Dealerships really ramping up the BS

[Alditobrooklyn]

Went in today to get the recall done on my Mustang, the service manager comes out 20 minutes later with this laundry list of "recommended" items to be addressed, what a clown show it was. I had my car there 4 months ago for an oil change, rear shocks replaced (required to pass inspection), yearly inspection.

Hits me with all this...

Says my tires are showing wear and recommends one be replaced (just put brand new winter tires on 500 miles ago back in October)

Says need a new battery, says it should be reading 15 volts, but mine is only reading 14.7.... it's 12 degrees out.

Says I need an oil change, claims my oil is discolored (700 miles since last oil change, that they just did in October...)

Says I need an alignment, it's off by just a bit (um hello, snow tires, I'm not having them aligned for a few months a year of minimal driving)

Says my coolant is a bit low and needs topped off.

Says my fuel system needs flushed.

Says my breaks are worn but within spec, needs replaced.

So I tell him no and pick up my car and leave (after the recall work was done obviously) and I go home and pull in the garage and go to pop the hood, funny thing though, I have hood struts so you can't just drop the hood and have it close, you have to grab the front of the hood and pull it down, now with the weather we have been having (snow, salt etc) if you touch the car most anywhere, you leave prints, but, no prints anywhere.

So the tech never even opened the hood to even know if anything needed done or not.
Also keep in mind they claimed to have checked and found all that in the 20 minutes they had the car this morning, ya ok buddy.

So I check everything and not one thing on the list needed done, not a single one (ok MAYBE the alignment if we are being picky lol) but WOW talk about swinging for the fence here, they wanted to do all that at 165.00 an hour.

Needless to say, never going back.

For those asking it was
Parsons Interstate Ford LLC
In Shippensburg PA

Ain’t that some shit I swear dealers now and days they think because you own really nice car and invest money on it that you can fall for that bullshit. Good for you not letting them screw you over.

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[BombZombie]

many years ago, I was at a strip joint in Austin, Texas on sixth Street that had some of the most beautiful girls in the country working there. Joining at our table were two players from the Washington Redskins and they bought us all lap dances for several hours and drinks. In the short amount of time they dropped about $12,000 like it was Candy. Needless to say I had a good time on their dime.

If you can have fun on other people's dime, go for it

 

[Call_Me_Bruce]

Every dealer that takes your car around for service no matter what it is; recall, warranty service, or general maintenance, wants to turn that service ticket into at least $400-$500. Dealer overhead is expensive; wages, 401k, heat, light, insurance, taxes, etc.

The last two times I've had my Mustang into my local dealer, once for warranty the other time recall, they were really good and did not try to upsell me anything. It's a 22 with 10k on the clock. The dealer I had the work done was not the selling dealer. The selling dealer is ~150 miles from my home, will probably never visit them again. They were handing out screaming good deals during COVID.

2 years or so ago, I had to take my wife's 4Runner in for the Takata airbag recall. The service writer tried to sell me an engine air filter and cabin air filter for $150.00. I walked over to the parts counter and bought both for about $50. Changed them both in less than 10 minutes.

The last time I had my Toyota Avalon in for recall work, they tried to sell me a PCV valve & throttle body cleaning. They wanted something like $450 for that. They didn't even try to sell me an oil change, which was funny because the car was due, and I actually had them do it. Declined all the other recommended stuff. PCV valve is dirt cheap, even an OEM part. A throttle body cleaning is literally squirting some break clean on a rag and wiping the butterfly off.

I will admit to throwing the dealer an oil change or two during the warranty period just to establish a relationship with the service dept if something big is needed during the warranty.

I like to do my own work on my vehicles so, I've bought tools (a lot), jack, jack stands, ramps, air compressor etc. That stuff pays for itself once after a brake job or two. Funny thing is, I've become the brake job specialist for the extended family. Which is fine by me, someday I'll collect from them....

 

[markayash]

Every dealer that takes your car around for service no matter what it is; recall, warranty service, or general maintenance, wants to turn that service ticket into at least $400-$500. Dealer overhead is expensive; wages, 401k, heat, light, insurance, taxes, etc.

The last two times I've had my Mustang into my local dealer, once for warranty the other time recall, they were really good and did not try to upsell me anything. It's a 22 with 10k on the clock. The dealer I had the work done was not the selling dealer. The selling dealer is ~150 miles from my home, will probably never visit them again. They were handing out screaming good deals during COVID.

2 years or so ago, I had to take my wife's 4Runner in for the Takata airbag recall. The service writer tried to sell me an engine air filter and cabin air filter for $150.00. I walked over to the parts counter and bought both for about $50. Changed them both in less than 10 minutes.

