I took my car to the dealer yesterday. The swivel/ball joint on my driver tie rod was broken. Not the bolt snapped, but in the actual like knuckle part of it. I ckecked out the passenger side and the boot was cracked so i figured i would replace both of them. Normally i do all of the work on my car, but i had to have this car done by Monday and didnt think i could order the parts and have time to get it aligned.

So anyway i go there and get a quote of $303 to replace both outter tie rod ends and an alignment. It takes them about 4 1/2 hours to do this, but this was including their lunch hour, so really like 3 1/2 hours, and they even stayed 20 minutes past closing so i could come get my car. The bill ended up being $272 which i was even happier about. Then i went for a drive. Car has never driven so good. It handled like i had never thought it would.

If that wasnt enough, My transmission now seems to shift much harder in performance mode, my rear end noise squealing was gone, and the rattle i had at certain RPMs wasnt there anymore. So is this coincidence, or do i owe someone a big thank you? I have replaced the tranmission filter and fluid, and filled up the rear end so i dont know what they could have done to make it any better, and as for the rattle i dont know what that was.

I must say i am very happy with dealer service. They get an A+ from me (Townsend Brother's Cheverolet, Dover, Delaware)

 

It is good to know that there are still some decent dealers service departments out there. Unfortunately, not in East Tennessee!

To get a new Opti installed at the dealer is about $900.

To get the glass in the driver's door adjusted ( NO motor replacement, NO regulator change, just ADJUST the window in it's track ) they charged $300 to a friend of mine.

The local Pontiac dealer is WORSE.

If GM had better dealers, their market share could increase dramatically.

 

Oh believe me i know about bad dealers. I took my TT 3000gt to one to get a tune up
It was $1100 for it. They flushed the radiator, and that's all the did right. They put on a timing belt and new tensioner, didnt adjust the tensioner (luckily i totalled the car a month later and upon parting it out i noticed the timing belt was extremely loose and the tensioner was untouched) they broke the vacuum nipple off of the cruise control servo then tried to charge me $212 to fix it. They also left a few things unhooked - vacuum lines, some electrical plug and my radiator cap wasnt tight.

3 days after this my shift linkage stopped working. I had it towed there (this is the only Mitsubishi dealer in Delaware that i know of) and they charged me $270 to fix it. I come to find out the cotter pin came out of the shift linkage on the transmission. From then on i have worked on every single car i have owned and vowed never to go to a dealer again. So that's why taking it to the dealer and getting good service was such a big thing for me

 

Glad to hear that. I really like my dealer and trust them. They like me and enjoy working on the car. (Northpoint Chevy in Alpharetta, GA.). The techs are good and honestly care. Not cheap, but done right every time and with a typical "eh..we saw this and didn't like it on a car this nice so we replaced it no charge." The service guys are people I would hang with no problem. Hi Bob, Scott and Eric if you see this.

 

How far is Alpharetta, GA from Chattanooga, TN? For good service like that, I would gladly drive the distance!

 

I work at a dealer as a Advisor and I've worked for some real bad ones. Can't wait to get out of the industry...that's besides the point. The truth is Shawn you owe the advisor the thanks for the price and tech for a good job but as far as the other stuff that is good now...no way. A tech will NEVER tuch anything on a car without $$$, if he is being paid to do tie rods then that's what he does and parks it out back. Now unless you have a buddy or somthing that works there then chances are slim to none that extra stuff not paid for were done. 90% of all dealer techs I know are big babies with slits and wear skirts.

Yes dealers are a bit on the expensive side but most times it is fixed right thus saving you time. Now there are times with techs that don't fix it right but that is no one's fault but the tech.

Very important tip if you sre not happy speak to the Manager be a PITA if you must to get a bill reduced and if your young BRING your Dad. It helps...