Getting screwed by dealership for repairs, help!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,110
Likes: 6
From: Red Sox Nation! RI
I sincerely hope Mom follows through with going after this dealer. All it will take is time and shouldn't cost much of anything out of pocket. When you let jerks like this get away with what they're pulling, they win. And they'll continue to operate the same way and screw others.
By all means call the Better Business Bureau if the dealer is a member. But I will say this, the BBB is the biggest joke next to multi-level marketing. To file a complaint with the BBB against another business, the business must be a member of the Better Business Bureau. If the dealer isn't a member, you cannot get info on them from the BBB or have the complaint lodged as a strike against them. The BBB is in the business of selling advertising. As a business, you essentially pay them a "membership" fee to use their logo. It's a joke. I know I've never called the BBB before dealing with a company.
By all means call the Better Business Bureau if the dealer is a member. But I will say this, the BBB is the biggest joke next to multi-level marketing. To file a complaint with the BBB against another business, the business must be a member of the Better Business Bureau. If the dealer isn't a member, you cannot get info on them from the BBB or have the complaint lodged as a strike against them. The BBB is in the business of selling advertising. As a business, you essentially pay them a "membership" fee to use their logo. It's a joke. I know I've never called the BBB before dealing with a company.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
Originally Posted by VetteTech81
This kind of stuff piZZZ's me off.. If there is anything I can do to help let me know...
-=Rick
-=Rick
Thefix? are you still with us?
Racer
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 384
Likes: 0
From: Chicago IL
Originally Posted by thefixmom
Well, now I'm out an additional $313.24 and the problem is still not resolved!! I am NEVER returning to Corvette Collection in Plainfield, IL, EVER again (their phone is 815.436.4333)! Now I am afraid to take the car back there because I feel like it's when you return a meal to the chef, they may spit on it and make it worse! I am already afraid of what they have done to the car. It idles fast now, and there is something leaking, appears to be coolant. So I will be going to another Corvette shop, this time one that is REPUTABLE. So here's what the 313.24 covered, 1.9 (btw, I can see where they doctored the bill, it used to show 1.1 hours, they changed the .1 to a .9! - what do they think, I'm BLIND??) hours of labor to replace IGN wire set (again, after telling the manager/owner what a code h36 is, acc. to all of you Corvette Forum gurus, which I did mention I had been in communication with!) he told me a missfire will also throw an h36 (I know, total B.S.!) and he thought the new wires would resolve it. .5 hours were charged for running the codes (Hello, I already told him what the code was WEEKS AGO!), and on the way home, guess what? Same problem we had when we took it there to begin with. So I am just sick about this and I couldn't sleep, so here it is Sat. am at 6:30 and I am posting a thread to make myself feel somewhat better (I guess I'm venting...) and at least feel some comraderie or something. I guess they figured they'd nickel and dime us so the 50/50 repair deal wouldn't come out of their pockets! Well I don't know any lawyers, and to hire one is more money out of pocket, and meanwhile the car is not fixed. So I will just go to D&M in Lisle (recommended by a friend) and give them my sob story and hope they'll help me out. What a fiasco. I truly don't understand how people can sleep at night when they screw people over during the day. We even paid CASH for the darn car, (18K!!) and now they are sucking us dry for every penny we have. I wouldn't doubt that they knew the opti was bad when they sold it to us. So rather than go back and forth with this place, I am cutting my losses now and will never patronize the Corvette Collection again, and of course, repeating this story to anyone who will listen who lives in the surrounding cities!! In addition, I will be writing a letter to the BBB and copying the schiesters at Corvette Collection in on it. And here I thought they were such nice guys - bamboozled again! This is what I get for being a trusting person who thinks others will follow the Golden Rule. So, BUYER BEWARE - CORVETTE COLLECTION IS NOT A HAPPY PLACE!!! Thanks to all of you for your encouraging comments, I don't know where TorchRedlt4man got his info. about Corvette Collection having a great reputation, but as far as I'm concerned, they SUCK and are only it this for the money, not for getting a good reputation. This was not a miscommunication with anyone - we spoke to the tech and he AGREED WITH US! It's the big boss that is putting the kabosh on fixing our problem the FIRST TIME! They are stringing us along to suck us dry before they fix this. Now that this has happened to me, other people have come out of the woodwork telling me about their personal nightmares with this place, so I wouldn't recommend it to my worst enemy!! As a side note, they still claimed the spoiler wasn't broken by them (surprise!), but did fix it. Isn't that a miracle? It will probably fall off today. I wish I had gone to law school now...
