Advice wanted on dealing with Auto-Dealer Service Dept

[petegz28]

So I bough ta new Maxima back in June. Ever since I've had the car I have heard a ticking that goes with the wheels. You can really hear it in a garage because of the echo and such. So, I mention it to the dealer one day when I was getting the oil changed. He said they heard it but wanted me to bring it back when the suspension guy was working. Ok, fair enough.

Time goes by, and I start noticing the CVT (Transmission) is a little louder than it had been. So I call the dealer and take it in yesterday and told them about what I think is the transmission noise as well as the ticking. All day goes by and I hear nothing.

I call them this morning and they said they saw nothing wrong and couldn't hear the ticking that they claimed they could hear before. I said bullshit. This was at 10:00am this morning. So they said they would look again, 2:30 rolls around and I hear nothing so I call and ask them what's going on so I can make arrangments to get the car if I need too. The guys says he hadn't heard anything and he would go talk to the foreman and call me back. I told him I was getting ready to leave work in about an hour.

45 minutes later I still haven't heard anything back one way or the other and now my patience is starting to get a little thin.

Would you be talking to the Manager or play the wait and see?

[Predarat]

When dealing with Auto Dealershits skip all AntiFreeze ettiquite and go straight for the FlamingAidsTree.

[petegz28]

When dealing with Auto Dealershits skip all AntiFreeze ettiquite and go straight for the FlamingAidsTree.

So does that mean go straight to the manager and quit dicking around with the other guy?

[vailpass]

Don't.

[petegz28]

Don't.

Don't what?

[Scorp]

This is a very common answer when it comes to warranty work. "Sorry our technician Couldn't replicate the problem when he looked at it."

[Kerberos]

Whatever happened to Dale Mercer? I would think he would have .02 to put in on this?

[vailpass]

Don't what?

Sorry for not being helpful. I meant if they are jerking you around don't deal with them, go over them.
Here is an excerpt from an article I sent my young nephew a while back...


If all else fails ...

If you aren't treated professionally or fairly -- or the shop seems unable to fix your car's problem -- there are two steps to take.

The first is to speak directly with the owner/manager of the dealership. He should want happy customers who believe they have been treated fairly -- and who will come back to him for their next vehicle. A word from the owner/manager to the service adviser can work miracles.

Call him as often as necessary and concisely and politely explain the nature of the problem. Point out that you spent a large amount of money at his business and that you expect to be treated fairly.

If this approach does not work, the next step is to move up the food chain to the automaker the dealership represents. Ford, GM, Honda and other companies don't like it when dealers aren't satisfying their customers and can bring enormous pressure to bear to make it right.

Call the regional customer-relations officer (or corporate headquarters); explain your problem, as above, with supporting documentation; and ask for help. You will find the contact information in your owner's manual.

Don't make accusations or threats; this won't help your cause. Instead, simply state that Dealer "X" has been unable to resolve the problem and that you are disappointed by the manner in which you've been treated.

Explain that you enjoy your vehicle but that the service experience has been unsatisfactory and that you are having regrets about having bought that make of vehicle. State that you want your vehicle fixed or the problem taken care of -- don't make unreasonable demands.

Most automakers will respond positively to inquiries of this kind, and the problem should be addressed in short order.

If this doesn't work, you may have to pursue other avenues, including getting in touch with the appropriate state bureau of consumer/regulatory affairs or hiring a lawyer to compose a suitably serious letter threatening to take the matter to court.

But your car troubles usually can be dealt with by simple, effective communication.

Eric Peters is an automotive columnist who has covered the auto industry since 1992. His work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Detroit Free Press and Detroit News, among other publications. E-mail him at Epeters952@aol.com.

http://www.armytimes.com/offduty/automotive/ONLINE.CARS.DEALERSERVICE/

[Chief Roundup]

Warranty work pays the least in a shop. So when you have warranty work done you get the rookie green horns working on your new car. Of course they don't know shit.

[Dayze]

i had a similar issue with my Wife's Beetle. Less than a year old and had a bad wheel bearing. She took it in 4 seperate times and they never 'replicated' the noise. BS.

So I drove down there with the Car and aske for the shop supervisor. I was polite etc, but direct. He said they'd take a look at it, and I politely said "well, to be honest, I'd like to take your for a drive so I'm sure you're hearing exactly what I'm talking about etc, if you don't mind". I made the shop supervisor drive with me until he heard the noise...which, ironically enough, was a soon as the car was moving down the road (obviously) at more than 10mph.

Had it in the shop that very day, and fixed under warranty. He was cool with me, and I was cool with him. Got the problem fixed.

Keep after them.

[Kerberos]

This is a very common answer when it comes to warranty work. "Sorry our technician Couldn't replicate the problem when he looked at it."

