Required disclosures & documentation at repair shops?

[85_Ranger4x4]

We ask before doing filters if we don't know the customer well. Farmers and construction guys generally know how thier filters get dirty.

It is amusing how many people come in with poor airflow that don't know they even have cabin airfilters... "that's under warranty tho right?" lol

A couple weeks ago a lady came in to get locking lug nuts removed. When we pulled it in we noticed there was a cel on so the service writer (younger lady).just asked her if she wants us to check it out while it in the shop. She called hubby and he flips out we are just to do what we are told. So we do that... and they totally rail us on the survey about trying to upsell her and how terrible we are.

 

[sgtsandman]

We ask before doing filters if we don't know the customer well. Farmers and construction guys generally know how thier filters get dirty.

It is amusing how many people come in with poor airflow that don't know they even have cabin airfilters... "that's under warranty tho right?" lol

A couple weeks ago a lady came in to get locking lug nuts removed. When we pulled it in we noticed there was a cel on so the service writer (younger lady).just asked her if she wants us to check it out while it in the shop. She called hubby and he flips out we are just to do what we are told. So we do that... and they totally rail us on the survey about trying to upsell her and how terrible we are.

Yeah, heaven forbid you ask a question...

Sleezeball salesman you! Shame on you!

 

[Ranger850]

We ask before doing filters if we don't know the customer well. Farmers and construction guys generally know how thier filters get dirty.

It is amusing how many people come in with poor airflow that don't know they even have cabin airfilters... "that's under warranty tho right?" lol

A couple weeks ago a lady came in to get locking lug nuts removed. When we pulled it in we noticed there was a cel on so the service writer (younger lady).just asked her if she wants us to check it out while it in the shop. She called hubby and he flips out we are just to do what we are told. So we do that... and they totally rail us on the survey about trying to upsell her and how terrible we are.

I want the call from them, mainly to know if it's a warranty item or do I have to pay out of pocket before I can take it home. I know a filter isn't "warranty" but my wife is one that didn't about a cabin filter, even though she's had one in every car she's ever driven. lol . It's always been done for her. I didn't grow up as affluent as she did, so I ask "What is it" and "How much" unless it's something I know I can handle without voiding any warranties. I'm still knew to the whole "dealership service ", I've never owned anything new until 2017. Before that it was whatever crap bucket I could afford to pay for without having payments. (que the theme song from The Jefferson's )

 

[Josh B]

And they get worse by the day.
My brother showed me a car mag article back in the early 70s, appx 50 years ago, where the mag sent two guys on the road in an almost new car that had Nothing Wrong with it.

They went from town to town, state to state, coast to coast, and border to border looking for repair shops and dealers. As they neared each town they were going to stop in they would pull a plug wire or something simple, and sometimes nothing at all, then head for a dealership or repair shop to have it checked out.

During the course of their expedition they stopped at almost 500 places and found Only Two who told them, "welll, it was only a loose plug wire"

And they are still getting worse every day

 

[Garth Libre]

I've changed a few cabin air filters. They generally run 20 to 30 dollars and take no more than a couple of minutes to change out. As far as the Mass Air flow, I think those are best done with a spray can designed for them. It can take about five minutes to disassemble the duct work to spray one down, one minute to spray it and five more to reassemble the ducts. It's a pain but for $100 for 10 minutes work, I'd prefer to do it myself. I've never been paid $600 an hour for anything I've ever done.

 

[Chapap]

I'm still trying to track down the lifetime warranty paperwork. It's a third party warranty and comes with every car from the Mazda and Nissan dealership (Same owner according to the sign and they somewhat fluidly share employees according to the ones I've spoken to). It's in a folder somewhere with all the purchase paperwork for the car. I'm 99% sure that it said just to follow the mfg's service schedule to stay valid. If that's the case I'll really be ticked. I've never heard of throttle body cleaning to be part of any service schedule aside from troubleshooting old engines.

I really liked the salesman I had. I may get with him and ask who to complain to... if there is anyone. How is dealership management usually set up? If it's owner then sales and service managers I'm probably out of luck.

