[Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup
I live in Toronto and I have frequented Midtown Saturn/Saab/Izuzu for all my Saab needs. It's close to work...and until recently I was very happy about my experiences there. Not now though...let me elaborate...
I was going on vacation last week and I was driving. Took my car into the dealer for three things...the next service on my car, the SRS light was on, and the Check Engine light was on as of the night before.
So...they tell me it's $85 per diagnosis. Ok fine...leave my car there and wander to work.
Right before a vacation I didn't want to blow a lot of money on my car so I called and asked them to tell me what the problem was with the check engine light before they did thre SRS light. They informed me my car was done already at this time...1 hour 40 minutes later. I said ok too late, oh well, and went to pick it up later that afternoon.
So I get a bill for $349 and am not really happy!!! So I question it...I paid for the maintenence service fine...rotate tires...oil change...check brakes and stuff...$100 and takes what?...a half hour at least right? Ok...so for an HOUR of labour to diagnose a loose gascap and to reset the SRS alarm light as per Saab procedure I paid $170. So basically $170 PER HOUR. I feel I have every right to question a $170 per hour bill at this point when the Service guy tells me....well it's not an hour and 40 minutes...it's 2.8 hours cause here's the tech's time ticket for when he started and ended the service on your car. Well now...so either I was lied too when I called...or he was lying then...either way...I'm now MAD. So I pay the bill...write my comment that I am not happy on their copy of the invoice...and fill out the questionaire mailer they provided and vow to never return.
Of course this reminds me of another visit to this same dealer where I wanted my antenna fixed...bad radio reception so I pay the $85 to diagnose...ends up being the mast broken of course...and they call me to tell me they can't get it out so my options are replace the WHOLE thing for $300 plus...or get a cheapo rubber antenna from them for $100. So I say no to both things cause I dont want to pay that much and I don't want a crappy ugly antenna and would rather find one myself and put it in cause then I can at least pick one that looks nice. 10 minutes later they call and say they can get the mast out...aha! Ok...so I get the mast replaced...doesn't fix the radio reception problem though. Darn. I log on here and search for things to check for radio reception and end up climbing in my trunk...I find an antenna wire OFF the connector...plug it in...VOILA!!! Reception.
I was pretty happy with the antenna incident except for the cable being off which I attributed to a stupid mistake...but now with this next incident I'm beginning to think they are out to swindle me for every cent they can get.
Of course on my vacation the Check Engine light came on again...took it to a dealer in New Orleans and dreaded paying in American dollars...they SAID $85 to diagnose...and then whatever...they ended up recommending spark plus replacement and only charged me $60 for the work with no diagnosis fee. A much nicer experience in a situation where a big bill would be huge to me and put a big damper on my vacation. The comparison makes my dealer seem even more shoody.
Well...I guess he's not my dealer anymore so I should stop saying MY dealer.
posted by 66.241.13...
, Mon, 2 Dec 2002 22:28:14
No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
