You Broke It, Now What?

[EricTheCarGuy]

This video was based on one of College man’s experiences with the dealer. What do you think about this topic?

Topic

[Bret]

this video is so true and i dont think i would be able to live with myself if i dodgy’d something up like that and let it go i would feel guilty and somone is bound to find out and complain eventually and will come back on you anyway

[Lee Ann]

I have been the surprised customer-

Took my Saturn LW 300 (2002 3.0 L, DOHC) in for a sticking brake caliper, passenger right, and ended up with a complete rear disc brake job.

Now the tech showed me everything that was going on during the entire process which I totally appreciated (I love going into the repair bay and having everything about the repair explained to me. I learn something new about my car and the repair business). But when you get a quote for one thing and you come out spending twice as much (and you’re in a bind), well that hurts. All the preparation in the world doesn’t really help. But the owner adjusted the bill because I didn’t expect to have the driver rear caliper, break pads and rotor replaced, which was really good of him.

This experience has prompted me to start doing my own repairs (first on my SC2, then later LW300), in which I will take responsibility for the things I break…not that my shop broke anything and didn’t tell me (which was the main theme of the video) but I think my experience relates with most of the statements made in the video.

I really appreciate that you are are setting a good example for current and future techs, Eric.
Keep on keepin’ on!

[Herb]

Just saw the video “you broke it now what”… I’ve had to take a car to the dealer for two different recalls… Both times I had bad experiences since they do multi point inspection….

1st recall–they told me my front brakes were at the minimum specification… I told them I was low on cash and that I would take it back later… Got home.., took the wheels off… Checked… Brakes we’re still good… In fact… They lasted me SIX months before I had to replace them….

2nd recall–the SRS light has been on for bout 3 years now… Some kind of malfunction with the belt buckle switch… I’ve never addressed it for whatever reason… The light has just been on… Never bothered to take care of it… When I went to pick up the car the light was gone… The recall was for the headlights… And somehow the SRS light was now gone… When I asked they couldn’t explain it to me other than just say we didn’t touch anything having to do with SRS… Those lights come and go… Not only that… The car started having an erratic idle and my “check engine” light when on as I was driving home… So I took it back to them immediately only to be told I needed a new mass air flow sensor… Of course I declined… Went home… Light went out about a day later and cars been working fine….

Needless to say its one of the reasons I never take my car to the dealer…

In case you guys wondering its a 2004 crv…

[college man]

I only went there for 4 tires and an alignment. :huh:
Lucky I went to change the alternator the next day. Otherwise
I would have never have noticed the prop rod.Also the prop rod
was laying on the exhaust manifold and close to my cooling fans.
I get it that stuff breaks. If the tech would have said something
to the service manager.I could respect that. it was Saturday and 5:00pm
so I could understand its been a long day and people want to go home.
Kinda through a red flag up with all the tape. Any how I got it replaced
after I had to call the dealership. What do you guys think? Say something
Don’t say something or pretend you did not do it and it was like that?
What is your code of ethic. 👿 😛

[EricTheCarGuy]

[quote=”college man” post=92895]I only went there for 4 tires and an alignment. :huh:
Lucky I went to change the alternator the next day. Otherwise
I would have never have noticed the prop rod.Also the prop rod
was laying on the exhaust manifold and close to my cooling fans.
I get it that stuff breaks. If the tech would have said something
to the service manager.I could respect that. it was Saturday and 5:00pm
so I could understand its been a long day and people want to go home.
Kinda through a red flag up with all the tape. Any how I got it replaced
after I had to call the dealership. What do you guys think? Say something
Don’t say something or pretend you did not do it and it was like that?
What is your code of ethic. 👿 :P[/quote]

Well I made a video of my opinion. 🙂

[Bret]

I think they should of said something to there service manager and rang you and spent that extra 5 mins going to get the part and fitting it instead of coursing themselves a headache

[Rereonehundred]

In my Toyota Camry years, the electromagnetic clutch bearing failed on my Camry’s AC compressor. The goon working on replacing the clutch broke the end off the compressor when removing the clutch. It was a long time ago, but I think he forgot to take off a circlip and reefed on the extractor tool until the compressor broke.

