Bend Over Mazda.....

[FuNwaGoN]

(upbum) (upbum) (upbum)

Well that's it. I Just went to lunch and my car cut off on me. Was backing out of a space and onto a road w/oncoming traffic and my damn car cut off. I restarted it and drove back to my office. Everytime I cam to a stop or held the clutch in too long between shifts the car would almost die on me. This is all related to my last post "STRANGE IDLE...POSSIBLE CLICKING SOUND RELATED"

Well as soon as I got back from lunch I called the dealership and they told me to bring it in the morning. Do I get a loaner NO... so now I have to get somebody to come and pick me up and take me to work and then I have to get someone to come and pick me up from work tomorrow. I may say screw them and just drop it off tonight and drive my Lightning tomorrow. I was thinking of just telling them to keep the damn thing there until it is fixed for sure this time.

Oh for anyone that has been playing the home game... This will be my 4th visit to the dealer for the same problem!!!!! According to NC STATE lemon law and according to Mazda I have met the required # of times for them to try and fix the problem. I just drafted up my letter and will be sending it in to Mazda Corporate notifying them that I am invoking the lemon law on my car. Our warranties states that we have to give mazda one final attempt to fix the car after notifying them but then if a resolution is not made I am getting a refund$$$$$$$

Sorry to desert you guys but I have had it with Mazda. they say that first impressions are the most important and I can say without any doubt that after the way I have been treated I don't think I will ever buy another mazda again. Only 10% of that feeling is about the car and 90% is about the service and dealership and Mazda as a company.

I really just want to line up the service advisor , mechanic and service manager and (guns) (nuts) (flame2) (fight) (getsome) (chair)

[1sty]

I hear ya man, I actualy take mine 45 minutes away to a Jeep dealer becuase I know the service manager personaly and he rocks. He was actualy the service manager of my Mazda dealer when I bought the car. The 2 weeks later they told him he had one week to move his family, consisting of his wife 10 month old son, 4 year old son and 6 year old duaghter to Rhode Island. Safe to say he told them to fuck off.

After him they brought in this complete dip shit that I filed a complaint against. 3 weeks later it was a new guy that was cool and very helpful. Then 1 month later hes gone and now there doesn't seem to be a manager at all over there.

Unfortunitly it seems that Mazda Service is becoming Ford of old. With just patethic tech and no customer service.
I don't blaim you for baleing out. Hope you get your refund and peice of mind. Good Luck.

[FuNwaGoN]

Thanks man. Hope you guys don't mind if I pop in here from time to time and chat wit ya. Out of all of the boards I have been on. And that pretty much one for every car I have owned since the internet came out this has by far been the best. And I actually really am sad about my car. I really liked the thing but after all of this I just don't like it that much anymore.

Now just to decide what to get to replace it.

MINI COOPER S
SUBARU WRX WAGON
VW JETTA OR GTI 1.8t

[Sir Nuke]

get the cooper....and PLEASE don't be a stranger.... :{D

[1sty]

Subi is somewhat useless in NC. I'd say VW but they have a worse reliability rating then Mazda does. FOr those Prices I'd get the new Altima or Lease an Acura TL type S

[JunkPunch]

Why would you not get a loaner car from the dealer? Don't you get a loaner automatically? I thought that was standard at all Mazda dealerships. Also, don't drive it in. Call the roadside assistance that came with the car, make them come get it.

[1sty]

Originally posted by JunkPunch
Why would you not get a loaner car from the dealer? Don't you get a loaner automatically? I thought that was standard at all Mazda dealerships. Also, don't drive it in. Call the roadside assistance that came with the car, make them come get it.

Lets not go through this again.

[FuNwaGoN]

Thanks I didn't want to have to explain all of that all over again. But since we are on topic of loaner cars. Get this!!!!! I Have become pretty good friends with this guy "MIKE" at Mazda Corporate (We have talked that much about my car, not really friends) Anyway I got them involved after like my 2 or 3rd visit. So I have made a practice of calling them everytime I call the dealership so that they can update my file that they have open and let me know wether the dealership was telling me the truth. Anyway I had an early morning meeting this morning so I took my car in last night. Kind of suprised them.....heheheh. suckers... anyway it was all YES SIR NO SIR.... LET ME GO GET YOUR LOANER CAR SIR. Kind of funnny what a couple of well placed phone calls will do. Oh well just thought I would share. they put me in a 2001 P5 auto. And Oh yeah remember when I said in my last post they told me out of 30 P5's on the lot not a single one was 5spd. Well I counted last night. They have 29 P5's on the lot and 16 are 5 spd. None 5 spd w/leather but nevertheless they have a ton of 5spds so that means the damn Service manager LIED TO ME!!!

