Having car serviced/repaired at dealer: Not always a pleasant experience

[MickeyD]

My car has been at the dealer for a month now.

96000km major service and to replace a crankshaft gasket to fix an oil leak. Total quoted cost around R20000.

Problem encountered to locate the gasket and they must bring it in from the States. Acceptable reason, which I have no problem with.

Earlier this week I phoned them and they said that the seal had just arrived, all parts were now available in the workshop and they promised that I'd have my car either yesterday or today.

I phoned them yesterday afternoon - not ready, working on it, will be ready today.

I phoned them at around lunch time today - not ready, working on it, will still be ready today.

I phoned them at 4pm. Phone gets handed to the mechanic - <laugh> sorry, wrong cam belt delivered. <laugh> Maybe it will be ready on Monday <laugh>.

I state my unhappiness and he basically laughs it off.

Fecking REF FLAG time - steam blowing outta ears time!!! Me fecking furious, want to climb into kids car and tell that fecking mechanic exactly what I think of his fecking laughing.

Mac (my SO) hands me a beer and tells me to chill....

So I visit their website and lodge a complaint.

17h10 - phone rings, workshop manager: dealer principal not pleased, can I explain to him what transpired...

He then replies that he has just looked at the engine before phoning me and the correct cam belt was ordered/delivered and that the mechanic had put the pulley on incorrectly which made it seem that the cam belt was too short. He is also not happy and will address the oke on Monday.

I'll have my car by 11h00 on Monday.

Moral of the story: Don't think you will always get better service from the dealer!

 

[MickeyD]

I don't think now is a good time to do a blood pressure reading.

 

[ponder]

Irish medicine

 

[MickeyD]

Later.

 

[Fulcrum29]

I don't think now is a good time to do a blood pressure reading.

My old man had his Volvo serviced at the Volvo Stellenbosch/Land Rover branch, he didn't hear anything back, went there three days later and discovered the place to be closed down/relocated. He called Volvo SA which acknowledged that they centralised certain Western Cape branches (incl. Volvo Stellenbosch) to N1 City. Calls Volvo N1 City which had zero clue about his car. Long story short, the car was stored on a lot somewhere in Stellenbosch, Volvo took zero responsibility. This was many years ago.

 

[MickZA]

... the correct cam belt was ordered/delivered and that the mechanic had put the pulley on incorrectly which made it seem that the cam belt was too short. He is also not happy and will address the oke on Monday

I'm guessing your confidence in the quality of their workmanship is rock bottom, lets hope they get a senior "oke" to finish the job and thoroughly inspect all work done.

 

[MickeyD]

I'm guessing your confidence in the quality of their workmanship is rock bottom, lets hope they get a senior "oke" to finish the job and thoroughly inspect all work done.

Exactly what I told the workshop manager...



PS. opposite Fig Tree Spur.

 

[silver6933]

Like everything in SA, mechanics these days have a 30% pass rate. Don't expect much!!

 

[MickeyD]

Update:

That Monday deadline was missed. Eventually received the call on Wednesday afternoon (19th).

Forked over the dollars and drove it home. Stopping in the driveway and while waiting for the gates to open, noticed an oil leak.

Turned around and took it straight back to them, as that was the primary reason why it went to them!!!

It took them until this morning to determine where the leak is, this after we told them exactly where to look and where they will find it.

So it appears I'll be another R17k out of pocket as they have to drop the engine and sort out the crankshaft thrust bearing. We actually told them to do this in the first place!!!!

As a form of apology they have given us a courtesy car (Jeep Compass) albeit with a R50k insurance excess. :wtf:

 

[The_Traveller]

Perhaps it flew over my head, but what car/dealer is this ?

 

[MickeyD]

Perhaps it flew over my head, but what car/dealer is this ?

I'll name and shame once I have my car back and fully repaired.

 

[Rouxenator]

Someone mentioned Volvo? Close relatives of ours recently had a pile or crap when they serviced at CMH. Best they could get out of them is to pay for the service the car had to undergo at an independent garage to repair all the damage CMH caused. They could not even fit the sump plug properly so the S60 nearly lost all its oil.

 

[MickeyD]

Received my vehicle back today... 4 months and 7 days since I took it in.

So far so good. Will monitor for any oil leaks over the next day or so.

Total cost to replace crankshaft and overhaul the engine... R36K.

Luckily the insurance company came to the party and covered almost all of it. The assessor tried to squirm out of it but the workshop manager, mechanic and client service advisor shot down his allegations of driver abuse. This is the only bit of happiness in the 4+ month wait.

 

[PostmanPot]

Luckily the insurance company came to the party and covered almost all of it. The assessor tried to squirm out of it but the workshop manager, mechanic and client service advisor shot down his allegations of driver abuse. This is the only bit of happiness in the 4+ month wait.

Good to hear you've got her back. Insurance? Is this a third party warranty?

 

[PhireSide]

Received my vehicle back today... 4 months and 7 days since I took it in.

So far so good. Will monitor for any oil leaks over the next day or so.

Total cost to replace crankshaft and overhaul the engine... R36K.

Luckily the insurance company came to the party and covered almost all of it. The assessor tried to squirm out of it but the workshop manager, mechanic and client service advisor shot down his allegations of driver abuse. This is the only bit of happiness in the 4+ month wait.

What the hell?! 4 months without a car...that is ridiculous!

I am glad that the insurance is helping out at least...I mean, basically you were insuring a car that was not being driven for four months so I guess that's the least they could do (I didn't follow the whole story but I saw the update now).

Let's hope they sorted you out good and proper. And one would expect professionalism from this particular brand

 

[MickeyD]

Good to hear you've got her back. Insurance? Is this a third party warranty?

SA Warranties

 

[PostmanPot]

SA Warranties

Nice, ±R7k?

One of the best ±R7k you've ever spent, then.

 

[MickeyD]

What the hell?! 4 months without a car...that is ridiculous!

No, in the dealer's defence, they provided me with various courtesy cars.

PS. They were on the front page of the Herald today. The same gentleman that tried to BS me in November got fired.

 

[PhireSide]

No, in the dealer's defence, they provided me with various courtesy cars.

PS. They were on the front page of the Herald today. The same gentleman that tried to BS me in November got fired.

Alright, I'll rephrase. Ahem:

What the hell?! 4 months without your car...that is ridiculous!

I think I could strip a car and rebuild it in four months. Not a very fancy car and there might be a few extra nuts and bolts in the end but still

 

[MickeyD]

Nice, ±R7k?

One of the best ±R7k you've ever spent, then.

Yep, plus the "step up" for another R1,9k (24 month unlimited km)