bhadreshl
08-15-2008, 04:30 PM
I have an 2004 Mazda3-GT with about 87k on it. I bought it about a month ago with 82k. I have MAP extended warranty til 2010 or 160k. I noticed that the rear rim's (esp rear left) had a considerible amount of brake dust on it.
After doing my research, I figured out that the calipers must be sticky/seized and parking brake cable needs adjustment. When I had the wheel up on the lift, I tried spinning the rear left and heard a lot of rubbing noise, compared to the fronts. This confirmed my suspicion and I also noticed that my front rotors had varying thickness (slightly warped). Also, that the rear pads were worn.
So I decided to order myself some Hawk HPS Pads (quality) and Magnum Rotors (cheap) and bought some synthetic lube for the caliper slider pins.
Yesterday I went into the dealership and reported on my problem and I asked if anything was covered under warranty. They claimed that the parking brake cable could be replaced, but they would have to do an inspection to find out what was wrong.
So this morning, I took my car there and left it, but before I left, I asked some key questions. For example: Will the inspection fee be waived if you are doing work. The lady working the service counter clearly said that if they perform the work, the service fee would be waived. Now I thought to myself that I might as well get the tires rotated and she specifically said there was "no charge" for that.
I went along with my day and I decided to pop in since I was passing by it. My car was in the garage and *only* one caliper was removed. I spoke to the manager at this time and he said there is a lot of work that needs to be done to my brakes. I would need the following done:
- Calipers Serviced (4)
- Rear Rotors replaced (2)
- Rear Pads replaced (2)
At this point, I'm thinking to myself how they did not see that my front rotors were warped, and somehow they knew that all 4 calipers had seized even tho they hadn't even removed them. So all they did in their inspection is remove my tires and ONLY look at the problem which I had clearly pointed out. When you are doing an inspection, you are supposed to look at the problem independently of what the owner tells you so it can be assesed correctly. They didn't even do that. I asked to speak with the mechanic who was working on my car and I got denied the request.
With parts and labour, it would cost a hell of a lot of money. Since I had the parts I was only concerned with labour at this point. So he (Dave, the manager) said that it would be over $350. I knew this was too much. So I asked for a breakdown.
- Calipers would be ~$200
- Rotors + Pads would be $150
I knew paying $150 for replacing rotors and pads was too much so I declined that and said I would take it to my mechanic, but told them to go ahead with the calipers.
We than sat down in his office and he said he could do the entire job for $250. We also had a discussion about doing all 4 rotors and pads. I was under the impression at this point that they would be replacing all rotors and pads for $250 since the only other thing they would have to do is get the rotor off.
At this point I get a call saying Mazda has approved my MAP request of replacing the parking brake cable. I was happy about that and than he told me that for $250, they could ONLY do the rear rotors and pads. I asked how hard it was to replace the rotor while they had everything disassembled anyways. I got an excuse of rotors taking more than half hour to remove do to them being stuck to the hub.
I told them I'ld call them back. My mechanic said he had time to work on the car today so I called Keiswetter back and told them to ONLY do the FREE (MAP covered) parking brake replacement since I got in a little argument with them and I wouldn't want a slightly aggravated dealership working on my car.
So I go to pickup my car the manager, Dave, tells me that the cost to pickup my car is $20. The fee is not waived since I decided not to perform the recommended servicing. The thing is, they performed a parking brake cable replacement which means they did perform some servicing, so that fee should be waived.
I tried to tell him that the lady assured me that there would be no cost. I looked at her for confirmation and Dave said that I was dealing with him and she was not a part of this.
First of all this is completely unprofessional because I was going by her word, and when there is a "dictator" in town.
After I told him that a service *WAS* indeed performed, he tried to bring up the fact that I got the tires rotated, so I had to pay a fee for that. When I looked at the lady AGAIN for confirmation, she just smirked and did not even bother defending me. He basically realized that the tire rotation argument was futile and just walked away, after I tried to refute it.
I tried arguing again and than I was basically given an ultimatum, pay or leave, because he left and was walking away from me.
