Yes, even the Dealership will lie to you

[GottaBeTRD]

Just a funny moment i had today. I took my truck the stearlership for an oil change this morning. I take it there because its the only place i trust, they will back up anything they do and they are some nice folks. I can do my own oil changes but i'm lazy and i don't have time, and I don't want to have to deal with the old oil etc etc.

Anyway after all was done the service guy comes and gets me and starts to rattle of a list of the things i need. he really emphasized how my throttle body was really dirty and i that it has a lot of carbon build up. in my head i called BS and yes it was BS. here is how dirty my TB is

I know most of us aren't suckers to these situations but just be careful out there

 

[Dezert4Runner]

I had a similar experience when I had my rear spring recall done at my local stealership a couple months ago. They mentioned a few things they noticed that needed attention (all of which I was well aware of), and they listed brake fluid flush. I had just finished doing the rear brakes and did a full flush of the brake system. I laughed when I saw that on the invoice in the notes, but didn't bother to confront them about it since it was a lost cause. Gotta watch those sneaky ba$****s! :flipoff:

 

[4-Ripcord]

That's why I wont go there or anywhere. The only thing I would think about having them do is the Timing belt, but I think I can do that on my own too.

At least you were smart enough to know all they do there is blow hot air.

 

[Nelsonmd]

I take it there because its the only place i trust, they will back up anything they do and they are some nice folks.

I think maybe you should rethink this...

Call him out on it. Make him show you. Nice folks don't rip off other nice folks.

Honestly, if you really do like the place and they lied like this, I'd speak to the manager and tell him how this dishonesty makes you question your loyalty. His response to that will tell you whether they are really worth your loyalty or not. If they've done good honest work in the past, then maybe it was just the tech trying to get commission work or something.

 

[9lb taco]

OP, that TB looks pretty clean - as if it's been cleaned at least once before in its life, if not very recently.
If he said he looked at it and it was dirty and had to be cleaned that's one thing; if he said its "probably dirty and needs cleaned based on age/mileage of the vehicle" then I wouldn't really fault him for it.

Either way cleaning the TB is a piece of cake.

 

[cj80cruiser]

OP, that TB looks pretty clean - as if it's been cleaned at least once before in its life, if not very recently.
If he said he looked at it and it was dirty and had to be cleaned that's one thing; if he said its "probably dirty and needs cleaned based on age/mileage of the vehicle" then I wouldn't really fault him for it.

Either way cleaning the TB is a piece of cake.

This is what I think too. He probably gets a list of things to do automatically when the mileage is entered in the dealerships computer system. These systems are put in to make sure all possibilities are mentioned on every customers vehicles to make sure every possible dollar is covered.

That guy was probably just following instruction.

 

[TheeMikeB]

Infiniti tried talking my wife into new rear brakes saying they were 'critically low'on our G35. I had my buddy meausre the pad depth after and they were at 75%. There are crooks out there for sure.

 

[Pikeman]

I once had to travel for work last minute and took my truck in for an oil change on my way out of town. I was already a few hundred miles overdue and the trip was just over 400 each way. So last minute they litterally said can you just drive since we don't have time to get a plane ticket. I had bought and installed a brand new air filter on my way to the oil change. The box and saran wrap was still on passenger seat. The tech brought me my brand new filter that he had wiped a dirty oily rag over and said I needed a new one and would cost me $50. Let's just say my trip was delayed while I had a discussion with his boss and when they didnt want to help the district manager. I could not believe that with the box, the receipt less than an hour old and the fact the back of the filter was still sparkling white they wanted to call me a liar. Then when they finally admitted it, their solution was to offer me two free oil changes at a later date. This from a dealer I had trusted.

 

[LittleCaesar]

It was probably the service manager, a*****es who make mob hit men, lawyers, and Congressmen look like saints. But they work on numbers alone, so they dump such recommendations on the mechanics. You can try to work up the dealership chain of command but probably to no avail. Only with the help of an attorney can you get their attention.

Be your own shadetree DIY mechanic; not only does such save money in real labor and parts but also ensures a verbal hassle free experience.

 

[GottaBeTRD]

thanks for the input guys. I understand it's business and all, I'm in sales and that's how we all make are extra cash. but i kinda feel shafted for what i pay. I know a few people there in the sales department and apparently the guys in the service department know me. When i pulled in, the guy said "hey man its good to see you again" Prob just some customer service gimmick. Or they remember my truck? So i dont know I would think they would be honest with me if they know me like this?

It was funny last time i had my service they took time to put a little message in the comments section that said "thank you for taking such good care of your vehicle" maybe another customer appreciation thing to get me to come back? dont know...

Now after today, I'm just not 100% if they are doing everything they say they are cause last time they even supposedly checked my brake pads and they marked them in the green (that they were fine) A couple months later my brakes started squealing and they needed to be replaced. What the hell?

