# Dealer joyride



## ICE05 (Jan 27, 2009)

I just took my 05 GTO with 30k miles to the CarMax for warranty service. The CarMax did not have the proper diagnostic equipment to correct the error (ABS Fault / Brake Warning), so they towed the vehicle to the dealership about 3 miles away. The dealership kept the vehicle over the weekend and then said that the part came in on Monday but was damaged. So CarMax gets my car back today (Tuesday) and gives it to me. I get in and the TRAC OFF will not deactivate and I notice that there is an 80 MILE!, thats right 80 MILE! difference. I look further and notice receipts from the weekend sitting on my seat in a brown paper bag. I didn't leave the lot of the CarMax and immediately went back in to service and they were dumbfounded. We checked all the paperwork together and figured out that the dealer had incurred all the mileage. What recourse do I have?


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## LS2 MN6 (Jul 14, 2010)

Between you and the dealer nothing typically as you didn't directly deal with them. However CarMax has to go after the Dealer, then you have to get compensated thru CarMax (as you signed your car over to them they are responsible for 3rd part suppliers they use).

But it might depend on your states local laws.


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

ICE05 said:


> I just took my 05 GTO with 30k miles to the CarMax for warranty service. The CarMax did not have the proper diagnostic equipment to correct the error (ABS Fault / Brake Warning), so they towed the vehicle to the dealership about 3 miles away. The dealership kept the vehicle over the weekend and then said that the part came in on Monday but was damaged. So CarMax gets my car back today (Tuesday) and gives it to me. I get in and the TRAC OFF will not deactivate and I notice that there is an 80 MILE!, thats right 80 MILE! difference. I look further and notice receipts from the weekend sitting on my seat in a brown paper bag. I didn't leave the lot of the CarMax and immediately went back in to service and they were dumbfounded. We checked all the paperwork together and figured out that the dealer had incurred all the mileage. What recourse do I have?


First check the mileage IN and compare it to the mileage out on the repair order. If they didn't document the mileage IN or fabricated it you'll have no way of verifying your accusation. 

Even if its properly documented you will get this ~~ <, >. They will both blame each other. You'll get even more pi$$ed. Their "test" drive to make sure it works could have taken them on a tour of the country. 

NEVER EVER EVER take this type car to a run of the mill garage, MOST have NO CLUE on this type car. You are dealing now with a middle man. You buy a cheap insurance policy you get cheap service. 

Bite the bullet on this and learn from it. If there is a next time, go to a shop that has expereince on this type car and deal direct and verify mileage with a service manager when dropping off. Most invoices list the service tech's name on it. 

Anyone who takes this car to a Pep Boys, or a Walmart, or a K-Mart type place for involved work...money you think you're saving may end up costing you 2x to fix what they may have made worse. Take a look around those places and count how many corvettes or other high end vehicles are in there for work.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

It stinks people think they can joyride your car, good luck with the fight, although I don't think you'll get much from them.
I had my 78 Vette in for paint at a shop. I went to check on it and it was gone. Called the guy up and he said he took the car home to protect it as the shop was in a bad neighborhood. Went by his house and it was a mobile home.. Took the car out of there, found lotto tickets from multiple days and fast food bags.. He was going to paint the car cheap and was doing a good job on the bodywork. But, you get what you pay for when you deal with people like this.


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## Gotagoat (Jan 6, 2006)

A few years ago I left mine at a shop I'd been doing business with for 20 years. The owner was out of town and I left instructions with his 20-year old son that no one was to drive my car. Went to pick it up the next day and it had 30 miles on the trip meter. Long story short, the owner gave me a bulls**t story about test driving but we both knew his son had taken it home the night before. That was the end of that business relationship. But there's not much else that can be done about it.


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## pocketmaster (Feb 26, 2010)

ICE05 said:


> I just took my 05 GTO with 30k miles to the CarMax for warranty service. The CarMax did not have the proper diagnostic equipment to correct the error (ABS Fault / Brake Warning), so they towed the vehicle to the dealership about 3 miles away. The dealership kept the vehicle over the weekend and then said that the part came in on Monday but was damaged. So CarMax gets my car back today (Tuesday) and gives it to me. I get in and the TRAC OFF will not deactivate and I notice that there is an 80 MILE!, thats right 80 MILE! difference. I look further and notice receipts from the weekend sitting on my seat in a brown paper bag. I didn't leave the lot of the CarMax and immediately went back in to service and they were dumbfounded. We checked all the paperwork together and figured out that the dealer had incurred all the mileage. What recourse do I have?


I feel your pain on this one. I had my front end alligned and the technician test drove it for what seemed like an eternity. I went as far as to complain to the management of WHY he needed to test drive a front end allignment when he has the machine to tell him if its camber/caster/toe what ever. Fact of the matter is we have vehicles that allot of people are curious about and envyous of. Its tough to trust anyone these days for sure.


