Rip offs

[Zach987]

What is the worst you have ever been ripped off by a service department?

I spent 78$ the other day at "Bill Butler Jeep" in Warner Robins just for a loose gas cap!!!!!!
They just called to see if I was happy about the service I recieved.
Edit/Delete Message

[Green Leaf Aquariums]

Did you tell them you were not Happy?

[Zach987]

It was an automated responce

1 for happy
2 for moderate
3 for unhappy

I pushed 4 for kiss my

[Green Leaf Aquariums]

I went to a dealership one time and that automated thing would not stop calling. I had to go the dealer and complain.

[Mori]

Teehee. That's funny! For some reason that reminds me of the time I followed my sister to the mechanic so she could drop off her car with a malfunctioning clutch. She wasn't automotively naive or anything--she'd rebuilt the engine for fun--but when the mechanic pulled the floor mat out from under the pedal she was wonderfully humiliated.

They didn't charge her so it wasn't a ripoff, but it was certainly priceless.

[RoseHawke]

Originally Posted by Mori

Teehee. That's funny! For some reason that reminds me of the time I followed my sister to the mechanic so she could drop off her car with a malfunctioning clutch. She wasn't automotively naive or anything--she'd rebuilt the engine for fun--but when the mechanic pulled the floor mat out from under the pedal she was wonderfully humiliated.

They didn't charge her so it wasn't a ripoff, but it was certainly priceless.

It's more humiliating when you do know about such stuff and something like that happens.

Kind of like the time my husband was messing around with one of his cars (this was probably almost 20 years ago, got everything put back together and it "wasn't running right." Come to find out the rag he'd put in the air intake to keep "stuff" from falling in there . . . was still in there! It's a wonder it ran at all.

[bsmith]

Originally Posted by Zach987

What is the worst you have ever been ripped off by a service department?

I spent 78$ the other day at "Bill Butler Jeep" in Warner Robins just for a loose gas cap!!!!!!
They just called to see if I was happy about the service I recieved.
Edit/Delete Message

Would you have known that the gas cap was the reason for your "check/service engine soon "light if you had'nt takin it to the dealership? Could you have turned off you light for any less yourself?

If you take a car somewhere to be fixed and they diagnose your problem and fix it, then ask to be compensated for their services thats not out of line at all.....

Most dalers will charge 1/2 an hour just to TELL you what the problem is that ranges from $60-$90 depending on what kind of car you have.

Cars are a bad investment and they cost money, especially Jeep's get used to it.

[crisrisl]

I've actually never paid to have my problems "diagnosed." Any dealership or otherwise I have gone to tells me what is wrong and I have the decision of whether or not to fix it. If I choose not to fix it, then there is no charge.

And my roommate has taken hers in (a Dodge) and had the same gas cap problem and...they've even fixed that for no charge.

So I'm thinking it really depends on where you go and perhaps you're going to the wrong place if you get charged to get it hooked up to a computer

[kana]

Originally Posted by bsmith782

Would you have known that the gas cap was the reason for your "check/service engine soon "light if you had'nt takin it to the dealership? Could you have turned off you light for any less yourself?

If you take a car somewhere to be fixed and they diagnose your problem and fix it, then ask to be compensated for their services thats not out of line at all.....

Most dalers will charge 1/2 an hour just to TELL you what the problem is that ranges from $60-$90 depending on what kind of car you have.

Cars are a [censored][censored][censored][censored]ty investment and they cost money, especially Jeep's get used to it.

Wow
I think paying that much to be told it was a loose gas cap is a huge rip off. Most dealerships want people to keep coming back and will treat their customers with a bit more respect. I don't get charged for any diagnostics, only repairs.
He could have tightened his gas cap at his next fill up and that would have solved the problem for less.

[neilfishguy]

Originally Posted by bsmith782

Would you have known that the gas cap was the reason for your "check/service engine soon "light if you had'nt takin it to the dealership? Could you have turned off you light for any less yourself?

If you take a car somewhere to be fixed and they diagnose your problem and fix it, then ask to be compensated for their services thats not out of line at all.....

Most dalers will charge 1/2 an hour just to TELL you what the problem is that ranges from $60-$90 depending on what kind of car you have.

Cars are a [censored][censored][censored][censored]ty investment and they cost money, especially Jeep's get used to it.

Just because some can and does do somthing does not mean it is right. And about the who else is going to tell you part...no one here charges for advice because it does not take any great effort to give it. 78 bucks for that is a rip!

[BiscuitSlayer]

Originally Posted by crisrisl

I've actually never paid to have my problems "diagnosed." Any dealership or otherwise I have gone to tells me what is wrong and I have the decision of whether or not to fix it. If I choose not to fix it, then there is no charge.

And my roommate has taken hers in (a Dodge) and had the same gas cap problem and...they've even fixed that for no charge.

So I'm thinking it really depends on where you go and perhaps you're going to the wrong place if you get charged to get it hooked up to a computer

It kind of depends on where you go. I have had it both ways.

What I can say is this...

Any place that charges $78 for a loose gas cap is criminal. That is a known issue for triggering the check engine light to come on, but not everyone knows that. I would have flat out asked for a manager to come and speak with me before paying the bill. I would have told him that I will pay the bill, but would I guarentee that I would convince every human that I come in contact with to never go to them for anything regarding service or buying a new car. You have to let them know before you leave that you are not satisfied with their service.

To me, that is a very bad rip off, but on the other hand it sounds like you let them get away with it without a fight.

[J.B.]

Dude, that sucks Zach! I live here in Warner Robins and I will say I've never heard anything good about Bill Butler's dealership.

[bsmith]

Originally Posted by neilfishguy

Just because some can and does do somthing does not mean it is right. And about the who else is going to tell you part...no one here charges for advice because it does not take any great effort to give it. 78 bucks for that is a rip!

This forum is hardly the same as a dealership, it is a free (for most) place to give and recieve advice about our hobby.

Would you do your job and not expect to be paid for it..... dont think so.

[python]

I take my car to Autozone first when the check engine light comes on. They will check the code for you for free. Then if it's not a problem I can easily fix myself I will take it to the shop. Advance Discount Auto will also check codes for free.

[bsmith]

Originally Posted by python

I take my car to Autozone first when the check engine light comes on. They will check the code for you for free. Then if it's not a problem I can easily fix myself I will take it to the shop. Advance Discount Auto will also check codes for free.

this is true but they cannot fix the light for you.