At this point I paid the $19.99 + tax and made sure to get his car and walked out of there. Mazda will definately hear about this.
After doing my research, I figured out that the calipers must be sticky/seized and parking brake cable needs adjustment. When I had the wheel up on the lift, I tried spinning the rear left and heard a lot of rubbing noise, compared to the fronts. This confirmed my suspicion and I also noticed that my front rotors had varying thickness (slightly warped). Also, that the rear pads were worn.
So I decided to order myself some Hawk HPS Pads (quality) and Magnum Rotors (cheap) and bought some synthetic lube for the caliper slider pins.
Yesterday I went into the dealership and reported on my problem and I asked if anything was covered under warranty. They claimed that the parking brake cable could be replaced, but they would have to do an inspection to find out what was wrong.
So this morning, I took my car there and left it, but before I left, I asked some key questions. For example: Will the inspection fee be waived if you are doing work. The lady working the service counter clearly said that if they perform the work, the service fee would be waived. Now I thought to myself that I might as well get the tires rotated and she specifically said there was "no charge" for that.
I went along with my day and I decided to pop in since I was passing by it. My car was in the garage and *only* one caliper was removed. I spoke to the manager at this time and he said there is a lot of work that needs to be done to my brakes. I would need the following done:
- Calipers Serviced (4)
- Rear Rotors replaced (2)
- Rear Pads replaced (2)
At this point, I'm thinking to myself how they did not see that my front rotors were warped, and somehow they knew that all 4 calipers had seized even tho they hadn't even removed them. So all they did in their inspection is remove my tires and ONLY look at the problem which I had clearly pointed out. When you are doing an inspection, you are supposed to look at the problem independently of what the owner tells you so it can be assesed correctly. They didn't even do that. I asked to speak with the mechanic who was working on my car and I got denied the request.
With parts and labour, it would cost a hell of a lot of money. Since I had the parts I was only concerned with labour at this point. So he (Dave, the manager) said that it would be over $350. I knew this was too much. So I asked for a breakdown.
- Calipers would be ~$200
- Rotors + Pads would be $150
I knew paying $150 for replacing rotors and pads was too much so I declined that and said I would take it to my mechanic, but told them to go ahead with the calipers.
We than sat down in his office and he said he could do the entire job for $250. We also had a discussion about doing all 4 rotors and pads. I was under the impression at this point that they would be replacing all rotors and pads for $250 since the only other thing they would have to do is get the rotor off.
At this point I get a call saying Mazda has approved my MAP request of replacing the parking brake cable. I was happy about that and than he told me that for $250, they could ONLY do the rear rotors and pads. I asked how hard it was to replace the rotor while they had everything disassembled anyways. I got an excuse of rotors taking more than half hour to remove do to them being stuck to the hub.
I told them I'ld call them back. My mechanic said he had time to work on the car today so I called Keiswetter back and told them to ONLY do the FREE (MAP covered) parking brake replacement since I got in a little argument with them and I wouldn't want a slightly aggravated dealership working on my car.
So I go to pickup my car the manager, Dave, tells me that the cost to pickup my car is $20. The fee is not waived since I decided not to perform the recommended servicing. The thing is, they performed a parking brake cable replacement which means they did perform some servicing, so that fee should be waived.
I tried to tell him that the lady assured me that there would be no cost. I looked at her for confirmation and Dave said that I was dealing with him and she was not a part of this.
First of all this is completely unprofessional because I was going by her word, and when there is a "dictator" in town.
After I told him that a service *WAS* indeed performed, he tried to bring up the fact that I got the tires rotated, so I had to pay a fee for that. When I looked at the lady AGAIN for confirmation, she just smirked and did not even bother defending me. He basically realized that the tire rotation argument was futile and just walked away, after I tried to refute it.
I tried arguing again and than I was basically given an ultimatum, pay or leave, because he left and was walking away from me.
At this point I paid the $19.99 + tax and made sure to get his car and walked out of there. Mazda will definately hear about this.