How was your day?

[ChuckG]

Mine sucked. I had a whole list of TO DO's. I got stuck on the first one which was service my car.

I have made myself notes in case the situation doesn't resolve to my satisfaction and I have to file a complaint with higher authorities.



**Notes written on 4/22/08 while everything was still fresh in my memory.

On 4/22/08 I called store #0382 concerning a problem I was having with my 2000 Mercury Mystique. I spoke with Juanita who happens to be the service manager for the store. I explained to Juanita that I ran diagnostics on my car and that I was getting an EGR flow error code. Using a Chilton’s manual I checked the EGR valve myself by removing the vacuum line to the EGR valve (car did not bog down). I hooked a vacuum pump up to the EGR valve and the pressure stayed steady and the car did not bog down. Chilton’s says this is an indication of blockage and to remove the EGR valve and clean it (using a new gasket). I asked Juanita how much it would cost me to remove the EGR valve, clean it and put it back on with a new gasket. She asked me if I wanted a fuel injector cleaning. She explained that the EGR was only part of the system and suggested that I clean the injectors as well so the whole system is clean. This made sense to me and I agreed to the service.

I took the car to the store to be serviced. I dealt directly with Juanita in the store. She wrote up the ticket to have the EGR removed, cleaned and replaced with a new gasket as well as the injector cleaning service as well as an oil change.

I asked Juanita about somewhere that I could eat while the car was being serviced. She suggested Golden Coral right next door. She asked me if the phone number I gave her was my cell phone and I told her that it was. (This was obviously done to make sure that she could contact me if there were any problems encountered)

Golden Coral was closed and I ended up next door on the other side of the store at Burger King. I had plenty of time to eat and still sat around in the store’s waiting area for almost another hour before the service was complete. I paid for the service and took the car home.

At home I was reading over the paperwork that was given to me and noticed that it says I have additional problems with the car. It says that air intake house is cracked and could be the cause of my check engine light staying on. Error codes PO 401, PO 171, PO 174, and P 1131 were also noted. I called Juanita on the phone and began to ask her why I wasn’t notified that I had additional problems. She put the technician on the phone that worked on my car. His response was that they did try to contact me. They called for me over the loudspeaker and I did not respond. I did not respond because I was at Burger King and obviously didn’t hear the page. I then asked why someone didn’t call me. He said that Juanita would have to answer that one and put Juanita back on the phone. I asked Juanita why I wasn’t notified of additional problems with a phone call or even when I returned to the store and was waiting in the waiting room. Her response was that she wasn’t there, she was with other customers. I reminded her that she was the one that took my money for the service so she did see me again. She offered no reason why I wasn’t notified of other problems. The phone conversation ended.

I went outside and looked at the car and it was quite obvious where the air intake was cracked. There is a hose coming off the right side of the intake that passes directly in front of the EGR valve and then connects to the manifold. The air intake was cracked right where that hose connects to the air intake. I retested the EGR valve exactly as I described in the first paragraph and got the same results which indicates that I should still be looking for blockage of the EGR valve (what I just paid to have cleaned).

I called Juanita back. I was getting a bit upset at this point. I explained to Juanita that diagnostics still suggest that I have a blockage. Probably because I was upset at this point, Juanita was a bit on the defensive. Her bottom line was that she did not diagnose the car problem. I asked for a service and she performed the service. The phone conversation did not end on a positive note.

Figuring that the air intake needed replaced to see if it made any kind of difference in the diagnostics of the EGR valve itself, I headed out to parts store. The parts store told me it was a factory part and so I headed over to the nearest dealership. At the dealership I found out that a new air intake would cost me $76. At that price I wondered if I could simply patch up the connection myself with some RTV silicone. I went back to the parts store and got some silicone and was about to apply it to the affected area when it dawned on me that the hose must have been removed to get the EGR valve out and that the technician was probably the one that cause the crack in the air intake. Looking closely at the cracked area it was clean with no debris as an indication of a new crack, not an old one. If someone was to remove the clamp where the hose is connected to the manifold and pull that hose towards them, it would put strain on the exact area that is now cracked. At this point I figured I better not do the patch job and that I needed to address this issue with Juanita in person.

I went back down to the store and spoke with Juanita and Xavier. I actually showed them that the car does not bog down when you remove the vacuum line to the EGR as well as showed them that the car does not bog down when you pressurize the valve with a pressure pump (I took one with me). They both once again attempted the reasoning that I requested a service that they performed. My main argument was/is that even though they did not diagnose the problem it was understood by both parties “why” I was requesting the service. I was requesting the service because my diagnostics indicated blockage. Blockage is exactly why Juanita went on to suggest the fuel injectors be cleaned as well. If you remove the EGR valve to clean it because of an indication of blockage I would think it would be common sense after the service to check and see if there is still an indication of blockage. That obviously wasn’t done and diagnostics still do indicate that my next step is to remove the EGR valve and clean it for blockage. I am not suggesting that the service was not performed but it appears to me that the service wasn’t performed properly otherwise the EGR valve would pass diagnostics.

Juanita asked me what I wanted them to do. I didn’t respond with what I wanted them to do because I went on to the next problem of the air intake being cracked. When I explained to her that I believe that her technician was the one that cracked the air intake her immediate response was that the technician didn’t even have to remove the hose described earlier to get the EGR valve out. I’m sorry but I simply don’t believe that. There was even a clean spot on the clamp that suggests a screwdriver was recently used on it. She told me that she would have to talk to the technician that performed the service (understandable) but he had already left for the day. I suggested that she already knew that the technician would simply say that he didn’t do it. She explained that her technicians are not like that and that they would own up to something like this. I then suggested that she still knew what the technician will say because if they are that honest then he would have certainly come forward on his own when it happened.

