🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1995Jun1.211704.8583@ptolemy-ethernet.arc.nasa.gov>,
jchen@shepard.arc.nasa.gov (Jim R. Chen) wrote:

> Does anyone here have much experience with the service department
> at Stevens Creek Toyota in Santa Clara?
> 
> My wife brought her Camry in for service due to water leaking into
> the trunk.   There was some small crack on the left rear tail light 
> compartment, but we were told by a Chevron gas station service
> person that the small crack was unlikely the source of the problem
> due to its size and the amount of water that can get into the trunk
> within a short time period.  He suggested that the water probably
> came from underneath and we should bring the car to a dealer's service 
> department.  That was why we went to Stevens Creek Toyota.
> 
> Well, the service department there first charged $80 to test water
> leak - they sprayed the car with water to prove that there was indeed
> a visible crack on that tail light compartment.  Since that was
> obviously true, they then charge $300+ to replace that.
> 
> And then they noticed many other problems, and the bill came to over
> $1200.  They said the timing belt needed to be replaced.  When my
> wife told them that it was replaced last year, they said the water
> pump needed to be replaced, and in order to get there, they need to
> get to the timing belt anyway, so we might as well replace the timing
> belt, which "looked" bad.
> 
> Well, the car is still there and I don't have much of a choice but to
> continue the service since they have already took it apart.
> And they may be right, perhaps the car indeed needed all these services.
> I am not knowledgeable enough to tell what is really going on.  
> I do know that chances are water will still get into the trunk when
> the road is wet, after this $1200 service.
> 
> Anyway, I am just wondering if anyone else have good/bad experience
> with the repair service at Stevens Creek Toyota.  And for that matter,
> is there any preferable Toyota service station here in the bay area.
> Thanks.
> 
I don't know exactly what your rights are in this situation, but I'm
reasonably sure the shop should not have performed any of these repairs
without consulting you. Initially, you sign an estimate for the repair
work, and the shop should not go above this amount without consulting you.

I have no experience with SC Toyota, but I have had the misfortune of 
having my car serviced by two other Toyota dealerships. These people are
unbelievably inept, disorganized and lazy. I don't know if all new car 
dealers are like this (I have only used Toyota). In the future, you
would probably be better off geting a few recommendations for local
independant shops, which generally do a better job.

-- 
Pete Fraser