Service Question - what can i do?

[Dee]

i have a situation and just wanna see what you huys would do...


i rang 2 service departments yesterday and got quotes on the service and found out when i could get my car in

one said $240 and i could get it done today
the other said $180 and i would have to wait til next tuesday

being on 20,600km, i thought i should get it done as soon as possible... so i booked it in

i was told when i reang back to book it in that they would probably do a wheel alignment and balance. i also asked if i could get my cruise control light moved (located behind the steering wheel, good place to see when you are driving....) and they said its not a warranty issue and i would probably have to pay for it to be moved, but they would have to look at it first and see if we were talking about the same thing.

i dropped the car off this morning and showed them the issue with the cruise control light and they said they would have to check how much wire was behind it to see if they could swap it to where the coin holder was...

i went back to pick it up and was showed a bill for $370!!
i told the guy that i was told yesterday that the total bill would be $240, and asked why it was $370.
his reply was that they did a wheel balance and alignment ($63.64) and they also did a EFI Injection System Flush ($86.36)

in shock i paid for it and went on my way. i dropped into their sales department about an hour later and asked how much it was for a quote on a 20,000km service on an 05 Stivo and they told me $209 - which is different to the $240 i was told yesterday - and was told by one of the sales guys that i shouldnt have had the EFI flush done unless i asked for it, or there was something wrong with the engine. but they did move the cruise control light for free

im really ****** about the situation, i was told a price yesterday and they lumped another $130 on top of it without asking me if it was ok - especially ****** that i didnt need the EFI flush, but had to pay for it anyway.

can anyone give me some advice on what to do now? i would really like to write a letter of compaint, but am i being to over the top about it? and if not, what should i ask them to give me as compensation - my next service free?

Donna

[entice]

I would ask to speak to the service manager and voice your concerns. i WPOULD ALSO ADVISE HIM THAT YOU WOULD BE FORWARDING HIMSELF, AS WELL AS tOYOTA aUSTRALIA (FIND OUT WHO THE RERLVANT PERSON IS FOR CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS) the complaint in writing. Ask for a refund on what you've been over-billed, and then find a new service centre.

[imad4u]

they quoted you 240 dollars for the service, if they didnt call you and say you need an wheel alinement and that is going to be so many dollars to do this, and you also need a fuel injection clean and that is also going to be so many extra dollars ontop of the already quoted price and if you havent given them the go ahead to do the rest than they have no right to charge you any extra. i would be speaking with the service manager telling him you have been *quoted* 240 dollars for the service and you did not give the go ahead for anymore work to be done the car, and that you want a refund of the difference they have charged you, if he doesnt agree to do this, then tell him you will be directing your case to the department of fair trading as you have charged over the quoted price.

[Dee]

they quoted you 240 dollars for the service, if they didnt call you and say you need an wheel alinement and that is going to be so many dollars to do this, and you also need a fuel injection clean and that is also going to be so many extra dollars ontop of the already quoted price and if you havent given them the go ahead to do the rest than they have no right to charge you any extra. i would be speaking with the service manager telling him you have been *quoted* 240 dollars for the service and you did not give the go ahead for anymore work to be done the car, and that you want a refund of the difference they have charged you, if he doesnt agree to do this, then tell him you will be directing your case to the department of fair trading as you have charged over the quoted price.
i like this idea... i was definately going down there tomorrow anyway

[EL BURITO]

Donna go in there kicking and screeming at the service manager, let them know u are going to department of fair trading and let them know you tell all your friends of the bad service u recived, If u tell them u mean buissness they may do somthin

[Dee]

Donna go in there kicking and screeming at the service manager, let them know u are going to department of fair trading and let them know you tell all your friends of the bad service u recived, If u tell them u mean buissness they may do somthin
i have posted this on the toyota owners forum of australia... i have withheld names tho... for now

if they dont give me anything to compensate, i will release names

[sparks]

thats just crap there donna...i wouldnt of payed for the efi flush as they probley didnt even do it..if you asked for an alignment then thats what the extra cost is there...
with the rotate that is part of the 20 k service so no extra charge there..
any where you service your car the service adviser has a duty of care to advise the customer of any extra work being carried out on your car that will incure an extra charge and if they dont legally you dont have to pay for it at all.

[Dee]

shane,

i didnt ask for either the wheel alignment or the efi flush.... they just did it and billed me for it

i'll be in there tomorrow asking for something to be done about it

[Red AH SRI T]

keep it until the SRiT comes out, then sell it and get back into a real car :p

[CJB]

keep it until the SRiT comes out, then sell it and get back into a real car :p
are you kidding? :D That is a hell of a car!!!

*drools* oh man, the leather seats, the shape... NICE.

I think the letter option. Companies always respond to letters - especially if you put in keywords like:

word of mouth
never take your car back there
they failed to do the right thing by YOU
You are better then them.

That sorta thing ;)

[pred8r]

just an observation....

Why is it whenever there is a problem with ANY make dealers service dept and someone here asks for advice, anyone who works for a dealership stays quiet?

or

Gives the real bland uninformative unassisting advice that youd get if you asked the same question at the dealership anyway.

The 'help' seems to come from people who can give 'ideas' on solutions not actual 'insider' advice.

Its almost like a secret society code of practice.