Of course the service manager lied about “old weak parts”, and I had no alternative than to suck up an $800 mistake in the Toyota dealer’s shop.

But I stopped buying Toyotas from them, and have since bought about $120 000 dollars worth of cars from the Honda dealer a half mile down the street from the Toyota dealer.

So the Toyota dealer stiffed me for $800 but lost $120 000 in subsequent business.

Don’t think that anyone ever forgets about being robbed.

[Lorrin Barth]

I was blessed with the ability to fix things and have no experience with dealership shops. But I do visit dealerships from time to time for parts. Once there I often have to act as the parts person even to the point of working the other side of the counter. They should at least hire a person who can look at an exploded drawing and know what they are seeing. The days of saying, “What do I need to fix this?”, are gone.

Also, the last two dealerships I visited had empty shops with employees standing around. I dunno what that means. Maybe we are entering a new era.

[Kenny]

Speaking as a dealership tech, it’s a really bad feeling when you break something as you’re tearing down/going back together.

It happens, it happens a lot, and usually its something small just like that prop rod clip.

But… it’s my job as a technician to make it right, no matter what. It may suck, it may take longer, it may make you lose money, and most importantly it may make the customer unhappy. You suck it up and make it
right. If I didn’t do it, I wouldn’t be worth jack as a technician. An customer unhappy about a repair taking longer than expected is better that a customer unhappy that their car isn’t fixed right or has more wrong with it than when it came in.

I’m very lucky to work at an amazing dealership, in this event we will work with the customer, 50/50 it or even cover it under shop supplies. If I broke a prop rod clip, I wouldn’t even flinch to walk to the parts dept. and put it on the shop supplies. Not only that, but if we break something and put it on shop supplies, it goes under the tech’s name and gets logged, too much broken stuff in a month and you will get talked to.

There are honest technicians with a conscience out there, I’d say the majority of them are and I’m included it that. I know how expensive repairs are, I couldn’t imagine dropping $6000 on a vehicle repair, and if I get that repair you better believe it will be fixed to a T. It’s just sad that there are those techs out there that give us all a bad name.

[mckrishes]

This is why I try to do as much of my own repairs as possible. I took my civic to walmart and they broke the hood latch handle and didn’t tell me. Then I took it to good year one time for a timing belt repair. When I opened the hood to do some routine service. I saw that part of my radiator had been smashed by some object. Then I noticed the center cap of my wheel was missing. No one ever told me. But what really got me started on repairing/maintaining my own vehicles was taking my car to the dealer for a tune up and being told that it would cost a little over $100 to change the spark plugs only and just over $100 to change the transmission fluid (pan only) in my 1999 Honda civic for a grand total of over $200. I decided I’ll learn how to repair/maintain my own vehicles and save some money.

[EricTheCarGuy]

[quote=”mckrishes” post=104429]This is why I try to do as much of my own repairs as possible. I took my civic to walmart and they broke the hood latch handle and didn’t tell me. Then I took it to good year one time for a timing belt repair. When I opened the hood to do some routine service. I saw that part of my radiator had been smashed by some object. Then I noticed the center cap of my wheel was missing. No one ever told me. But what really got me started on repairing/maintaining my own vehicles was taking my car to the dealer for a tune up and being told that it would cost a little over $100 to change the spark plugs only and just over $100 to change the transmission fluid (pan only) in my 1999 Honda civic for a grand total of over $200. I decided I’ll learn how to repair/maintain my own vehicles and save some money.[/quote]

I’m glad you started doing you’re own service. You’re much better off in my opinion.

Like most things however, you get what you pay for. Hondas need special attention. If they get it, they last forever. If they don’t…. well you’ve already seen what happens. My point is that Walmart may not be the best place to get your Honda repaired. The dealer is a better choice, but as you pointed out, that comes at a premium price. 🙂

[Author]

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