Craziest things your Service Adviser has told you... | Page 2 | FerrariChat

Craziest things your Service Adviser has told you...

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by flifer, Apr 17, 2019.

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  1. ylshih

    ylshih Shogun Assassin
    Honorary Owner

    Mar 21, 2004
    19,803
    Northern CA
    Full Name:
    Yin
    A New Leaf w/ Walter Matthau and Elaine May (Elaine May also wrote and directed it)

    https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067482/

    The only significance of the Ferrari in the movie was to show off how extravagant he was.
     
    BOKE likes this.
  2. BOKE

    BOKE Beaks' Gun Rabbi
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jul 13, 2009
    33,965
    600 East Fremont Street
    Full Name:
    Lucky
    #27 BOKE, Apr 19, 2019
    Last edited: Apr 19, 2019
    Carbon on the valves. Great film, Yin!!! I own the Cinemobile camera that shot that one.
     
    Jakuzzi likes this.
  3. TheMayor

    TheMayor Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Feb 11, 2008
    98,533
    Vegas baby
    A New Leaf! LOL!
     
  4. Qksilver

    Qksilver F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 11, 2005
    4,316
    Philadelphia
    Full Name:
    Joe
    Here's a great Porsche story from a recent trip.

    Was driving my 996 Turbo to Florida from Philadelphia this past December with my fiancee. We were doing an overnight in Charleston, and after 650 flawless miles and a stop at South of the Border, I pulled into the hotel valet to drop off our bags and felt the brake pedal had softened. We hand off the bags and I put the car in the garage adjacent to the hotel and confirmed the sensation as I pulled into a parking spot in addition to an ABS and PSM fault warning. I crawled around the car and found fluid in the driver's front wheel well.

    Call Porsche of Charleston, who said "bring it over, well take a look tomorrow AM." So we hop in the car and within 100 ft, I completely lost my brakes. Limped gently the 4 miles to the dealership in evening rush hour and carefully coasted and used the ebrake to finally stop the car when needed. We get to Porsche, and we're greeted with Southern Charm and award-winning smiles. They shuttle us back to our hotel and we head out for the night.

    Next morning I get the "the call" at breakfast.

    "Hi Joe, this is John from Porsche Charleston"
    "Hey John, how's it looking?"
    "Well, we tracked down the source of the fluid"
    "Doesn't sound like a blown brake line..."
    "It's your ABS unit. It's leaking, and it's not fixable. It'll require replacement."
    "Ok, so what's this going to look like?"
    "Well, first we need to dry clean your trunk carpeting, that'll be $300."
    "And the ABS unit?"
    "It's expensive, and if you take it, we'll do the dry cleaning for free."
    "Go on."
    "With labor, you total will be $12K. The unit is $9500."
    "I'm a little shocked. How can a relatively ubiquitous ABS Bosch unit cost this much?"
    "Porsche charges us a lot for these, and they're the only ones who rebuild them so they have a corner on the market. We've heard of this happening but never seen it before."
    "So I'm getting a rebuilt unit for $10K?"
    "Yes."
    "And the core exchange is worth $0?"
    "Yes."
    "Thanks... I'll call you back."

    For those unfamiliar with the ABS unit, it's a 6" x 8" x 3' aluminum block. It's solid state and accommodates 12 vales that allow distribution of various levels of fluid pressure to the corners of the car (3 stages for each corner). I went into research mode, and discovered a few things: the exact part # retailed at various other dealers for <$5K. Still expensive. There are many low mile units available across various dismantlers, forums, ebay. Third, the solid state block can be replaced while maintaining the ECU that it connects to.

    Given the tiny number of data points of failed ABS units and the $12K alternative from Porsche Charleston, I decided to source the lowest mile used part I could find and ship the car home for repair. Found the part for $700 (in fact, it was a superseded part #, so actually a better unit). $300 in labor including fluid flush 3X - installed and performed beautifully. One week later was sitting at The Breakers having had a flawless drive down south.

    The best part was when I called back to tell them I had a transporter coming to pick it up.

    "Hey John, I'm going to ship the car home and have it fixed. It'll be picked up tomorrow around noon."
    "Joe - give me a second."
    "Ok."
    "Joe, we can sell you the unit for $7500 and get it installed for under $9K."
    "John, how much do you stand to make on this repair if you can just lop off $2K because I said no?"
    "We just found better pricing."
    "Thanks, truck will be there tomorrow."

    I know that dealer has their hands tied in terms of Porsche "approved" repair methodology, and their workshop manual insists on replacement. I also am one of the biggest supporters of Capitalism this side of the Mississippi and applaud well-earned dollars. But $12K? Even when the car was $120K new, how is a standard ABS unit 10% of the value of the car? The vaunted Mezger motor is only $30K!



