Asking for a courtesy vehicle from the dealership

[bluecheese]

Maybe "asking" isn't the proper term. More like "demanding" I guess.

Am I being the a-hole here?

Too Long Didn't Read Version: Truck was sold to me as "Certified Pre-Owned" but had aftermarket performance parts on it that have been causing me problems.

Long story:

In 2021 I bought a Certified Preowned 2017 Ram 1500 Sport.

The day after I brought it home, the battery died. I checked the battery, and it was the original oem battery that was sold with the vehicle. I called my salesman to see what he could do for me, he checked with the service department, and they said "sorry, we can't help you. This is a wear and tear issue." After blasting them on Google reviews and Facebook reviews, the salesman called me a few days later and said "look, can you take those reviews down? We'll reimburse you for the new battery." I agreed to do so as soon as the check cleared. I also checked the cabin air filter, and it was so full of dust it looked like a pillow.

A year later, I started getting the Hemi Tick. I brought it to a dealership - not the one I bought it from - and they informed me that the truck had aftermarket headers on it. Because of that, they refused to service the truck, and suggested I get in touch with the dealership where I purchased it.

I contact them, and explain all that's going on. They agreed that this is their issue. The dealership replaced the aftermarket headers with stock exhaust manifolds. I was given a courtesy vehicle for this.

Not too long after that, the truck's suspension was making rattling noises. It was getting so bad, I could feel the rattle through the pedals and steering wheel.

My thinking was that after installing the manifolds, they didn't tighten everything when reassembling the truck.

I contact the dealership again, and make an appointment.

I show up on the day of the appointment, wait in the line in the drive through, and I'm told to pull to the side and wait. After 15 minutes or so, I'm told that they were overbooked for the day, and that they set up a new appointment for me the next week.

I'm a little aggravated by this, but I understand that stuff happens.

The next week, they were able to fix the issue. The service order said "Installed 4318031AC Adhesive lock and seal. Found sway bar bushing, sway bar links, upper control arms, steering drive shaft loose. Tightened up all hardware related to suspension and steering."

So it was all good.

Fast forward to a few months ago, and the truck is starting to rattle again.
Also, there's a clicking noise in the steering wheel - similar to the clicking noise a steering wheel makes when turning with the turn signal on.
The exhaust has been making a chirping noise that's been getting progressively worse. (I recently discovered that the truck has aftermarket exhaust)

I've been super busy, so I haven't had the time to really deal with the dealership. Last month I called them to make an appointment. They can't see me until the 28th of September.

When I talked to the scheduling lady, I asked about getting a courtesy vehicle. I'm a busy person, and I'm often called to job sites at a moment's notice. I don't have anyone I can borrow a vehicle from.

She seemed very non-committal about them lending me a courtesy. "Oh i don't know. You know you have to have this type of insurance, and it has to be so-and-so type of situation." She then suggested that I rent a car and they may reimburse me.

So my next step is to call and talk to a manager.

Sorry about the long winded story. Basically, all the issues I've had with this truck stem from the fact that they sold me a Certified Pre-Owned with all kinds of aftermarket parts on it.
The fact that the battery was bad, the cabin air filter was filthy, the truck had aftermarket header on it, and I just discovered that it has aftermarket mufflers on it... it all means that they didn't certify a thing on this vehicle. Add to that the fact that I've had this truck for less than 2 years, and it has been to the service department 5 times dealing with these issues.

So, my question is, am I right to demand a courtesy vehicle from them? Any suggestions on how to go about it?

 

[chopperman1]

Do you have a MaxCare warranty? It covers rentals, even 1st day. If not, they have no obligation to supply you with a rental vehicle.

 

[mtnrider]

They are Not obligated to give you a loaner.....

.

 

[crazykid1994]

Certifying the vehicle just means they inspected it and it passed. Aftermarket short headers are not a problem and in most cases are installed due to broken manifold bolts. Aftermarket exhaust is not in my opinion an issue either. Honestly sounds like you should have done a better job looking at the vehicle before buying it. Pop the hood. Look underneath. Start it up and drive it. You can hear the difference if the exhaust was changed. We have bought 4 different used vehicles Between my wife and I. I’ve gotten on my hands and knees and inspected each one. Popped the hood and checked. There have been numerous vehicles we did not even take a second look at after seeing under the hood due to how they looked. Wife’s last Toyota was certified and had a 5 year 50,000 mile warranty and looked amazing. Had 23,000 miles on it sitting on the lot. We had checked out 3 or 4 cars before that one that I walked away from.

 

[LeeD]

I would talk to the general manager or owner and tell him/her you want a loaner.

 

[Travelin Ram]

Scenarios:

1- you have a contract with them, or with a third party warranty company including provisions for a loaner.

2- you have no written contract and depend on goodwill from the seller.

Which is it?

 

[bluecheese]

Obviously its up to them if they want to loan me a courtesy vehicle. I understand that.

Maybe my question wasn't clear. I'm asking how hard should I push on them for it. If these issues weren't caused directly by them, I wouldn't be pushing for a loaner.

