Last dealership maintenance visit EVER

[smurfs_of_war]

Thanks for letting me blow my stack for a bit guys. here's the update:

8:00AM, showed up and waited until 9:15AM. Apparently being on time for them is an open ended thing.
All oil drained, filter replaced, new oil added- showed me the containers.
They have agreed (after I showed them the mess inside and underneath) to detail it inside and out this weekend.

A mutual agreement was reached. I will bring my truck to them for some of the larger items (plugs etc) even though I can do them myself so at least they have some record for warranty AS LONG AS I GET THE TECH THAT HAS DONE MY OTHER WORK FOR ME. General maintenance, fluids, filters, things like that- it will never go there again. My lifetime engine warranty will be voided, but I think it's a money grab anyway.

Left satisfied. Not happy but satisfied. The dealer manager and service manager were both in on the conversation. This has happened too many times, and I am over it.

 

[14hemiexpress]

Atleast they did something.

 

[w6pea]

I dunno about Canada, so I'll give you the US answer.

No, they can't.

There's this law down here called the Magnusson-Moss Act that means neither dealers nor manufacturers can just arbitrarily declare "if you do (x), it'll void your warranty".

They may choose not to cover certain items related to things you did to the truck (like driveline breakage if you lifted it improperly), but they have to prove that it was your "nonstandard" maintenance or modification that caused the failure.

Here's the rub, though: if they're the type of dealer who tries this regularly, likely they'll do the full-court press on you and make you beat them in court. Most manufacturers (including Chrysler/Ram, most likely) are too smart to pull that crap unless they're absolutely sure they'll win. So usually, if you get a corporate type involved (not the hotline, find a way to contact a district or higher executive directly), they'll override the dealership and may even smack them down for being stupid.

Note that on an extended warranty, like the "Lifetime" thing, this may not apply. If it says specifically that you have to use the dealer for all maintenance IN THAT CONTRACT, then you likely have to, or you just wasted all that money. However, the original vehicle warranty can't just be wished away by them, no matter how hard they insist that it can.

Note again, this is for the US, not Canada, so I don't know if it's the same.

Also, I am not a lawyer, and do not play one on TV. Just had to go toe-to-toe with a dealer a few times, back in my Ford days.

I was looking at a Truck in Tucson AZ. The dealer gives the Lifetime Warranty on all of the Ram Trucks they sell, (including the Trucks with the Cummins Diesel) They told me as long as the truck was serviced at a Dealer or a Lic. Mechanic that was certified and I got a receipt, that showed it was serviced as recommended under the warranty it would stand. I asked so if I take it to Jiffy Lube, or even Sears or Wal Mart and used all the recommended or products that were equal to OEM the Truck is still under Warranty. So I would say they can't screw you if you do not take it to them to work on the Truck.

 

[SlowRoller]

Sad situation. Glad you came to a compromise.

In almost all cases,,, Anything that involves 'regular' maintenance performed by the Dealer as a requirement of a Warranty is a money-grab. My Wife and I avoid these situations as the ROI is never in your favor IF everything goes as planned. When you run into the experience you had, it's a nightmare.

Hope that the heartache is over....

 

[R/T_Fire]

Is this a separate warranty that the dealership is offering or a standard Ram warranty???

But smurfs_of_war, did you get any of that in writing? Ive seen alot of verbal agreements given at dealerships and they didn't mean **** when push came to shove.... If you haven't got it in writing, I may suggest getting them to put it in the service notes or something...

I got burnt big time by ford from this type of BS... Never again..

 

[w6pea]

Thanks for letting me blow my stack for a bit guys. here's the update:

8:00AM, showed up and waited until 9:15AM. Apparently being on time for them is an open ended thing.
All oil drained, filter replaced, new oil added- showed me the containers.
They have agreed (after I showed them the mess inside and underneath) to detail it inside and out this weekend.

