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Got screwed at a repair shop

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Sawracer, Nov 14, 2007.

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  1. Sawracer
    Joined: Jul 6, 2006
    Posts: 1,315

    Sawracer
    Member
    from socal

    I could use a hand here guys and first off I appreciate your time on this O/T post. I will try to keep it short and to the point. My mother in law's 99 S70 wouldn't idle smoothly or go over 23 mph. I did some research and found due to a class action lawsuit the ETS or ETM, whatever, will be replaced under warranty up to 200,000 miles. So I think sweet, that is the problem and I can afford that! I am on disability and hurtin a bit cashwise these days. My wife's Mom is poor and we gave her the car and we maintain , insure blah, etc for her. Long story short, I have to pay $600 for battery cable replacement, a vacuum leak, and guess what a new ETM. The bill was $890. I was listening to the service homo read the mechanic's report outloud and the mechanic states that after the cables, and vac leak was repaired it still ran like shit. No kidding. GEEZ. So the guy replaces the ETM and it runs like a swiss clock. Now remember these guys work on these cars everyday and know about the problem. (Just google volvo s70 class action law suit). The service manager states they have to follow Volvo repair protocol and the cables were low voltage etc. I knew it was the etm, even the stupid idiot light stated this. Is there an honest Big CheeseVolvo type I can write for a fair shake or something? Oh yeah, I will never buy a Volvo again. Not that I ever would buy a Volvo , my wife, then girlfriend bought it unbeknownst to me.
     
  2. garvinzoom
    Joined: Sep 21, 2007
    Posts: 1,169

    garvinzoom
    Member

    Damn dude, that sucks. There has got to be something you can do. Blowing up the volvo dealer would make you feel better but there is prison and all that jazz so I dont know. Good luck!
     
  3. kb cookout
    Joined: Dec 17, 2004
    Posts: 4,754

    kb cookout
    Member

  4. Sawracer
    Joined: Jul 6, 2006
    Posts: 1,315

    Sawracer
    Member
    from socal

    Being a lineman I am tempted to hang a few Volvo sucks signs about 30 feet off the ground on some neighboring poles. Try taking that sign down. I will try the complaint forum KB cookout thanks.
     

  5. Paul2748
    Joined: Jan 8, 2003
    Posts: 2,382

    Paul2748
    Member

    Look in the owners manual. There is usually some telephone number or addresses for the area (zone) rep. Also get a hold of the motor vehicle dept and see if they have a department for complaints against mechanics/dealers/etc.

    I would also look into filing a consumer fraud complaint with the state attorney general. These are usually pretty easy to do. I had a complaint against a Oregon company (I live in New Jersey), filed with the Oregon Attny General and they went to the company and I got my money back.

    Make sure you tell the Volvo area rep that you are going to do this. Sometimes it scares them.

    If you don't have an owners manual, borrow one from a friend. Any year will do.
     
  6. jetmek
    Joined: Jan 12, 2006
    Posts: 1,847

    jetmek
    Member

    i feel your pain....wifes grandmarquis...1100$ for a computer to turn the lights on. guess POS doesnt mean just product of sweden
     
  7. hotrodladycrusr
    Joined: Sep 20, 2002
    Posts: 20,765

    hotrodladycrusr
    Member

    When I was having issues with a Pontiac dealership regarding my "cough" Fiero, I wrote a letter to the Automotive Department of the Better BUsiness Burea and received a refund check straight from Pontiac two weeks later for the $1000 I paid to get my car outta "hawk" after the repairs were completed that should have been covered under a recall.
     
  8. DE SOTO
    Joined: Jan 20, 2006
    Posts: 3,857

    DE SOTO
    Member



    UMMMM,

    This ARROGANT FUCK... didnt understand a thing about this post except that he got screwed.

    What the Hell were all those Abbreviations ?

    How about the Bureau Of Automotive Repair ?
     
  9. willowbilly3
    Joined: Jun 18, 2004
    Posts: 4,356

    willowbilly3
    Member Emeritus
    from Sturgis

    I worked with a tech, as a service writer, who did stuff like that but the longer I was around him the more sense it made. You can't diagnos drivability until the routine maintainence has been taken care of. More often than not it fixed the problem. But if the ecm was under warranty why did they charge you.
     
  10. RugBlaster
    Joined: Nov 12, 2006
    Posts: 563

    RugBlaster
    Member

    I would politely ask the service manager for the contact information regarding his District service manager.....get in touch with the DSM and set up an appointment with him or her (these days) and politely explain the problem...develope a theory for why you don't owe the dough,,,,,use facts to support your case.........tell him or her that you got this advice on the HAMB and it has 10's of thousands of car nut members......if this doesn't work politely stomp a mud hole in his or her's ass. You may have to send your wife if the DSM is a female girl type for the ass kickin' part.
     
