Higway Robbery...

[Toedtoes]

With my clipper, I have not set foot into a dealership service department.  With my 02 Durango, I haven't been to a dealership service department for a good 5 years since the one in town closed.

This weekend, my Durango's key wouldn't unlock the driver's door.  It worked fine on the back hatch.  I lost the use of my remote several years' back when the "electrical mother board" had to be replaced and only the dealership could reset the remote (my usual independent mechanic had done the repair).

So today I decided that I would take the key issue to the dealership and get the fob reset at the same time.  They charged $135 to look and diagnose the problem which would be put towards the labor charges for the repair.  After 2 hours wait, they checked out the problem.  $370 for the door latch to be replaced including parts.  $600 to replace the "central timing module" in order to get the fob to work again.  I told them to do the latch, not the other.

Then, I walked to the waiting area (30 seconds) and called my mechanic.  I asked on the price to replace the door latch - $183 with parts.  The part cost $99.  The call took 4 minutes and 17 seconds - while I was still on the phone, I walked back to the counter and told them to not do the work.

He walked to the back, where I could see the guy working on the latch.  He came back and said "he's already removed the old latch, do you want him to go ahead and put the new one in?"  I said "NO".  He put the old latch back in and was done in less than 10 minutes total time.  OK, they were rather pissed with me.

So, the dealership wanted $270 labor for a job that took less than 10 minutes and required basically a screwdriver.  I drove straight to my mechanic and checked the lock just for humor.  It's working fine.    So, for now, I'm sitting on the new part for a week to see if the problem repeats.  If not, I got it fixed for $135 (with a wash) instead of the $370 they wanted.

Makes me love the clipper even more when I had them check the cost for the Central Timing Module - $385 for the module itself (so about $215 for labor and programming) - just so I can unlock the car with the remote.  As there has been nothing else that doesn't work, I'm not replacing that.  I'll keep using my key (I didn't do it before because I figured they were going to charge me an arm and leg for it - I was right).

And I won't be going back to the dealership again!!

[Clipper Joe]

Hi Toedtoes,
I Know What You Mean, My Wife's Twin Sister, Seems To Get Ripped When They Us dealers,
I Just Had To Replace There Radiator In there.
Old 94 Dodge Grand Caravan, The Dealer Wanted $ 650,00
Did Job for $ 240.00 With New Hoses & I Had To Replace Oil Sensor, My Bad, I Broke by Mistake When I Forced Lower Hose Off, It Was Glued on By Pre- Dealer Replacement.
Was All Done, I Found Rear Tire Had a Nail in it, Go Figure My Luck.
Told Them Lets Get Tire Shop To Fix, I Told Them I Will Take To American Tire It Is Free Flat Repair
So I Wanted to Have Tires Rotated was Do.
I Told Them I'll Check Front Brakes, Go Figurer Front Pads Worn So Badly, Needed New Rotors
More Work For Me. Got Parts All New Rotors  & Pads $120.00 All Great Now..

That's Why I Try And Service My Cars If I Can 

That's Why on Our Clipper., I Did Front & Rear Brakes & Serviced Rear End, Don't Want Problems Down The Road RV'en.
**************************

On My Wife's Toyota Camry, You Can Have A Stereo Shop Install Viper Door Access Remote For About $100.00 you Can Add Alarm, Cost A lot More.
So I Just use Remote Features. Comes With 2 Remotes.

Well Went On & On.
Sorry To Here These Stores,

Joe

[Toedtoes]

Yeah, my mechanic mentioned just installing an alarm for $150 instead to get a remote capability.  I'll think about it.  I really don't mind using a key and I don't think the "convenience" of the remote is worth $150.  Heck, that's a new steering gear box on the clipper!

I'm not that good with engines.  I can do most of my own household repairs (even replaced the wall gas heater), but engines are so compacted, they throw me off.  But, I'm learning.

When I got the clipper, I took it in to my guy to do a once-over.  The emergency brake didn't work, so he fixed that.  When he did, he discovered that the rear brakes (that "had just been replaced" per the salesman) didn't have any fluid in them. I'm sure glad the emergency brake was bad - we wouldn't have known otherwise until my brakes suddenly stopped working.  So, sometimes, doing it yourself guarantees it was done right.