 

[mtnrider]

The issue usually is they just don't have enough to go around. My wife's jeep just spent a week and a half at the dealer for warranty repair and we did not get a loaner. Service writer tried but they simply didn't have enough to go around. They usually only have a couple at most. Have to remember that comes out of their pocket and times are tough right now all the way around.

 

[nlambert182]

Obviously its up to them if they want to loan me a courtesy vehicle. I understand that.

Maybe my question wasn't clear. I'm asking how hard should I push on them for it. If these issues weren't caused directly by them, I wouldn't be pushing for a loaner.

The short answer... You shouldn't.

It's a used truck. Batteries may test good today and be bad tomorrow. If you bought it with a warranty, then maybe (depending upon what the warranty calls for) but if you bought it as-is with no warranty you are on your own.

The issues were not caused by the dealership.

Cabin air filters are a 5 minute replacement. First thing I do when I buy a vehicle.
Batteries go bad.
Suspensions wear out over time. Assuming you put some miles on it in the year that you owned it since buying from the dealer. You mentioned having to go to a job site at a moments notice. That could mean rough roads, terrain, etc... that wears on a suspension.

It looks like they did the header work for you, so be thankful. They probably weren't liable for them depending on the paperwork you signed. An aftermarket exhaust hardly qualifies as "all kinds of aftermarket parts". They don't cause all of the issues you've mentioned above (except for maybe the header tick).


At the end of the day if your first response to them not reacting quickly enough was to blast them on Google reviews, they're not going to be inclined to help you. You immediately come across to them as a trouble customer. Sometimes it's better to let someone take their business elsewhere.

Not trying to be rude.. just honest. That's the assumptions I'm making from reading your post and having worked for a dealership in the past.

 

[Sillygoose]

sounds like you're the problem

 

[bluecheese]

The short answer... You shouldn't.

It's a used truck. Batteries may test good today and be bad tomorrow. If you bought it with a warranty, then maybe (depending upon what the warranty calls for) but if you bought it as-is with no warranty you are on your own.

The issues were not caused by the dealership.

Cabin air filters are a 5 minute replacement. First thing I do when I buy a vehicle.
Batteries go bad.
Suspensions wear out over time. Assuming you put some miles on it in the year that you owned it since buying from the dealer.

It looks like they did the header work for you, so be thankful. They probably weren't liable for them depending on the paperwork you signed.


At the end of the day if your first response to them not reacting quickly enough was to blast them on Google reviews, they're not going to be inclined to help you. You immediately come across to them as a trouble customer. Sometimes it's better to let someone take their business elsewhere.

Not trying to be rude.. just honest. That's the assumptions I'm making from reading your post and having worked for a dealership in the past.

Friend,

I gave them a bad review on Google not because they didn't "act quickly enough," but because they flat out refused to reimburse me for the battery that died the day after it was sold to me. I removed the bad review after they agreed to reimburse me.

The cabin air filter being dirty is just further proof that they did not inspect this vehicle. Replacing isn't the issue. The issue is that its a sign that a proper inspection of what they advertised as a Certified Pre-Owned wasn't done.

Per Ram's own statement on their Certified vehicles:

"All Ram Brand certified pre-owned trucks and vans go through a detailed 169-point inspection by trained Ram Brand technicians—covering all aspects of the vehicle, inside and out, from the wheels and undercarriage to the engine, steering, paint condition and more. They’re then reconditioned using authentic Ram Brand parts, to make sure they function just as beautifully as they look."

It is quite obvious that none of this was done.

We pay extra for certified vehicles. There are aftermarket parts on this supposedly inspected and certified truck that failed. So it is your stance that I should be grateful that they didn't do their job to begin with?

And yes, the suspension issues were directly caused by them when they replaced the headers (which never should have been on the truck in the first place). They told me that it was. Did you not read the service order I posted earlier?

I think because you once worked at a dealership, you feel some need to defend them.

 

[bluecheese]

sounds like you're the problem

Explain.

 

[runamuck]

"certified" is usually a gimmick to make you pay for some shop time to keep their shop going. I have only bought used a few times but have refused to pay anything for "certified". they always say "well it has already been done" so I get em to cut the price some more. a current scam they have is 3 year exterior coating for 1000-1200$. like in 3 years I would ever spend that much money on wax and polish.

 

[nlambert182]

Friend,

I gave them a bad review on Google not because they didn't "act quickly enough," but because they flat out refused to reimburse me for the battery that died the day after it was sold to me. I removed the bad review after they agreed to reimburse me.

The cabin air filter being dirty is just further proof that they did not inspect this vehicle. Replacing isn't the issue. The issue is that its a sign that a proper inspection of what they advertised as a Certified Pre-Owned wasn't done.

Per Ram's own statement on their Certified vehicles:

"All Ram Brand certified pre-owned trucks and vans go through a detailed 169-point inspection by trained Ram Brand technicians—covering all aspects of the vehicle, inside and out, from the wheels and undercarriage to the engine, steering, paint condition and more. They’re then reconditioned using authentic Ram Brand parts, to make sure they function just as beautifully as they look."

It is quite obvious that none of this was done.