  11. breeder
    Joined: Jul 13, 2005
    Posts: 10,948

    breeder
    Member Emeritus

    Got screwed at a repair shop

    weird i got repaired at a screw shop! but thats a whole diff board!:eek:

    sorry bout your luck bro! they were trying to pull shit on my wife on here tblazer...i just happened to run into a guy at autozone and he told me what the issue was! i told him to bad the warranty's out! he said "bullshit!!. this part is covered under government law", they have to replace it for free!" well, the deal ship didn't say anything of the kind, they just wanted to replace it for 600 bucks...thanks the LORD that mech was walking out of autozone that day! he saved me some real coin!

    OH and sorry about your midget Ferrari Denise!:p :D
     
  12. oldchevyseller
    Joined: May 30, 2004
    Posts: 1,851

    oldchevyseller
    Member
    from mankato mn

    just a simple question, did you go there and explain you would like this fixed under the recall?, should have been your first statement, and if they did not agree

    that is when you ask to contact the regional rep for a visit, being in car business for decades, that is how it should be handled, not after the fact,

    why did it proceed? this protocol can very well be "their way" but agian sounds like it was not clearly stated on your part the regional rep is availeble for you to contact should not have come to this my 2 cents, get the rep in the dealership and get it resolved

    :confused:
     
  13. Sawracer
    Joined: Jul 6, 2006
    Posts: 1,315

    Sawracer
    Member
    from socal

    The car could of been fixed anywhere but only Volvo can give me a new etm free under the warranty. This is why I brought it there. Once it is there I get the news it needs this , that first. We can't give you an etm till this checks good, etc. A good mechanic can fix a car, not just change parts till it is fixed. All replaced parts did nothing to fix the car, only etm fixed car. I don't find it ethical to make a guy buy a muffler before I rebuild a carb just because of protocol. It's bad business and those mechanic's know it. Thanks for the tips guys, some of em are pretty darn good. "Oldchevyseller" I went over everything you stated above in your monday morning quarterbacking to no avail. They stated they had to waste my money on other parts before Volvo could give me a $800 etm. What the f%^& is a regional rep? Like anyone but an insider even knows what the hell that is.
     
  14. BrandonB
    Joined: Feb 24, 2006
    Posts: 3,434

    BrandonB
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from nor cal

    File a complaint with California Bureau of Automotive Repair. Every licensed repair shop is supposed to have a placard in the shop with the phone numbers.
     
  15. Derek Mitchell
    Joined: Nov 22, 2004
    Posts: 1,817

    Derek Mitchell
    Member

    Contact the BAR. They are there for you.

    Did you authorize the repairs? If so, and the writer took good notes, you may be screwed even with them on your side.

    I work as a tech in a dealership, not Volvo, and have seen stuff like this my whole career. Lots of times there are a few problems with the vehicle that could cause the problem. At times we have to go one by one repairing them to find the problem. Now, knowing that the whatchamacallit is a known problem, I would have started there. Some others may not have. I'm not sticking up for these guys, I'm just giving an example.

    Hope it works out for you.
     
  16. Derek Mitchell
    Joined: Nov 22, 2004
    Posts: 1,817

    Derek Mitchell
    Member

    Also, at times there is a check list of items to check before a part is replaced. This may or may not be the case. But it is followed by the dealership as it is mandated by the manufacturer. If it is not, the dealer will not be paid for the warranty claim.
     
  17. Sawracer
    Joined: Jul 6, 2006
    Posts: 1,315

    Sawracer
    Member
    from socal

    I hear you, It is hilarious. If I took it to you it would of cost me a new etm only. $800. Now at the dealer I didn't have to pay for an etm, but it was $890. Catch 22 I suppose. Thanks for the vent.
     
