There are good and bad dealers within any brand, from Acura to Volvo. Here are some tips if your dealer is less than ideal. Before we go on, though, let us set out two ground rules:
- Always be calm and courteous, even when you are not treated well.
- The service guy might just be right — we at least need to be open to that possibility.
Most car dealers are independently owned and are protected by a thick wall of franchise laws, so automakers have limited leverage. Many automakers have tried to “save money” by slashing compensation for diagnostics and having low estimates for the time it takes to do repairs, pushing dealers to cut corners on warranty work. Many dealers try to convert “break-even” warranty work into profitable customer-paid work, by pretending that the automaker will not pay for the repair (when in fact they would, even out of warranty).
Some problems, even past the usual three (or five) years, can be covered by a Federal warranty which can go up to 100,000 miles. Some service advisors don’t know, or won’t admit, that these exist. See your owner’s manual or our article for details.
Most automakers and many dealers can authorize repairs after the warranty is over, depending on the circumstances and their mood — one reason to be patient and courteous with dealer staff.
Read the warranty and maintenance sections of your owner’s manual, so that you can calmly and politely say (for example), “I thought the warranty covered spark plugs until the first recommended change interval. Would you mind if I checked the warranty in my glove compartment?”
When the service person is sure something is not covered, ask if they would mind if you called the company to see if you could get an authorization for it. Make sure your attitude conveys the message that “I’m trying to help you to get paid for this by the company” rather than “I’m going to complain about your miserly tactics.”
Service intervals
If a dealer tells you that it’s time for a service, check the schedule in your owner’s manual. Many dealers and independent mechanics try to service the car more often than needed. We’ve seen $800 tune-ups, done years ahead of schedule, using $50 worth of parts and less than an hour of labor, at a “recommended interval” that wasn’t even on the “severe service schedule”. Many cars also now require oil changes as far apart as once a year, using a computer to tell you when to get service — GM and Chrysler tend to have these. So beware (and see our larger maintenance-scam page). So when a dealer tells you the manufacturer demands 3,000 mile oil changes, or annual tuneups — think twice.
Resources
As for choosing the dealers, nothing beats the recommendation of a knowledgeable friend or acquaintance – except your own experience. The sales and service staff may be night and day in terms of quality and the “user experience,” so never assume that a friendly salesman in front indicates friendly and competent mechanics in back (or vice versa).
Some automakers’ customer hotlines will guide you towards a higher-ranked dealership, as well, using customer surveys and “fix it first” surveys as a guide. It’s worth traveling a bit to get better service.
Buy from dealerships with good service departments. Have your car serviced consistently at the same dealer, if you can, and buy from them if they excel. That said,
You do not have to have your car repaired by the dealer you bought it from.
There are many resources for those who are having a dispute with a dealer or a car company, including, for people who have lots of problems with a new car, lemon law replacement; each state’s lemon law information is in your owner’s manual package.
In some small claims or special civil courts, judges and lawyers are over-eager for settlements, no matter how strong your case is, because they want to save time. If you pursue a claim, you run the risk in court of losing and having to pay massive legal fees, and if you are angry, you also run the risk of a contempt of court citation. In some cases, saying you still plan to have the case heard will get a much better settlement.
Used car guides are interesting but can be inaccurate or misleading. Consider all sources, including Internet forums (though beware that people will generally only state negative opinions, there are paid “complainers” from competitors, and problems do get solved).
Research shows that some dealers have a terrible employee loyalty rate, and their mechanics may have low morale and little experience. Though many dealers do have excellent mechanics, don’t assume that the dealer is always better than the garage across the street.
Prevention
- Get a copy of your complaint even if no problem is found, so you can, later on, show that a problem existed earlier. That may convince the automaker to make good after the warranty ends, or increase a lemon law settlement.
- If there is a “small accident,” see the damage in person and get everything in writing. Otherwise you have little protection against shoddy repairs.
- Get everything in writing and double-check questionable statements.
- If you bring in your car, do not accept the “I don’t hear it” or “They all do that” defense. Ask for a test drive with the manager or a mechanic. Be assertive without being aggressive or hostile.
