Dealer tried to rip me off today...(update)

[shawn stonbraker 2]

I thought maybe I should put this under the "crying and complaining" catagory.



Anyway, I took my wife's Mountie in to the dealer to get the "free lifetime inspection". I don't usually use the dealer for inspections, but since we've had it there twice with no problems, figured let's do it again. Before I took it, I went over it myself (used to have an inspection license many moons ago), and replaced the front brake pads since that was about all I found wrong. After them having the vehicle for over an hour, they come out and tell me it's going to cost me $240 to get my vehicle inspected. They told me that the rear brake pads needed replaced at $90, the rear rotors needed turned $60, and my left front lower ball joint was shot (covered by extended warranty) $100 deductible. I think I may have scared the service manager when I asked him what the hell he's been smoking to come up with that crap. I told him to just button it all back up and I'll take my vehicle and leave. They were nice enough to honor the "free" inspection. I got home and went back over everything and yes, the rear brakes are borderline, but I got no play what-so-ever from either front tire. Needless to say, that will be the last time they see the Mountie, unless it's for warranty work.:angry:

 

[Todd Z]

LOL....

I am just checking on this:



only thing with the lower ball joints is that you need to unload them before checking, IF you have the tire in the air the lower ball joint is under tension and will not have any play. you need to jack the truck on the frame, then using a large crowbar move the tire or spindle up and down or another jack under the tire to check the lower for play...



The A arm is loaded and yo need to unload the spindle to check the lower...



The uppers you can simply just jack up and check...



Todd Z

 

[Aaron Yarbough]

I hear ya stonemiser, it's always something...but I would have let them go ahead and replace the lower ball joint since it's under warranty.

 

[Dreman]

Under warranty with a $100 deductible? Why bother?

 

[Aaron Yarbough]

Under warranty with a $100 deductible? Why bother?

Unless you have the time, tools, and skills to do it I say why not..... not that it's a huge bargain, but $100 for parts/labor is a fair deal.

 

[D Knx]

At least you took yours back.



I went in to the dealer here in WV for the 1st and last time to get my inspection done in Sept.

An $18.00 inspection turned into $180.00 bill, and when I asked them to rotate the tires I watched to see how they would do them, the kid got it wrong and I had to explain how the tires were to be rotated.



Have yet to find any place that knows how this vehicles tires are rotated.:wacko:



D-

 

[Aaron Yarbough]

Deryck, what was the $180 for?

 

[shawn stonbraker 2]

Todd, did that exactly as you said. I also tried it by jacking it up and letting it hang,just to be sure. Got no play, what so ever, out of it. I even did it both ways before I took it in. I know the ball joints are problem areas on these vehicles (and since I used to do inspections, I like to whatever I can do before I take them in), and I don't like surprises (even though I got one today) when I go to just get a sticker thrown on it.:wacko:



Lil Red, I thought about that, but why spend $100 just to have these a-holes change something that's not even broke. If they need money that bad, I'd give them the $30 for an inspection and then they don't need to try to rip me off. If I found that they were bad before I took it in, I would gladly spend the $100 for them to replace them. Plus we still have around 50K more miles left on the extended warranty.

 

[D Knx]

Brakes on the front, just had them put on less than a year before and she sits in the garage most of the time, go figure:wacko:



Rear light over the back window and rear rotors needed to be turned, plus the rotation which was my request.



D-

 

[shawn stonbraker 2]

Got it inspected today from the place I take my ST, and low-and-behold, nothing wrong with the ball joints. I know the owner of the shop, so we checked them over real good and we weren't able to get them to budge one bit on either side. My wife (who is a little firecracker ) called the dealership and let them have it. She explained to the service manager that we have been pretty faithful, had alot of work done by them, and it was pretty low of them to try and pull this crap on us. The manager told her that "the mechanic is one of thier best" and "he wouldn't try to pull anything like this". I told her (before she called) that they were going to say that. (I must be able to see into the future ) Anyway, I replaced the rear brake shoes ($31), got it inspected ($26), and saved myself about $200.