[Dee]

sparks works at holden - in the warranty division.... he said his piece.... but shane is awesome :D

i went in yesterday and jumped up and down and the service manager told me a differnt price for the service again - so i was told 240, 209 and 205

anyway, he said that my next service would be labour free and gave me his business card with that written on it and signed by him.

the only problem is - i have to go back there for my next service... wont be there for the 40,000km service!

thanks for the words of encouragement guys

[JohnBu]

nope i wouldnt be happy with that.

i would write a formal letter of complaint to the dealer and cc it to Toyota Aust Customer Relations.

Donna thats just not good enough, i would be asking for a refund of the alignment and EFI clean.. (EFI is not part of the scheduled servicing).
and yes i still expect free labour for the next service, i would even go so far as to bring my own oil and filter, that way you pay only the labour = $0.

jesus christ, i take our BMW for service, i get a free loan car (brand new $70,000 car- its only done like 200km), free coffee/muffins etc, free car wash and vacuum, .. it comes out cheaper than what you paid for.

i cant stand poor customer service, as i deal with my own clients.

recently i got the CBA bank to pay me $50 (i asked for $400), because they kept sending mail (4 letters) to the security address, not my mailing address... got a call from the manager apologising for their actions... $50 in my bank account for my time and effort.. i guess the $400 i asked for was a tad optimistic...

but definately fight poor customer service .. actually its not poor customer service, they plainly ripped you off which is the workshop's std policy.

definately warrants a letter to dealer and cc to Toyota Aust Customer relations.

[bill142]

Having run a workshop, I know first hand how narky customers can be when you charge them for something they havn't approved or asked for. That is why we always rang the customer for their permission prior to carrying out any work which was not already agreed upon (Brakes were the biggest). They were generally willing to go along as long. It's really that simple.

The sad thing is the majority of workshops do the wrong thing and the rest get a bad name. Some also take advantagae of the customers lack of mechanical knowlege. This is really unethical behaviour. I knew very little about these things (and I still don't know enough) and I usually had to try explain it to the customer so they had a better understanding.

The Dealer, even tho not manufacturer owned, trades under the name and as such by acting in this manner tarnishes the brand they are trading under. If this goes on long enough the brand will essentially loose all credibility and be worthless. They aren't going to stand for it, so complain to the top, where it matters. Any business which cares about its reputation and customers will investigate the complaint.

[break]

Very simple lesson here people....

NEVER take your car to a dealer for servicing. They will rip you off regarldess. $209 for a service is highway robbery, let alone the $240 you paid.

Same goes for wheel alignment... I pay $35 at the local QuickFit (and every 4th alignment is free too!), not $63 like you paid.

[JohnBu]

Very simple lesson here people....

NEVER take your car to a dealer for servicing. They will rip you off regarldess. $209 for a service is highway robbery, let alone the $240 you paid.

Same goes for wheel alignment... I pay $35 at the local QuickFit (and every 4th alignment is free too!), not $63 like you paid.

well, going to the dealer for servicing is fine, but you got to stand your ground and understand what you're being charged for.

i always write down the quote together with the persons name and date i spoke to them prior to service, so there's no issues re the price.

dont forgot that when you sell the car, you may get alittle more if its been dealer stamped.

most car dealers dont do wheel alignments

[break]

dont forgot that when you sell the car, you may get alittle more if its been dealer stamped.First i've heard of this, and i've sold two cars in the last three years. Both cars fetched top dollar for that model of car simply because they were well maintained and looked after, and I did all the servicing on both myself.

[entice]

but, as with most things in life, you get what u paid for....


in general of course...

My last wheel alignment cost me $110...

but that's what you pay when u want it spot on and done for the track... oh, and he re-checks re adjusts after 3 mths/5000kms for free...

and it's handled with kid gloves...

Ralf @ TruTrack North Melbourne...race set-ups and exotics catered for...
but, on a servicing note, have always had my new cars dealer serviced, using my parts and oils. Why?
Dad's Foz which does only 4K Km per year, had the plugs changed a few years ago. Over a year later, dealer went to check plugs at next service. 2 snapped.
Car was out of waranty...but the dealer covered all expenses of removing the heads, machining, and removing the plugs, and fitted new plugs. Repair bill was over 2 G. Now, it was probably thir fault after all (maybe didnt graphite grease the plugs, or overtightened in the first place, but they honoured the service and paid for the damage, and supplied a loaner Outback for the duration.

They've also replaced his alarm siren due to overzealous steam cleaning aswell.

[JohnBu]

First i've heard of this, and i've sold two cars in the last three years. Both cars fetched top dollar for that model of car simply because they were well maintained and looked after, and I did all the servicing on both myself.

was it a newer car or older car?

i know i would pay less if it wasnt dealer serviced..

thats not to say that a dealer is better than independant/home mechanic, but one would agree that a dealer would have all the tools etc.. (and still pay $8.50 an hour to the apprentice mechanics).

[GeeeAus]

Call the dealer and request a quote by fax or E-mail.

Print it out.

Draw up a purchase order authorizing the works specified and attach a copy of the quote to it. Take it in to the dealer with the car.

I bet this will NEVER happen again.

If it does, you'll be in a position to substantiate your grievance and the issue will be promptly resolved.

GeeeAus