Well I think I decided on the Cooper S. they have a silver and black one with all the options I want minus cold weather pack. coming in this week and I have an appt. for a test drive on Sat. I have driven them before but I want to see this one and drive it because it is brand new. My friends is uhhhh a little worn in to say the least( he drives like a madman)

Only thing I am hung up on is the space. thus the reason for the SUbu wagon in my choices. No your right I don't really need it here in NC but I am a big skier and do need something that can handle some snow in the mountains without being to dangerous( I have driven my lightning in the mtns. and blizzard...SCARY ...but fun) Plus the Subu was one of my original first choices.

Damn Mazda for making me have to make this decision all over again.

[1sty]

I feel ya. I sure as hell never getting aMazda again. The cars are ok its the support that is completely terrible.

[firefly]

Trust me...I traded my 2001 Acura EL for the P5. Honda/Acura service are even worst than Mazda's. They are so confident in their cars that when you bring it in for services they'll tell you it's your fault not the car's.

Pretty much all the Japanese makes get poor rating in customer service with exception of Lexus and Infiniti.

[1sty]

Actualy the absolute best dealers I ever went to was Sunnyside Acura in Nashua NH. There service department swins awards every year and they deserve it. THe only reason I'd go to acura is becuase i know I'm safe with there techs.

[Pro5OnSpeed]

that really sux you guys! i havent had a real problem yet with my service techs. the parts guy gave me a free hat when i went to buy one. BUT as long as we are on the subject, just yesterday i went to get my oil changed.

i wanted them to install the Xenon lights that i got, because i didnt want to break the fogs (i almost did break them on CaptainKRMP5's P5). they were like it will be sixty five dollars to install..... $65 freaking dollars????:wtf: :bs: he said its an 1/8 on labor. they charge $82 an hour for labor, but an 8th of that is $10.25

then they all started laughing at me like i was crazy, and said what, you expect us to do it for free? and i said yes you did it for my friend! i was like screw that! muthafuckers want to screw me! that was the only thing that i had a problem with. it is a small thing, but it pissed me off. but while i was waiting i asked the sales manager if i could take a ride in the new 6. he said why not and had one of his guys take me for a ride! what a nice car.......

that mysterious clicking.......... it bothers me too a little bit. at school in the shop my teacher has this microphone set. and you are supposed to but these tiny things near the sound. i put one by where i thought it was and i think it has to do with the cams, cause the sound came from behind the valve cover.maybe someday i will take a look at it.

[mouseOfMars]

Before you run out and buy a mini or a vw...you might want to check the following forums(in case you haven't already): http://www.minicooperonline.com/ , http://vwvortex.com, and http://myvwlemon.com All of these sites have some SERIOUS complaints. i think there are more complaints about the vw's...not just with cars but also from service experiences from hell. There seem to be a high # of problems with the coopers as well. i was almost completely sold on buying a 2002.5 jetta GLI but it sounds as though most every jetta is a complete nightmare. i'm saying just weigh the problems and bad experiences you've had with your P5 and compare them with what some others are saying in these forums. Sorry to hear about all the crap with your car and i wish you good luck in Mazda compensating you for your troubles! But no matter what ride you pick, just come on back to this forum b/c it is definitely one of the more informative forums and definitely a lot less flame - retarded than many other car forums out there.

mouse

[firefly]

And if you're looking for a Civic or RSX check out the following...especially the problem section of the forum.

www.7thgencivic.com
www.clubrsx.com

And you'll be surprised how many complains they have. Some of the problem with the new Civic is just ridiculous.

[1sty]

JD power ranked VW as one of the worst brands in initial quaility last year, both chrysler and GM were better.

[JunkPunch]

The problem is that Jettas, Golfs and Beetles are built in Mexico (and/or Brasil) and have terrible quality control. The GTI is still built in Germany, as is the Passat, Phaeton, and Toureg.

[PA_MP3_Man]

What's with all the domestic bashing? No one likes GM any more? I like them. I woulda loved to have a Grand Am SC/T, but there were a couple of things stopping me. 1. $23,000 compared to the $13,900 I spend on my MP3. 2. I didn't have a stick. That's really the major hang up. I wanted a manual transmission and GA GT's only come with freakin automatics. They've never offered their 6cyl with a stick in the GA. Piss's me off. I personally think GA's are some of the best lookin cars out there. Well the GT's, I don't care for a regular body now. But I don't think that American cars are any worse or better than foreign. Well that's my thoughts. Oh and I can't wait till Pontiac bring out the new GTO soon. It's gonna be a freakin beast.

[PBH]

Sorry to hear about your Mazda experience. I LOVE my P5, but I'd be the exact same way if they'd try to screwed me like that. Plus, I would NEVER leave the dealership without a loaner. If they guarantee that I have a running car for 3 years, they had BETTER see to it that I have one. Whether it my own or a loaner, PERIOD! Don't let their faulty product cause you the inconvinience of "looking" for a ride. You're their customer, NOT the customer service provider.

I had a terrible experience with VW myself with a 1993 Passat VR6. They're all idiots & NEVER got the job done right the first time, EVEN AN OIL CHANGE!!! (They used the wrong filter, for crying out loud!!!!)

