Servicing and maintenance - am I expecting too much?
Discussion
After today's experience at my local Mazda dealer, I just wondering if I am expecting too much, whether the issue is with Mazda dealers or dealer service standards as a whole.
To explain a bit of background:
I have got an 08 Mazda 5 2.0 D Sport, with just over 30k on the clock, leased through a major fleet provider.
At its first service (12.5k), Dealer 1 failed to collect the car as arranged, and did not have the courtesy to phone and tell me they weren't going to do so.
It took me to phone and find out what was going on, I then had to rearrange the time and have another day in the office rather than out on the road.
At 16.5k, inspection of the two front tyres showed that they were both heavily scrubbed on the inner wall and got changed. The car went to Dealer 2 to get the tracking and alignment sorted (which was done successfully).
A week later I got a call from Dealer 2 asking when I was going to book the car in for its remedial work. Which work? Good question - I'd not been told anything when it was handed back to me. Apparently it now needed new brake disks and pads all round. Dealer 2 refused to do collect and return so I was forced to book a half day out to drop off and pick up.
At second service it took three different attempts at booking the service in before Dealer 1 came to collect, and on the third occasion they tried to get out of coming - only sending someone out after a heated phone conversation.
Now, at 32k one of the rear shocks has failed. I told them this when I booked the car in over the phone. Dealer 1 has had the car since 8:20 this morning, when I collected at 5pm they have managed to look at it and confirm that yes, the shock is knackered. Thank-you, Einsteins.
But have they changed it? No, that needs "authorisation from Mazda". Can they collect any day next week? No, they haven't got a driver. Are they going to change the pair of shocks, as they'd recommend if I was paying for the work? Only after another heated discussion.
So - is this an isolated case of poor service, me being over optimistic or is Mazda / dealer service in general just not very good??!!
To explain a bit of background:
I have got an 08 Mazda 5 2.0 D Sport, with just over 30k on the clock, leased through a major fleet provider.
At its first service (12.5k), Dealer 1 failed to collect the car as arranged, and did not have the courtesy to phone and tell me they weren't going to do so.
It took me to phone and find out what was going on, I then had to rearrange the time and have another day in the office rather than out on the road.
At 16.5k, inspection of the two front tyres showed that they were both heavily scrubbed on the inner wall and got changed. The car went to Dealer 2 to get the tracking and alignment sorted (which was done successfully).
A week later I got a call from Dealer 2 asking when I was going to book the car in for its remedial work. Which work? Good question - I'd not been told anything when it was handed back to me. Apparently it now needed new brake disks and pads all round. Dealer 2 refused to do collect and return so I was forced to book a half day out to drop off and pick up.
At second service it took three different attempts at booking the service in before Dealer 1 came to collect, and on the third occasion they tried to get out of coming - only sending someone out after a heated phone conversation.
Now, at 32k one of the rear shocks has failed. I told them this when I booked the car in over the phone. Dealer 1 has had the car since 8:20 this morning, when I collected at 5pm they have managed to look at it and confirm that yes, the shock is knackered. Thank-you, Einsteins.
But have they changed it? No, that needs "authorisation from Mazda". Can they collect any day next week? No, they haven't got a driver. Are they going to change the pair of shocks, as they'd recommend if I was paying for the work? Only after another heated discussion.
So - is this an isolated case of poor service, me being over optimistic or is Mazda / dealer service in general just not very good??!!
The bit about them taking all day to look at the car, confirm its broken but not do anything kinda resonates with me.. had that with the girlfriends car at suzuki a few times.
I guess its standard procedure, but when you've looked at it yourself and already KNOW its broken.. and thats why you booked it in its kinda annoying to have them say "yes mate it needs a new shock, can you book it in next week?" FFS!!
I guess its standard procedure, but when you've looked at it yourself and already KNOW its broken.. and thats why you booked it in its kinda annoying to have them say "yes mate it needs a new shock, can you book it in next week?" FFS!!
They know its a fleet car. They know theres little profit in it for them. If they're busy you go to the back of the queue.
Ring your lease company customer service line and get them to speak to the account manager for Mazda.
Oh, and anticipate more when driving and your disks might last a bit longer
Ring your lease company customer service line and get them to speak to the account manager for Mazda.
Oh, and anticipate more when driving and your disks might last a bit longer
My experience is that many dealers will tell you that your car needs discs & pads every time they see the car. On my previous car, I had new D&P all round. At the next MOT, about 1 year (22000 miles) later, I was told it needed new rear D&Ps. I told them not to bother, as I had checked them myself - the braking performance was fine in the MOT.
I eventually had those discs and pads changed two years later (after another 28000 miles).
I have been told on many occasions that I need new discs because "they look rusty". Even new steel discs can look rusty a few hours after being used in the wet (this is very obvious on a motorcycle where they are totally exposed).
I always check them myself now before it goes in for a service/MOT.
I eventually had those discs and pads changed two years later (after another 28000 miles).
I have been told on many occasions that I need new discs because "they look rusty". Even new steel discs can look rusty a few hours after being used in the wet (this is very obvious on a motorcycle where they are totally exposed).
I always check them myself now before it goes in for a service/MOT.
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