A question for mechanics/service personnel who work at dealerships

**NYKRINDFW** · 09-01-2006, 08:16 AM

Before I go on my rant, I want to ask a question:

When I take my car in to the dealership for service, and the service issue doesn't require a test drive before or after said service (oil change, recent headlight issue), how many miles should the dealership have driven it, within reason, when I pick it up?

I figure if the car does not need a road test then it should have about a mile more on the car then when I dropped it off if the employees at the dealership kept the car on the car lot.

Just wondering, and curious if I am not considering all of the reasons a dealership should need to put mileage on my car. How much mileage is reasonable?

NY

**01camaross** · 09-01-2006, 08:32 AM

no more than 1 or 2 miles and if they go on a test drive usually not even 5, so if you have more on your car somone took your car out for a joy ride id say.

**98-LS1** · 09-01-2006, 08:47 AM

They don't drive my car at all at Beaty Chevrolet, other than pulling it into the shop and back out to the parking lot once serviced. There is no reason for a test drive during a basic service. I'd be pissed if they were joy riding in my car.

**IHSS** · 09-01-2006, 09:03 AM

I used to work as a tech at a couple of gm dealers and if it didn't need a test drive there should be no more than a couple of tenths added. the biggest shop I worked in was only a couple hundred feet to get in the shop so anything more than a half mile is way to much. I'd be pissed if I was you but they will just give you some bs about you making it up. Just don't go there again.

**nosfed** · 09-01-2006, 09:14 AM

When I pull in, the service adviser records my milage. When I get the car I check the milage. One time it had 3 miles on it and they said they took it out for a test drive. I asked them why since all I had replaced was the compressor and a battery. I told them to fuck off and I called my credit card company up and cancelled the charge. I told the dealer that someone obviously joy rode in my car and I wasn't paying a dime. 15 years later I still have never paid that $1000 bill and they never pursued it.

**Sarge** · 09-01-2006, 05:10 PM

None for basic service.

**86 IROC-Z** · 09-01-2006, 08:39 PM

For an oil change, etc, them driving the car from their lot in to the garage, and then back out, shouldn't even register on the odometer.

**NYKRINDFW** · 09-05-2006, 09:17 AM

The problem with that philosophy is that there are only so many Pontiac/Chevy dealerships in town and I am running out of options. The last Pontiac dealership I took it to put 21 miles on my car during an oil change.

NY

**98-LS1** · 09-05-2006, 09:24 AM

I'd say something about it then, tell them you expect there to be no extra mileage on your car after the service is complete. That's a bunch of bullshit.

**lakmflx** · 09-05-2006, 09:50 AM

Since when does an oil change require a TEST DRIVE!!!! Someone def took your car for a ride. Thats is B.S

**Wulfe13** · 09-05-2006, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by NYKRINDFW

The problem with that philosophy is that there are only so many Pontiac/Chevy dealerships in town and I am running out of options. The last Pontiac dealership I took it to put 21 miles on my car during an oil change.

NY

WTF??? I'd be raising all kinds of hell!!!

Why do you go to the dealership? They're WAY overpriced and apparently they fuck with your car too...

**86 IROC-Z** · 09-05-2006, 04:31 PM

Next time you go, drop your car off and then go back in a different car with a video camera. If they take it for a joyride, follow them and record it all. When the call to say the cars ready, go back there and threaten a lawsuit. You could probably even get a settlement for more mods

**98LSGUN** · 09-05-2006, 04:46 PM

I took my car to a dealer for some basic service a few years ago, and if I leave my car anywhere I always put the trip to 0. Well I go into pick it up and I TT the mechanic who worked on my car real quick before picking it up and he said Damn, that cars quick, not really paying attention to him. I said yes ut is with a smile on my face, then when I got in the car it had 10 miles on the trip, I went in and complained and they said they didn't know what I was talking about and that I was making it up. Since then I do all the basic service on it and if it has to go to a shop I tell them not to drive it. I don't trust anyone with my car...

**Bigrus** · 09-05-2006, 04:50 PM

I just bring it in on a full tank, and check the mileage. I tell them before i do not want it driven and have my miles logged.

Only time i had a problem was when i left it at a shop for the weekend and the owners sons took it out. I got all of my money back.

**whoa guy** · 09-05-2006, 06:01 PM

a lot of tech's will drive it to try and duplicate a problem or noise.

**tonyjnjz** · 09-05-2006, 06:06 PM

on my previous z i was having a problem with the clutch pedel sticking real bad...took it in and there was a buliton on the master slave/throw out bearing....they did the work for free because of the bulleton but my car had 15 extra miles on it....i talked to cusumer service and they did nothing to help me what so ever and kinda looked at me funny....i havnt been back to that dealership for work since.........bob johnsons in rochester ny btw ....there service dept SUCKS!!!!!!!!!

**Flobeast385** · 09-05-2006, 06:21 PM

I am a GM tech at a local dealership so i know exactly what goes on there, and if you knew you would not take your car into the parking lot. My co-workers get so excited when a sports car comes in and they just have to go drive it down the road. I work on them all the time and i do not test drive unless needed, mostly because i do not want to waist my time. The best thing to do is tell them there should be no miles put on the car unless it is necessary.

**nitrox28** · 09-06-2006, 04:24 AM

That's why I ALWAYS wait on my car when it's being worked on.

**lakmflx** · 09-06-2006, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by whoa guy

a lot of tech's will drive it to try and duplicate a problem or noise.

Sure the mechanic will drive the car when the car is in need of some kind of repair or if its just a noise or a squeal but for an oil change? I dont see any kind of reasoning for them to justify driving the car after/before changing the oil.

**NYKRINDFW** · 09-10-2006, 05:53 AM

It is as I suspected, as a general rule, no mileage should be put on the vehicle.

I used to take a sticky note and write the mileage on it and stick it on the glass in front of the speedometer when I dropped the car off. Then, I would keep a copy for myself and compare the two when I picked the car back up. I never had a problem. I can see I'll have to do that again.

I spoke to the service manager, the general manager, and then the operations manager at the Pontiac dealership that put 21 miles on my car for an oil change and none of them would take responisbility and all of them said they had control over what went on in the garage. I won't be back.

In my conversation with the operations manager, I emphasized one point: what if the car is taken out by his staff and wrecked? What if the car is taken out by his staff and wrecked and they kill someone? How much liability can the dealership withstand before it is sued out of business?

It's obvious to me that thse dealerships have no control over what goes on in their garages.

NY