I went on to tell her that a new sticker was not put on the window following the oil change. She shrugged her head. I told her that I was not attempting to be picky or argue just for the sake of argument. She told me that she wasn’t shrugging her head at me. She went to say that you tell the technicians to do things time and time again and if they happen to be having a bad day or whatever things happen. Certainly understandable. I make my own fair share of mistakes at my job. I went on to show her on my paperwork that they suggested that I need a transmission fluid change when I just had the transmission rebuilt about 5,000 mi ago and that the fluid is new. She explained that one is done solely on vehicle mileage rather than inspection. I once again explained to her that I was not trying to nit pick but to just explain why I had to start doubting the professionalism of the business. From not being notified of other problems, from me thinking that they broke the air intake, from not putting a mileage decal on the car from the oil change to suggesting an additional service that I know I don’t need. (the tranny fluid)

She understood and has authorized to run diagnostics on the engine in an attempt to figure out the problem. Unfortunately the next day I am available to bring the car back in is a week away (4/30/08). I asked her about the cracked intake because I know that it will even take the dealer a couple of days to get the part in. She agreed to go ahead and order the part. There was no further discussion as to who was paying for the intake as I’m sure she needs to address that issue with the technician that did the work.

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So basically my wallet is $200 lighter than it was this morning and it appears that I still have the original problem as well as an additional problem added into the mix.

Sure hope my night is better than the day was.

[ricosuave]

That sucks man. You should have bought a GM vehicle

It's hard to find decent mechanics nowadays. I had a dealer replace the brakes on my wifes Denali and broke the antilock sensor in the process. They tried to tell me it was defective anyway and wasn't there fault and I would be responsible for the bill. When it came time to pay I wrote them a check,(so they would give me back my car) left the parking lot, called my bank and put a stop payment on the check. Never heard anything from them since.

Have a couple of drinks, you'll feel better and maybe your evening will be a good one.

[olsaltybastard]

I have been riding the bike to work for the past two weeks.






I know this doesn't help you any, but at least now you understand why I do not take any of my vehicles in to be serviced. I am perfectly capable of screwing things up myself!!

[Gecko]

I hear you, I brought my BMW in for service to have my oil changed they placed the car on the computer to see how its doing since the car is now off warrantee. The good news was the car was fine but when I got my bill it was $790 for an oil change washer fluid and maintenance.

The bulk of the charge was whopping the car up to the computer $540, they charged me a $150 dollars an hour for service? You talk about getting beat up at the car dealership; I feel your pain…

[ChuckG]

Damn - did you not read the fine print before they did that?

Between the first drink being consumed rather quickly and reading Gecko's story - I feel GREAT

[cUddlefish]

The worst car I ever had was a brand new one. I now always buy a cheap old car and run it till the repairs are too costly and then get another one. My insurance is less, my repairs average about $1000 a year and I have no payments. I have also learned how to do many things I did not know how to do befere.


I must admit, I would like to ride a bike like OSB.....

[atlantic reefer]

Dang, that does suck.

Other than that my day wasn't to bad except was 20 minutes late to work cause i thought i worked an hour later than i did.

[Patrick™]

Talking about cars . . . I have a 2000 pontiac grand prix This winter I changed the thermostat and had to remove the throttle body to get to it. A few weeks later it really starts using gas and now the check engine light comes on once in a while. So monday I took it in. Of course the light was not on, but the history codes are for cam shaft position sensor, and transmission clutch solenoid. but since the codes were not active there was nothing they could do to fix it and these are big dollar fixes!!!! But this did not explain the fuel inefficiency. So they tested the fuel pressure regulator. I needed a new pressure regulator. So far the bill is $250 and I am picking the car up in the morning!!!! Hopefully the tranny code is left over from when they changed the transmission 2 years ago under warranty. As for the cam shaft sensor I have no idea.

Anyhow they cleared all the codes and now if one shows up we will at least know what is going on.

So the last few days I have been riding the motorcycle to work. It rained this morning at 3:30am while I am on my way to work. I show up soaking wet and the boss says, "What the hell are you doing riding motorcycle to work in the rain." I looked at him and said, "The car is in the shop, this is the only other way to get here unless you want a call at 2am to come and get me?" That was the end of that discussion.

[Thomas]

I got all of you beat. I bought a Voltswagon Passat W8 a few years back. I went to take the car in for an oil change and was told it would be 100 dollars. I asked them are you nuts?
Well I went home and removed the under shroud of the engine compartment and removed the plug. It said OIL on the pan. Well I get the dumb shit of the year award because I actually drained the transmission. I then looked for the fill dip stick for the trans and there wasn't one. I called up and found out it had to be pumped in. I had to have the car flat bedded to them and serviced. That 100 dollar oil change ended up costing me 450 dollars and a nice chunk of pride.
The good news is that after having self leveling headlight problems for 3 years I sued under the Morrison Moss act and got my full purchase price of the car back.

[ChuckG]

I once took a car in for an oil change. The next day the plug fell off WHILE DRIVING and dumped all the oil. The engine started rattling. The shop took full responsibility. They towed it, filled it with oil and said everything seemed to be OK. I was smart enough to get in writing what had happened. Two days later the engine seized - it was shot. The shop took responsibility again and towed it, gave me a rental and replaced the engine with a used engine. The engine shook so bad it vibrated everything. They said something about the flywheel (can't remember now). They replaced the flywheel with a different one as well as motor mounts. The car still shook so bad it vibrated the dash. Then they start telling me that it shook like that prior to me bringing it in the first time. I argued with them till my teeth were blue to no avail. I finally gave up, literally gave the car away because I wasn't going to drive it like that and bought another clunker.