A mutual agreement was reached. I will bring my truck to them for some of the larger items (plugs etc) even though I can do them myself so at least they have some record for warranty AS LONG AS I GET THE TECH THAT HAS DONE MY OTHER WORK FOR ME. General maintenance, fluids, filters, things like that- it will never go there again. My lifetime engine warranty will be voided, but I think it's a money grab anyway.

Left satisfied. Not happy but satisfied. The dealer manager and service manager were both in on the conversation. This has happened too many times, and I am over it.

I think you just got screwed. My wife and I have a Dodge Ram Van we took in for service. I fought with Chrysler tooth and nail. We bought the van used. It had an extended warranty on it. Chrysler honored that. You need to go to your local government agencies file a claim against these guys. Contact Chrysler Ram headquarters about this.

DO Not Bend over and grab your ankles. You need to call Ram/Chrysler today, not tomorrow.
Good Luck

 

[clh1220]

Canada may have different laws, on a warranty related issue. Who knows.

 

[smurfs_of_war]

To clarify:

- Canada has nothing like the MM act. We get screwed.
- Lifetime Engine Warranty contract is black and white. Service at one of their 12 dealerships every 5000Km or it's void. Although I am going to call Ram Canada and see if it can be any licensed dealership.
- Dealership made good on it. Fixed the issue. Admitted the issue.
- compromise- yes. But I am on my way for our weekly game of floor hockey and a few beer with the dealer manager and others. More may come of it.
- I have numerous reasons not to go completely potatoe on these guys for right now

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

 

[clh1220]

I used to get free engines for life. I never even thought about it because I wasn't going to take it in every 3k miles for oil change and have all the other services

done to it. I Keep mine to 100 k or 5 years then there gone.

 

[emjohn4]

I usually don't come on here to vent, but that's what I am going to do.

I follow this ******** maintenance routine laid out by Chrysler for their "Lifetime Engine Warranty". So, oil change every 5000Kms at a dealer of that group. I use full synth, so I know it isn't necessary, but I do it since it doesn't hurt anything other than my wallet a bit.
Got my routine change done today. I hung around and dealt with a couple of items that I had to fix up with their switches anyways, and when it was done- service manager came and told me it was ready.
I provided my own oil. Always do. I do this to make sure I am getting the full synth every time. I am OCD about that.
Service manager says we will exchange work for work (better deal for them, but whatever) and he gives me a bill for $7.99 for "oil". No filter. WTF? He added a litre of conventional oil into the synthetic. I didn't even check it until after I got home. What I did see on the way home though- grubby oil hand prints all over the leather wrapped wheel, oil streaks on my center console, oil and dirt all over my seat. PISSED!
Called him up, he grilled the oil-monkey. Apparently I didn't provide "enough oil" because he accidentally spilled a container of it so he needed one out of their inventory. Also just "forgot to bill for the filter". What? Did it actually get changed? Also- the oil was apparently already there (on the steering wheel etc) and it wasn't his fault.
After the phone exchange- went out to the truck to see a puddle of oil under it. Looked at the undercarriage- what a ******* mess! I know these are a pain in the ass to change, but holy ****! Oil all over the steering, all over the cross member, all over the bottom of the oil pan, inside the wheels, filter was covered in it, now all over my freshly installed paving stones! All he had to do was wipe it clean quick. It's not rocket science.
Already a bit heated- I went to the truck to grab my laptop bag. Opened the door- ******* OIL ALL OVER THE REAR LEATHER TRIMMED SEAT! What the hell he was doing in the back seat- I have no idea. All I do know- I have to scrub the interior to get that **** out.

Long story short, I am beyond pissed. I called him back, told him I would be in at 8AM for the oil to be drained and replaced, filter installed, and bottle of leather cleaner/ conditioner to clean up the mess. Also, I'd be doing my own maintenance from now on since I am not wrench-handicapped. What do I get told? "You have to do all your maintenance at a Ram dealer or you void your warranty on everything."

So, now the dilemma. Can they actually void my 5/100k warranty if I do my own oil changes?

1.) No, they cannot.

2.) So what - let them. If they can't get an oil change right; they won't get a transmission replacement (or other large undertaking) correct under warranty, anyhow.