The last time I had my Toyota Avalon in for recall work, they tried to sell me a PCV valve & throttle body cleaning. They wanted something like $450 for that. They didn't even try to sell me an oil change, which was funny because the car was due, and I actually had them do it. Declined all the other recommended stuff. PCV valve is dirt cheap, even an OEM part. A throttle body cleaning is literally squirting some break clean on a rag and wiping the butterfly off.

I will admit to throwing the dealer an oil change or two during the warranty period just to establish a relationship with the service dept if something big is needed during the warranty.

I like to do my own work on my vehicles so, I've bought tools (a lot), jack, jack stands, ramps, air compressor etc. That stuff pays for itself once after a brake job or two. Funny thing is, I've become the brake job specialist for the extended family. Which is fine by me, someday I'll collect from them....

Funny I worked with a guy who had a Toyota and got a bunch of free oil changes. They told him he needed an airfilter and they just charge their cost of something like $40..He walked over to the parts counter and asked what an airfilter cost and they said something like $20..He called them out in a loud ( but polite ) way so others could hear the scams.

 

[metalmadman]

First off a little intro. I have a 2023 Mustang GT. I have cameras mounted in the car to record what is going on. Now, I took may car to Jim Bass Ford here in Texas. Took it in on the Jan 17th, 2024 at 7AM. Had a appointment set up. I sat up the appointment on Dec 27th, 2023 I had a full body bone scan and other medical stuff I had to do.

They told me they could not download the program, website had crashed from too many downloads. So the car had to stay overnight. Next day I did not get back until 4PM. They forgot to call. I looked at the camera footage. It took only 20 minutes for them to do the reprogram. No big deal but they kept the car too long. As far as I can see from the cameras, they did not do anything but the reprogram.

Mitchell Toyota, where I bought the Mustang, like for me to trade cars. I have had a lot of new Toyota cars. LOL Had a 4X4 Tacoma once. My mother has her RAV4 paid off. She got an inheritance from her brother's death and paid off her car. Mitchell has called my mother at least once a week asking her trade. That's the only thing that has happened to us. Mitchell will be calling me next year to trade my Mustang. I'm 61 and retired. I bought my Mustang Oct 17. I just now have 3900 miles on it. I bought it used with 1965.
That's mostly what I run into. Dealership asking me to trade. My 2020 was in such good shape and low miles, I was not "upside down" on my note. Traded across the board for the Mustang. They me almost 22,00 for my Camry.
I'm not trading the Mustang. I'm going to pay it off and keep it.

 

[shogun32]

Joining at our table were two players from the Washington Redskins and they bought us all lap dances for several hours and drinks. In the short amount of time they dropped about $12,000 like it was Candy.

How else can they cope with being waxed by the Cowboys year in and year out?

 

[shogun32]

I'm 61 and retired. I bought my Mustang Oct 17. I just now have 3900 miles on it. I bought it used with 1965.

You have nothing to do after breakfast till dinner and you're not out straffing every curvy road in 50 mile radius?!?!? Priorities, my good man. Priorities!

 

[klink]

How else can they cope with being waxed by the Cowboys year in and year out?

I could not believe how those guys threw the money around. And of course all the dancers swarmed them like nothing you’ve ever seen lol.

 

[shogun32]

And of course all the dancers swarmed them like nothing you’ve ever seen lol.

I've seen Michael Jackson and Madonna swarmed by Japanese teenage girls in Tokyo, so I think I have you beat.

 

[metalmadman]

You have nothing to do after breakfast till dinner and you're not out straffing every curvy road in 50 mile radius?!?!? Priorities, my good man. Priorities!

LOL Yeah, I got some medical issues I need to address. Gallbladder went haywire , then they found a spot on my pelvic bone, so I had to get a full body bone scan done for Cancer. I'm good, no Cancer. Now I have appointment about gallstones. I hope I wait until I get my SS to have surgery, if I need it. Just 61 and going down the slow road to oblivion. LOL
I will drive the car. TRUST ME! Been raining too here in Texas. I don't get the Mustang out much when it rains. Drivers are really stupid here. Also, since I got the Mustang, and have been driving a little, the Sheriff has been driving around more. Stock exhaust, no Mode changing, so I don't draw attention. I have a friend who tells me to change out the exhaust and put a CAI on but I already get attention. I live in a small community outside of San Angelo Texas. There are only two GTs around, mine, Iconic Silver, and a red one with black stripes. A young man in his 20s owns it. Hell, there are only 8 that have counted so far, including in town. I have six speed. I might be the only one with manual. There was a girl riding with the machinic when they brought the car to me. She was riding passenger. At first I thought he drove my car to pick up his daughter. Then, I realized, "She might not be able to drive a standard." LOL Used to be a lot of people could drive standards. Now? Not so much. Mitchell told me they had had the car for four months. Lot of people looked at it but none of them could drive a standard. Well, here I come and they made deal.
Have a good day and stay safe. Thanks for the reply. Peace out.