- Treat your dealership and service advisors well. They have discretion in providing extra service. If they like you, they may also give you a better mechanic.
- Only use the recommended oil, brake fluid, and transmission fluid. These are all listed in the owner’s manual.
- If you get a bad dealer, be sure to fill out and return your survey (dealers usually do see negative surveys and who they came from). See the note at the bottom of this page.
Contacting the automaker
See your owner’s manual for addresses and phone numbers.
If you suspect your dealer has defrauded the company with false warranty claims, report it and ask them to let you know what happens.
Be polite and calm but assertive at all times. Do not take no for an answer but do not act angry or threaten them. This will make matters worse. They are often sensitive, defensive, and uninformed. If all else fails, call back and speak to someone else.
One key with out-of-warranty repairs is whether the problem existed during the warranty period! That’s a good reason to get all your complaints acknowledged by the dealer in repair forms and to keep them (and keep ’em well-organized).
Never say bad things about your dealer or anyone else unless you absolutely must. Do not subject them to the anger caused by your dealer or their employees. This will only hurt your case!
It is easy to be pegged and written off as a “bad customer.” Don’t let them put you into the loony category.
Is the problem with your car or your dealer?
If your car has lots of problems, your dealer or mechanic might be screwing it up when trying to find other problems.
If you have problems immediately after having your car serviced, it may have been the mechanic’s fault. Examples:
- stalling after a tune up
- brake noises after a brake job
- oil leak after oil change
- transmission problems after transmission servicing or fluid change. (On any car, check the antifreeze and/or oil a few days after any change.)
Solutions:
- find out what the problem was and fix it yourself or demand that the mechanic fix the car (may be risky).
- ask for your money back
- find another mechanic
- report the incident to your Consumer Affairs Department, Attorney General, and/or the automaker (we generally ignore the BBB which tends to close complaints at the dealer’s request, since the dealer pays their dues and you don’t).
Find out the oil you need from the manual and demand that they use it. You may need to ask them when they’re done — and have them drain and refill. Some dealers actually fill with the wrong fluids to save money.
Always use the recommended oil and trans fluid. Never take the oil change place’s or the dealer’s word for it. Look it up yourself.
When they can’t find or fix it…
When the service people cannot find problem, ask to take a drive with the mechanic or a service advisor. If they cannot solve it, ask the service advisor to escalate it; if they don’t know the term, suggest trying new steps, such as requesting support from Toyota or checking the service bulletins. You can also call the Customer Center and ask them to provide technical assistance to the dealership.
Trying another dealer often works.
You may wish to bone up on the technical service bulletins, available from Alldata. Keep in mind that if you tell them you looked up the bulletin, you will likely be marked as a crank; but if you attribute the information to “a friend with the same car,” you’ll probably be OK.
Parts
How long does it take for the dealer to order parts? The actual ordering can take seconds; if they’re not in stock, they can tap the local depot, and that can be as fast as overnight or as slow as a few days. Likewise, parts may be shipped by truck or by post from a national depot, or sent by slow boat or fast plane from another country. It used to be common for imported cars to have parts that took weeks to arrive, but that’s less common now that many “imports” are built in the United States.
Usually, parts come fairly quickly, unless there’s a major recall or warranty action. In that case, it can literally take months, especially if the automaker is prioritizing production of new cars over fixing the old ones, or if the new design has not been tested and accepted yet.
If you want to know if your dealer is lying about parts ordering times, you can get the part number and search for it at online dealerships. That can also tell you, if your car is out of warranty, how high your local dealer’s markup is. (Normally, dealers charge 20%-25% below list price, plus high shipping upcharges, for parts purchased over the Internet, but some charge two or three times list for local buyers.)
Step by Step
Even if you are in an adversarial relationship, act in a friendly, nonthreatening, non-angry, non-adversarial manner — but don’t take “no” for an answer.
When you have a problem:
- Try to resolve it through discussion with the service advisor.
- If needed, ask to speak with the service manager.
