Bad experience while getting my car service

[mact]

Smells like a shady dealership.. The black marker and 2 miles on your car I definitely wouldn't be okay with. Not having a filter on hand should have been one of the first things they told you.

Since it looks like an Autonation franchise, your best bet is to file a complaint with them to explain your dissatisfaction.

[whataboutbob]

Originally Posted by reeves

Wow I feel for u.. a while back, one of my buds had his Corolla's oil changed at the Toyota dealership, and they forgot to put the oil cap back on. The underside of his hood & engine bay got totally drenched in oil.. the dealer cleaned it up of course, but still.. wut a comeplete lack of competence.

I've seen this as well. My mom had her car worked on at a local dealer and the same thing happened. I can't think of _any_ excuse that justifies "forgetting" to put the oil cap back on after finishing an oil change. Only thing worse would be the plug.

[zoomzoomers]

Sorry to hear about your negative experience. If it were me, I'd definitely try to take some sort of action. Even it doens't result in anything, at the least, it will help others avoid the same or similar experience.

I had a friend take his car in for an oil change and they changed the filter, screwed on all the plugs. They just forgot to fill the oil. He found out on the way home on the fwy when his car overheated. They replaced his entire motor. IMO, they should have given him a brand new car and a blow job (from a hot chic). Just goes to show you that they're don't have very high standards when hiring "most" techs to turn wrenches.

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by zoomzoomers

Sorry to hear about your negative experience. If it were me, I'd definitely try to take some sort of action. Even it doens't result in anything, at the least, it will help others avoid the same or similar experience.

I had a friend take his car in for an oil change and they changed the filter, screwed on all the plugs. They just forgot to fill the oil. He found out on the way home on the fwy when his car overheated. They replaced his entire motor. IMO, they should have given him a brand new car and a blow job (from a hot chic). Just goes to show you that they're don't have very high standards when hiring "most" techs to turn wrenches.

I know people who have forgotten to put oil in, but realized it immediately and informed their customers. My only point here is that it can happen to good mechanics too, especially when newer techs are coming up and asking for assistance/knowledge all the time and it slips their mind.

The marker in this case was shady, and they should have told the OP that the filter wasn't available.

OP: Easy enough to check the oil, just pull the dipstick. New oil will be easily noticed compared to 1,000 mile oil.

[gily25]

I could see them wondering wtf the x was and trying to cover it for you somehow.

You noticed it before you got the receipt or after? A good advisor should have handed you the receipt and said, we didn't have the correct filter so we weren't able to change it. If you looked the car over beforehand (when you arrived to the lot) then went in angry, there really wasn't a chance. Even if I've looked the car over, I usually complete the transaction (play dumb) then take issue.

I'm not saying you should stand around and toe tap but service has a waiting room for a reason, if people are having mileage put on their vehicles, I would suggest you make time to wait. At least until you're comfortable with the dealer relationship.

Remember new mechanics need to earn enough hours to become ASE certified. Garages have them do the crap tasks or play second fiddle during bigger things until they have those hours. A novice probably changed your oil so you got a novice's level of attention. Still no excuse but something to keep in mind.

[whateatsrabbits]

Being in the auto service industry Ive seen a lot of people try to mark stuff like filters and plugs. I always put the same marks back on the new part, just to mess with the customer. But I make sure to save the old marked parts to show the customer when they tell me I didn't change anything. Its a trust building experience.

Theres an old saying "You get what you pay for"

[jmaryt]

Originally Posted by haloterence

After carefully breaking in my car. I decided to do an oil change. To my surprise I gotten a letter from Power/Autonation for complimentary first oil & filter change. It was a totally separate deal from the Scion maintenance program. Thinking that I just scored, I schedule myself an appointment. I was actually quite hesitant to take it to a dealership from watching the youtube vids and people posting negative experiences about having their car serviced. So as a safety precaution I cleared my trip A mileage reader to Zero to see how many miles they were going to put on the car. I marked an X on top of the oil filter. So that I know If the filter has been changed. I also told my adverser if they can put on the fumoto drain valve that I brought in.

Well, it pays to be paranoid sometimes. Especially with our beloved FR-S.

before


after


So I got a call 2 hours later that my car is done. When I arrived to pick up my car. My service adverser came to greet me and told me that there wasn't any problem with my new car. I ask him where they put the original drain plug. He told me that the service department wouldn't allowed any aftermarket product that wasn't purchased through them to be added on. OK, fine I was thinking in my head. Then this strange thought about if they even changed the oil?. Pop my hood and saw the same exact oil filter I marked. But covered up by a black marker. At this point I was pretty upset. Checked my trip mileage and there was 2.3 miles that been driven. Anyways, long story short I spoke to the manager. He told me that since the car is so new they didn't have the filter in stock. But that they did change the engine oil. I ask him why was there so many miles adding on for an oil change? He then told me that after every oil change they do a "Driving Test" to make sure everything is running fine. My BS radar is going off the hook at this point. If this place is going to lie about a simple oil change. What else is going on under closed door? I seriously felt raped, well my car did. But I felt it. .

