Warrenty Issue

At the risk of 20/20 hindsight... why did you not talk to the service manager before getting the repair done elsewhere????

Most dealer service writers I have come across are pions and wannabes. Their first purpose in life is to minimize warranty costs to the dealer, after that they are there to maximize profit. I don't know how many people I know that have had the precise complaint with ALL brands! I worked with a guy who had a new Toyota Supra. He had them check the alternator bearings a dozen times while the car was in warranty. "No problem, there is nothing wrong" he was told. The first service after warranty expired "WOW, those alternator bearings are shot! you better get that replaced right away!" I'm surprized the guy did not slug the service writer in the mouth. But this kind of crap happens all the time.

This is just one fo the many reasons I HATE dealships. In this neck of the woods, they simply cannot be trusted.

Call DC back, and forget the pion on the front line, get refered up to a supervisor or manager. Explain, politely, that your local dealer LIED to you to avoid the costs involved, and it was the dealers suggestion that you contact DC for reimbursement.

If you get no satisfaction, call the dealer service manager back. Still no satisfaction? One last try - call the dealer owner. This time though if there is no satisfaciton, then you inform the owner that you will sue the dealer and DC in small claims court.

File the action, and name them BOTH as defendants. Ask to be reimbursed for the cost of the repair, plus costs, plus a sum of money to cover your lost time.

My bet is you'll get it, and more.

Of course if the local paper just happened to run a story on how you were sueing the crooked local car dealer that LIED to you and renegged on your car warranty....

Who knows, it might never get to court! :)

But next time, escelate rather than just accept what some front-line asshole has to say. What does HE care if you don't get satisfaction? He SHOULD care, but a LOT of them don't.

hth

I would suggest looking closer at your warranty. Do you have an optional "extended warranty" or is it the base one? If it is the base one, you may be able to get reimbursement under the terms of the "emergency repair" provision. It should be explained in your warranty booklet.

If you have the extended warranty, it may require that repairs be done by a dealer. However, there is usually a provision for having repairs done by an independent shop, when a dealer is not available such as in a breakdown situation. Since you were misinformed by the dealer, they may offer this provision.

I once had a CV joint replaced by an independent shop. They found the defective joint while I had it in for other repairs. I was still covered under the 7/70 warranty that was offered at the time. I made a copy of the work order from the shop, and then sent it in with a copy of the receipt, and they reimbursed me.

-KM

Well, both claims can't be true. My understanding of the 7/70 warranty has always been that it only covered "internal drivetrain components" and not accessories, even if the accessory is essential for the drivetrain to operate. Engine oil pump: internal component, covered. Transmission oil pump: internal component, covered. Waterpump: external accessory, not covered. Alternator: external accessory, not covered.

If it is indeed covered, then I agree with others who have said pursue and escalate within limits. But at some point you gotta ask if a silly water pump is worth the time and effort, and worth severing your relationship with a company that makes great cars. How important is a waterpump in the grand scheme of things? I know a guy who abandoned a decades-long habit of buying Toyotas because he had an alternator fail and it wasn't covered. While I personally love seing Toyota lose a customer for any and all reasons, it still was cutting off his nose to spite his face, and an absurd over-reaction. Poop happens, and sometimes it costs money. Live and learn, move on.