- The next step is to call the automaker, from a pay phone if you have to. Often, work suddenly becomes free or your car gets fixed days or weeks ahead of time.
- If your dealer keeps fixing the same thing over and over again, get another dealer, or ask the service manager to escalate the problem (as mentioned earlier).
- If your dealer treats you badly, lies to you, etc., get another dealer.
- If you have a continuing problem, speak to the people at your zone office (in your owner’s manual). Be polite but assertive. Do not threaten them. If they still don’t fix the car, politely begin to negotiate.
- If you are still having the same problem despite several attempts at repairs, read your lemon law guide (in your glove compartment). File an official lemon law complaint with your state if possible. This will get their attention and help your negotiation along, but chances are your problem is not serious enough to merit a legally imposed solution.
- Important: There is usually a time and mileage limit for lemon-law complaints.
- You can also try going through the manufacturer’s arbitration.
- If all else fails, look for a lawyer specializing in lemon law problems. A good specialist may cheaply and quickly negotiate your way to a good settlement. If negotiation is not their first move, they are not the right lawyer.
- Your chances of getting cash are slim to none; the norm is to give you credit towards another car. There is usually a charge per mile of use before the first lemon-type complaint.
- If all else fails, or if there is an emergency or a serious issue which cannot be resolved through normal channels, call the state department of consumer affairs or, if they are unresponsive, or if the dealer has done something truly offensive, call the state Attorney General. Do not be afraid to call your congressman or governor; some will help.
Tell us about your last dealer experience…
David Zatz has been writing about cars and trucks since the early 1990s, including books on the Dodge Viper, classic Jeeps, and Chrysler minivans. He also writes on organizational development and business at toolpack.com and covers Mac statistics software at macstats.org. David has been quoted by the New York Times, the Daily Telegraph, the Detroit News, and USA Today.
I agree that it’s probably a good idea to read the owner’s manual. That’s one resource that seems like it’ll be a big help. If you’re unsure and not comfortable doing things yourself, it might be best to just call a mechanic.
I have a paint issue on my tailgate,there is no primer under the paint. The paint is starting to chip off. It’s a 2016 Ram power wagon. I bought it used with under 20000 on it but it was built in Canada so they tell me it’s not covered under warranty,and will not understand that it’s not a warranty issue it’s a manufacturer issue .
David Zatz, great article. I have been dealing with a Mazda dealership on my 2016 CX5. They are repairing an electrical problem which caused the backup cam to go out. It’s been 3 weeks. They gave me me a 2017 Mazda 3 loaner- no charge. But this seems too good to be true. Do dealers drag their feet on repairs, hoping you’ll like the new loaner car so much that you’ll buy it? Sounds like a stretch, I know.
But a friend of mine has an older Subaru Outback. The dealer was trying to repair something, and they gave her a new Outback loaner for like 6 weeks. Something didn’t seem right. I kept asking her what was up with her car. She said I don’t know. Meanwhile they’re letting her run up the mileage on a new SUV?
Hi, James! I was looking at the Mazda3 and Mazda6, myself. I don’t think dealers do that. What sometimes happens is they get a “flakey,” where the problem is very hard to pin down, or, far more likely, they are waiting for a part from Mazda. Three weeks is a long time but they don’t want you to use loaner cars longer than needed; they have to pay for depreciation, insurance, etc. Six weeks is incredible… my guess, again, is there’s some part that’s either on a very long backorder, or that is in the process of being revised and revalidated before production (or was just revised and restested, and is going into production). Usually, that’s what causes very long repair times. The dealer might give you more info if you drop by and ask for specifics on what’s wrong and what the delay’s all about.
David Zatz, well it’s exactly as I thought. I go in to pick up my CX5, the guy says “so, do you want to buy it?” (of my loaner Mazda 3). I played along, and he said. Mazda pushes them to loan out specific cars, trying to make a sale. I’m going to take my CX5 to a mechanic to make sure the alleged work they did actually happened. For all I know, they sabotaged my back up cam, told me they were doing all this free work under the “Mazda care” post warranty program, and just let my vehicle sit for a month.