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  5. I'm 360 Canuck

    I'm 360 Canuck Formula 3

    Nov 21, 2015
    1,911
    Ontario, The Real One in Canada
    Full Name:
    Lars!
    Sounds like fraud to me.
     
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  6. I'm 360 Canuck

    I'm 360 Canuck Formula 3

    Nov 21, 2015
    1,911
    Ontario, The Real One in Canada
    Full Name:
    Lars!
    I used to have a Dodge Stealth RT Twin turbo...it started doing a weird thing where the engine would shut off while driving it, no less.
    I found it would blow a fuse in the fuse panel. Took it to a dealer in Toronto. They went over it, and fixed nothing but gave me a handful of fuses “for next time”.
    A local indy found it was a fuel pump relay.

    Previously while in university, I had a fox body mustang Gt that had an intermittent but persistent no start condition. Had it towed to a dealership who kept it for about a week doing all kinds of stuff like changing fluids, changed the ECU, coil...a pretty big bill for those days, esp for a starving student.
    A couple days later it did the same thing on a very cold winter night.
    Took it to an indy, turned out to be a bad fuel pump.
    After a nasty letter, the stealership still insisted all that work had to be done and was justified. How can you prove otherwise, really? Complaints never have gotten me anywhere.

    It should be the opposite but in my experience, I’ve had to go to indys to fix whatever stealerships miss or mess up at a premium price. I now avoid them like the plague.
     
    willrace and Texas Forever like this.
  7. Ingenere

    Ingenere F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Dec 11, 2001
    6,336
    On the Limit
    Full Name:
    Dino

    But wait..... there's more!

    After I got my car back, I called the 'powers that be' at Penske and I was basically told to go pound sand. I then wrote a letter (English and Italian) to then CEO, Luca di Montezemola and Fedx'd it to Italy. Within 24 hours, those same weasels that told me to get lost, were calling me to come in for a meeting.

    I met them, and aside from backpedaling, they refused to give me my money back. They would only give me a 'free' major on my 348. I reluctantly accepted, rather than get into a brawl with a huge company.

    A few months down the road, I drop the 348 off and the major gets done. My wife and I pick it up and head off to Colorado for a car show/track event.
    It's August in AZ and about half way there, the AC starts to blow hot. I'm in the middle of nowhere and no shop wants to check the AC on a Ferrari, so we do the trip. The 2nd day into the trip, the car starts idling strangely and getting more and more difficult to shift.

    We get back to AZ in 110 degree heat. I bring the car to 'my friends' at the dealer. The diagnosis was, "someone didn't tighten the schrader valve and the freon escaped". The idling issue...... they wanted to replace the ECU's for $10K. I told them to put freon in and tighten the schrader valve and give me my car back.

    Months go by, shifting keeps getting worse, idle isn't improving. Finally the shifting gets so bad that the stick breaks off in my hand. I get a new shift box and while I am installing it I notice something very strange. The car's ground strap is missing. I've done my own majors on this car and it isn't necessary to remove the ground strap.

    Whether done on purpose or incompetence, leaving that off caused the odd idling. It also caused the car to attempt to ground itself through the shifter cables (which basically melted). I replaced the ground strap and the shifter cables and the car was perfect once again.

    For me..... I will never trust the Ferrari dealer again. I do my own work, or someone I trust.
     
    Rory J, stavura, Skippr1999 and 5 others like this.
  8. BOKE

    BOKE Beaks' Gun Rabbi
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jul 13, 2009
    33,965
    600 East Fremont Street
    Full Name:
    Lucky
    I have never been jerked around by a Ferrari shop in 25 years. I can't say the same about other marques that I have owned in the past. The only issue I had with Ferrari was waiting for an ECU to be reflashed by FNA for seven weeks.

    AMG Mercedes ownership with a corrupt local dealer is beyond description. Google Fletcher Jones Mercedes Benz Las Vegas.

    The worst service BS that I personally experienced was on a Jaguar sedan that failed smog testing at three years old. The Jaguar dealer wrote up a ticket for four oxygen sensors and installation for just under $5k. The open market cost of the oxygen sensors was around $125 each at the time, the dealership quoted $749 each. Cut to the chase, I took the car to a good friend that owns an independent Porsche shop (Trophy Performance), and it was a loose connection.

    Some repair shops make a habit of ripping off their customers regularly. This all happened at the Porsche Jaguar dealership. If something seems strange or too expensive, Google is your friend, and a second opinion is cheap if not free. YMMV
     
    stavura, SAFE4NOW and I'm 360 Canuck like this.
  9. dflett

    dflett Formula 3

    Jun 24, 2005
    1,603
    NY
    Full Name:
    David
    Dealer service manager told me that for my 41 year old Ferrari to get a state inspection sticker, it would need to pass California emissions and the dealer would need to test the car on a dyno.


