Ray:
Please forgive me if I missed it in you post, but are you at "liberty"
to mention the dealership here in Columbus that did the "work"? My
Better Half has taken her '98 Stratus ES to Spitzer Dodge for some
warranty brake work ('99) and to Caldwell Dodge for a timing belt and
shifter TSB (August '04). Thankfully, those are the only two occasions
for which the vehicle has been in a repair shop outside of our garage.
We've been satisfied with both service departments, but I still don't
look forward to any future need to take it in for repairs that I don't
want to do. For example, this morning she calls me on the way to work
noting that the ABS light stayed on. I'm not sure I want to get into
that.
Tim
#-----Original Message-----
#From: owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net [mailto:owner-dakota-
#truck@bent.twistedbits.net] On Behalf Of RayB
#Sent: Monday, December 13, 2004 4:08 PM
#To: dakota-truck@dakota-truck.net
#Subject: DML: RE: Liberty Service Saga...
#
#
#Hey Rick, I'm really pleased to hear you got that straightened out, and
#with
#a full refund no less!
#
#Being a suspicious sort though, I have to wonder if the tech actually
#changed your fluid at all.
#
#> From: Rick Barnes
#<snip> I asked how the tech decided that I
#> needed the service, and all he could say that the tech likely went on
the
#> appearance of the fluid.
#
#Without sucking some out there is no way to determine if it looks bad.
And
#what is "bad" anyway? It's gonna look darker after 30K miles but
unless
#you've done some heavy towing it's not gonna be hurting. BTW, do you
have
#the trailer tow package? Unless you do, the diffs don't require
synthetic.
#At least that's the way it is in my Grand Cherokee.
#
#The reason I'm so suspicious of what some techs do comes in part from
an
#experience I had with my wife's Stratus. Long story short, they were
#supposed to change the thermostat, under warranty. On the '02 Stratus
with
#2.7L V6 you have to remove the right front wheel, a splash shield, the
#alternator and some other things just to get to it. I watched the
tech
#for
#about 20 minutes as he consulted his computer and looked around and
under
#the engine compartment. I got the distinct feeling he didn't know
where
#the TS was. (you really can't see it without removing stuff) Finally
he
#lowered the rack, raised the hood and put a fender cover on the fender.
I
#went outside for a smoke and when I came back in the car was gone. A
few
#minutes later the service writer came over and said it was done. WTF I
#said. Ain't no way he could have done the job in the 15 minutes I was
#outside! It would take that long just to refill the coolant. When
they
#brought the car to me I pointed out that the brake dust on the wheel
and
#the
#dirt on the splash shield had not been disturbed. No finger prints or
#smudges at all. Now just how does one remove those without touching
them?!
#The service manager asked the tech and the tech just said he changed
the
#TS.
#He had no explanation why he didn't leave any smudges or prints. By
then
#even the manager was suspicious and checked with the parts dept. They
said
#the tech picked up a TS and coolant and returned a TS with coolant on
it a
#few minutes later. Bottom line....they said he changed it and that
was
#that. I noticed that the coolant was still low (at the same level it
was
#when I got there) and the water temp still read just as low as it did
#before. Made no difference. They said the job was done and the temp
#reading was fine (even though when I took it in they noted it was too
#cold).
#They then topped off the coolant and basically said adios! Sooo, DC
got
#charged for the warranty work and the tech got paid for doing nothing
but
#we
#still had a car that didn't warm up. I no longer go to that dealer.
#
#Rick, I hope your diffs at least show some signs of having been cleaned
#off.
#A tech can make it LOOK like he did something even if he didn't. Mine
#wasn't even that bright.
#
#Dak content...I towed my Dakota to California from Ohio with my Grand
#Cherokee. :-)
#
#RayB
#http://www.dragtruk.com/ENTRIES/20KM1FD2KWBP.html
#
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