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## jpalamar (Jul 22, 2008)

I would get a lawyer if the milage is documented on the paperwork. Keep the receipts... and see what kinda damage you can do to the dealer. I hate dishonest service.


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## mikes06goat (Jan 13, 2009)

If the dealership is corporately owned make sure to call their corporate office and vent your complaints. That will be sure to make someones life worse than it was before. You could also tell Carmax that when they get the customer survey from GM to let you fill it out. Most dealerships employees get a monthly bonus based on their dealerships customer service index score. Sometimes all it takes is one bad survey for the entire parts and service departments to lose their bonus. That will pi$$ off those employees thus leading to a poor working environment for the technician who took your car for a joyride. I realize it doesn't fix your problem but sometimes theres nothing wrong with a little sweet revenge.


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## LS6wantabe (Dec 26, 2009)

thank god it wasnt my dealership ya i work at a gm dealership and they do live and die by the surveys thats y we no better then to do dumb stufff like that too bad for them who fouled up ur mileage sorry to hear about your bad experience. i do all my own work on my car but if i didnt i would have a hard time trustin other people to work on it


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## RJ_05GTO (Jul 6, 2008)

This is exactly the reason why I try to do all of my own diagnostics and mechanical work. No one will ever care about your car as much as you do and they will never work on it like they are working on their own cars. The few times I had taken in my vehicles for someone else to work on it. It was always something if not some things. I took my silverado to the dealer for a warranty repair and they put a ding in my door. I took my wifes explorer to a shop for a intake gasket because I just didnt feel like doing it and they put light scratches all over the top of the front fenders and they left the valve covers loose so it leaked oil like crazy. I hate even putting tires on my cars because there are always new scratches on the wheels. I put a set of tires on my Cavalier and saw where they layed the tire up against the rear quarter panel and left a black rubber skid mark and half a mile down the road one of the weights flew off and clanked around in the fender well before it was ejected... I understand SOME things happen but for the most part at least where I live I have noticed that people dont take pride in their work and have little respect for other peoples property.


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## Baahhhh (Mar 10, 2011)

RJ_05GTO said:


> This is exactly the reason why I try to do all of my own diagnostics and mechanical work. No one will ever care about your car as much as you do and they will never work on it like they are working on their own cars. The few times I had taken in my vehicles for someone else to work on it. It was always something if not some things. I took my silverado to the dealer for a warranty repair and they put a ding in my door. I took my wifes explorer to a shop for a intake gasket because I just didnt feel like doing it and they put light scratches all over the top of the front fenders and they left the valve covers loose so it leaked oil like crazy. I hate even putting tires on my cars because there are always new scratches on the wheels. I put a set of tires on my Cavalier and saw where they layed the tire up against the rear quarter panel and left a black rubber skid mark and half a mile down the road one of the weights flew off and clanked around in the fender well before it was ejected... I understand SOME things happen but for the most part at least where I live I have noticed that people dont take pride in their work and have little respect for other peoples property.


+1..... a few years ago I took my car to the local pontiac dealership to get the pedal issue fixed and a couple speakers replaced,well they did that plus and extra 150 miles on the car and a freaking sand box in the front and rear floor boards so no more dealships for me.


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## Mike_V (Mar 10, 2006)

That's why I pre-complain. When I take my cars in I say "Now let's look at it because it's perfect and I better get it back like that". I also interview the mechanic that's going to work on it, try to use the same guy, and I tip. Twice I asked questions and told the shop to find another guy, which they did without a second thought. Yes, they cringe when I come in, but I do get the kind of service that should be standard anyway.

When you see most of the cars that come in the average person doesn't give a crap. I make it well known that I do.


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## RJ_05GTO (Jul 6, 2008)

Mike_V said:


> That's why I pre-complain. When I take my cars in I say "Now let's look at it because it's perfect and I better get it back like that". I also interview the mechanic that's going to work on it, try to use the same guy, and I tip. Twice I asked questions and told the shop to find another guy, which they did without a second thought. Yes, they cringe when I come in, but I do get the kind of service that should be standard anyway.
> 
> When you see most of the cars that come in the average person doesn't give a crap. I make it well known that I do.


I guess its not a bad idea to pre-complain. But its a shame that you have to ask someone to care.


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## mikes06goat (Jan 13, 2009)

Did you ever get this issue resolved?


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## YellO5LS2 (Jan 9, 2011)

Carmax is Wal-Mart or cars but with a :-( instead of their typical  High prices, horrible sales tactics, and a piece of S&*^ strategy. Word of advice, never shop from them. Every car i ever looked at from them was inflated to about 4-6K more than the sticker price of even the highest dealership. They say the extra $$ is piece of mind - as you found out, that's not the case.

Anyway, good luck with whatever you decide to do. I'd sue em for everything they had, or at least for a new car. A lot can happen in 80 miles.


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