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luisdecr
Dodge Dakota
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1/31/2003
07:43:14
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 Subject: Help w Dealer experience
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Folks:
For those of you with Dakotas, I need to let you know about my recent experience with a 5 star Dodge dealer.
I took my 2000 QC 4.7, 4x4, automatic, 49K miles, to have the tranny fluid changed as per the manual indicated. After waiting for a 1.5 hours the car was ready. When I went to pick it up the tech indicated that the instrumentation cluster went out during the test drive and needed a new cluster (they said the circuit board went bad due the cold weather). I told them the truck was just fine before I took in and they said, yes they know that and that was why they would rent a car for me for two days, and give me the part at cost $550!! and no labor. After asking them repeateadly if they were absolutely sure this was the problem, I told go ahead and replace it.
The truck was "fixed", and drove it for 1 day, and after going to dinner with my wife came back to the truck, turned ignitions on the new cluster was out completly out just like the tech had described to me a couple of days earlier, which I have never seen until I took the truck for tranny maintenance.
So I turned on/off the ignition switch several times, and nothing cluster dead, place the ignition switch to accesories position and the radio LCDs began to flicker and there is a tick,tick,tick mechanical noise from under the dash. Turned the ignition back to on and the instrument cluster comes alive!!. Check engine light comes on (there were no codes on computer as I checked right after picking the car up from dealer) and now the computer codes indicate there are several bad relays.
So, based on this data, I think the dealer miss diagnosed the problem, since it appears some bad or connection to the relays are keeping the cluster from powering on, and I ended paying for a new part I did not needed, and this problem which started when I took the car in for maintenace, still persists.
I need to get my money back and they can place the old instrument cluster if they want to ($500 core value by the way so they kept it), but I do not think I need to pay for this. Anybody out there has any advice on how to proceed with this, and does any one has the Chrysler/Dodge regional rep (North East) name/number which I can call to dispute this unfair charge?. I much appreciated any help whatsoever.
Regards,
2000qc4.7
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Lew
Dodge Dakota
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1/31/2003
08:12:41
| RE: Help w Dealer experience
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It's been my experience with Dodge dealers that they just replace the first thing they think may be causing the problem without doing proper checks. Take it back in this morning but be ready for an argument.
My 01 Dak is my first Chrysler product in 40 years of driving and they give the worst service of anyone.
Let us know how you make out.
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Texas Todd
Dodge Dakota
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1/31/2003
09:05:07
| RE: Help w Dealer experience
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Wow, that really bites.
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luisdecr
Dodge Dakota
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1/31/2003
12:38:29
| RE: Help w Dealer experience
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Update . . .
I took in the 2000QD4.7 truck in this morning, and they found a bad ground on the front head lights!!!, which was causing the new instrument cluster board to also appear to fail. So I asked them to put in the old instrument cluster back on, and give a refund. In turn they claimed that the old cluster was really bad, and that the bad ground had sent 9 volts to the old cluster and frye it, and besides the old cluster was already shipped to Chrysler/Dodge for refurbishing (meaning it will end up on another truck sooner or later) and it would cost $500 to get it back. So they said NO REFUND, since the old part is gone and can be not be proven wheteher it was good or bad!!.
Ok then as an unsatisfied customer, I wanted to speak with the service manager, since this dealership always wants feedback if you are not happy with their service (so to not lose the "5 star" qualification from Chrysler). The manager was very defensive right from the begining and told me I should be happy that it was only $600 out of my pocket, since he had already spend many tech hours on this problem and had given me the part at cost plus free rental. I remind him that from my perspective, I brougt in the truck on Monday for tranny fluid replacement ($100), and now I am leaving with an additional $600 bill for a part I did not needed, to which he say he can not not anything else.
So basically I have been legally screwed over by a dealer who can not accept their mistakes, and believe the customer should pay for their lack of competence.
Next steps, talk the dealership owner, file a payment contention with credit card company, contact regional Chrysler manager.
