[Just say Mo]

I just had my 5000 mile service yesterday .... or so I thought. I paid $25 for oil (10w-30 ???) , filter & new washer (according to the bill) and was happy as could be until I checked under the hood.
Heeding the warnings others have given on this forum about shoddy STEALership service I marked the oil filter the morning I took it in. After the "service" I got the car back washed and vacuumed. I even commented to the service staff how pleased I was with the experience. I drove about 2 miles to a mall, did some shopping and ate lunch. A little over an hour later I returned to my car (that I had purposely parked on a level spot) popped the hood and to my HORROR saw the filter had not been changed. I pulled the dip stick and it was nearly an inch over the MAX fill bend.
I imediately called the STEALERship (Karmart VW-Burlington, WA) but the service manager was out to lunch. I drove the car to a German Car Speciality shop 2 more miles down the road and asked for there assistance which they graciously provided.
About that time I got a call back from the STEALERship and she said I was mistaken. She said she had the old filter right in front of her and I would not have been able to "mark" the filter as it is underneath the car. At the time I was in front of my car with TWO mechanics. I asked them to point out the oil filter to me and they did so. The even saw the marks I had put on the filter this morning. I told her she was lying but she continued to deny any that anything had been done.
The shop I was at graciously drained the oil (which still looked very dark) to the correct level and scheduled me for an appointment next week to have my oil changed properly.
When I did finally get home I had a message from the head honcho of Parts & Service. He admitted the service had been botched and would send my check back to me. Better late than never I guess?
My advice to EVERYONE is to mark your filter and check the oil level soon after you get the car back. I would have been perfectly happy with the experience had I not checked and gladly sent in the satisfaction form with all 5 marked. You can guess what they will be marked now ...
_______

 

[my98veedub]

Re: Yet another STEALERSHIP horror story (Just say Mo)

Do you people have nothing to do with your time, but complain about dealerships???? It's people like you who make it sound sooooo bad for the rest of the dealerships. Hey you try working for a dealership, and maybe you'd understand. You blame the WHOLE dealer, when it could've been that 1 employee that made a mistake.
I dont post much, but when i see people do stupid stuff like this, i have to say something.

 

[germanrox]

Re: Yet another STEALERSHIP horror story (my98veedub)

Didn't I tell you months ago not go goto these guys!! Even after they didn't replace my o-ring and I was 2 quarts low

http://****************.com/smile/emthdown.gif Karmart is owned by Frontier dodge/vw.

 

[thatpartsguy]

Re: Yet another STEALERSHIP horror story (my98veedub)

quote:[HR][/HR]
Do you people have nothing to do with your time, but complain about dealerships???? It's people like you who make it sound sooooo bad for the rest of the dealerships. Hey you try working for a dealership, and maybe you'd understand. You blame the WHOLE dealer, when it could've been that 1 employee that made a mistake.
I dont post much, but when i see people do stupid stuff like this, i have to say something. [HR][/HR]​

man aint that the truth

 

[Just say Mo]

Re: Yet another STEALERSHIP horror story (my98veedub)

If it were ONE guy and the management fixed the problem right away that would have be cool. However the shop manager and the service writer BOTH told me they had the "old filter" right there in front of them ... and that I was mistaken.
I'm sorry you are sensitive to someone critisizing a dealership who ripped me off. I would suspect others (most?) appreciate the heads up.
I have NOTHING to gain by posting here. My ONLY motive was to make the members that frequent this forum aware of the service practices of Frontier/KarMart VW.
I appreciate someone giving me the "heads up." Had Sean not made me aware of his problem with Frontier/KarMart VW I might not have marked my filter or bothered to check my oil level after getting the car back. I would have lived in ignorant bliss think my car/dealership service dept were all peachy.
Sorry if I offended you.

I will do my best to post only things you find facinating from now on.

