This is to let you guys know how terrible the service "manager" is at this dealership. Let me just show you the email I wrote to the GM of ther dealership instead of typing it all up again...

Good morning Mr. Diaz Rivas,

I hope all is well. I'm writing you this email as a formal complaint about your Acura service manager, Mr. Frank Perez.

Firstly, let me start by telling you that I purchased a car from your dealership in January and I was VERY impressed by the customer service your staff gave me at the time. My sales person (Maira Blanco) was just an incredible person to work with. I liked your dealership so much, that I convinced my mother in law to purchase a car from your dealership as well. She just bought her TL last month.

Now, on to what happened yesterday during my visit. I went in to the dealership at around 11AM to drop off my car for an oil change. I received a quote of $40 for the oil change, and left my car. My service writer called to let me know the car was ready and informed me that the price was actually $50. I was a little bothered by the situation, but I just let it slide, because it was only $10. So I went into the dealership to pick up my car, and when I go see the cashier, she informs me that the price is actually $60. At this point, I feel like I'm getting toyed with, which nobody would like. I asked to speak to the service manager.

Mr. Perez storms through the door after waiting about 5 minutes for him. He doesn't say hello, doesn't offer to shake my hand, nothing. He just basically stood there with a face like, "What do you want?" I started explaining to him what's going on and his response to me was, "Do you know how expensive synthetic oil is?" I tried to explain to him, that I'm not complaining about the price, I'm just bothered by the fact that the price has been changed so many times. After going back and forth with him a couple times, he rudely tells the cashier to ring me up for $40, and just storms out of the office, without saying anything to me.

I told this to my mother in law who knows a couple people at your dealership and she sent an email to this person. Mr. Perez proceeded to call her and basically screamed at her asking her why she's sending emails when she doesn't know the whole story and so on and so forth. Now I don't know what kind of business you guys are running there but that is completely uncalled for. If Mr.. Perez has a problem with me, then he should call me directly and not scream at my mother in law.

I have called Acura Customer Care, and placed a formal complain about Mr. Perez (Case # B012008-05-2100735). I have also posted this incident on many web forums one of them being one of the biggest Acura web forums on the internet.

Again, I want to reiterate, that this is not about the money, I can really care less about the extra $20 I was going to pay, it's just about the way Mr. Perez treated me and my mother in law.

Just so you know, you have lost me and her as customers, and I will let EVERYONE that I know how terrible you are treated as a customer by the "manager" of your dealership.

Sincerely,

Jorge

I don't suggest ANYONE goes to this dealership.

 

I've expected to read something about I dropped off my car for an oil change, a day later my car was set on fire...

All of this aggravation over $20??? Synthetic oil IS expensive. 60 bux is a great bargain.
I'm sure the $40 charge was for regular oil. They've made a mistake.

The manager was an ass, he could of made a better effort in your communication with him, but this is Acura....and unfortunately very far from a luxury class company.

 

WOW thats very bad service....screw them!!!

 

It's incredible that you read that whole thing, and still said, all this over $20.

Re-read it, I could care less about the $20. and honestly, I don't care if I drive a Bentley, or a Kia, what he did was uncalled for.

 

What did you ask for on the oil change-??? did you sign a work order stating SYNTHETIC oil- those are usually 60 bucks or more
If they used a computer to make the estimate invoice- it should put the correct price. if it was hand written and first you said Oil Change and thats what was written, then said Soh- use synthetic--- the service writer may not have picked up in their head of the need to change the price and have you sign for the corrected price.
While synth does cost more- in bulk purchase its not that much per quart- retail is only 6 bucks a qt at the parts store for the leading brands
We need those details-
I worked in the industry and have insight as to how busy it can get or what can go wrong.

If you asked for an oil change- and they used synthetic- thats their problem - not yours
You only agreed to a normal oil at the normal price and thats what you pay.
Raising it 10 then another 10 is bizarre- but when you look at the number of people who handle an invoice- one sees its wrong- the next looks in the computer--- its a nightmare most days.

 

I absolutely understood what you've wrote..... The manager was 100% over the line, and he should take a few anger management classes....And do contact you and your mother in law with an apology.

But if I would call a dealership for an oil change, and I was quoted $40 for a synthetic oil change, I would think they are pulling my leg as this is cheap. (My boy's shop I pay NET $50) Someone at the dealership gave you the wrong quote, and the manager was probably frustrated at the idiot who provided that quote, and it got carried over to you.