Hello yes on ApriI bought a 2012 Dodge Charger r/t silver and I had it for a week this is my first buying from a car dealership and so I showed it to my friend and he has a same car same more older 2009 r/t and right off the bat he told me hears motor clicking like a valve drop anyhow plus exsaust leak so told me to call them and need them to fix it because it a law and your rights to bring it in and fix it so today in the 10th I did I told him what was going on and so on so on, he was like I didn’t hear it, it sound good I told him no it doesn’t and I can already see it anyhow this is in Washington and the place I got it from is in Kennewick place called tri city car sales so them I seen bad ratings and probably paid raters, anyhow right off the bat he was trying to ask me if I got the voided check and trying to change the subject I got mad but didn’t show it, but eventually I told him I want it fix and you going to fix it he said ok will check on anything but yeah if any help or reply please text back , this car has low miles low 82,xxx
We have an issue with a 2017 Kia Optima Ex Premium Hybrid purchased new in September, 2017.
Within 1 month of the purchase the car’s autonomous cruise and pre-collision will fail to function on a highway loner drive. The warning “radar blocked” for both systems comes on. The car immediately slows down when the cruise cuts off and you need to quickly hit the accelerator to avoid being hit from behind.
We have taken the car to our dealer numerous times; they say they can’t find a “code error” so the car is working properly. This is despite the fact we recorded it occurring 21 times in 1100 kilometeres, including photos of the dash showing the warning and the road being dry pavement and sunny skies.
Kia Canada refuses to acknowledge any issues and the local dealer is using Kia Canada to say there is nothing they can do.
Tried to just have then agree to come for a long test drive and they refuse.
Asked them to just work with us to resolve the problem-they say there is no problem so nothing will be done unless there is an “error code”
Car is a total safety hazard on the road.
Kia has had other vehicles report the similar issue on other makes of Kia but it seems they blame all drivers with driver’s error.
I asked their service technician to come with me at least on a short drive. I asked him if I was doing anything wrong in using the car operation equipment and he stated no. Still no assistance from Kia.
Bought a 2008 Lincoln MKX from a Fiat dealer. The side view (R and L) power mirrors do not work. Was told they would fix them before I tool it off the lot but when I picked it up they did not work now I am having trouble just getting them to call me. What is my solution to get some results
we have a ford f150, has 9000 miles ego boost 10 speed automatic, needs trans work, the dealer said it would take 2 days to get new trans from denver to sheridon wy. but they had to have ford approval, they want it rebuilt that they dont have parts for 2 wks! we are 1400 miles from home they dont have a loaner car or anything we can drive, ford says they will pay for a ford rental at 60.00 per day except no one has any! So what do we do except run up motel bills we cant afford!
A friend of mine brought my Mazda 3 to a local Mazda dealership in town in Florida to get looked at because the check engine light started flashing on and off.. My friend stated he didn’t have any money for any repair costs off the bat and was reassured that it was okay and not to worry. the dealer then took the car in the garage disassembled parts of the engine found the issue said it was unsafe to drive the vehicle when requested to just take the car and leave mind you a head gasket blew out. And said even if it were safe to drive the car is in pieces right now.. then forcefully wanting a signature to repair the car thats legally not at all there car there name is not on the registration or title of that car and wouldn’t let him even read what the paperwork said on it. leaving a 1300 repair cost he couldn’t afford to pay and the dealership is refusing to release the car untill the bill is paid.. and now i dont have my car because of a repair I the actual owner of the car didn’t authorize to be done and don’t have the funds to pay that much money at once. Is there a way I can go to the dealership to get my car back without having to dish out 1300 upfront like that. Knowing my friend didnt have any money to pay for it.
can anybody help. bought car from dealer 6 days ago, after 2 days clutch broke, release bearing. being easter we couldn’t get hold of warrantywise and local garage couldn’t do work for 7 days, so we got mobile mechanic non vat registered to replace on our drive….vehicle was not driveable and needed to get/to and from work. Cost was £250. We asked dealer for contribution to this he has refused. There is also an issue of key not fitting passenger lock which he said he would look at. Now son has said he would rather take car back and refund as too much hassle? We never intented to give car back, just want the repairs done. Invoice does not state we have to take car to them to repair so they will have to come to us and sort issue. Am I right, we can keep car as we don’t want to return it and they must do repairs, its not even been a week and although the clutch would have been covered under warranty the door lock issue wont be. Any advise.