We pay extra for certified vehicles. There are aftermarket parts on this supposedly inspected and certified truck that failed. So it is your stance that I should be grateful that they didn't do their job to begin with?

And yes, the suspension issues were directly caused by them when they replaced the headers (which never should have been on the truck in the first place). They told me that it was. Did you not read the service order I posted earlier?

I think because you once worked at a dealership, you feel some need to defend them.

I don't defend anyone from a dealership, and I've had my share of bad ones.

Does the 169 point inspection specifically say that they're going to replace a cabin air filter? Those inspections are essentially safety inspections and general maintenance such as lube, brakes, tires, etc.. If something falls within spec, they leave it alone. If it's not on the list it doesn't get checked. I've NEVER seen ANY dealership replace a cabin air filter as part of their inspection. I've probably owned 50-60 vehicles of EVERY brand. Never happened once. Heck, it wasn't that long ago that Rams didn't even come with cabin filters.

The inspection does not require them to replace aftermarket exhaust components with factory components if it is functioning properly at the time. That is NOT a requirement to certify a vehicle. I'm sorry if you believe that it is, but maybe call the dealership and ask them. IF they have to replace a part, they replace it with a factory Ram part.

If the battery died the day after, why would you expect them to replace it? If they did, it would be as a courtesy but it is not a requirement. Again, if it tested good during the inspection and then sat on a lot for a period of time it happens. I would hardly blame that on a dealer.

How would suspension issues be caused by the dealer when they replaced the headers? (There's no service order posted that I can see) IF they inspected, found worn/loose components and adjusted them then yes.. you should be thankful.

Again... you said you purchased it a year prior to having this work done. If it's not under warranty, then they are under no requirement to help you.

You haven't answered a couple of basic questions:

1) Did the CPO truck come with a warranty? If yes, what specifically does that warranty cover? (BTW... Maxcare DOES allow for rental car reimbursement)
2) How many miles have you driven it between the time you bought it and the time you took it in for the suspension work?


I'm all for shotgun blasting a dealer who has done a shoddy job and just won't help but it really does look like the dealership did try to help. Don't take offense to what I am saying. I am just looking at what's been said and trying to look at this from both sides. We need more information.

How many miles were on the truck when you bought it?

 

[Travelin Ram]

Let’s see the CPO inspection form for this truck.

 

[BenWade]

Just some friendly advice for your next used truck.... check the oil, filters, under the hood etc. It is frustrating to hear you bought a truck, specifically a Hemi, without knowing the manifolds had been replaced with headers and after market exhaust?? Did you even test drive the truck?

 

[GTyankee]

Dodge Dealerships use to give you a 3 Day Coupon for a Rental Car. Its value was $28 a day for an Economy car

In January 2009, i bought a new Ram

It broke down, because during a routine Oil change, they did not inspect the fluid level of the rear differential & they had to rebuild the rear end, It is a longish story, but 100% their mistakes.

Because i had a truck, they would not give me a coupon & Enterprise refused to accept a car coupon for a truck.

I raised such a fuss, that one of the Enterprise Employees, drove out to their Ranch & brought in an old green Ford pickup.
They bed still had Straw in it, they did not blow the Cab out
They wrote it up as a Enterprise Vehicle & wrote down all the damage & took pix.

I made run to Home Depot & picked up lumber & plywood.
Unloaded it, opened the hood because it was running a bit hot. It turns out the radiator core was full of Hay & Bees.

When i returned the rental truck, i warned them, that they needed to blow out the radiator

 

[nlambert182]

This is not the all encompassing checklist since they've upped from the 125 to 169 point inspection, but this does encompass all of your complaints.

As a side note - you can get a CPO vehicle that has been in an accident before. The only requirement for a truck that has been in an accident to qualify for CPO is that the truck has a carfax report with it and that IF there were any accidents they were repaired back to the OEM specs. Did you know that?

OP - I've highlighted a couple of key points for you.

Aftermarket parts:
Qualification standards #5: Aftermarket accessories do not compromise safety, emissions or operation of vehicle.
Maintenance standards #83: Identify non-Mopar, accessories in Additional Information box. - Identify, not replace.

Cabin air filter - This is why it isn't replaced. If there were no smells they aren't going to replace it.
Detail standards #125: Free of odors/moisture and water leaks.

Battery - Like I said before, if it tested good during the inspection... it was checked off as good.
Maintenance Standards #15: Battery condition/load test

 

[nlambert182]

I'll one up that checklist in regards to the cabin filter. Here are the snippets from Ford/Lincoln, GM/Chevy, Toyota, and Nissan.

 

[jejb]

The issue usually is they just don't have enough to go around. My wife's jeep just spent a week and a half at the dealer for warranty repair and we did not get a loaner. Service writer tried but they simply didn't have enough to go around. They usually only have a couple at most. Have to remember that comes out of their pocket and times are tough right now all the way around.

This. My wife raised Holy Hell about getting a loaner when they kept her 21 Pacifica for several days, 3 times, trying to diagnose an issue. Didn't ever get one. Lack of supply, lots of demand equals luck of the draw.