My only point was, it's not worth stressing over, our lives are stressful enough already...especially when such pricks as Perez walk the same earth as we do.
Misery is a disease, don't get caught in Perez stream.

 

I had received a coupon in my email for $24.99 regular oil change, when I asked about synthetic oil, the service writer told me she could do it for "30 something, about $40 with taxes"

If that's what you tell me, that's what i'm going to pay.

 

That is totally ridiculous on there part. I am suprised you held your composure so well. I would of flipped out on them. If they told you one price they should of kept with it regardless that is not good business, let alone good customer service. The manager just seems like someone who is probably not having a good day, and has something up his ass. His attitude towards you was totally unacceptable in my book, and for him to be a manager of that statue definately didn't handle the situation very well.

 

This is exactly why he is homeless. You govern your life, not vice-versa
Yesterday tells you how to live today and how to plan for tomorrow.

 

This is why I continue to buy 5Q of synthetic (mobil 1 or RP) at walmart for ~$22 and a penzoil or mobil 1 filter for ~$7 and have my friend change it, if not myself. I can't stand paying $40 for bulk oil, let alone $60+ for synthetic at the stealerships.

 

I held my composure because I work in the customer service industry and I know when customers get crazy, nothing ever gets done.

I guess he just expected me to lay over and take it. I'm not putting up with that treatment.

 

True, but the ideology behind it is not to let let things in the past and possibly in the future affect your life or in a way of where you are that concerned about it. You can't control what happens in the past, and you definately have no call on what happens in the future. The moral is just not to let the past and future affect you in the way where all you do is think about it cause you have no control what happens in the past or future. just present.

 

Hey understandable, I work with people everyday so I k now how people get crazy. And that nothing gets done when that happens. Totally understandable.

 

if you had a coupon for special deal on regular oil- thats what the coupon is good for-
NOT, I want to upgrade and still use this discount
The service writer is new or not familair with coupons and upgrades

If you came to me with a reg oil coupon and asked for synthetic- I would say- ok but i cant take the coupon price for that,, you understand---thats a special offer to get new customers n the shop (so they can look for other repairs to make money on)
so it will be 60 dollars for the synthetic oil

the manager got to hear about another mistake made by the staffer, and now a customer is complaining about the price. --without knowing the full story from your side.

Here is the actual LAW. You get an estimate copy of the invoice that has an estimate price and your signature. If the dealer finds addittional work needs to be done, they call you for approval , have to write down the time-date- who spoke with and new total - not including any sales tax- and when you go to pick up the car- you must sign for the revised price, confirming your approval of those repairs and that price- so all the paperwork is good for the state licensing board that regulates shops.

If you were not contacted PRIOR to work being done, then all they can legally charge you is what it says on the original estimate
You are supposed to sign and get a copy of that estimate before handing over the keys to your car. Failure for them to provide that is a serious issue.

If you dropped the car off and said " it has a brake noise"- they write a 1 hour estimate of 100$, that allows them time to find out by removing parts- exactly what is needed on your car. Then they call and say- needs front pads and resurface the rotors- that will be 450 dollars --600 on manual trans cars with Brembo brakes.
If you agree- its documented and the work proceeds
If you say no thanks- I will DIY or take to joe cheap shop down the road from you- then you can legally be charged the 1 hour diagnosis fee- they did spend time working on your car to find out what it needs- and now put it back together, knowing you are going somewhere else... so they lose the parts sale and the labor on the job
Dont expect them to like you very much after that!!!

I will add- there is age and sex discrimination in auto repair. A 50 year old manager sees a 22 year old as a punk kid whining about 20 bucks (doesnt matter what the real story is)
and not deserving of a TL in the first place.
Women get treated as stupid and that all things are past their understanding of cars in general
An insiders view of the situation

 

Jorge,

I think I know why I'm being passive to your issue. I live in NYC, every other character on the street is just like Perez.

Did you get a print out estimate invoice prior to the oil change? The manager or another associate is suppose to greet you, bring you to their office, and provide a work order, which you sign. The idea that the price was changing based on whoever was holding the invoice tells me that this dealership is highly disorganized.

I never understood bad customer service, it's manager's job to entice his clients to bring in friends and family members thus earning a higher revenue.

