Jones Junction - Bel Air, MD : issues

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GSRCRXsi

Super Moderator
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so i bought my new WRX from there not too long ago. went in for my first service. and i have a dilemma. ill just copy and post what i posted on NASIOC.

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Let me start this by saying my car buying experience was great. The salesman was very helpful and i am very happy with my purchase overall. i bought a 2010 WRX hatch on 01/30/2010.

When buying a car from there, you get free oil changes and car washes, and some other things that are "whoop-dee-doo":rolleyes:, but the oil change thing is nice. so i went there tonight for my first oil change. I also had them take a look at the rear license plate. Last week, i was taking the plate frames off and the rear plates would not come off at all, one of the bolts holding it in would just turn and turn, and to make it worse, the plate was loose so it rattles whenever i closed the hatch. Upon my own inspection someone used a large fine thread screw instead of a smaller coarse thread screw so the plastic "nut" just spun in its holder. So i mentioned it to the guy when i get there and he says he'll get it taken car of. So it takes a little while, which i didnt mind, they were busy and it was almost closing time. really all they had to do IMO was remove the screw and replace the plastic piece that was the problem.

So they tell me the car is finished, i ask about tire rotation on my next visit, and they say its 20 bucks... yea, ill do it myself. Just figured they could throw that in since it takes like 2 seconds to do, is part of the recommended maintenance, and they'll have it in there anyway, but i guess its too much to ask. so i go to make sure the license plate is fixed, and it appears to be but the job looks really half-assed. they used a hex head screw on one side and an oval screw on the other side with a 3/8" space (i'm guessing its too long) and i'm willing to be they didn't replace the plastic insert. so i guess major dealers don't carry matching proper screws for the license plates anymore... it just looks like unprofessional work, not something i would expect from a dealership. maybe they don't think small things like this really matter, but they do to me, and they should take more pride in their work IMO.

So all in all, I'm willing to give them another chance. but i don't think i will be spending any money at this dealership. I'll just take advantage of my free oil changes and car washes unless they turn things around for me. ill just get some proper screws for the license plate and fit it right myself (without their plate frame advertisement)
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so things went from me being kind of upset to me being full on upset.

first a pic of what i was initially unhappy about:

IMG_0073.JPG


looks bad right? very unprofessional IMO.

so today i get some proper screws and take off the license plate frame. while i have the license plate off i noticed that
1.) they didnt replace the plastic piece that had the issue in the first place. so the screw holes are all messed up.
and 2.) they used some kind of pry bar or something behind the plate to get it off initially because there are 2 small-medium dents (about the size of a quarter to a half dollar) behind where the plate bolts to the car.

so now i have these small dents that i know are there, and i HATE it. i really take good care of my cars and to know that i have these dents there, even though you cant see it with the plates on, makes me extremely upset. its just careless work.

am i being unreasonable to expect them to fix this? i mean its damage that they caused, shouldnt they fix it? who is the best person to talk to at the dealership about this? service manager? i spoke with someone there when i bought the car and got his card, hes a service advisor. not really sure of all the position titles in a dealership service dept.

what do you guys think? ill try to get pics of the dents behind the plates.

edit:
pic of the dent and stripped out screw hole, second pic shows what its supposed to look like.
IMG_0075.JPG


IMG_0076.JPG
 
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I would demand a fix. I guarantee that Subaru has a specific fastener that is supposed to be used. The service people at your dealership are either stupid or lazy - prolly a combination of both. Honestly I think it looks ghetto. Compounding the matter they dented the sheet metal. I design dealer installed parts at my job, and one requirement is that any work that leaves a dealership must be to factory standards. Threaten to call corporate if they don't fix it.
 
That is why I NEVER take simple problems into dealerships, I would have asked for the part and did it myself. Any easy stuff tends to get rushed or tossed onto the min wage shop helper.
I'm sure the dealership has a dent guy and being that it's in the trunk/hatch area I bet its very easy to get to and can easily be fixed.

With that being said, the Trailblazer was the first car we bought where I allowed the dealership to install the tags. Any other car, I did myself or watched over the guy as they do it and tell them what to do or not to do.

NEVER let them do it. I love the horror stories of car dealerships screwing on the front tag holders off center or side ways.... nothing like 2 wrong placed holes in your front bumper.
 
well the problem was that i couldnt get the plate off in the first place to replace the part. the first screw they had in there was way too big and got jammed in the plastic. im sure they arent going to let me stand in the shop and watch over their shoulder as they work on the car. id be annoyed as fuck if someone did that to me while trying to work. plus i sure they have liability issues. but still i expect them to do quality work even when im not watching them.

im thinking about taking it up there tomorrow after work, i just dont know how they are going to react to it. really all i want them to do is:
1.) fix the dents
2.) replace plastic inserts which are now all kinds of stripped out
3.) use proper screws to hold the plates on.

reasonable?
 
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well the problem was that i couldnt get the plate off in the first place to replace the part. the first screw they had in there was way too big and got jammed in the plastic. im sure they arent going to let me stand in the shop and watch over their shoulder as they work on the car. id be annoyed as fuck if someone did that to me while trying to work. plus i sure they have liability issues. but still i expect them to do quality work even when im not watching them.

im thinking about taking it up there tomorrow after work, i just dont know how they are going to react to it.

Talk to the service manager and I bet he'll say, sorry about that, it clearly isn't up to our standards and he will correct it.
 
yeah, go back and show him the car and express your upset demeanor without being a dick-- after all its not HIS fault the techs did a shitty job.

the car is brand new and thats just 100% unacceptible. i'd try to wiggle something else out of him... free wiper baldes for life, or something reasonbly priced of the sort to make up for it.
 
I wouldn't even go to the service manager about it, I'd go straight to the GM of the dealership and tell him that his dealership is going to fix this properly at no cost.

I usually tend to go straight for the top of the food chain when I'm not satisfied. The service manager may do it just all and well, but now you just let the GM know that there is one unsatisfied customer driving around with a ghetto rigged license plate displaying his dealer name directly underneath it. He won't be happy.
 
i'd just get this and the dents fixed.... when you go to pick up the car take the license plate frame off and toss it on the showroom floor when you leave :)
 
I'm here now. They agreed right away that the plate screws were improperly "repaired". And they are fixing the plate issue now. I'll have to come back to get the dent fixed. But I expected that. We'll see how this plays out. So far they SEEM to be taking care of it
 
updated with pics. they ordered the replacement parts, and im taking it back early-mid next week and dropping it off. they are giving me a loaner car while its there so i can get to work.
 
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