Worst service experience ever today

[moconn20]

Ok so this is a bit of a rant, but i wouldnt mind finding out whether this is typical of dealership servicing or not. ill try and keep it short and sweet.

Took my ute in for its 15000 service today... a certain dealership in NSW (not sydney) who ill happily name via PM if anyone wants to know.

Mentioned to them the washer bottle wasnt holding water very long and they hardlid was catching on one of the latches as i closed it, as it was slightly off centre.
So i took it in at 7:30am as i was told to do if i wanted it looked at straight away, i had alot of stuff to do and needed the car back asap. they told me id get a call mid morning when they were done.

At 12:30pm i called them to find out what was doing, they said still working on it but itd be done by 1pm.
I turn up at 2:30pm and they tell me its still not done, just finishing off the wash and were yet to do they road test. I told them to forget about the road test. i read the job sheet and discovered the hardlid had not even been looked at. Told them to forget about this aswell as i had to go and get my jobs done.

When i got home i thought id have a look at the hardlid myself to save another wasted trip into the dealer... open up the lid to find that when they washed the car the tray flooded with water and absolutely soaked my work bag that was in the back.
Now i know the hardlids are not meant to be perfect watertight, hell even when i wash the car i get a bit of a trickle into the back but this was not just a trickle, it was serious water.
Rang them back to complain and the service manager tells me hardlids arent watertight and it must have happened when they were doing a leak test on the vehicle... i explained to him that knowing they arent watertight means they should always check what they are flooding in the tray before they wash it, and if it did in fact occur during a "leak check" then they would have been fully aware of what had happened which is even worse!

I mean fair dinkum, i must say i was slightly worried after reading all the servicing horror stories on here, but this is unbeleivable. They didnt even seem to give a s**t that some of my personal belongings were now ruined.
On a side note Holden customer care were zero help, they told me the complaint would be put on the system but id need to follow it up with the dealership owner.
I asked what would happen with it now that its on the system and he told me straight out that itd just sit there, doesnt get sent to anyone, doesnt get checked by anyone. WHAT IS THE POINT THEN?

Never again. That is all i can say.

Ok rant over, im going to go and clean out my work bag.

[DaveHAT]

Noting your location ... dealership "under new management" by any chance?

If it's who I suspect it is ... it doesn't surprise me in the least.

If you want an air of total disinterest and indifference from your Holden service department in the Newcastle area ... this lot have got it covered in spades.

Sorry to hear mate ... I've always used Kelly at Cardiff in the past and they've been really good. I hope it isn't them as it'd mean things have deteriorated since I last visited them.

[dainese]

sounds like carelessness and stupidity.
you have to kick up a stink with the service manager, if not the dealer principal.

you need compensation. it was reckless for them not to check items before doing a leak test. ideally they would of had someone sitting inside the tray area, and feel for water as its sprayed from outside to determine entry point.

however car being late is not unusual, it can happen. problems arise, fault being investigated can be worse than originally thought.

[Brettles]

I always just take my car straight up to Marcus at Brakes At The Bay in Warners Bay and have always been looked after with the utmost of care and respect for my car using premium products. But in the end it all comes down to your personal preference, mine being Id never take it to any mainstream dealers.

[dainese]

I always just take my car straight up to Marcus at Brakes At The Bay in Warners Bay and have always been looked after with the utmost of care and respect for my car using premium products. But in the end it all comes down to your personal preference, mine being Id never take it to any mainstream dealers.

yeah, but if your car is new enough, taking it to a dealer ship can be beneficial. they can have fixes, updates, and may have known fixes to issues you may have with your car, i.e. they know of a common problem and they share that information and fix methods around their whole network.

but they are there to make money. so beware of upselling. sometimes it is a complete waste of money.

[boyley]

yeah, but if your car is new enough, taking it to a dealer ship can be beneficial. they can have fixes, updates, and may have known fixes to issues you may have with your car, i.e. they know of a common problem and they share that information and fix methods around their whole network.

but they are there to make money. so beware of upselling. sometimes it is a complete waste of money.

Mate I get more updates and fixes from this forum than any dealer could ever offer.
Case in point VE A/C belts keep popping off, holdens fix put it back on, forum fix new idler pulley:goodjob:

[Pickles]

Bloody awful.
What I would do is write a letter marked "Personal" to the Chief Executive of Holden at Fisherman's Bend. ( You will have to find his name & title)
I'm not saying he will see the letter, but someone close to him will....and you will get a reply.
If the reply is not to your liking, then call back the person that signed the letter PERSONALLY.
Not saying it always worked, but I've done that a few times, & it has worked for me....I was getting really shat on by my Bank, so I found out who the manager's superior's superior was, & once I told him the story, I literally got a call back from my back manager within 15 minutes, apologizing profusely, at which time I got the service I wanted.
Worth a try I reckon.
Cheers, Pickles.