 

[Chapap]

Just read the extended warranty contract. No mention of additional service requirements. Just mfg's schedule. The dealer just thought doing a throttle body cleaning was a good idea I guess.

 

[racsan]

Cabin air filters never even used to exist, I dont know when that started, sometime between’94 & ‘05. I went to change the one in our 2011 escape, someone had removed it and never put a new one back in. Ive changed the one in the hhr a couple of times, due to its design it keeps crap out of the blower motor fan.

 

[19Walt93]

Cabin air filters never even used to exist, I dont know when that started, sometime between’94 & ‘05. I went to change the one in our 2011 escape, someone had removed it and never put a new one back in. Ive changed the one in the hhr a couple of times, due to its design it keeps crap out of the blower motor fan.

A 2011 Escape didn't come with a cabin filter, I added one from the accessory catalog to my 2011. My daughter's 2012 Flex is about the easiest cabin filter I've ever changed and my 2016 Escape is without doubt the toughest one. But I change it every 15-18k regardless and it's always covered with dirt and crap.

 

[19Walt93]

We ask before doing filters if we don't know the customer well. Farmers and construction guys generally know how thier filters get dirty.

It is amusing how many people come in with poor airflow that don't know they even have cabin airfilters... "that's under warranty tho right?" lol

A couple weeks ago a lady came in to get locking lug nuts removed. When we pulled it in we noticed there was a cel on so the service writer (younger lady).just asked her if she wants us to check it out while it in the shop. She called hubby and he flips out we are just to do what we are told. So we do that... and they totally rail us on the survey about trying to upsell her and how terrible we are.

I had one service advisor who told customers the MIL indicated an emissions problem- until I explained that it was the PCM seeing a faulty sensor reading, ignoring it, and plugging in a good value from it's memory so the driver could keep going. The early EEC IV systems in 84/85 didn't have MIL's so when they went into limited operation strategy the customer couldn't tell. Until they left their headlights on when they got to work and killed the battery so there was no memory of a good sensor value and whatever problem showed itself.
I explained to many customers over the years that there are 2 ways they can find out their car needs something done- we can tell them or the car can tell them by breaking down. Our purpose was to make our customers' ownership experience as good as possible so they'd come back and buy more vehicles. The sales department sells the first vehicle, service sells the subsequent ones.
The NH customer bill of rights requires garages to give written estimates on request for any work over $.50 and forbids charging in access of 10% over an estimate. The state legislators assume mechanics are as crooked as lawyers like them.

 

[racsan]

A 2011 Escape didn't come with a cabin filter, I added one from the accessory catalog to my 2011.

Well thats odd, guess it explains why one wasn’t in there. I just figured someone took it out to help boost the air blast from the blower. It does have a hell of a good heater!

 

[19Walt93]

Well thats odd, guess it explains why one wasn’t in there. I just figured someone took it out to help boost the air blast from the blower. It does have a hell of a good heater!

It's easier to put one in a 2011 than it is in my 2016, add one unless you like dust and pollen.

 

[97RangerXLT]

It's easier to put one in a 2011 than it is in my 2016, add one unless you like dust and pollen.

My 2015 Escape is no picnic either. My 2010 Buick Lucerne is easy, there is a little door in the cowl under the hood. Takes about a minute to do.

AJ

 

[Blmpkn]

The NH customer bill of rights requires garages to give written estimates on request for any work over $.50 and forbids charging in access of 10% over an estimate. The state legislators assume mechanics are as crooked as lawyers like them.

Texas(?) Forbids a garage that fails a vehicle for a sticker from performing the repairs said vehicle needs to become stickerable.

That sort of thing seems like way more than common sense to me. Especially in the salt belt.

 

[19Walt93]

Texas(?) Forbids a garage that fails a vehicle for a sticker from performing the repairs said vehicle needs to become stickerable.

That sort of thing seems like way more than common sense to me. Especially in the salt belt.

They look at inspection as an income source for the garage, we look at it as making sure our customers are safe. So, if a shop you trust fails your car for inspection, you have to find someone else to fix it? It's a good thing mechanics aren't really as crooked as lawyers.