  18. beetlejuice55
    Joined: Feb 18, 2007
    Posts: 738

    beetlejuice55
    Member

    ummm...it's called an ECM which controls the engine. with low voltage, the ECM can not make the engine run right. low voltage for a long enough time, will burn out the ECM. low voltage due to lack of maintanance (yes...batteries and cables are maintanance items) would void the warranty. class action lawsuit or whatever....there's ALWAYS a loophole for warranty. the only time there isn't a loophole, is if it's a recall or an un-expired field service campaign. letters are sent out to the owners for recalls and field service campaigns. no letter to you as the owner...no warranty...it's that simple. i work at a dealership (not volvo), and i see this crap all the time. beleive me...it really makes me feel like shit to have to tell someone that the repair is not under warranty after it's already been done, when they come in thinking that it is.
    don't think i'm backing the mechanic on this one, but dealerships have procedures that they have to follow to determine the exact problem. now, if the guy jumped right in, and threw an $800.00 ecm on the car, and that didn't fix it...guess what...you still have to buy the ecm and whatever other parts & labor it would take to fix it. giving the guy credit....he started with the easiest, cheapest things first. wouldn't you have been extremly happy to go in expecting it to be the ecm, and then find out it was a simple battery cable ? so many times i see people come in and say "i need a new alternator because it isn't charging." 9 times out of 10....it turns out to be a broken wire, or a loose ground. trust me...they feel better not having to pay for an alternator when all we have to do is fix a broken wire.
     
  19. tomslik
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 2,161

    tomslik
    Member

    nope,etm (electronic throttle module) BUT bad electrical circuits can cause a LOT of wierd shit on todays computerised stuff.

    my advise to YOU (sawracer) is if you think you got screwed, maybe you should pick up a damn book and fix it yourself.
    or trade it off...
    you're the one that owns the damn thing...
    900 bucks to fix a european car ain't expensive...


    btw, is this one of those "traditional" posts i keep hearing about?
     
  20. beetlejuice55
    Joined: Feb 18, 2007
    Posts: 738

    beetlejuice55
    Member

    thanks for correcting me...i thought he was typing wrong since he didn't really know what it was called.
     
  21. tomslik
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 2,161

    tomslik
    Member


    no sweat, i hadta look it up;)
     
  22. tomslik
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 2,161

    tomslik
    Member

    sawracer, i DO have a question for ya.
    was this at a dealer or an independant?
    a dealer is the only place you're gonna get warranty parts,
     
  23. 54BOMB
    Joined: Oct 23, 2004
    Posts: 2,109

    54BOMB
    Member

    Ive been a service advisor for a German car manufacturer for 6 years now and I came home, read this thread proceded to type like a page and a half about how I felt about customers blasting service guys on the internet insted of dealing with the car repairs in person at the dealer ship in a calm adult-type maner, warranty extentions and how they are different than recalls and then I realised I wasnt angry anymore ha ha great therapy, Im erased it all and typed this and now im going to go look at stuff on traditional hot rods and customs.
     
  24. tjm73
    Joined: Feb 17, 2006
    Posts: 3,484

    tjm73
    Member

    Hate to say it, but I'd drag the dealership and Volvo into small claims court. Naming Volvo will alert Volvo Legal to the scam at the dealership. The dealership will likely pay up fast to not have corporate breathing down their neck. I doubt Volvo would require a bunch of money for unneeded parts when they are already in a lawsuit over the same part.

    Thsi will also keep the lawyers out of it on your end for now.
     
  25. tjm73
    Joined: Feb 17, 2006
    Posts: 3,484

    tjm73
    Member

    Can battery cables not be checked for continuity (sp?)? Check it. It's bad. Replace it. OR Checkit. It's good. Move on to the next item.
     
  26. MIKE-3137
    Joined: Feb 19, 2003
    Posts: 1,578

    MIKE-3137
    Member

    Send a complaint email directly to VOLVO North America, the main headquarters for the US. I did it when a problem came up on my wifes X5, and they did what they call a "Goodwill" reimbursement, even though it was out of warranty. Most manufacturers will respond to a complaint letter at the zone office or headquarters level, and then contact the dealer directly.
     
  27. GassersGarage
    Joined: Jul 1, 2007
    Posts: 4,727

    GassersGarage
    Member

    File a complaint with the better business bureau and most importantly, the bureau of automotive repair. Supposely, 3 complaints within a year, they could lose their license.

    My wifes Audi's fuel pump was going out. It was a 2002 A4 Avante, under warranty. I told the service manager and mechanic it was the fuel pump. They agreed! Guess what, they never changed it and the car die while my wife was in traffic. I will never get another European car.
     
  28. oldchevyseller
    Joined: May 30, 2004
    Posts: 1,851

    oldchevyseller
    Member
    from mankato mn

    regional manager John Vitor

    Volvo consumer relations

    7 Volvo Dr., Bldg. A
    Rockleigh, NJ 07647-0915
    Toll free: 1-800-458-1552
     
  29. 40Standard
    Joined: Jul 30, 2005
    Posts: 5,963

    40Standard
    Member
    from Indy

    that's why I don't own a car that I can't fix. no new car shit for me!
     
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