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InTheRed	My wife took the Prowler in Friday to the local dealership to have the passengers side regulator replaced. When she came back to get the car in the afternoon she noticed the car had 5 miles more on it than when she dropped it off. Turns out my mother in-law had followed my bright red Prowler around town shortly before thinking it was her daughter. A couple of the mechanics took the car out for a joyride. My wife complained at the dealership and they said someone would call her. That was Friday afternoon.. It is now the end of the day Monday and she hasn't received a call. What would you all do if this happened? Any advice? My wife is really mad! We have had the car for maybe a month or so.. she is very protective. I'm not as mad as she is.. I'm happy that the car is in one piece.
Dave Mills	I would not be waiting for a return call. I would have asked for an appointment with the owner on the day it happened or at the very least, a manager of some kind.
Marty Usher	My first thought is that they may have been road testing the car to check for rattles. My window regulator needs to be replaced and it rattles quite loudly when you ride over railroad tracks over hits bumps of some kind. The Prowler tech was probably giving a coworker a thrill to let him ride in a Prowler. I let almost anyone drive my car so this wouldn't bother me (unless your mother in law reported that they were driving recklessly). Since this has angered your wife, I would call the Service Manager and ask if the "tour" around town was a road test or joy ride and let them know you don't want passengers along if not neccesary.
halicat	They probably won't do anything soooooo... don't get mad , get even..... Dress up in your sunday best and stroll into the dealer with your lovely wife and inquire about that fancy Viper Truck on the lot... don't ask to test drive it... if you seem to anxious, they will catch on....play the part .... sooner or later they will want you to drive it...refuse the first time, say something like " I'm workin on a great deal on a SSR"... when he begs you to try "the most powerfull truck on the planet".... just say "What do you think honey ? want to see how this rides before we buy the chevy ??"......no room for the salesman....just the two of you love birds.... guess whats next !! ps: take your prowler somewheres else after this... enjoy
Howard	1. As stated in an earlier post, they could have taken it out for a test ride to see if they could hear any rattles. 2. You can call the dealer and complain, but you will probably spend more time than it is worth getting ahold of the manager or owner. What you want to hear if you decide to contact the manger is a statement saying they are very sorry this incident happened. Will this happen? 3. Tell your story to all your friends and colleagues. You will probably cause them to lose several sales. 4. This kind of service probably happened before at this dealer. In the future if you decide to take it there, write your miles down on a post it note and place it on the dash when you go in for service. Inform the service writer what happened, and get his insurance in writing it will not happen again. Other than the extra 5 miles on your Prowler, how is the service at this dealership? Where you happy with their service?
Fat Pat	When I was a service manager for Chrysler, we had a repair order that the customer had to sign that gave us permission to test drive his car. I used to drive Cordobas home at night so I could check cold starting problems.
halicat	the ones with the "fine Corinthian leather" ??
Lone Ranger	quote: Originally posted by Dave Mills: I would not be waiting for a return call. I would have asked for an appointment with the owner on the day it happened or at the very least, a manager of some kind. I agree. Happened to me once, handled the situation the same day. Maybe there is a reason. But I always write my mileage down.
tangled up in BLUE	...I go to the same dealer all the time, I have for 30 some years....I don't mind if they take a friend for a test ride, glad to share.....they always take REALLY good care of me when I need it...
idive	I had 6 miles put on my car for a radio buzz check. Coincidently, DC brass was at that dealership that day. And coincidently, they detailed my car out of courtesy. Just as coincidently, they left behind some coke on the seat and some food on the floorboards. Don't say another word. Simply walk in there and hand THEM a bill. Have them reimburse you for the gas, wear and tear on the car, added mileage, and depreciation, and let them know that if they decide they don't want to pay it, that you're attorney will be in touch, with the added costs of attorney fees, court costs, and filing fees. Tell them its cheaper if they do the right thing and pay your bill. OH, and hand it directly to the owner of the dealership. (Service managers just HATE when you do that...)
InTheRed	Thanks for the input.. The folks at the dealership didn't have any explanation for why the car would have been driven. The mechanic had left for the day. Nobody tried to defend the guy at all. That seems odd to me. I don't care the car wasn't damaged. Regarding the service at the dealership.. my wife has classified it as poor. The car has been into this place twice. Once to have them check the window out, and once when the part came in. Both times my wife took the car in as I was at work. Both times the service manager managed to get under my wife's skin. My wife owns a children's daycare and its hard to upset her. I'm just going to find another dealership. If my wife wants to fuss at them again she can call them back. I'm betting the dealership is banking she will just forget about it. haha..
blackcat	Let me talk in generalities here. I don't want to sound sexist however it might be a good idea if you took the car in for service. I have found out over the years that if you need service or are attempting to buy a new car it would be better to have a male present. JMHO. Let the hate mail begin.
ed monahan	I wouldn't bother with a phone call. If you want service, go in person. Just ask for the sales manager and then ask him for the general manager. Don't tell them why. You can vent and he might give you a free oil change. You are probably better off just telling them that they lost a customer due to what happened.
CJ	quote: Let me talk in generalities here. I don't want to sound sexist however it might be a good idea if you took the car in for service. I have found out over the years that if you need service or are attempting to buy a new car it would be better to have a male present. JMHO. Let the hate mail begin. No hate mail Blackcat, but isn't it a sad state of affairs when in this day and age women are still treated like that..by males..........and it's not just at car dealerships. I own both of my cars and get treated like that....however, I vote with my money........I just go somewhere else. In this instance, I would have addressed it....calmly...with the GM and let them know that it was unacceptable...and tell them I would not be back.
blackcat	CJ, I agree with you it's really a shame. However I can definitely see a difference when I take my car in as opposed to my daughter. It really Pi$$es me off and it's just not right. I guess I don't really understand it......... I always instilled in my daughter that everything was equal but unfortunately it's not..
Thunder	True honest business people do treat people equally...it's the snakes that don't. I would make it clear their hill folk attitude is unacceptable.....and take your money elsewhere.
RPL	In my opinion, contact the service manager and tell him what was observed. Tell him that you did not give your permission to "joy ride" your car. You brought it in to have it repaired. A simple test drive to confirm the repair that you had it in for does not require a five mile drive nor a passenger. Then tell him that you are going to call it to the attention of the dealer, if available, or at the very least, the general manager. If you don't, this will continue top happen to customers at this dealership. The dealership should record the mileage in at the time the service order is written. A simple check when you pick it up will disclose how far, if at all, the car was driven. If there is an issue, call it to their attention before you drive off. Mechanics are paid on a flat rate for repairs. Typically they always want to be working on a vehicle to make as much money as they can. They don't get paid to "test drive" a car five miles.
Ray	My car went in to Bryden Motors last week Friday for the driver's side window regulator (thank you again for the parts help Mike K.!) and a host of other "maintanence" items like fluids (car is almost 7 years old -- thank you RPL!). Car is still there ... am I worried? No. They ahve assured me there is a "place to put it with the owner's collection" until I return from my biz trip and with 3050 when dropped off ... if it has even 3059 on it when I pick it up it is all good so long as no leaks, speakes, dents, dings, scuffs or wrappers in the car! Sometimes you have to give to get ... and they are accomodating em picking it up on the way to the Dells on a Sunday! Bryden Motors in Beloit, WI ROCKS!!!!