Pitting my car dealership (I didn't even buy it from them!)

The BBQ Pit
1

When it comes to basic maintenance, I typically take my car to a chain garage like Canadian Tire. Oil change, or swapping/storing seasonal tires, going to them is fine by me. If I need something repaired on my car that’s specific to the brand or is covered under warranty, only then will I go to my local Kia dealership. When a mama mouse crawled up into the heating system when the car was being shipped to me and I needed the air filter replaced (that was a memorable photo they texted me), and when the driver’s side window stopped working when the car was less than two years old, they got the business.

I cannot, no matter how much I plead, get them to stop phoning, texting, emailing and snailmailing me with reminders about scheduled services. Every time I get the call, I explain that I take my car to a garage for oil changes, and could they please take me off their phone list. And that this is the xteenth time I’ve asked that. Apologies, and then the mail arrives and here we go.

Not sure what’s hard to grasp. Their service department isn’t open on weekends, whereas I can drop my car off at CT first thing Saturday morning and get it back that afternoon. I’ve also had bad experiences with bringing cars to dealerships: a few years back when I still drove a Hyundai, the bolts holding my fuel and brake lines corroded through the lines. I took it to Hyundai, and it was then three weeks before I got the car back, as the supply chains went through Oregon for the brake line and Mississippi for the fuel line (or vice versa). Whereas I’m sure that if I’d had it towed to Canadian Tire, they could have just pulled a set off the shelf.

Just now, I got another chirpy text advising me of their valet service and how I can get $25 off because I’m so special. It was literally ten days ago that they last phoned me. I opted out of further texts, but I imagine that’ll be as effective as burying a potato under the full moon.

Thing is, I don’t want to go nuclear at them, because, as I said, if something very specific to the Kia needs repair, I might have to go back to them for that and only that. But this has gotta stop. Sorry, FWP I know, but this text set me off.

2

They know what you want, and they don’t care. Repeated contacts of this kind do eventually work with some people, and so they regard them as worth the expense, and to hell with what people want who aren’t their customers.

3

Somehow the dealership where my wife bought her car got my email and phone number associated with her account. Even after repeatedly telling them it’s not my car and giving them the correct contact info, I’m still getting emails about her car. She doesn’t go to the dealer for service anyway, there are a couple different local mechanics we use, so I just delete the dealership spam.

4

My local Toyota dealership keeps sending me notices that it’s time to bring my car in for it’s regular maintenance. A car that was written off in a car accident 5 years ago. Yes, I’ve told them.

5

I love my dealership.

Just great.

Top notch.

Attention to detail.

They’re really above and beyond.

Just about the best people in the world.

6

Yeah, these notices piss me off as well. I DO still take it into the dealership where I bought it just to have the records in one place.

Last time though, they really aggravated me. What maybe should have been a 2 hour appointment took 5 freaking hours. I had an appointment. I was 15 minutes early for it. The service guy said to text him with questions (which I did, “umm… you about done?”). Never a response. I finally got ahold of him and he said maybe another 45 minutes. 2 hours later it was done. grrrrrr. I did get 15% off, but it pretty much destroyed my weekend.

Should I talk about CenturyLink? They kept texting me that the service is repaired “How did we do?” (got the text through Verizon) I canceled Century Link years ago. YOU ARE A COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY. I don’t think you are doing very well at all, leave me alone.

7

My car is 9 months old.
I just got a letter from them explaining I should by the extended care package for when the manufacturer’s warranty expires.

8

I do that as well, but then I get them advising me to have certain maintenance items done. So I point out that service was done, by them, three months ago, or whenever.

9

The Fucking Nissan dealer sends me shit to get them to come do ‘stuff’.

Last (and only) time I was there (long story), I had to threaten them with court, and they knew they were in the wrong, and refunded me every penny.

And they want me back?? I just let them waste their money.

10

Had a dealership do a bunch of unnecessary stuff years ago. It was my last time having a dealership do anything with my car. I use a mechanic I trust.

11

Well, my local Toyota dealership just sent a mailer to my two year old kid for an open house and test drive, with special financing opportunities. I hope they provide shoe extension blocks so he can reach the pedals, since I haven’t bought his own pair yet, was waiting until his tricycle skills improve a bit more.

12

Why would a dealership be any different than any other business trying to market to you? My dealership spam is only a fraction of all the rest of the spam I deal with. Hardly worth distinguishing.

13

Once my brother went on a cruise, and since I live 300 miles closer to the port than he does, he drove the fam down to my house and left the car in my driveway for the week. Well, it spent part of the week in my driveway, and part of the week at the local dealer, since it was a handy opportunity for him to get a recall taken care of.

I got mail from that dealership for YEARS trying to pitch service for a car that was never mine, and spends 99.9% of it’s time over 5 hours drive away.

14

Funny thing is that the only time I ever know I was ripped off by taking my car in was when I took it to a Firestone because my mom knew someone that worked there. They charged me and didn’t do a damn thing. I paid them to check a used car before I bought it, and I bought it based on their diagnostic that everything was good, and then the transmission died a few months later since the fluid had never been changed and looked like black syrup.

My current car has gone back to the dealership for service multiple times (luckily all minor things) and while they aren’t always great (especially since they keep changing the rules about how to create appointments, where to go, and so on) I’ve never felt cheated. Plus I have free oil changes there for the life of the car so that’s a bonus.

15

There’s your mistake right there (& don’t forget, they own TiresPlus, as well)
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Found a great price for new tires on Firestone’s website. Called the local store & told them what I had; they said print off a screenshot & bring it in & that they’d honor it. Drop off the car the night before, the clerk taking it in reads the notes that he needs something from me. I hand over the printed screenshot, he looks it over & yup, all is good & they’ll honor it he says. (that’s now twice if you’re playing along at home)
The next morning I get a call; my car is done butttt they can’t honor the deal anymore; it’ll be $75/tire - $300 more. Ummm, no; try again. I get a call back in a little bit - they’ll split the difference with me; $100 off (wouldn’t splitting the difference be $150 off of $300?) but I must open & pay for it on one of their credit cards. I was a nice guy in that I paid for the state inspection I told them to do since it was already there; but I got my car back with my old tires that really shouldn’t have passed inspection & didn’t even call the state on them to investigate why it passed inspection with those bald tires?

TiresPlus wouldn’t put a plug in because they told me it wasn’t safe; would only sell me a new tire. Drove a mile away to another tire place; the plug they put in lasted a year+ (until I replace all four tires).

16

Yup, I never went back to that place again, and it has been over 20 years now.