Sorry to hear you are getting screwed. Like I said in the other post re: Chicago area mechanic there are no trustworthy places in the entire Chicago area that you can trust. If you cant work on your car yourself you are going to get hosed, lied to, ripped off, mislead, and any other thing I cant think of now.
Do youself a favor sell the car and get something with a warranty, do the work youself or prepare to pay BIG DOLLAR$ and maybe your car will work.
Sorry to hear about your problems. I learned the hard way and got out of the corvette hobby.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 40,156
Likes: 45
From: San Pedro CA
Originally Posted by CentralCoaster
Speaking of BBB and accountability, I have a serious issue with Napa Auto Parts and need to roll some heads at two locations.
I've been told all their stores are privately owned and operated, so their corporate is probably disconnected from the store operation.
Who would be most effective to bitch at? I was planning on just going to whoever's in charge regionally if anyone, above the store owners.
I've been told all their stores are privately owned and operated, so their corporate is probably disconnected from the store operation.
Who would be most effective to bitch at? I was planning on just going to whoever's in charge regionally if anyone, above the store owners.
I would to corporate. They are not as disconnected as you think.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Oswego IL
Thanks to Everyone! :)
I really appreciate all of the advice. We are thinking about going to D&M in Lisle/Downers Grove, IL. I have a friend who is a neighbor of a salesman there. I am hoping this will give us a leg up. I plan to write a letter to the dealer that screwed us and don't expect anything in return. I guess this birthday gift is the kind that keeps on giving!! Take care all, and thanks for everything, you guys really are the best! If you know of anyone who does honest Corvette work on the side, please let me know. I am in Oswego, IL, near Aurora, about 50 min southwest of Chicago. thefixmom 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,753
Likes: 15
From: backwoods upstate ny
Originally Posted by thefixmom
I really appreciate all of the advice. We are thinking about going to D&M in Lisle/Downers Grove, IL. I have a friend who is a neighbor of a salesman there. I am hoping this will give us a leg up. I plan to write a letter to the dealer that screwed us and don't expect anything in return. I guess this birthday gift is the kind that keeps on giving!! Take care all, and thanks for everything, you guys really are the best! If you know of anyone who does honest Corvette work on the side, please let me know. I am in Oswego, IL, near Aurora, about 50 min southwest of Chicago. thefixmom
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
Likes: 33
From: The Top of Utah
Don't forget the Illinois Consumer Protection Division. Maybe even the States Attorney's Office could help. Do you have any local TV stations with a consumer advocate? Usually they LOVE a good repair shop rip-off story.
RACE ON!!!
RACE ON!!!
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,858
Likes: 7
From: Santa Maria CA
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 6,470
Likes: 2
From: levittown pa. usa Even a bad day with my `Vette, is better than a good day at work
St. Jude Donor '10
I don`t know about the laywer thing, but if they won`t fix the problem, threaten to put a large sign on top of your dd, stating in large print exactly how you are being treated, & that you are going to park it in the street right in front of the store. This has worked before
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 7,179
Likes: 2
From: Charlotte, NC
Originally Posted by thefixmom
I really appreciate all of the advice. We are thinking about going to D&M in Lisle/Downers Grove, IL. I have a friend who is a neighbor of a salesman there. I am hoping this will give us a leg up. I plan to write a letter to the dealer that screwed us and don't expect anything in return. I guess this birthday gift is the kind that keeps on giving!! Take care all, and thanks for everything, you guys really are the best! If you know of anyone who does honest Corvette work on the side, please let me know. I am in Oswego, IL, near Aurora, about 50 min southwest of Chicago. thefixmom
BTW: My advice and opinions are FREE...
630-991-0622
Either way good luck..
-=Rick
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Oswego IL
Update on thefixmom's vette.. :)
We did end up calling D&M and got a quote and they are charging $3300 for everything. We also (surprise surprise) found out that the car hadn't been maintained for some time (no oil change since 05 for example). Once again, Corvette Collection screws us. They said they had changed the oil for us, apparently there was a date showing otherwise... Plus, a ton of other stuff needed to be done. Like windshield wipers - the mechanic said they would cut up the windshield like they are now!! Not too happy with CC. I don't know what, if anything, I'm going to do about this mess (besides part with at least another 3300 and just deal with it). I'm just upset that my original budget of 14K has now turned to 23K. that is a joke. I guess buyer beware is all I can say. Thanks to all for the help and support - you guys are awesome! This was my first dealing with an internet forum of any kind, and it was the best experience I've ever had with getting quick and supportive help. It was just what I needed in my time of car stress! The baby will be back safe in our garage in only 48 hours. Can't wait to see her again... I lowered my deduct to $0 for her while she was there. I never realized you could do that, just an fyi for those who are ignorant on these car things!! Signing off..