 

[2L Bunny]

Re: Yet another STEALERSHIP horror story (Just say Mo)

I've had my shares of problems with dealerships, and shops in general. But if I were you, I'd have taken it back to the dealership right away, instead of going to shop B. How do they know it was actually overfull? Best to take it right back and talk to the people that did the work.
If someone said that to me at my work, I'd have told them to bring it back so we can make it right, not take it somewhere else, so we don't even know if we did screw up in the first place.
just my $.02,

 

[my98veedub]

Re: Yet another STEALERSHIP horror story (vwgolfnut)

I was just trying to explain to MR. MO here, that if someone LOVES their car so much, they should at least know whos working on it. Ask to talk to the tech, or ask to see your car in the shop and ask ??'s then. Dont ASSUME it will get done, or done the right way. OR, learn how to do it yourself, and you'll know that its right everytime.

 

[hoodwinkvr6]

Re: Yet another STEALERSHIP horror story (my98veedub)

http://****************.com/smile/emthdown.gif

 

[germanrox]

Re: Yet another STEALERSHIP horror story (my98veedub)

quote:[HR][/HR]
Do you people have nothing to do with your time, but complain about dealerships???? It's people like you who make it sound sooooo bad for the rest of the dealerships. Hey you try working for a dealership, and maybe you'd understand. You blame the WHOLE dealer, when it could've been that 1 employee that made a mistake.
I dont post much, but when i see people do stupid stuff like this, i have to say something. [HR][/HR]​

It's not stupid. The truth, and saying something stupid, is totally different. People wouldn't come on here and complain about dealerships if the work was done right or if they were treated kindly. It just so happened that I had a similar experience with Frontier before Mo did. Come to think about it, they probably didn't change my oil filter either since my car leaked before AND after I took it there. I specificly told them that I had an oil leak and would like my oil changed/new filter. But after my whole "incident" and I went back to them with faulty oil seal in hand (vr6) they denied that I even said I had an oil leak and just sluffed me off. No refund, no sorry, nothing. I could go on and on about Frontier, like how they treated my parents with total disrespect while they were looking for a new car, and telling them that the dealership could NOT pay sales tax on a new car even though you see commercials on tv advertising "WE PAY SALES TAX" at other dealers.
Anyways, just to prove that we don't just badmouth shops around here, I would like to finish by saying that Steves Automotive is a very good shop to take your car to if you're in the Skagit county area. Matt is the guy who works on the German cars, and he does very good work. He did all the work on my 944 when I had it and it always ran very well afterwards. He also noticed that my oil cooler wasn't leaking, that it was just my faulty oil filter o-ring, and didn't try to HOSE me by doing my oil cooler anyways and not telling me my problem was just a $10 filter/gasket.

 

[Just say Mo]

Re: Yet another STEALERSHIP horror story (my98veedub)

Should I really have to watch over the service techs to make sure I get the service I pay for?

I did enjoy my experience while I was there. I checked out the new building, socialized with the staff and purchased some accessories from the parts department. The service writer even commented to her boss what a nice guy I was and how much I appreciated the good service. I was ready to fill out the service report with all FIVES.
The problems didn't begin until I actually checked the work an hour later. I didn't get pissed until they told me I was mistaken and could not have marked the filter because it you can only reach it from under the car...
Would YOU take a car back to them if you knew WITHOUT A DOUBT they had just ripped you off and lied to you?
I consider it a cheap lesson. Imagine if I never checked and continued to bring my car there for service ...

My only hope is that this never happens to anyone else.
Mr. Mo

http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


[Modified by Just say Mo, 2:45 PM 2-10-2002]

 

[Spell Check Desk]

Re: Yet another STEALERSHIP horror story (Just say Mo)

Ah, to work at a dealer.
ANYWAY. the good thing about working there is that if the shop is slow, I can put my car on a hoist and do an oil change myself or have one of the mechanics do it and watch him. The service manager doesn't mind as long as I'm not destroying things or breaking any bones in my body.

