Auto dealership ethics and a question

[encorehunter]

Last year I purchased a packet of coupons for 8 oil changes for $125. I took my truck in for the first one and they changed the oil and called me when it was ready. I went to pick it up, and the guy behind the counter told me the front end needed a complete rebuild and it was unsafe to drive. This was a shock to me as the truck is older, but it only has 48K miles on it. I told him I would take it to my normal mechanic and let him do the work. He does the front end work on all of my vehicles. The guy at the dealership told me I could not drive MY truck off the lot or he would call the police on me. I called a friend, went and got my car hauler and my big truck, went and picked up my truck and went straight to my mechanic. He looked at it, told me one of the ball joints had a torn boot, he could order the parts and have it fixed in a day after getting the parts. I asked him if it was safe to drive, and he told it should be fine to drive for months. Everything else was fine except for the one torn boot. When I mentioned why I brought it on a trailer, he said he has had several people come in from the same dealership.

Is it legal for them to threaten to call the police or even keep you keys? I have already paid them for their service. I have to take it in for another service soon, and I am wondering if I should call the police if they try and keep my truck again. I was thinking about reporting it stolen if they refuse to give it back.

[ray1970]

That's messed up.

its your property and they have no right to tell you what to do with it.

i think I would ask to speak the the general manager or owner of the dealership.

i had a salesman try to keep the keys to my vehicle once. I test drove a vehicle and when I came back I told him I wasn't interested and he didn't want to give me my keys until we had a chance to discuss a deal. I told him, in no uncertain terms, that he had twenty seconds to get my keys before I drove his new car right into and through the showroom.

needless to say, I had my keys in hand in about ten seconds and I left.

[tmleadr03]

Not legal.

[Ah Pook]

It amazes me the horror stories coming from dealerships. I wonder if they have ever actually called the cops and what proof they had to show? Sounds like a good way to kill repeat business.

My parents only deal with dealerships. They were charged over $300 to change the spark plugs and plug wires on a 15k motor. I told them that I would fly in and do their maintenance if that is what they would pay me.

[BigDee]

You should mention the name of this dealer so we all know what place to avoid like the plague.

[roberth]

The guy at the stealership probably tore the boot.

[encorehunter]

I normally change my own oil, but the deal they had going, I couldn't even buy the oil for the price. Now I wouldn't go back, but I have already paid for the package, so I don't want to give them $125 for one oil change. I don't want to name the dealership yet, as it may have only been a bad worker. If it happens again, I will name the dealership. I have a feeling that I will be naming it, as I have heard several horror stories from some of the other local mechanics. I am going to take a good look at it and check the underside before I take it in.

[tmleadr03]

I have seen at least 10 cars come straight from the dealerships in the area to my shop with an estimate that they wanted to get done with me in the multiple of thousands of dollars for work. They had already said they wanted it done since the dealerships had sold them on it, just not on the price at the dealership. They show up and I sadly have to down grade the repairs or just send them on their way with out making any money. One in particular was a 2300 dollar job. Showed up, 150 bucks later they left. Damn. It would have helped quite a bit.

[sniper7]

I would name them. That is shady.

[BigDee]

if its in Trinidad, you probably wont be using it anyway.

I'm going to be spending quite a bit of time in Trinidad over the next 18 months due to several operations that I am having.