 

reading the post again-- I see that the coupon was 24.99 regular oil change, and the female service writer said ~I can do that in synthetic for 30, 40 with taxes.

You are going to sit there with a straight face and tell me and all of azine,,, that you thought that was a legit price- 6 dollars more for synthetic--- there was no thought in your head of
HAHAHAHAHAHA I am getting over on this girl !!!!
as evidenced by the statement "If that's what you tell me, that's what i'm going to pay."

and what state has 10 dollars tax on a 30 dollar job????- when labor is not a taxable item- only the oil and the filter and crush ring and shop supplies like cleaner or rags used in the job.

I am changing my opine on this thread
OP has no standing to complain about treatment, when trying to get over on the dealer.
As a former manager- your lucky all he did was get in your face a little bit in person,
Then you go to another person- your mother in law-(go cry to mommy?)
who doesnt think you can do any wrong
(you're married to her baby girl - how could you do anything wrong!)-
and she complains to the friend in the dealer- who now goes to the service manager saying WTF!!! --why am I being dragged into your departments BS!!!!

When you complained to acura, a mananger from Corp is supposed to call you back and resolve things. You had already been given the coupon price, so unless you state to acura that you want a written apology from the Manager, what exactly do you expect them to do?
Unless you tell them- they have no guess,...Sir can we offer you a free oil change and car wash?? as if you wouild ever want to go there again! or be welcome there.

 

You promise a price, you stick to it, simple as that.

Now if there were extenuating circumstances (say, the service writer wrote or read the order wrong), and they explain WHY there was a change, that might be an exception.

But given what we know, I'm with the OP on this one: Tell me the price, then stick to it and be professional.

 

not justifying manager's actions, but maybe he just had a bad day?

It doesn't excuse him for acting that way, though. I just know that when I get mad I;m just sort of mad at everything.

 

You never called up a place to ask how much something is and once arriving at the location the price was a little off? I'm certain that the lady who answered his phone call about the oil change understands just as much about the process and cost as a girl working in a shoe store.

Oral estimate is nothing but hot air. Yes they should stick to it, but it's he says, she says. If it's not on paper, it physically does not exist.

 

I don't understand why you guys are going through so much trouble to "prove" that OP was in the wrong regarding the price when that is clearly not the issue. He simply wanted an explanation, a reasonable request given the chain of events that preceded, and got treated very poorly as a result. A reasonable course of action followed on the part of his mother-in-law and for that, she too received unacceptable treatment at the hands of the same individual. Following this the OP again took the correct course of action in contacting Acura Customer Service. At no point did he do anything that was not a reasonable response to the situation before him, yet he's being tacitly attacked as if he is the one in the wrong here.

I'm sorry, part of the service managers job involves interacting with customers. He has repeatedly demonstrated he is incapable of this aspect of his responsibilities. It has cost his employer business. Obviously it's his employers call but if it were me he'd have his ass busted back down to a regular tech where he doesn't have responsibilities that are beyond his capabilities. If there was a history of such behavior his ass would be out the door.

Jorge, you've done right by all I can see. I hope the guy get what's coming to him.

 

Wow, I can't believe you think this way. Your just like this asshole at the dealership. "your lucky that all he did was get in yout face a little bit" ARE YOU SERIOUS?! You would let someone talk to you like that!? get the fuck out of here dude. I don't care what I was quoted! I was told $40 dollars and it jumped over and over again.

It's incredible that your taking the dealerships side over this. I guess that's why your an "former manager"

and I didn't go "cry to mommy" her being a new Acura customer should know the dealership she is going to be dealing with. And she personally knows the CFO of the company. I'm sure he'd like to know that this prick is driving customers away.

 

I worked many years for Lexus and know exactly what your talking about. I even tried to explain to him. The price was changed without my consent, I was not told the price was going to jump until AFTER the car was done.

 

Your absolutly correct.

Why didn't the service writer call me BEFORE the service was done to tell me it was going to be higher then what she quoted me?

 

I just read this again, who are you, or him as a matter of fact to call me a "punk kid" or to say that I don't deserve my TL? I guess if that's what he thought of me, then he's got another thing coming.

Just so you guys know, I posted this up on a local board, and I've heard some horror stories about this character (Frank Perez) so it's not only me that feels this way about him. (even former employees of the company)

 

That guy knows nothing about customer service so don't let him get you down. I don't care if the misunderstanding was over $5... the service department is a SERVICE department and SERVICE managers should give good SERVICE.