You would think that anymore most Dealership repair centers would WANT all the business they can muster. Most get a fair warranty fee for their services.

I have dealt with Henderson Chevrolet here in Henderson, NV a few times on the wifes trailblazer and they fixed it...sent in my warranty claim and all I had to pay was $75 total for OVER $1500 in repairs.

I have nothing but good to say.

If petegz28 is having this kind of problem do what I have done before. GO STRAIT to the Service manager and have him take 5 minutes to go with you for a drive. You know what you are hearing so take him along and make sure he hears it too. I have done this in the past with my Ford Sportrac and they found the issue after I encouraged the Service manager to take a ride.

[blaise]

I would talk to him first and if you don't get a satisfactory answer go to the service manager. You could also go to the salesman. Not that they have any authority over the service department, but sometimes they can annoy the service guy enough that he'll do something about it.

[Gonzo]

Service writers can be as bad as used car salesmen. They work on commission too and if their techs are working on warranty vehicles, they're not making money.
That being said, you're physically going to have to go down there and replicate the prob lem with the service writer or manager. This sounds a helluva lot like CV joints to me.
Sauto? Your thoughts?
Posted via Mobile Device

[petegz28]

thankls for the feedback. I went in, guy was kissing my ass. Had him take me in another car so he could hear the difference. He could hear one but he said he didn't think it was that much of one. I talked to the Manager and told him I think something is wrong. He assured me they went over everything more than once. I told him about the ticking noise with the cotter pin they said they couldn't find until I told them to look again.

Anyhow, I got a free air filter and car wash out of the gig and it has been noted in detail in my record should the problem get worse.

Honestly and this may be my imagination, but the noise didn't seem as bad after they had it for two days though they swear they saw nothing and did nothing.

[Gonzo]

Anything can cause that click, really. CV joints, a break pad, a defect in the tire or even a slight warp in the wheel. If you have plastic wheel covers, that'll certainly cause it. The possibilities are endless man.
If it gets progressively worse, take it back until they fix it.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Easy 6]

If you really feel you're being dicked around, schedule an appointment with the stores general manager.

State your case firmly but calmly, the gm can make things happen when no one else can or will.

[petegz28]

Anything can cause that click, really. CV joints, a break pad, a defect in the tire or even a slight warp in the wheel. If you have plastic wheel covers, that'll certainly cause it. The possibilities are endless man.
If it gets progressively worse, take it back until they fix it.
Posted via Mobile Device

they did fix the ticking noise, or so it seems. They said it was a cotter pin that wasn't secured. But they tried to tell me at first they couldn't hear it and I told them to check again and voila, they heard it.

[jjjayb]

Service writers can be as bad as used car salesmen. They work on commission too and if their techs are working on warranty vehicles, they're not making money.
That being said, you're physically going to have to go down there and replicate the prob lem with the service writer or manager. This sounds a helluva lot like CV joints to me.
Sauto? Your thoughts?
Posted via Mobile Device

Good thing not all of us Car salesman are paid on commision. ;-)

[SAUTO]

Anything can cause that click, really. CV joints, a break pad, a defect in the tire or even a slight warp in the wheel. If you have plastic wheel covers, that'll certainly cause it. The possibilities are endless man.
If it gets progressively worse, take it back until they fix it.
Posted via Mobile Device


Looks like you covered all the basics here buddy.

I was going to say check the center caps first myself.

A loose cotter pin doesn't sound right to me though. Was the noise at "wheel speed"?
Posted via Mobile Device

[SAUTO]

thankls for the feedback. I went in, guy was kissing my ass. Had him take me in another car so he could hear the difference. He could hear one but he said he didn't think it was that much of one. I talked to the Manager and told him I think something is wrong. He assured me they went over everything more than once. I told him about the ticking noise with the cotter pin they said they couldn't find until I told them to look again.

Anyhow, I got a free air filter and car wash out of the gig and it has been noted in detail in my record should the problem get worse.

Honestly and this may be my imagination, but the noise didn't seem as bad after they had it for two days though they swear they saw nothing and did nothing.
You did good to have them put the complaint in your records. Sometimes you can get them to fix it even out of warranty when you do this.
Posted via Mobile Device

[hometeam]

I work for Nissan as a salesperson. I run into problems like this from time to time.

That being said, go to your salesperson first. They are your advocate at the dealership and many times you can get something accomplished just by asking your salesperson to light a fire under thier ass.

If its me, and im your salesperson, and you have a problem. I get it handled, end of story. No dick moves needed, no stress inducing worrying etc. Just plain and simple ask your salesperson to get it done. Nissan is HUGE on customer satisfaction, and actually PAY the dealerships which get high makrs on surveys for both service and sales. IF your salesperson cant or wont help you, talk to the service manager and threaten a bad survey. If you get in the pockets of the dealership, shit will get handled.