Unethical Dealer

[osoyboy]

Ive got a story to tell and I'd like to know what your guys' thoughts are.....

I backed my speedster into my garage and broke the speed guage on the back left corner. I orderd the part online and installed it, but could not get it to work. After some reading I found that dealers have a BUDS system that calibrates the sensors. So i phoned, explained the situation, got quoted 30 bucks and was on my way. I left by boat and went for lunch, that was very good by the way. I arrived back at the dealership an hour later to find my boat outside. The parts dept. explained to me that I must have connected it wrong and in doing so I burnt out the part, and that this part doubled as a temp sensor as well. (I now know this to be false) But not to worry, they could order me a new part for $250.00 and install it in about 3 hours, to add injury to insult they presented me with a bill for $117.44.
Something in my gut told me they were not being honest, so I drove to a different shop. Long story short I had my boat fixed a few days later. As it turns out I had simply connected two of the wires backwards. The boat was fixed within an hour.

I sent an email to this shop, i asked for my $117.44 back minus the 30 bucks they had quoted me over the phone and I wanted the $198.00 that I had to pay to the other shop to fix it properly. I've never been offered an apology but they did offer to give me the 87.44 back in the form of a credit to be spent at their shop.

Im a little annoyed, any thoughts??? I plan on phoning the Better Business Bureau, but is there a BRP number to call, or am I just SOL

Thanks.

 

[bryan13]

is it worth that much of a hastle over 30 dollars?, personally id go in there and make a huge scene making sure there are other customers around so they look bad in general. Im sure you could find some way to spend the 90 dollars they offered in store credit and cut your losses? but if i were you, i would make a scene infront of other customers instead of dealing with it via e-mail imo that is

 

[Orange]

Always pay with a credit card.....

 

[kustomkarl]

Here are my thoughts which is only my opinion. Before you have anything done at any dealer, get a price quote....before anything is done over the quote you have to be notified for approval.(you have a cell phone I would guess) If it requires more parts and you don't trust their diagnosis, bring it elsewhere to have it looked at. You can call the BBB, till the cows come home, it means nothing. If you want to complain to the BBB, you need to write a letter and explain what the problem is, and what you want in return. They act as a in between to resolve a problem between the 2 of you.( you and the dealer) If you go and make a scene you could be made liable for slander, and not get anything in return...or wait for a really long time to get results( your credit). I would get my $90.00 in what ever you want and leave and never go back again. Something else you could do is write a letter to the owner of the company and express your concern for poor quality, and poor customer service. You will get more from that then getting worked up and maybe not your credit due...you might even get more then they originally said as you are now communicating to the owner of the company that makes money directly form the business, not some flunky service person working 9-5, that doesn't care about customers. E-mail's are a waste of time and more than likely don't get read.

Good luck with it...

Karl

 

[osoyboy]

Well see, the problem isn't the money. It's never been about the money. My problem is that instead of switching the two wires and calibrating the system like a good shop would've done, they told me that the system was burnt out and tried to charge me $700.00 for repairs.

 

[kustomkarl]

You need to write a letter to the owner and not the manager... I own a business I know how things work...I have owned my business for 23 years...

Karl

 

[bryan13]

karl is right, i would buy 90 dollars worth of stuff and get out... you can always use oil, cleaners, plugs, life jackets etc...