have done it and that it was like that when he got it. Then he says that the TSB recommends putting a paint pen on it but since the paint wouldn’t stick to a damp car, he didn’t bother do it…. Or tell anyone….

In the detailing bay I take some pictures (see below!) and a video (I haven’t uploaded it as I don’t want the dealership identified). 15 minutes in and I’m told that they don’t have any paint pens, which in hindsight, I am grateful for. I believe something better than a paint pen is in order. The assistant service manager takes some pictures and gives me his card, he says I should call Monday morning and speak with the service manager. I shake his hand and thank him and I am on my way (he was very nice and understanding).

As I am driving away I realize that I have absolutely no proof that I had the work done that day. I have always had to sign paper work for warranty work and that day I wasn’t asked to. WTF?!?! Were they aware? Were they trying to get me out of there quietly? I did a super doriiifto u-turn and headed back. I asked why I wasn’t given any paper work and I was told that it was because the service manager wasn’t here to sign off on it (weird… because the last 2 times I had my tails replaced, the service manager was not in and I absolutely had to sign the paper work). The adviser tells me that perhaps the assistant manager can sign off on it and pages the assistant manager. Assistant manager comes back and says he’ll do it and asks if I can give him 3 minutes. He takes a little more like 10 minutes – I assume he gave the service manager a call at home. Assistant manager comes back and before I can ask, he shows me the little note that he has added to it “THERE WAS A MARK ON RIGHT REAR BUMPER UNDER TAIL LIGHT AFTER WE INSTALLED TAIL LIGH”, lol… “mark” I wish it was just a mark. By now I’m tired and angry and I just want to go home, I take the paper work and leave.
I don’t want to identify the dealership as I have yet to speak to the service manager. Are there any service techs or detailers or experts out there that can offer their advice? What is a reasonable response from the dealership?

Thanks for reading guys,
Aznek

UPDATED: 2013-Feb-12
So I spoke with the service manager today. He wants to take a look at it himself personally and make sure it's fixed. He also said that he'd have another tech re-do the tail light installation to make sure it is installed correctly.
I'll be leaving my car with him and I'll be getting a loaner vehicle. He was apologetic and sincere, which is all I could ask for. I'm pretty satisfied with the response so far.