 

[ORRadtech]

LOL Yeah, I got some medical issues I need to address. Gallbladder went haywire , then they found a spot on my pelvic bone, so I had to get a full body bone scan done for Cancer. I'm good, no Cancer. Now I have appointment about gallstones. I hope I wait until I get my SS to have surgery, if I need it. Just 61 and going down the slow road to oblivion. LOL
I will drive the car. TRUST ME! Been raining too here in Texas. I don't get the Mustang out much when it rains. Drivers are really stupid here. Also, since I got the Mustang, and have been driving a little, the Sheriff has been driving around more. Stock exhaust, no Mode changing, so I don't draw attention. I have a friend who tells me to change out the exhaust and put a CAI on but I already get attention. I live in a small community outside of San Angelo Texas. There are only two GTs around, mine, Iconic Silver, and a red one with black stripes. A young man in his 20s owns it. Hell, there are only 8 that have counted so far, including in town. I have six speed. I might be the only one with manual. There was a girl riding with the machinic when they brought the car to me. She was riding passenger. At first I thought he drove my car to pick up his daughter. Then, I realized, "She might not be able to drive a standard." LOL Used to be a lot of people could drive standards. Now? Not so much. Mitchell told me they had had the car for four months. Lot of people looked at it but none of them could drive a standard. Well, here I come and they made deal.
Have a good day and stay safe. Thanks for the reply. Peace out.

Gallbladder surgery for stones is really more of a procedure than surgery. It's definitely an outpatient thing. It's not even particularly difficult to prep for, generally fasting after midnight is it. Depending on the size and number of gallstones you may need to repeat the procedure up to several times and your doctor may place one or more stents. If you haven't been referred yet you'll want to find a good interventional gastrointerologist. I provided x-ray imaging for well over 5000 of those procedures before I retired.

 

[metalmadman]

Gallbladder surgery for stones is really more of a procedure than surgery. It's definitely an outpatient thing. It's not even particularly difficult to prep for, generally fasting after midnight is it. Depending on the size and number of gallstones you may need to repeat the procedure up to several times and your doctor may place one or more stents. If you haven't been referred yet you'll want to find a good interventional gastrointerologist. I provided x-ray imaging for well over 5000 of those procedures before I retired.

Thank you so much for this. I'm seeing a nurse practitioner of a General Surgeon on the 24th. I'll ask her questions. Not trying to hijack the thread. So, if I'm understand correctly, they can take out the stones without removing the gallbladder? Just a simple yes or no will be okay. I don't want to anger anyone by hijacking. Just would like to know so I know what questions to ask.

 

[shogun32]

Don't they also use ultrasound to shatter them if they can?

 

[metalmadman]

Gallbladder surgery for stones is really more of a procedure than surgery. It's definitely an outpatient thing. It's not even particularly difficult to prep for, generally fasting after midnight is it. Depending on the size and number of gallstones you may need to repeat the procedure up to several times and your doctor may place one or more stents. If you haven't been referred yet you'll want to find a good interventional gastrointerologist. I provided x-ray imaging for well over 5000 of those procedures before I retired.

I don't want to go down a "rabbit hole" or anything. I'll ask questions when I go in for sure. Thanks for this reply. I was a little worried. Had retina surgery Nov. 14 of 2022 on my left eye, then two cataract surgeries after that. I have not had my new glasses for very long. It's been one thing after another man. It's been crazy. I went to bed on the Nov. 1st. of 2022 , woke Nov 2nd to a retina detachment. It was Macular in nature. I'm lucky I can see 100 percent still. I had good doctors. Then, the cataract surgeries. That's wHy I traded for the Mustang GT 5.0 when I had the chance. Been trying to get a Muscle Car since I first started working. Now I finally have one, I'm not letting it go for anything in the World. Even got the six speed manual. I'm divorced and it has been rough. Mother had to take me back and forth to doctors and she 85. I wish I was making this up, but I'm not. LOL You can't make this stuff up I don't think. It's been a long road but I'm hanging in there brother. When I drive the GT it is on a whole other level. I could be blind. Peace out.

 

[shogun32]

I wish I was making this up, but I'm not. LOL You can't make this stuff up I don't think.

See, you should have taken the calls for Extended Warranty!

Have you checked your Window sticker for a Use-By date? I think you got some poorly QA'd parts there friend. Hoping the mechanics can apply reman parts as needed.

Just think you can bill yourself as a resto-mod. Triple your value.

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