Stealership Fail

"Newsboy" (Newsboy) 10/01/2014 at 10:40 • Filed to: None

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TLDR: Stealership refuses to pass inspection because of rear brakes, parts prove otherwise, is forced to issue refund.

So I brought the Fiat in for an oil change and inspection. Two hours later the service adviser calls me:

"Well, the oil change is done, and we're nearly finished with the inspection, but I can't pass your car. The rear brakes need to be replaced, the pads are completely worn out."

Funny, I hadn't noticed any problems with the brakes. The car only has 18,000 miles on it, so you can imagine my suspicion.

The adviser's explanation is that the caliper pins and bushings on 500's get gummed up in the winter, and as a result the pads drag on one side, causing uneven wear. He said the pads were worn past the wear indicators, and insisted that the rotors absolutely needed replacing as well. Total: $360.

Of course, I requested that they return the old parts. Got home, found this:

Suffice to say, the rotors were fine as well. One could argue they needed a resurfacing, but they were structurally sound, and barely worn.

The next day I went back to the dealership and expressed my "displeasure" to the service manager. He asked to see the parts, then argued that the rotors were pitted, but had no explanation as to why I was told the pads were completely worn out. I left him to chat with the service adviser.

Called back the next day, and was told I would receive a full refund.

An awful experience. I won't ever be going back, and will be selling the car as they are the only Fiat studio within 60 miles. I love the car, so that makes me sad.

Diesel > Newsboy 10/01/2014 at 10:43

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Since when did people start wearing gloves when working on their car? GETTING YOUR HANDS DIRTY IS HALF THE FUN!!!

With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username > Newsboy 10/01/2014 at 10:43

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Someone should ask Jalopnik's lemon lawyer, Steve Lehto, about the ramifications of publicly naming the dealership. Shame the next guy before he even tries it.

505Turbeaux > Newsboy 10/01/2014 at 10:45

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yup those are just fine. Assholes. Good on your for standing up for yourself

Newsboy > With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username 10/01/2014 at 10:48

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I won't be naming the dealership. The service manager did the right thing in the end, so I have no ill will against them.

I just don't trust them to work on my car anymore.

EL_ULY > Newsboy 10/01/2014 at 10:51

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They could of confused your car with another. One time Our adviser told a customer a whole list if issues...... wrong rebel blue C30. What are the odds we'd get 2 of them in at once lol. Though, i can see it happen at a Fiat dealer but not the extent of your car. Those pads are freaking new. It take 2 seconds to look back there without taking the wheel off.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > Diesel 10/01/2014 at 10:51

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I'll usually wear gloves too, especially when working on messier things like the brakes...but i also usually use a mechanix type glove that protects my hand somewhat when i inevitably smash it into something

Diesel > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 10/01/2014 at 10:55

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I get wearing mechanix gloves, but I've seen two photos of people working on their car/holding parts and wearing latex gloves. I just smash my fingers and get them dirty. That way, I felt like I accomplished something.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Diesel 10/01/2014 at 10:56

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I wear them to prevent the large amount of cuts I get from working on my tiny car. Everything is packed together so closely I bash my hands off things constantly.

Newsboy > EL_ULY 10/01/2014 at 10:56

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Possible, but unlikely. It's a Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep/Fiat shop, and mine was the only 500 in that day.

Newsboy > Diesel 10/01/2014 at 10:57

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I agree 100%.

I had just gotten home from work and had nice clothes on.

EL_ULY > Newsboy 10/01/2014 at 10:58

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true true

fhrblig > Newsboy 10/01/2014 at 11:08

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Before you get rid of a car you love, I think it might be worth it to contact Fiat. Let them know what happened and tell them your experience is making you uneasy about servicing your car there. You never know, they might make it up to you, and if they don't, just sell it like you were planning.

Newsboy > 505Turbeaux 10/01/2014 at 11:23

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What makes me sad is thinking about how many people have no clue what they're looking at, and take stealerships at their word. How many unecessary brake jobs are performed each year?

505Turbeaux > Newsboy 10/01/2014 at 11:25

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knowing some people who work at dealers, lets just say a whole lot. And you think your fluids are getting changed? By someone who is paid on a flat rate, and advised on someone who makes a profit bonus? Not goddamn likely

Newsboy > fhrblig 10/01/2014 at 11:26

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I thought about that, but I've already made my decision.