[lowhsv]

yeah doesnt suprise me, i refse to take any of my cars back to a dealer. most certfied mechanics will cover warrentys anyway.

toyota charged me $497 for a 40,000kms service on my 07 hilux 2.7lt, no faults just a service..... when i build my shed im going to frame the invoice and put it on the wall.

[.:ttls1:.]

do ya self a favor go to a smaller company that is validated to do warranty services... **** holden all together and do it your self if all else failes

[Big_Valven]

Look I don't want to be an a55hole but unfortunately this is par for the course with some dealers, and some have had even worse experiences. Kick up a stink until they acknowledge your issue, get it rectified to your satisfaction, then go elsewhere :D

I had a similar issue with City Holden (I understand your non-disclosure but I figure these places should be named and shamed - hold them accountable IMO.) A simple service with brake pads - $880. I went back in there until I got an adjustment - nearly half.
I have since taken my car to Rosenthal Holden up in the Riverland when I'm there, and they look after me and the rest of the family up there - if they didn't, they'd lose a lot of business - we've been going there nearly 30 years!

[bigdogdazza]

This is sort of scary hearing all these stories as I just buoght a new ss ute and find myself wondering what am I in for? Q. If I take this to a smaller local mechanic for servicing will this viod a warranty claim if an issue arrises?:confused:

[vecommo]

Excuse the ignorance, but why would they be doing a 'leak test'? Is this standard service procedure or is it something you asked for?

[Nidz]

Haha.. You had me at "Dealership".. I didn't need to read anymore..

[LS1-5.7]

Unfortunately, the sad reality with dealerships and the appalling levels of service, poor workmanship and misdiagnosis to name a few, are a fact of life.Working in one daily I can see why the quality can and does drop and really it is suicidal for the business itself. As consumers and customers we have a right to have faulty workmanship rectified at no additional costs beyond the original price paid or free should it be covered by the dreaded "warranty" word.The dealer does however, have to be forwarded the first opportunity to rectify the problem. If there is still a problem or level of dissatisfaction there are channels to pursue to get further action taken. Given the unlimited amount of sweeteners we have available to throw at customers with even the slightest hint of a moan, I find that some dealers have an accepted practise to do a slap happy job and worry about the consequences if and when they get complaints. There are also those that have very stringent quality control and customer service ethics. They need finding but when you do, your car maintenance days will be so much more enjoyable. The long and short of it is, SHOP AROUND guys, there are plenty of businesses that want your $$$ and they do not have to be dealerships (warranty work excepted) and if you are not happy you have a right of appeal/tribunal, statutory laws etc to back you up :) There are still many of us out there that see a new customer as another opportunity to really impress the hell out of them so that their return will be automatic.
Happy motoring :driving:

[VL Executive]

Excuse the ignorance, but why would they be doing a 'leak test'? Is this standard service procedure or is it something you asked for?

I dont even think it was that. Sounds to me in thier so called "wash" they have used a pressure washer or gerni and water blasted like buggery.

[vecommo]

I dont even think it was that. Sounds to me in thier so called "wash" they have used a pressure washer or gerni and water blasted like buggery.

I have heard stories of dealerships washing cars with brooms... Not the soft brooms that you'd find at a car wash, but actual brooms that you use to sweep the floor!
Not in a million years would I consent to a dealership washing my car.

[LS1-5.7]

Bigdog, you can take your VE to another licenced mechanic for servicing without affecting your STATUTORY warranty providing he/she uses genuine or of same quality parts and follows the service schedule. Most good smaller workshops will have the diagnostic equipment such as scanners to "talk" to your car and reset service minders etc. Warranty will be a separate issue no matter who works on it. Eg: Does it matter who changed the engine oil with a holden approved viscosity oil and fitted the AC Delco filter when the rear wheel bearing fails within the warranty period ?? I think not ! The MTA has plenty of documentation to affirm this so if you find a good smaller operator that you trust and are happy to give your money to, go for it. You might just save a bundle in the meantime ;)

[moconn20]

Excuse the ignorance, but why would they be doing a 'leak test'? Is this standard service procedure or is it something you asked for?

Well it wasnt listed on the job sheet as having been done... i figured it was just a poorly thought out attempt at an excuse. I mean if they know they arent watertight why test its watertightness?


Bloody awful.
What I would do is write a letter marked "Personal" to the Chief Executive of Holden at Fisherman's Bend. ( You will have to find his name & title)


Sounds like a plan, considering getting onto the service manager again (let alone the dealership manager) its proving near impossible.


Haha.. You had me at "Dealership".. I didn't need to read anymore..

I figured id give the extended warranty a shot.
Well screw that.