    .
    .
    .



    However, the dealer and I are in NY and state inspection for anything over 25 years is just lights and brakes.



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
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  10. RedNeck

    RedNeck F1 Veteran
    BANNED Silver Subscribed

    Jul 8, 2016
    9,875
    The CSA
    Full Name:
    Me
    Wow these are just amazing, thank God I developed the interest in working on cars (and other things) or I would never be able to live the life I live...
     
    John Glen likes this.
  11. Skippr1999

    Skippr1999 F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 22, 2009
    4,209
    I agree. I do most things myself and I’m much better for it. Nobody will treat your car like you do.
     
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  12. A348W

    A348W Formula 3

    Jun 28, 2017
    1,741
    North Wiltshire, UK
    When I bought a new merc on lease we confirmed with them that it would not need a service in the lease period.

    Then the service light came up about a year in, so I said they could do it for free as we were told it wouldn’t need a service. Funny old thing they refused.

    So I gave the manager a choice; in writing, do the service for free, or I will have it done, pay under duress then sue them for the costs, plus my time and hassle!

    They did it for free. Needless to say I’ve never been back and will never have another merc.

    Another good one...driving home on the motorway in my Audi at the time after picking it up from the main dealer cambelt service, it made a big clunk sound. I stopped and had a look but couldn’t see anything as it was dark.

    The next day I had a look in the light and noticed the engine was sitting crocked in the engine bay.

    Took it back to the dealer and after inspection they very sheepishly stated the engine mount bolts were missing and it had fallen of the engine mount and wedged against the head! (You needed to take the engine mounts off to do the cam belt!)

    They said they would fix it and I told them I wanted a three year warranty on everything under the hood or they could replace all parts that could have been effected, so cv joints, exhaust, cooling, ac, brake lines etc etc. Needless to say they were not happy; and we had a rather frank conversation about their competency; but when I pointed out the engine could have fallen out of the car at 70mph they wrote me a nice letter!!!

    Never been back to that dealer and never had another Audi, and never will!
     
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  13. AceMaster

    AceMaster Three Time F1 World Champ

    Feb 6, 2009
    34,548
    Ontario, Canada
    Full Name:
    Mike
    Why would you even go back?
     
  14. daytona355

    daytona355 F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Mar 25, 2009
    12,655
    London
    Full Name:
    Sid Korshak
    They are the only dealer for miles, and I am confident they won’t ever win if they try to stitch me up!
     
  15. Themaven

    Themaven F1 Rookie

    Nov 2, 2014
    4,252
    Eastdown
    Full Name:
    Darius
    When I was buying my 550, I found what looked like an excellent example for sale in Italy. It was the personal car of the dealer principal of a Fiat dealership not far outside Rome, and looked exceptional. After examining images, videos, history, etc, I made him an offer contingent on a PPI, which he accepted. He said a mechanic could come and inspect on their own ramp, or I could arrange transport to a Ferrari dealership.

    My own mechanic was unable to travel from the UK to Rome at the time, and, not knowing any techs in Rome, I rang a contact at Ferrari HQ. I work in the media and published the official Ferrari magazine, so knew some fairly high up people. I was given the name of a manager at the biggest Ferrari dealership in Rome. I rang him (I speak Italian) and explained I would like a full PPI on this particular car. He said that should be fine, and would call me later to confirm.

    That afternoon, he called back to say that sorry, they can't spare a mechanic to visit the Fiat dealership outside town, anytime soon. I said fine, we can organise transport to them and they can PPI in situ. No, he said, they're just very tied up.

    I was puzzled at this change of attitude until I flew out myself to meet the vendor the next day. A good guy, he explained to me that a funny thing had happened the previous day; a manager at the main Ferrari dealership in Rome had called him insisting he wanted to buy the car for a client, who had been looking for a collectible 550, and offered to beat the price I had agreed. My vendor, being honourable, had declined.

    Now that's what I call customer service...though not for me.
     
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  16. TheMayor

    TheMayor Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Feb 11, 2008
    98,533
    Vegas baby
    When I had my shop I had to tell owners of their Bi-Turbos and Alfa Milano's the repairs were more than the value of their cars. Usually these were 2nd and 3rd gen owners. Not fun.

    Usually blown Turbos with Masers and ABS pump failures with the Milano. Not much you can do about it. Used parts are not going to solve the problem in these cases.
     