I think maybe you should rethink this...

Call him out on it. Make him show you. Nice folks don't rip off other nice folks.

Honestly, if you really do like the place and they lied like this, I'd speak to the manager and tell him how this dishonesty makes you question your loyalty. His response to that will tell you whether they are really worth your loyalty or not. If they've done good honest work in the past, then maybe it was just the tech trying to get commission work or something.

yeah i was in a rush to get to class but i think i might have to speak up about it when they call me for the survey. It takes a lot to piss me off and confront a company when they do something wrong. I'm just glad i know what i know, it sucks people still try to get extra cash from me when something doesnt need to be done. I should of pulled a smart ass comment and asked him why am I getting 23MPGs? lol

OP, that TB looks pretty clean - as if it's been cleaned at least once before in its life, if not very recently.
If he said he looked at it and it was dirty and had to be cleaned that's one thing; if he said its "probably dirty and needs cleaned based on age/mileage of the vehicle" then I wouldn't really fault him for it.

Either way cleaning the TB is a piece of cake.

haha yeah i cleaned it roughly around 2 years ago and this is what it still looks like. (thanks to the Powercore filter) I knew it wasn't dirty cause i check those things often. The guy told me that mine was "pretty dirty" So your probably right in that he may have guessed seems in how I've never paid to have that service done there. It was about a $250 for that service ha! i think i saved myself some coin there.

 

[TheDurk]

A Hyundai dealer recommended my son purchase A/c service. He doesn't have A/C. They throw out whatever they think they can and see what sticks. My truck hasn't seen an outside shop since 2004 (exploded a clutch out-of-state.)

 

[GottaBeTRD]

I once had to travel for work last minute and took my truck in for an oil change on my way out of town. I was already a few hundred miles overdue and the trip was just over 400 each way. So last minute they litterally said can you just drive since we don't have time to get a plane ticket. I had bought and installed a brand new air filter on my way to the oil change. The box and saran wrap was still on passenger seat. The tech brought me my brand new filter that he had wiped a dirty oily rag over and said I needed a new one and would cost me $50. Let's just say my trip was delayed while I had a discussion with his boss and when they didnt want to help the district manager. I could not believe that with the box, the receipt less than an hour old and the fact the back of the filter was still sparkling white they wanted to call me a liar. Then when they finally admitted it, their solution was to offer me two free oil changes at a later date. This from a dealer I had trusted.

dude that sucks! Now this would piss me off! at least you got the free oil changes. i bet they pay more attention do your rig and you after you confronted them?

It was probably the service manager, a*****es who make mob hit men, lawyers, and Congressmen look like saints. But they work on numbers alone, so they dump such recommendations on the mechanics. You can try to work up the dealership chain of command but probably to no avail. Only with the help of an attorney can you get their attention.

Be your own shadetree DIY mechanic; not only does such save money in real labor and parts but also ensures a verbal hassle free experience.

lol yeah i don't think ill get too far either it's not really worth the trouble unless they truly care. I may just change dealerships too cause ive had a few other problems there. minor things like they forget to put the bolts back on my skid plate and one time they forgot to put the cap back on my battery.

I do most of the my own work except for oil changes lol i don't know why but it almost convinces me to start doing my own services.

 

[Nelsonmd]

This is what I think too. He probably gets a list of things to do automatically when the mileage is entered in the dealerships computer system. These systems are put in to make sure all possibilities are mentioned on every customers vehicles to make sure every possible dollar is covered.

That guy was probably just following instruction.

I don't give them a pass for this. The problem with this argument is that shops are speaking from authority, and the consumer is largely unable to verify other than to get a second opinion. It's a big deal in that situation when a shop says that you "need" or "should" have some work done instead of you "might need" work done.

If this is an age/mileage estimate, then they need to present it that way, and give and option for checking them, not present a "list of the things i need" and " emphasized how my throttle body was really dirty and i that it has a lot of carbon build up". This is not a guy following instruction, this is dishonesty. Especially since this item is so incredibly easy to check. I understand they can't do a full vehicle inspection for every car that comes in, but if they want to sell a service, they need to check if it's needed first, otherwise they are being dishonest.

 

[PitbullRescuer]

Not totally related but...

I looked at a 97' SR5 at Thompson Toyota in Doylestown, PA a few months ago. They had it on eBay and I called to say I wanted to come see it in person before bidding on it. I asked if it was for sale on the lot also. They said it was and that if I was interested I could have it for the reserve of $4400.

I went up, looked it over and drove it, it was pretty much exactly as they said it was. While looking at it, I opened up the rear hatch, looked at a few more things and the salesman closed the hatch. I wasn't finished in there so I went to open it up again and the handle broke. (Not a real big deal)

I told them the 4Runner was what I thought it would be and that I would take it for the $4400 but I wanted them to fix the hatch handle for me. They said no, it's as is. Told them I understand but it broke right there while I was looking at it. They again said no. I told them to go f*ck themselves. The thing sat on eBay for quite a while after that.