I have.a Ford Fiesta recall now over warranty ,
“that’s ok” now being told it is different problem and not covered….long story but now I have a car.
That I can not fix…..a Ford Recall?
My 2014 Jetta is shutting down on me while driving. Sometime it wont even start in the morning. It does it out of no where. 1st time took it to dealer they kept it three weeks to be told problem could not be duplicated and they couldn’t do anything. I got my car back drove it two weeks later did it again, took it again to dealer two weeks later to be told they cant duplicate the problem and there nothing they could do again. I contacted VW of North America regional manager told me to just to take it back if it occurs again. I’m frustrated with no peace of mind afraid my car may shuts down.
what can i do now?
Great blog!
You really mentioned some nice blogs on how to dealing with your car dealer on repairs and warranty work. Thank you for more information
There’s not a lot you can do. They can install the part if you went out and bought it, but most won’t. Speaking of AutoZone, you can take your car there to have them read what a Check Engine light means. How accurate will that reading be?
i bought a used car from the wazda dealership in riverside and4 hours later I was hit from behind by a hit and run driver dealer was notified and I got a rental the paperwork for rental said due back in few days so I called they said keep it til further notice well they called said they needed to trade rentals cause I had it 36 days but when I got there they took the rental and they had my car picked up and they said they did a revised sale and the kept my money 2500 I put down said I had to pay for deductible and rental is that allowed
Local Ford Service Dept. employee advised me last month(July,2020) to bring my 2016 Ford Transit Connect back the first part of August, 2020, to schedule for engine repairs. Prior visit to dealership found water in #4 cylinder. First call, she was busy and would call me back – no call back. 2nd call – service dept. employee said she had stepped out to eat – no call. 3rd attempt – drove to dealership – employee said she was out sick – employee put note on computer -no call. 4th attempt to contact – called and asked for service dept. – recording: “not available – try your call later”. Prior contacts have been all good but feel she is avoiding me at this point. I’m going to try one more time and if no contact, will try to talk to whoever is in charge at dealership. Can you advise me what action I should take at this point? Will try to stay calm as you say but this is very frustrating.
Thank you.
Thanks for your advice to use the service interval recommended by your car’s manufacturer because you could go for a year without needing an oil change for some models. My husband and I didn’t realize that oil changes should be done regularly, and now we need to find a BMW engine repair service because there was a terrible clanking noise this morning and our car won’t start now. We’ll definitely take your advice to find an engine repair service that will help us avoid letting the engine get this bad in the future.
Went to dealership because I was smelling a burning smell everytime I drove my 2017 Chevy Trax. They checked it out and said that my turbo lines were leaking and had to order parts. They also told me that my warranty ran out in May 2020 which I didn’t know but I have coverage for 48 months, 48000 miles. They said that they would call me when the parts came in which was over a week ago, I received no call from service manager at all, wasn’t sure if I should still be driving as the smell is getting stronger and he didn’t give me any instruction as to drive it or not. Called and left a message with the service manager’s manager as I haven’t received a call in over a week and then decided to call the service company that has my extended warranty to see if dealership called in the claim. I was told that the service person told them that I declined service and left dealership. When in reality I have been waiting for them to call me so that I can schedule service and he told me it would take five hours to fix. I then called the service manager’s manager and left a message and he didn’t call back so I called again asking for his manager and he then got on the phone stating he hasn’t had time to check things out and to date still hasn’t called me. Should I take my car to another dealership to get fixed as I don’t trust Bowser Chevrolet now and fear that they will dismantle something else or not fix the problem. Please advise what I should do before the problem becomes more of a problem and I cannot drive the car. Thank you.