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Texas Todd
Dodge Dakota
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1/31/2003
12:42:03
| RE: Help w Dealer experience
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keep us posted, good luck!
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Lew
Dodge Dakota
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1/31/2003
13:27:31
| RE: Help w Dealer experience
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I started to say unbelievable, but it's not.
Like I said in my previous post, D/C gives the worst service I've ever seen.
How about going to an independant mechanic and just talking to him and see what his opinion is.
Keep us informed. Good luck.
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BlakDak5
Dodge Dakota
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1/31/2003
17:06:03
| RE: Help w Dealer experience
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I worked for a dealership for 4 years heare in new england, I still play hockey with most of the regional reps, whart are the details (dealer name, manager name, etc.) i can probably start helping you out
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dakula
GenI
1/31/2003
20:04:28
|  RE: Help w Dealer experience
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Do you do regular service with this dealer and are they the selling dealer? For one, if there is a bad ground your probably going to get less volts, ala no cluster lights, not to much. There could be 3 to 4 grounds for one multi(15) wire harness but wouldn't that save you time if you had to diagnose and had the schematic like dealers do. I find it hard to believe you cluster was bad. The one you paid for isn't bad is it. And should you be remotely responsible for the techs misdiagnosed time. First rule in electrical diagnoses for an ASE tech, check fuses then check grounds. Besides the dealer could of good willed at leat 75% of the repair to save face and at least keep from losing you totally as a client. Ford is up to 75k miles and Chevy is at least 50. That is of course if you have kept up with your service and is on record or dealer history. Believe me, I have wrote service for both companies. But, unfortunately goodwill is at the descression of the manager or his superior. Contact there customer satisfation supervisor and be nice. They should have one if they are 5 star. Tell them that you understand the ground problem might not have been caused by the tech and all those things you said were just because you were pissed, This should not have been a problem at 49k to begin with, you take care of your truck, for example my manual said change tranny fluid and hear I am.
just cause I'm curiouse, did they flush(all the fluid) it or drop the pan(5 quarts added to your 9 quarts of old stank fluid and filter)?
Good luck
daaaaaang!
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Timberwolf
GenIII
1/31/2003
20:27:16
| RE: Help w Dealer experience
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If the dealer will not resolve it, call your state attorney general's consumer complaint division. If they determine you have a legitimate complaint, they will assign you a case worker that will deal with the dealer on your behalf.
"I'd rather be fishing"
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Rob454
Dodge Dakota
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1/31/2003
21:06:34
| RE: Help w Dealer experience
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WTF dude. i can have the guage cluster out of my truck in about 45 minutes. i took it out a couple of times cause I changed my stereo a few times. I had the same thing happen to me at the dealer and I finally stopped going to them to fix anything. Im thankfully out of warranty so I dotn have to take it to them for anything. They keep sending me letters to try to get me back in. last time they had to replace my headliner cause the greasy mechanic put his paw on the headliner to get in the truck. they tried to say it was me but my hands are big so that didnt wash.
I have not found a good dealer so far as dodge is concerned
Rob
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J. Henry
Dodge Dakota
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1/31/2003
23:15:37
| RE: Help w Dealer experience
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So these SOB's sold you a $500 part and are going to sell your old part for another $500. Heck, the part you got was probely wrongly taken out of another guys truck up the street. You need to take these guys DOWN!
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eallen
Dodge Dakota
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1/31/2003
23:24:08
| RE: Help w Dealer experience
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Timberwolf is exactly right... Contact your state attorney general's office. They helped me out with a dispute with my dealer. Turust me... busniesses do NOT want to have to deal with the attorney general's office and will respond immediately to any complaint against them. Usually there is a formal complaint form that you fill out. You indicate what the problem is, who you have contacted, and what YOU want as the resolution. This information then gets forwarded to the dealership that you are complaining about. The delership has 30 days to reply to the attorney general. The reply is then forwarded via the attorney general to you and you respond to the attorney general letting them know if the dealership's reply is acceptable. That's basically how it works. Here is a link to a sample complaint for for the state of Illinois... Complaint Form
You can also contact the Better Busniess Bearu. their website is www.bbb.org You can even do a search on their website to see if there have been any other complaints against your dealer.