The local Subaru dealership is arguably the best in the country, and with gas and insurance savings, a 2015 Legacy has the same total cost of ownership; in spite of stickering for $5k more.

Love the car or not, it isn't worth the heartburn.

JGrabowMSt > Newsboy 10/01/2014 at 11:27

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I'm glad you're getting your money back, that's just some straight up shit right there.

18k miles, and brakes should only just begin to enter the thought radar, unless you regularly autocross the italian out of it.

Also, don't you sign a liability waiver going in? That means if you say no to something, the dealership isn't responsible for future damages, and they don't do that work.

In the case of a wavy rotor, or even half a rotor (or in some cases the rotor separating from the hub) I could understand major concern. This is just some major problems.

I would complain to the BBB regardless of the outcome. I was talking to a guy who owns tons of Mercedes cars. Every time he took them in for anything, they "needed" pads and rotors. He got sick of it, and started going to an indy shop that fixed a leaky valve cover gasket under warranty (even though the car was just out of warranty), and said he has incredibly minimal brake wear.

Doesn't matter if it's an econobox or a luxury box. Stealerships see $$$ and a brake job on every car in the shop is big money. Not only big money, but there are very few people who will question it.

fhrblig > Newsboy 10/01/2014 at 11:42

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Yeah, that's probably the way to go then. Did they send you a survey? I'd fill it out, and don't hold back.

Newsboy > fhrblig 10/01/2014 at 11:49

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No survey, but if they send one, I'll give them the business.

This isn't the first bad experience I've had there, thus my conviction. Last oil change I let them know that the HVAC selector knob wouldn't turn all the way to the last position. Their fix: force it, permanently tweaking the knob in the housing, and telling me that a defective knob is "normal."

Next visit I said I'd pick it up at 5, got there at 5, and the adviser said the car was "nearly done, five more minutes."

I go in the waiting area, look through the window to the service bay, and there's my car on the lift, missing both front wheels and the front suspension (they were servicing the front struts.) Nearly done my a$$.

An hour and a half later I got my car back.

Trevor Slattery, ACTOR > Newsboy 10/01/2014 at 11:49

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Automotive brakes are the easiest things on a car to inspect and service. I personally have not let anyone other than myself do a brake job on any of my cars in over 15 years. It is the only way to be sure. I did a full pad and rotor job on my VW last weekend.

You rent one of these for FREE from Pep Boys/Autozone/Advance Auto (ask for "the master disc brake service kit")and do the work yourself in less than two hours, three if you are slow.

I am glad the service manager did the right thing. Having said that...the rear pads on my car were ok....but the rotors were warped as $hit and pitted on the back side. I was not going to put old pads on new rotors, so I changed them also.

Just sayin'...

functionoverfashion > JGrabowMSt 10/01/2014 at 11:51

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We used to bring my wife's Volvo S40 to a reputable dealer for service, because she bought it new and treated it perfectly and wanted dealer service. Fine. But three times in a row (starting around 80k) they told me it needed brakes and I had to decline, until finally they stopped asking. She drove 99.9% on the highway in light traffic and she isn't a tailgating jackass so she is pretty easy on brakes. We sold the car with 140,000 with the original brakes and they were worn, but perfectly serviceable and inspection-passing.

Trevor Slattery, ACTOR > Newsboy 10/01/2014 at 11:52

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Wouldn't that have been a warranty if the rotors were pitted or warped anyways?

Newsboy > Trevor Slattery, ACTOR 10/01/2014 at 11:53

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I've done my own brakes for a couple decades, and have a brake full service kit.

Unfortunately they had me over a barrel, by refusing to pass the inspection unless they replaced the rear brakes...and I'm sure they knew that.

If something like this happens again I'm going to refuse the service, then call AAA to have the car towed home or to a different shop.

Newsboy > Trevor Slattery, ACTOR 10/01/2014 at 11:55

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Well, they said the pads were completely worn down, and that the rotors were fine but should be replaced anyway.

I asked, and before I could even finish the sentence I was cut off with "Yeah I tried to get Fiat to warranty this, but they declined."

