what should we do about this dealer?

I'll make this as concise as I can. We bought a 2001 mpv and a year later a 2002 se miata from a dealer. While we have been happy with the purchase, we have not been happy with the service. First let me say that they are always courteous when i bring the cars in, and the service rep knows me by name and vehicles. Nice to be a person and not just a car or number. The problem is that every time I get something done it is left with little problems. I'm talking about small anoying things, but eventually my wife got pissed. We got rearended the night before we were driving 4 states away and we took it in to have them do a safety check the next morning for my wifes piece of mind. I only saw a small crease in the rear bumper, but if it makes her happy then I'll get it checked. They checked it all over and said there was no problems. When we returned from the trip we took it to the body shop (at the same dealer) and had the bumper fixed. We were also charged for two brake light bulbs. It seems that every time you are rearended in a mazda, the brakelight bulbs blow. That just tickled my old lady pink to realise we drove 1000 miles with only the third brake light functioning. I took my miata in to have the leaking top fixed and they said it was the rubber on the door. When I got the car back home I noticed that the new rubber was sticking out more than the old one. Well I thought maybe they come that way and are trimmed to fit. Nope, they had installed the rubber but not the screw that holds it in. Fixed it myself in 30 seconds. Took the miata in because the gas flap would not open, and even told them about the bulliten about the rubber bumpers under the flap. They ordered and installed the parts. My wife took it too get gas but it would not open. She drove home and I had to go outside on crutches (just had knee surgery) and bang on it while she kept pulling the lever. Finally it opened and she drove back to the gas station that way. Th MPV seemed to lose about 10% of its power and milage so I took it in. I also noticed that you can hear the injectors more. They said it was the software and updated the brain. Now it still makes the injecter noise, still seems to be down about the same power and it stinks when we start it. The best part was my wife calling me to inform me that not only is it the same or worse, but now the cruise control does not work!

I contacted the customer rep and he was really sorry about all the problems and said they were willing to make everything right. The thing is we had planned on trading her MPV in on a new one (shes dying to have the automatic side doors), but I'm not exactly overrunning with confidence with this dealer. So what do you all think I should do?

Reply to
dr who
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Live with it for a few years and then decide to move to a different brand where they have decent service departments. That's what I'm in the process of doing.

Seriously the Japanese cars are so much alike that the dealership is more important than the car, almost...

Reply to
Doug Hagerman

If there are other dealers in your area, take your business there. If not, I would reluctantly shop for a different brand.

----------- Alex

Reply to
Alex Rodriguez

1: if i ask for a safety inspection, it would be resonable to assume the brake lights are included---- espescially if the body shop at the same dealer said it was stardard practise to check this after rearend collisions 2: i don't think my wife is demanding because she expects them to do thier job properly 3: 41 years old and by the way I also own a citroen traction with..... a crank on the front
Reply to
dr who

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