you have definitely been deceived and lied to! don't go there again,and tell 'em you will "take" many others with you! word of mouth is a killer,and i would 'cook" 'em with the better business bureau,as well as "dealer rater"
it's truly a sad commentary on our society when business's 'f*ck" with the very people who put food on their tables!..shame on them!..just sayin'

Originally Posted by yormaX

I think this is blown out of proportion... The oil change and oil filter was "FREE" anyways. Seriously, what did you expect?

nobody rides for free in this world! you pay one way or another! "ass,gas,or
grass!..nobody rides for free!"

[jmaryt]

Originally Posted by zoomzoomers

Sorry to hear about your negative experience. If it were me, I'd definitely try to take some sort of action. Even it doens't result in anything, at the least, it will help others avoid the same or similar experience.

I had a friend take his car in for an oil change and they changed the filter, screwed on all the plugs. They just forgot to fill the oil. He found out on the way home on the fwy when his car overheated. They replaced his entire motor. IMO, they should have given him a brand new car and a blow job (from a hot chic). Just goes to show you that they're don't have very high standards when hiring "most" techs to turn wrenches.

regardless of what you say,this is just inexcusable!.are you kidding me?
just about everyone WILL trust the tech and NOT check the oil,and you know this! ya cannot make a mistake like this,whether you are a new tech or not!,
for ALL the correct reasons!

Originally Posted by gily25

I could see them wondering wtf the x was and trying to cover it for you somehow.

You noticed it before you got the receipt or after? A good advisor should have handed you the receipt and said, we didn't have the correct filter so we weren't able to change it. If you looked the car over beforehand (when you arrived to the lot) then went in angry, there really wasn't a chance. Even if I've looked the car over, I usually complete the transaction (play dumb) then take issue.

I'm not saying you should stand around and toe tap but service has a waiting room for a reason, if people are having mileage put on their vehicles, I would suggest you make time to wait. At least until you're comfortable with the dealer relationship.

Remember new mechanics need to earn enough hours to become ASE certified. Garages have them do the crap tasks or play second fiddle during bigger things until they have those hours. A novice probably changed your oil so you got a novice's level of attention. Still no excuse but something to keep in mind.

regardless of who did the work,this is an embarrassment to the dealer,and will "drive" business to anybody else ,but them!.not only that,it's a mistake that will cost plenty. this is just fuc*ing nuts! period!

Originally Posted by whateatsrabbits

Being in the auto service industry Ive seen a lot of people try to mark stuff like filters and plugs. I always put the same marks back on the new part, just to mess with the customer. But I make sure to save the old marked parts to show the customer when they tell me I didn't change anything. Its a trust building experience.

Theres an old saying "You get what you pay for"

i have done this myself on an oil change that also included a tire rotation!
marked the tires with indelible marker!. they tried to f**k me! i pointed out the tires were marked and they didn't rotate them.they didn't care as it was a "promotional' priced oil change,and very little profit in it for them!.toasted 'em with the state attorney general's office and had them investigated! end result was a "black mark" for them,and a "gift certificate" for me!..just sayin'

[@Art_Mighty]

When I got an oil change at 400 miles my shop was nice enought to drive to another dealer and get a filter they didn't have in stock. That's a really crappy service department...

[_F-R-S_]

always take to dealer.. foget jiffy lube.. they fuck that shit up

[baldolera]

Originally Posted by _F-R-S_

always take to dealer.. foget jiffy lube.. they fuck that shit up

That WAS a dealer...

[_F-R-S_]

dam man fuck that shit. would say take to my dads work but u dont live around here

[FBaxteR-S]

Originally Posted by _F-R-S_

always take to dealer.. foget jiffy lube.. they fuck that shit up

Originally Posted by _F-R-S_

dam man fuck that shit. would say take to my dads work but u dont live around here

Real useful posts here thanks for (not) reading. Where's the dislike button?

OP - thanks for the insight into what some dealerships SOP are. I have a trusted mechanic that my family has used for decades and a good mechanic truly is priceless.

[Turbowned]

I was gonna say, you really don't need to change the filter that early anyway (the oil certainly, the filter not so much), but the fact that they A. didn't inform you that they didn't have a filter and B. tried to cover it up by marking over your old filter, is just scummy. And 2.3 miles? Why??

Change your own oil. Buy a pair of ramps, a drain bucket, an oil filter wrench, and (correct me if I'm wrong) a 14mm wrench, and keep the receipts for the materials and mark it in your warranty/maintenance guide. It takes less time to do it in your driveway than it does to take the car to the dealer and wait, and you know the work has been done right. The top-mount oil filter and the fumoto drain valve will eliminate mess; you shouldn't even get any oil on your hands if you do it right!