One would think that a binding caliper on a factory new car would be a warranty issue, no?

GTI MkVII > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 10/01/2014 at 11:59

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I even wear gloves when washing my wheels lol. Cant tell you how many times I've sliced open my knuckles just getting some brake dust off the inner barrels.

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > Newsboy 10/01/2014 at 12:04

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That sucks, man. I'm almost at 22k miles on my 500 and all I've needed so far is a couple of oil changes. At least the manager did the right thing, too bad he had to be forced to do it. It's really a black eye for that studio.

Trevor Slattery, ACTOR > Newsboy 10/01/2014 at 12:05

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No doubt man. That is crazy. I have been in your situation. Last time I took my car in they told me I needed brakes. I told them I would take a look at them myself. They looked ok. Two weeks later the brake wear sensor came on, but I still wasn't metal on metal. As I said up top, I did them myself this past weekend. But at 18k....unless you are engaging in maximum hoonage, your brakes look exactly like they should. Just about brand new.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > GTI MkVII 10/01/2014 at 12:06

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Yeah it's not a bad idea. Even the dirt is pretty bad for you, a relative of mine is a diesel mechanic for lorries and he got dermatitis from not protecting his hands.

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > Diesel 10/01/2014 at 12:06

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Since they figured out that too much exposure to all of the chemicals used in a car can cause cancer.

Diesel > Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. 10/01/2014 at 12:08

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That's the funniest thing I've heard all day. Good one. I'm an Industrial Hygienist, go ahead and look it up. You're more likely to get cancer from refueling your car than by working on it. Just don't use strong solvents to get the oil off and you'll be just fine.

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > Diesel 10/01/2014 at 12:15

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Well, I'm not. Just an office drone, but there are a lot of studies on it. I think it is referencing repeated daily exposure to them rather than what a hobbiest/shadetree mechanic would encounter. Lots of interesting things to learn about it though .

Diesel > Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. 10/01/2014 at 13:17

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That's the thing, wearing gloves is not going to protect your lungs. The primary routes of entry are Inhalation and Ingestion. Wearing gloves just keeps your hands clean, it doesn't help protect you from cancer.

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > Diesel 10/01/2014 at 13:34

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Probably a connection between the hands and ingestion, wouldn't you think.

Diesel > Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. 10/01/2014 at 13:35

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That's why we wash our hands before eating.

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > Diesel 10/01/2014 at 13:36

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You and me, yes, but I'm willing to be there are lots of mechanics that don't.

JEM > functionoverfashion 10/01/2014 at 16:49

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Whoa. I go through brakes every 40-50,000 on any of the vehicles I've driven, and since they're all manuals, I do a lot of engine braking.

Then again, I live on top of a hill, in a very hilly city and encounter a lot of stop and go traffic on my commute.

functionoverfashion > JEM 10/02/2014 at 14:16

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I wish we could have kept that car. 2005 S40 T5 awd 6-speed manual. At 140k it was just barely on its 3rd set of tires, each set lasted about 65k. I sold it to a Volvo enthusiast who had several Volvo wagons over 200k, one over 300k. At least it went to a good home.

Ray > Trevor Slattery, ACTOR 10/02/2014 at 20:08

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I've been doing my brakes for years and yet I have no idea what the hell half of the stuff in that kit is... C clamp, socket set, other hand tools all I use

Trevor Slattery, ACTOR > Ray 10/03/2014 at 09:46

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Have you come across rear calipers with self adjusting rear emergency brakes? The caliper pistons are threaded. The usual C-Clamp that works fine on regular sliding caliper pistons can't turn the piston AND push it in at the same time. The tool makes the process simple. It also has stuff so you can push in dual opposing piston calipers in the kit in addition to a nice selection of 3/8" Allen-type sockets. Again, the rental is FREE. They give you a total refund of your deposit and charge you NOTHING.

Ray > Trevor Slattery, ACTOR 10/05/2014 at 00:26

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great vid thanks.. I guess my cars haven't been that fancy. What is the thing on the bottom right hand corner of the kit pictured? Looks like a brake line bender?

Trevor Slattery, ACTOR > Ray 10/06/2014 at 09:38

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Yup. It even has stuff to bend brake lines. It is a great kit and I appreciate that EVERY chain auto store rents them out.