 

[9lb taco]

If this is an age/mileage estimate, then they need to present it that way, and give and option for checking them, not present a "list of the things i need"

agree 100%. Unfortunately they can dance around those words to try and force sales. My local dealership hasn't done this to me yet (ex. Told me my valve covers were leaking on my taco (which I knew they were) when it was in for timing belt only as a friendly heads up, no pressure at all to have it done), but I've overheard laundry lists for other customers and it sucks...

However if an old lady goes in with her 1999 Camry and gives them free reign to check/fix/replace anything they find thats a whole other story, which definitely does happen, and turns into a needless multi thousand dollar service bill.

This thread is a good reminder for those of us who have service done to at least have the shop qualify their service recommendation with substantial reason and facts rather than accepting a generalization for reason to have work done.

 

[LittleCaesar]

I think what unnerves most people (me included) is when the dealership does dumb stuff such as what happen to Durk's son at Hyundai (asking to change stuff the car doesn't have), owners catch said dealer being dumb, untrustworthy, or both, and then the owner thinks, jeez, what else have these whackjobs done to my auto that I don't know about?

My mother took her Camry in for an oil change special at a Toy dealership in Charleston SC a couple of years ago (4qts for $10). I looked on the receipt a month later when I came to visit and they charged her $26 for the oil filter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WTF? I went up the chain to management, literally barking at him on how they could make such an egregious error? He answer, mistakes happen. Tough luck. I slammed the $26 filter on his desk and asked him if it looked like a $26 filter, that we should reference it against what was in stock. He told me to leave or the cops would be called. I guess now since dealers cannot make as much on new autos as they did ten years ago, they have to make up for it somewhere else.

BTW,the ownership was forced out and hauled into court two years later due to a class action lawsuit brought on by other pissed-off customers.

 

[cj80cruiser]

I don't give them a pass for this. The problem with this argument is that shops are speaking from authority, and the consumer is largely unable to verify other than to get a second opinion. It's a big deal in that situation when a shop says that you "need" or "should" have some work done instead of you "might need" work done.

If this is an age/mileage estimate, then they need to present it that way, and give and option for checking them, not present a "list of the things i need" and " emphasized how my throttle body was really dirty and i that it has a lot of carbon build up". This is not a guy following instruction, this is dishonesty. Especially since this item is so incredibly easy to check. I understand they can't do a full vehicle inspection for every car that comes in, but if they want to sell a service, they need to check if it's needed first, otherwise they are being dishonest.

I see your point


To the OP....Next time they offer you a service like that, ask them to show you what they are talking about. That way you're standing in front of the problem and he can show you what he's talking about. It will be easy to bust him on it at that point.

 

[Devious81]

As a Toyota dealership tech myself, I FULLY understand the dishonesty that happens. I got fired from my last dealership because I kept voicing my opinion about two different techs that continually sold work that wasn't needed. That just pisses me off. How can a company expect to keep customers while bending them over at any cost. I do not recommend anything that I can't bring the customer back and show them the issue. I have more than a few customers that will only let me work on their vehicle due to this. Unfortunately, dealerships are run by number crunchers that could care less about the customer as long as financial goals are being met. The other huge issue is dishonest techs and/or service writers. They are everywhere. Greed runs this country. Unfortunate, but true.:redbrick:

 

[brian2sun]

Even the dealership will lie to you? They try to bend you over when you buy a car. They bend you over when you buy parts. Why would the service dept. be any different?

There are honest and dishonest dealers and shops, but dealers tend to be some of the sneakiest of all in my opinion.

 

[Nelsonmd]

yeah i was in a rush to get to class but i think i might have to speak up about it when they call me for the survey. It takes a lot to piss me off and confront a company when they do something wrong. I'm just glad i know what i know, it sucks people still try to get extra cash from me when something doesnt need to be done. I should of pulled a smart ass comment and asked him why am I getting 23MPGs? lol

Yeah, I have learned that it is ok to confront people on little things too, and to be honest, if they are going to lose business from you, then you should tell them why. Maybe their management didn't direct that behavior and they will go out of their way to keep you as a customer. Then again, maybe not. At least then you know it's a good decision to find a new dealership.

lol yeah i don't think ill get too far either it's not really worth the trouble unless they truly care. I may just change dealerships too cause ive had a few other problems there. minor things like they forget to put the bolts back on my skid plate and one time they forgot to put the cap back on my battery.

Definitely mention this stuff, cause this just gets down to diligence of the techs. They may need a periodic slap on the wrist to keep them diligent. Not saying that's such a fault, we all get that way, but some things on a vehicle you really can't afford poor diligence.