"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
06/10/2014 at 09:02 • Filed to: Dissatisfied Customer
1
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"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
06/10/2014 at 09:02 • Filed to: Dissatisfied Customer | 1
| 15 |
So this was in front of my neighbor's house yesterday, and it reminded me of a truck I used to see in Champaign when I was in college. It was an extended cab Ranger that had a sign draped over the tailgate that read, "DO NOT BUY FROM HILL FORD". The extended cab's rear windows also said, "NO TO HILL FORD". This was long before the days of the potato camera, so I have no pictures. I saw that truck all four years of college, and it was never without its signs. I never met the owner, so I don't know any back story, but that truck made quite an impression on me.
Anybody here ever do anything like this?
TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut
> shop-teacher
06/10/2014 at 09:06 |
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Well, there were the stories of men who were so dissatisfied with their dealers/manufacturers that they publicly destroyed their cars. There was that guy in China with his Lamborghini and another fella somewhere else with his BMW M6.
Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole
> shop-teacher
06/10/2014 at 09:07 |
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My mom did that with her brand new Ram (in 1997). Multiple issues that required extensive time at the dealer. She ended up scheduling an appointment at the local dealer (not the dealer's fault) who had a mediator come in, the night before, she spent hours cutting out shapes in yellow construction paper.
When she pulled up to the dealer, her brand new blue Ram was adorned with dozens of lemons taped all over the glass (I think she had enough open area to be legal but that's it). Many a "YOU CAN'T PARK THAT OUT FRONT!" were yelled from the dealership, no fucks were given.
Truck was purchased back by Chrysler Corp. for the exact amount she paid for it that afternoon.
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shop-teacher
> Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole
06/10/2014 at 09:09 |
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Nice! I like that very much!
McMike
> shop-teacher
06/10/2014 at 09:10 |
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How much can they be? What a whiner.
Opposite Locksmith
> shop-teacher
06/10/2014 at 10:23 |
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I bought my wrx from a horribly mismanaged Toyota dealership. They thought it was a base impreza, I know this because I sensed that the salesman was naive and I asked him if it had a turbo and he said "no no this isn't the Sti" which immediately made me very happy as you can imagine.
They ended up calling me saying that they actually sold it to me for a large loss (6 grand) and that they would buy it back for 1 grand more than I paid.
I would have considered it if they didn't screw me on fixing the TPMS even though it was written on the sales form they approved.
case-sensitive
> Opposite Locksmith
06/10/2014 at 10:35 |
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I had a service writer at the quasi-local VW dealership tell me that VW keys don't have batteries. They just work for a number of clicks, then you have to buy a new one. "What powers the fob?", I asked. "Unicorn farts" (or some such bull) she replied. "Really." At this point, I pulled out my fob, my trusty knife and popped off the battery cover. "What are those then?" "Uh....."
The sad thing is there are probably customers who believe that crap.
Meatcoma
> shop-teacher
06/10/2014 at 12:54 |
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I had a transmission go out at 72k on my 96 dodge ram and I called the dealership who said they would send a towtruck. They towed it in and I walked inside and right to the finance lady who after a short conversation, convinced me to buy a warranty since it was about half what the transmission would cost and they provided me with a loaner truck.
A week later she called to tell me that the warranty company had denied the warranty and that the dealership would fix it and write it off as customer relations or something. I was completely cool with that for about 3 weeks when the GM of the dealership called and said he needed me to return the loaner and he had a 3500 bill awaiting me and that my truck was ready. I informed him that the lady working the issue had stated that his dealership would take care of it to which he replied she no longer works here. I told him that I would need some time and would call him back.
I went to another Dodge dealership and took my title with me and had them cut me another key and then drove to the dealership pulled up in the used car part, tossed a salesman the key to the loaner and told him I was returning a loaner, said thanks and walked across the street to the shop lot. I walked up to my truck, hopped in and drove off. When I got home I called a lawyer and told him what was going on, he asked if I had signed anything when I dropped the truck off which I stated no (he was wondering if I was liable for any labor performed, this is why they have you sign a piece of paper when you drop your car off. No matter what you have to pay the labor 'mechanic's lien' in kansas). He informed me to have the dealership send me copies of any documentation that they had. NO CHARGE!
The next day the GM calls me furious saying he is going to call the cops because I am driving around in a truck with stolen parts and once he is done ranting I just mention that my lawyer informed me to have him send me all the documentation and his tune suddenly changes, he does a 180 and is like "Oh there is no reason to get lawyers involved in this. If I were to split the bill 50/50 with you would that be ok?" and I proceed to tell him that the lady informed me they would take care of it 100% and that my lawyer had stated to me to get all documentation.
One week later I received a service statement marked 'PAID'. I called and thanked the lawyer for the advice and advised him of the outcome and he laughed.
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Opposite Locksmith
> case-sensitive
06/10/2014 at 13:16 |
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absolutely infuriating.
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shop-teacher
> Meatcoma
06/10/2014 at 13:49 |
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That is a great story! I don't know if I would've had the balls to do that.
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shop-teacher
> case-sensitive
06/10/2014 at 13:51 |
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Wow! That is all I can say about that.
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shop-teacher
> Opposite Locksmith
06/10/2014 at 13:51 |
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Sounds like you got a good enough deal to be worth fixing the TPMS. I wouldn't have sold it back to them either.
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Meatcoma
> shop-teacher
06/10/2014 at 14:12 |
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I was pretty ballsy back then. Still not totally sure what I was thinking but it worked out in the end.
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Opposite Locksmith
> shop-teacher
06/10/2014 at 14:53 |
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Oh I was plenty happy, TPMS issues or not. Had my subie tech buddy fix in return for making him a nice dinner
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shop-teacher
> Meatcoma
06/10/2014 at 16:49 |
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I imagine rage may have been a contributing factor, understandably so.
PilotMan
> shop-teacher
06/11/2014 at 11:28 |
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When a dealer or automaker has refused to pay for warranty repairs, I have often considered test driving one of their new cars back to my house to swap the parts out. I would clean up the broken parts really well and install them in the new car. I would have to figure out how to tow the vehicle to the side of the freeway before calling the dealer. Overall, it would be tricky as you would have to check that you were swapping the correct part numbers while putting the new car back together perfectly without a dirt fingerprint to be found.
I guess you could just go with a vehicle fire and then wait an extra five minutes before calling 911.