Good luck
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dickc
Dodge Dakota
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1/31/2003
23:51:30
| RE: Help w Dealer experience
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I would say that bad service can be experienced at most any brand dealer. I never go to one but many of my relatives have horror stories to tell. A friend of mine recently got ripped at a Ford dealer. He called the Credit Card company and stopped payment. That got immediate attention from the Dealer but the Credit Card company refused to pay them unless the situation was settled. My friend ended up not paying.
Good Luck
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Rob454
Dodge Dakota
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2/01/2003
01:49:34
| RE: Help w Dealer experience
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http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2401727680&category=33675
Dodge dakota ( 2000 model year) complete guages bid is 25$
Rob
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luisdecr
Dodge Dakota
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2/01/2003
18:57:01
| RE: Help w Dealer experience
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Update...
I spoked with the owner and told me that he had personally called Chrysler/Dodge, and told them that when the part arrived at their location via UPS, to check it out and let him know personally if the part was bad. If it was bad then he will give me no refund, if it is good then he would refund my money. Well at least that is a step in the right direction, but I think many of you problably already know what the answer will be, but I am willing to wait.
So, in case I need to prove to someone my case, I do not have any hard data, except my experience with my ability to "revive" the new part after showing the same symtons for which the original part was replaced, and now I am depending solely on the dealer and Chrysler tech honesty to give me a true answer. As consumer I can not help it but feel like I am at the losing end of this deal.
Thanks for the many replys and advise I received on this issue, and someone asked me for details on the dealer's name and location, but I do not think it is prudent to this over a wide audience, and my intention is not to bad mouth the dealer. So maybe using email is the best way, and I need to find a way to get in touch with the person that golf with the reps.
Also, someone asked if the dealer is where I bought, and the answer is yes three years ago, and I do not routinely take may car there for maintenance.
We will see next week what the outcome will be, and if not positive, I may just need to let it go and realize that you can not trust the "5 star dealer" excellence as advertise by Chrysler/Dodge which is just marketing hot air bullcrap.
To be continue . . .
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Kyle
Dodge Dakota
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2/03/2003
02:52:38
| RE: Help w Dealer experience
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While you are waiting, call your credit card company and dispute the charges. It is VERY easy! It will take a few days for the forms to get to you (the dispute will start right away, but you will need to detail the incident and sign your name). You only have a limited time to get the ball rolling. After that they will not be able to help.
If you and the dealer come to terms, you can stop the dispute at any time. No problem/fee/trouble.
I tried a dispute once, on a different company, but I didn't get the forms back in time. (They gave me thirty days to do it, but I procrastinated too long!) Just the same, I was called by the company I had the dispute with and they refunded the money to my account anyway.
If you get the forms back in time, the ball will once again be in your court. An ace in the hole, you might say.
My guess is the dash will test out fine. If Dodge tells you it doesn't, remind them that it was "tested" by their own company and don't let them interject that into the list of "facts."
Good Luck!
Kyle
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Demon Dakota
DakotaEnthusiast
2/03/2003
19:31:15
| RE: Help w Dealer experience
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You are abusing the priveleges of the dispute if you do what Kyle said. The dispute if for things that you DID NOT SIGN FOR or INCORRECT TOTALS CHARGED ONLY! You can not dispute a legally incurred charge (one that you signed for and one that matches amounts with the thing you signed/paid for). Your credit card company will tell you this if you call them and ask.
K&N Drop in AF
True Dual exhaust and removed third cat
HO Cams & HO Intake
Modified TB
Autolite 3923 Plugs
TPS @ .76 VDC
IAT Adjuster Mod
14.52@94.2 MPH at Silver Dollar Raceway
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