This is not your fault Jorge... someone made a bad hiring decision... I don't care if the manager was having a bad day, I don't care if he just found out his mother died. Having worked in customer service myself, I know that you compose yourself. If you are having a bad day, you let someone else deal with the customers, if your mother just died (hypothetically) you go home and don't deal with customers.

Its time for this guy to be FIRED! He can't run a SERVICE department AND give shitty SERVICE or the dealership won't survive him.

He needs to go back to being an assistant manager so he can learn how to treat people. Forget the $20 bucks... part of the reason we buy a luxury car is for the SERVICE you get when you need to bring it in.

Anyone who would take the dealerships side on this is charging at walls... and they have definitely never been a good service manager.

 

I walk in with the TL and they discriminate because I look 20. Treat me like I am an idiot. They have no idea that I have corrected their errors almost every time I take it in. Then they see me come to pick it up wearing scrubs and the tone changes, but still think I am a car idiot, because "Medical guys don't know cars." Then I correct their mistake, demand them to bring the computer diagnostic machine out, and show them the very fault codes that "the tech couldn't reproduce" and ask them why they are not diagnosing my car. Needless to say, They then get it fixed but hate me now for three reasons.

I have a history in that industry and it pisses me off every time, because warranty work doesn't pay, and they are too lazy and have no pride in their work and therefore don't care about diagnosing a problem (especially warranty), they just want to get on to the next car and flag some hours.

However, you need to be sure that you don't expect gifts but only what is fair. A deal is a deal, but understand mistakes. You should not have been treated ill, but that is only the second half of the story. Fair treatment with no discrimination. I would like more of it
Good luck

 

 

Sadly this kind of stuff happens alot on this forum.

D

 

No kidding.

 

I cam empathize with the OP and many others who has received bad service from a dealer but I have always had great experiences with the service department. Maybe I'm the exception, maybe I'm not- but your statement is not necessarily universal to the company in general.

 

Ok, So I know the GM read my email...lets see what happens now...

 

After reading this thread i don't feel that bad for calling Ac Cust Care and complaining about 4 visits to a dealer and still not having my problem resolved..

 

 

I dont understand your logic on how the OP is trying to pull a fast one on the dealer. The lady, who works at the dealership and should know what the hell is going on in her own shop, qouted him a price. Whether it was correct or not, who is he to make a judgment call on that. "hey Lady, are you sure!?!?!" Now, one might think you are questioning her competence. So, who would do this? I certainly wouldnt.
Maybe they were running a side by side unadvertised special as well. Its happened to me with a local toyota dealership and a not so local Acura dealership. He asked, she answered.
And not only one, but two price corrections were made. First one, Okay fine. OP understands. But when it jumps again, why not ask for the manager? Because it just may jump a third time. If i was in his shoes, i would have done the same thing; asked to speak to the manager to stop the horse from running away too far from the track.
Its not his responsibility to know the pricing. Yea, it can be off, but how is he to know that they arent running unadvertised specials or trying to keep customers coming and happy? Its the department personnel's repsonsiblity to qoute correct prices.
And the issue is not the price, but the abusive nature of the manager. No one should ever be treated as he and his mother in law were.

The last part is just pure ignorance. I too am in a business of dealing with customers as well as being a customer many times (consulting engineer). And we DONT ask the customer, "hey, wat do you want me to do, duhhhhhhh" Thats retarded. If a mistake was made on our part, we fess up to it, honor our word, go above and beyond, and attempt to make more than good. Its called customer service...better yet....customer relationships. But who really gives a crap about the customer nowadays....

 

Hey guys,

Some of you are missing the point...a rate quote over phone or a face-to-face communication does not solidify the number. Maybe I'm too business oriented, but before I see a written proposal (email,fax,letter), I do not enter a binding agreement.

The coupon was for a reg. oil change.... The coupon itself had nothing about you may substitute for synthetic at an additional cost. The OP should of been properly and nicely explained this, since you are requesting the synthetic oil change, the coupon you are presenting does not apply. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

Both parties at fault, the girl who should only work at a lemonade stand in front of her house, and the OP who didn't raise the concern (to himself) that something is not right with the $40 price. The girl did say it might be a few bux more with tax. What is few bux? she said 30, than 40...in other words, she had no clue.