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,817
Likes: 1
From: Hartland WI
Originally Posted by CentralCoaster
Anyone who thinks a lawyer is going to solve their problems for them is out of their mind. You have a broken car and are pissing money away. A lawyer isn't going to correct either.
Try and resolve it with the service dept first.
Try and resolve it with the service dept first.
I don't pick on your vocation! 
Seriously, I would partially agree that if you can work it out with the dealership without get lawyers involved, all the better. However, most states have consumer protection laws that will require the offending dealership to pay the attorney fees if they have commited a voilation.
A good, reputable attorney should be willing to discuss your case with you at little or no inital cost to you.
NOTE TO MOM:
I haven't read all the post thoroughly, so forgive me if this a dup, but please please, talk to a lawyer ASAP. I don't know IL law, but any statute of limitations is running and before you get screwed again becasue a deadline is missed, talk to counsel.
SECOND NOTE TO MOM:
CF Member Dock351 is a lawyer in Rockford. If he doesn't do this kind of work I'll bet he can refer you to someone. dock351@yahoo.com (Mark Woodworth)
Last edited by rstackjd; Aug 23, 2006 at 05:03 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 3,356
Likes: 1
From: Chesapeake Va
Originally Posted by REDC4CORVETTE
People ask me all the time where is a good repair shop?
I have never seen a good repair shop ,all they do is what someone tells them to do, THE LYING MECHANIC.
I have never seen a good repair shop ,all they do is what someone tells them to do, THE LYING MECHANIC.
Originally Posted by RED4CORVETTE
Just 3 mths ago I got ripped for $1300.00 for a tune up after I told them it broke the rod and the piston was jamed up in the head.Did they listen? no they did a tune up and didn't even do a compression check.They told me that was extra
Yes I had to buy a new car for the wife.
Yes I had to buy a new car for the wife.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 7,179
Likes: 2
From: Charlotte, NC
Originally Posted by thefixmom
We did end up calling D&M and got a quote and they are charging $3300 for everything. We also (surprise surprise) found out that the car hadn't been maintained for some time (no oil change since 05 for example). Once again, Corvette Collection screws us. They said they had changed the oil for us, apparently there was a date showing otherwise... Plus, a ton of other stuff needed to be done. Like windshield wipers - the mechanic said they would cut up the windshield like they are now!! Not too happy with CC. I don't know what, if anything, I'm going to do about this mess (besides part with at least another 3300 and just deal with it). I'm just upset that my original budget of 14K has now turned to 23K. that is a joke. I guess buyer beware is all I can say. Thanks to all for the help and support - you guys are awesome! This was my first dealing with an internet forum of any kind, and it was the best experience I've ever had with getting quick and supportive help. It was just what I needed in my time of car stress! The baby will be back safe in our garage in only 48 hours. Can't wait to see her again... I lowered my deduct to $0 for her while she was there. I never realized you could do that, just an fyi for those who are ignorant on these car things!! Signing off..
I'm sure D&M will do go work for you though..
-=Rick
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 3,356
Likes: 1
From: Chesapeake Va
Originally Posted by thefixmom
We did end up calling D&M and got a quote and they are charging $3300 for everything.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 3,356
Likes: 1
From: Chesapeake Va
Originally Posted by VetteTech81
$3300!!!! What are they doing to this car? Wow I did all the fluids/filters, opti , wires, plugs brakes on a 94' and never charged that much with the parts..
I'm sure D&M will do go work for you though..
-=Rick
I'm sure D&M will do go work for you though..
-=Rick
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 40,156
Likes: 45
From: San Pedro CA
$3300? I hope the opti is gold plated. That's nuts.
You and your husband should take the $3300, go to sears, by some tools, order the helm manual, buy the parts, and STILL have $1500 left over.
Jesus. That's high.
You and your husband should take the $3300, go to sears, by some tools, order the helm manual, buy the parts, and STILL have $1500 left over.
Jesus. That's high.