I'm sure there are people on the Honda/Acura boards that have a horror story about our dealer but oh well, poop happens. Our service department has never treated anyone as hideous as above mentioned 'dub dealer

 

[Candy1.8T]

Re: Yet another STEALERSHIP horror story (Just say Mo)

As a satisfied customer of Frontier VW, I would like to put in my own $.02. First I would like to say that I have never had a problem with Frontier and that I completely trust the service work they perform! Second, I believe you should be upset that you did not get the service work you paid for. However, instead of taking you car to shop B, I would have driven it back to Frontier and talked directly with your service advisor/service manager and showed them the filter you marked. If you could not see the marks directly, you should have asked them to put the car on the lift. That way you could have showed them the marks and gave them a chance to remedy the situation! Remember you were the one that was testing them. You knew the marks were there, and they did not. If you gave them a chance to explain the problem, you probably would have gotten the answers you were looking for. At that point you could have made the decision to go back to the dealer for service. Knowing the integrity of Frontier, I know they would have tried to fix the problem rather than loose a customer. Again, just my $.02 worth!

 

[germanrox]

Re: Yet another STEALERSHIP horror story (Candy1.8T)

Ok he obviously knew they were shady to begin with (from my experience) but he went anyways, got ripped, but called 'em on it because he had a gut feeling and info that I didn't have. Would you take your car back to a blatent liar? Didn't think so. He wasn't testing them. An oil change from the dealership is not a graded assignment. It should be done right the first time, no questions asked. I bet you paid way too much for the GLS also.

 

[Just say Mo]

Re: Yet another STEALERSHIP horror story (Candy1.8T)

Candy1.8T,
I too would have been a satisfied customer had I not actually checked. Have you checked their work? How do YOU know the work done on your car was actually performed? Did you mark the filter?
I'm sorry but as soon as I saw that my filter had not been changed any shred of trust I had in the dealership evaporated. There is NO WAY IN HECK that I will ever bring my car back there for service. I was warned and I protected myself thanks to Sean.
Now there are at least TWO people in this forum that KNOW they have been burned by the Frontier service department. There are probably a few who don't know they have been burned.
"There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves."
- From 'The Wisdom of Will Rogers'
Which kind are you?

 

[DIABLO SLC]

Re: Yet another STEALERSHIP horror story (Just say Mo)

It seems strange that people get such drastically differing service. I know Julie quite well (I have a Corrado - need I say more?) and I never had a bad dealing with her EVER. The service head guy (used to be Bert or Barney or something) was a knob, but that was Frontier, I haven't been to the new lot.
I think I can say with some confidence that I know my way around under the hood and I know I've never gotten screwed over there. It seems real weird that this happened to you, but she's even called me when stuff wasn't going as planned and just needed more time to get things to work right.

Not to say you didn't get burned, but I think that getting screwed is the exception rather than the rule at Frontier.

 

[matt007]

Re: Yet another STEALERSHIP horror story (DIABLO SLC)

Why do people deal with dealerships? In my mind, they are there to 1. Sell cars 2. Distribute parts
I don't see why I would ever let them work on a car of mine, except if it was a recall (free is good!)
Take your car to a reputable German repair shop.
Oil filters should have no problem lasting 12k without clogging up, so reusing a filter wouldn't be the end of your car, but it is certainly shoddy service
If I get someone to do oil changes, I buy the filter (Mahle--very beefy) and the oil myself. I don't trust anyone not to put Pennzoil, Amsoil, and other nasty products in my car if I don't see them working on it.

 

[Just say Mo]

Re: Yet another STEALERSHIP horror story (DIABLO SLC)

Diablo SLC wrote: "It seems strange that people get such drastically differing service. "
It is something that puzzles me too. I don't know why my filter wasn't changed or the oil was overfilled. I don't know why Juli told me I "marked the wrong part" and she had my old filter "right in front of her." Obviously she was the one that was mistaken or lying ... Who knows.
Another unique fact about the auto industry is that we don't all pay the same for our cars? There is another Passat GLS here on the island that is EXACTLY the same as my car. Fresco Green, Gray Leather, 1.8T ... I even test drove that car. They paid more than $1,000 more for their Passat than I paid for mine from the SAME dealership (Frontier/KarMart VW) within a week of each other. I got my price/car through cyberfleet.com (delivered at Frontier) and they did the traditional car salesman negotiations.
Do other countries do that too? Or is that experience unique to the USA?

 

[mk2driver]

Re: Yet another STEALERSHIP horror story (duff_man2000)

duff_man 2000 is a post ****!!!