I still cannot understand from the OP if he had the work order when he submitted the car for an oil chance. This dealership messed up on the price, haven't alerted the OP, and rendered service to the vehicle. The OP goes to pay, and notices that the price is higher than what is expected. He inquires the manager for the reason. The manager with a cactus up his ass loses self control, and takes out his anger on the OP (it should of stayed there, a 3rd party should not have been involved, mother-in-law), while the manager should of been going to the girl who promised the price, and MANAGE her (as he is the manager) with a simple deduction from her pay for the difference in services. This is how narrow minded employees learn. This is my practice, and it works beautifully.

Before my truckers use to bring me 3-5 parking tickets a week...I've employed the policy if it's your fault you are paying for it, now the number of ticket has reduced to 1-2 a month.

To the OP, what exactly do you expect out this resolve? An apology? A free oil change? What would you think it's fair to put a smile on your face?

 

sadly, if you're young a lot of dealerships will treat you like shit. haha their loss.

 

I've had a great experience with BMW and Infiniti. When you bring the car for service they are very nice to you, they take all of your contact info, offer to pay for the shuttle bus or even give you a loaner....mind you I only went there for oil changes.

The managers and staffers are very courteous. I remember even with Infiniti I went for an oil change, and it was taken much longer than promised and I was late for work, the manager apologized, gave me a coupon for free oil change for next visit, and took my car for a detailing wash at an adjacent hands-free premium car wash.

I basically didn't feel like I was a straphanger waiting to hear good news.

Now with Acura, I remember coming at 6am to the service depot just get serviced sooner (with an appointment made), and my car would be released in the late afternoon time, to fix a roof rattle, they put a 3M tape around it..that took the whole day.....mind you, I've seen techs just running around playing and laughing. The manager could of cared less. I was a paying customer, no warranty work. I even had to replace an ECU/PCM and fuel controller all out of my pocket once, and I felt like they were doing me a favor the whole time.

When you spend your hard earn money it should feel great, you should have a smile on your face and not a puzzled hazed look like you've just been had and without lube, lol.

 

Completely agree. Phone qoutes dont mean anything, lol. But from my one experience with toyota, they were coincidently running a special on a tranny fluid replacement that involved a single flush and fill, and i got a flyer at home. I walk in and told them i needed a complete flush, and they advertised a price of something like 120 on their price board (it was their regular pricing). He said to me, "ehh, Ill give it to you for 90 since we are running a special on the single drain." Probably the main reason he did this was to get more future business out of me? and/or the month before, i remember, they had some sort of "Wildcard Service Coupon" where if you purchase X dollars amount of service, you receive Y dollars off. This was in person, and he offered it, lol, i didnt even ask for it. But more importnatly, as you said, it was solidfied in writing. So all was good. The point im trying to make, sometimes dealerships may bend the pricing rules just to satisfy a customer, and how was the OP to know this was not happening to him. The way OP tells it, he says the lady said, "I could do it for you for 30, 40 with taxes" meaning, hell, if you come in and give me the business, Ill cut you a break this one time. Thats how i would take it as.

Op has said, money is not the issue, its the manager's attitude. And as it should be. But, in his defense, why not ask for the manager when the price jumps around? and bring up the concern of inconsistent pricing? I dont think he was asking for a break in price by doing this,but simply making the manager aware of the competence of his staff, or lack thereof.

 

Actually the coupon states "*Synthetic oil extra"

and once again, it does not matter about the money. If the manager would have walked in and said, "hey, i'm sorry, she screwed up and the price is actually $60, I'm very sorry." I would have paid it gladly, and just would have never taken my car in there again. Very simple.

I hope to get this asshole in as much trouble as I can. I do not deserver to be treated like that for any reason, their is NO excuse for that. I don't want anything free, I don't want anything from that dealership, I will NEVER take my car to that shop ever again. They can give me free oil changes for the rest of my life, and I still wouldn't take it.

Like I said before, I posted this on a local forum, and a lot of people have told me how much they dislike this guy. Even current, and past employees have told me how rude he is to customers.

I'm not just going to roll over and take his bullshit.

 

^^^

Try to send a link of the local forum to the GM. Also kindly include in the note to GM that you've also posted on the largest ACURA view forum (azine), where people read before committing to a specific dealership. One horror story it's all it takes to discourage many potential clients.

When you talk to GM, talk money.