02-10-2013, 12:29 PM	#1
Aznek Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Drives: 2013 White Scion FRS Location: Ontario Posts: 198 Thanks: 24 Thanked 22 Times in 20 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Free paintchips & attitude w/ your tail lights Sorry in advance for the venting guys. I’m in need of some advice. This Friday was probably the worst snow day that my region has had all season (15cm of snow), so of course it was also the day that I had booked off work to get my tail lights replaced (4th tail light, 3rd visit). Confident in my abilities and in my snow tires, I decide to drive to the Toyota dealership to have my tails fixed. This dealership is in the next town over, so the drive in a lightweight, RWD, low cog coupe was quite brutal. As soon as I arrive at my dealership I am greeted with applause from the sales staff for my bravery in the snow J. I speak to the service advisers and I am told that the shop is really slow due to the severe weather and that the service manager is also off for the same reason. I ask the adviser if I can speak with the tech that is to be working on the car as I have another concern that I would like to discuss as well (sometimes when it’s cold, the shifter will get stuck between neutral and a gear and I’ll hear grinding despite the fact that the clutch is all the way down). After the car is brought in, the adviser brings me into the shop to speak with my tech and leaves us to it. Said tech completely ignores my presence for 2 minutes but I figure he’s busy reading the TSB (or the newspaper, whatever) so I decide to just check out my car until he’s ready to talk. I ask him to get into the car so that we can try to replicate the issue but as I am explaining the problem the previously silent tech blurts out “You shouldn’t have even fucking came in today bud… these cars weren’t made for this kind of fucking weather”. I was stunned, I wasn’t sure how to respond so I chalked it up to the dude having a rough day and I try to explain my situation. A previous service adviser would not allow me to book the tail light replacement for the weekend because the new TSB was super complex, and he would not allow me to book it for a weekday evening because they wanted the service manager to be present for the installation (lol, the service manager couldn’t be present anyways), and that I had booked this day off work just so I could get the tails fixed (In total I have sacrificed 3 vacation days to get my tails replaced.) My explanation falls on deaf ears as the tech is still giving me attitude and being a complete ass. As I walk back to the waiting room I contemplate complaining about the tech and requesting a new tech to work on my car. But as a white collar worker in a blue collar industry, I understand that not all service techs are going to be saints, I understand that everyone has their grumpy days and as long as the work is done properly I’d prefer to avoid having anyone get into trouble, so I let the incident slide (BIG MISTAKE!). 45 minutes goes by and a service adviser gives me my car keys and lets me go, he says they’ll mail me my invoice later “it’s all free warranty work anyways, no worries”, I figured sweet, lets gtfo of here. I do my usual post-servicing inspection and that’s when I see it! At first I thought it was grease, or ink or dirt but the closer I looked the more I realized that some punk had scratched my car!!! (Pics below) It looked like some idiot took a flat head screw driver, wedged it between the light and the bumper and pried the thing out! (Pics below!!!). I was furious! I walked back explained the situation and demanded to know who my tech was. I show the damage to the assistant service manager and he calls over his detailer to have a look, they ask if I can wait a little bit so that they can use a paint pen on it (lol) and I agree. Inside, I recognize the tech that did the work. I ask him if he noticed the paint chip and he plays dumb. I ask him again and he says that the way the tail lights sits causes it to rub back and forth which causes that damage over time. I ask him to clarify and he says that the previous tech must have done it and that it was like that when he got it. Then he says that the TSB recommends putting a paint pen on it but since the paint wouldn’t stick to a damp car, he didn’t bother do it…. Or tell anyone…. In the detailing bay I take some pictures (see below!) and a video (I haven’t uploaded it as I don’t want the dealership identified). 15 minutes in and I’m told that they don’t have any paint pens, which in hindsight, I am grateful for. I believe something better than a paint pen is in order. The assistant service manager takes some pictures and gives me his card, he says I should call Monday morning and speak with the service manager. I shake his hand and thank him and I am on my way (he was very nice and understanding). As I am driving away I realize that I have absolutely no proof that I had the work done that day. I have always had to sign paper work for warranty work and that day I wasn’t asked to. WTF?!?! Were they aware? Were they trying to get me out of there quietly? I did a super doriiifto u-turn and headed back. I asked why I wasn’t given any paper work and I was told that it was because the service manager wasn’t here to sign off on it (weird… because the last 2 times I had my tails replaced, the service manager was not in and I absolutely had to sign the paper work). The adviser tells me that perhaps the assistant manager can sign off on it and pages the assistant manager. Assistant manager comes back and says he’ll do it and asks if I can give him 3 minutes. He takes a little more like 10 minutes – I assume he gave the service manager a call at home. Assistant manager comes back and before I can ask, he shows me the little note that he has added to it “THERE WAS A MARK ON RIGHT REAR BUMPER UNDER TAIL LIGHT AFTER WE INSTALLED TAIL LIGH”, lol… “mark” I wish it was just a mark. By now I’m tired and angry and I just want to go home, I take the paper work and leave. I don’t want to identify the dealership as I have yet to speak to the service manager. Are there any service techs or detailers or experts out there that can offer their advice? What is a reasonable response from the dealership? Thanks for reading guys, Aznek UPDATED: 2013-Feb-12 So I spoke with the service manager today. He wants to take a look at it himself personally and make sure it's fixed. He also said that he'd have another tech re-do the tail light installation to make sure it is installed correctly. I'll be leaving my car with him and I'll be getting a loaner vehicle. He was apologetic and sincere, which is all I could ask for. I'm pretty satisfied with the response so far. Last edited by Aznek; 02-11-2013 at 01:43 PM.