Anyways, sorry to see you go. Don't be a stranger! :)

[1sty]

Grand Prix I wouldn't mind. A friend of mine is the service manager of a pontaic dealer. He has warned me about several models. One being the grand ams. They have had alot of problems. The Grand Prix on the other hand have proven very reliabl.

[Pro5OnSpeed]

Most of the newer pontiacs like the firebird and grand am have many problems. one thing and i can vouch for this, on most GM cars the power steering and rack and pinion are usually the ones to go first. a friend of a friend had her power steering lines broke, spewed fluid all over the place and the pump was shot to hell. $400 later with no warranty support at only 30k mi! i had to replace that on my celebrity when i had it at around 50k mi that was one of the defects on that car, same with the buick park avenue i believe, because they were the same car. firebirds however had a tendancy to leak and burn oil at alarming rates and various other mechanical problems. i have no qualms with Ford V-8's, Chevy V-6's and 8's, but 4's never would i buy american. NEVER. Americans can build great engines i will admit, but everything else is just horrid. i have only a few words to remind everyone. TAURUS, FOCUS......... the taurus yech! my friend had one......... still has it but it is running on God's spirit i think. poor bastard! then he bought a grand am, and gave his bro the taurus!

[mouseOfMars]

VW GTI ~made in Brazil
Jetta ~ made in mexico
Jetta Wagon ~ made in Germany
Golf ~ made in Brazil

[1sty]

The firebirds and camaros have had a problem of blowing rear axles ever since they dropped the old corvert engine in them. According to the service manager I know they were doing 2 warrenty rear end swaps a week.

[Jim Frye]

I've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly over the years and it wasn't aligned by manufacturer. The two Honda dealer's service departments in town are at opposite ends of the spectrum. Saturn has treated me like I bought a Mercedes for the last 10 years.
If it makes you feel any better, I once had an '86 Ford Aerostar (first and last Ford) that suffered 51 repair visits in the first 15 months of ownership, many of them repeats. Unfortunately, I bought the vehicle 6 months before Ohio passed their lemon law, so I wasn't covered. The dealer refused to make things right: "I'll do something when the courts order me to" was his last statement. I considered sueing and my attorney said I had a winable case, but Ford yanked the dealer's franchise while I was thinking if I had the $3,000 and multiple years to invest in a lawsuit. I ended up doing an upside down trade in for an '88 Mazda 323 LX and financing the huge loss on the van. Jim

[FuNwaGoN]

Yeah I agree that dealers are kind of hit or miss. My step father worked for VW for 6 years and Honda for 9 as a salesman. I have had both hondas and vw's but none that would be covered under warranty. Like I said in my first initial post this is my first new car with a warranty. But from what I have seen through my stepfather dealers can be great or they can be the worst experience you have ever had. I did what I thought was good research on not only the car that I was going to buy but also the dealership that I was going to buy it from. Harrelson Mazda has received tons of awards for both Sales and service.(How I don't know) They even have "#1 Certified Mazda Dealer in the Nation " on their business cards. I read reviews and came to the conclusion that the P5 was the car for me and that Harrelson was the place I would buy and so that is what I did. My problem now is that when the car failed I expected the dealer to step up and make up for the cars faults. When they didn't do that and actually made the situation worse I expected Mazda Corporate to step up and Make things right. We will still have to wait and see how this one turns out. I realize that with all cars you are going to have some problems but the damn company should at least stand up for the customer when the dealer doesn't. But the dealer is the only contact most people have with their cars and therefore get bad reputations forever. Some more than others. I know all about the quality issues with the new VW's and that is actually one of the reasons that I did not purchase one. the second being that the dealer thought the car was gold and as a result would not deal $1. I really think I am between the Scooby and the Mini right now. Mini is a BMW and the Cooper S has not had all of the problems that the regular Cooper has had. The Scooby, well I know several people both young and aol that have new wrx's and are completely happy with both the car and the dealer. Well since I am starting to ramble I am going to stop and just wait for my call from the dealer from hell today to see what is up with my car. I will say again though that I love my P5 but have come to hate Mazda because of the dealer. It has gotten to the point of not even wanting a new 2003 P5 if they offered it to me. I just want my money back and a new car that isn't connected to mazda or ford for that matter.

[1sty]

I work with 2 guys with WRXs both love them and have had 0 problems. 1 of them is older then my MP3.

[JunkPunch]

How is that possible? The last year they made the MP3 was 2001 and the first year they made the WRX was 2002.

I have a friend with a WRX who loves the power, but has had a bunch of small problems (cheap interior bits breaking, rattles), and his ECU flaked out and needed to be reprogrammed.

At any rate, random samplings don't mean anything. I'm sure you can find WRXs that are lemons, I'm sure you can find Subaru dealers that suck, just like Proteges or Mazda dealers.

[1sty]

He got his before I got mine according to him. I got my MP3 in 2001 I believe Subi had already uped the model year for the WRX to 2002. He could be full of shit but he does have 36000 miles compared to my 18000 and he has had 0 problems, Since I have to work today i can't list all of mine.