  17. max930

    max930 Two Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Apr 16, 2017
    20,005
    vancouver
    My brother was driving my Excursion and ran out of fuel. It was a diesel and he didn't know he'd have to reprime the fuel system or it would run rough for a minute or two. Brother thought something was wrong with the engine and had it towed to the nearest Ford dealer. The dealer told him it was injectors and billed him a few hundred for it. It turned out I bought my Excursion there. Small town, so the salesmen wasn't happy when I bought another Excursion from another dealer. I serviced it at the Lincoln Mercury dealer, after they ripped me off.
     
    19633500GT likes this.
  18. daytona355

    daytona355 F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Mar 25, 2009
    12,655
    London
    Full Name:
    Sid Korshak
    This is a little my one, but it’s a good one...

    Quite a while ago, I had a BMW X5, nice car, used it for running around, dogs etc. There was a recall on a Tv screen, so I dutifully booked it in with the main dealer, who I had had problems with before, but I figured this gave them a chance to redeem themselves as it was only a warranty replacement.

    I dropped the car off, and told them, don’t worry, I have other cars, I’ll pick it up whenever, and as I hate traffic, it will be on a morning, rather than last thing in the evening. So, they know they have as long as they want with the car - this is important for later

    That afternoon, around five, they phone as the car is finished apparently. I tell them - put in the car park, I’ll come get it tomorrow sometime - and that’s fine. Next morning, I get a lift down to pick the car up. They hand me my keys, all smiles, yes, car is in the overflow car park. Have a nice day sir.....

    I find the car, it’s at the end of a row, and immediately behind the car is the access road around the car park, so there’s nothing in the way to reverse out of the space. I jump in without a thought, start her up, and the beeps and bo gs are going mad! Parking sensors! I haven’t moved the car yet, but I check, I wander around the car to see if there are any low rocks etc, but I’m looking at the road and ground, not the car. I get back in, it happens again, I figure they have reset the battery so I switch off, go to the master switch and reset the car again. Get back in, goes off again. This is crazy. I walkaround again...... now I notice, the rear bumper and wing have been hit, and the parking sensor turret has been hit inside the bumper, hence its reading the inside of the bumper!

    I go immediately back inside the dealership, and the service manager tries to accuse me of doing the damage and brining the car back. I tell him I’m parked under a ****ing CCTV so they can soon prove that never happened. He looks and tries to claim the damage cannot have happened there, so I grab him by the hair and drag him back inside, and explain that the car gets repaired at their expense, and until then, his M5 demonstrator is my new doggy car. I take his keys, and leave.

    On the way home, the police call to ask me to return the car to the dealer as they have insinuated it was stolen! I told them it was a demonstrator, and that as one of their mechanics had had an accident in my car that they didn’t report to the police, the M5 was my courtesy car, and they’ve got it wrong! Never heard from the cops again.

    Two weeks later, a transporter turned up at my property with my fully repaired and gleaming X5 on it, and I loaded their M5 on it for return....... what a bunch of lying **** bags they are
     
  19. Nospinzone

    Nospinzone F1 Veteran

    Jul 1, 2013
    7,346
    Weston, MA
    Full Name:
    Paul
    You know what's hard to tell sometimes is did they rip me off or are they just incompetent.

    Of course either way you are right to go elsewhere!
     
  20. Nospinzone

    Nospinzone F1 Veteran

    Jul 1, 2013
    7,346
    Weston, MA
    Full Name:
    Paul
    See, no good deed goes unpunished! :D
     
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  21. GH13

    GH13 Karting

    Apr 26, 2019
    73
    I had a service advisor tell me that the clunking coming from the rear axle area on my Jeep Cherokee meant that I needed the axle replaced.

    Turned out the rear drums were worn. Needless to say, we never went back to that dealer, and instead used a Dodge dealer for all our Jeep service needs.
     
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  22. AceMaster

    AceMaster Three Time F1 World Champ

    Feb 6, 2009
    34,548
    Ontario, Canada
    Full Name:
    Mike
    I was told that an engine out major would cost $20,000 (on my 348)....I declined and ended up doing it myself with a few very skilled gear head colleagues of mine
     
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  23. Zanny1

    Zanny1 Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 19, 2003
    974
    Arizona
    Full Name:
    Mike
    Now I understand why your response to my inquiry about shops in the Phoenix area was "I wouldn't buy a magazine from the dealer."
    I recently had Alex Traverso do a fluid change, fix the squeaking brakes, and a few other items messed up by my 360's last visit to FMS. Happy to share with you if you like via a PM.
     
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  24. Ingenere

    Ingenere F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Dec 11, 2001
    6,336
    On the Limit
    Full Name:
    Dino
    Alex is a great guy and a hell of a mechanic. He also makes a great espresso!

    He also gets work done in a timely manner.
     
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  25. A348W

    A348W Formula 3

    Jun 28, 2017
    1,741
    North Wiltshire, UK
    The comma is in the wrong place!!!! T
     

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