Recently my MS3 just crossed over the 30,000 mile mark.. So, i'm sure, as most of you know this requires the "30,000" mile service obviously.. Well to be honest i've had nothing but bad luck and bulls*** service reps that seemingly know less of every issue associated with this vehicle than I personally due just by searching and gathering information on this forum. Due to this fact, I try to neglect dealerships other than for the important services and warranty work. I have already had bad experiences at two dealerships here in South Florida, so I figured, why not drive the extra 15 miles to the next dealer in Miami; Lehman Mazda to be exact. My service "needs" were to change the VVT actuator valve (again) as the car is making an audible, strange sound at startup, and also to complete the "30,000 mile service". Well initially when my vehicle started making this "noise" I brought it to Gunther Mazda and they apparently completed the job; what do you know, two weeks later the noise is clearly present again so when I spoke with the service manager at Lehman Mazda he said sure...etc, not a problem everything will be taken care of... Dropped the car off friday morning at 8:00am and told them to take their time, i'd be back around 12-1 the next day to retrieve the vehicle.. #1 phone-call from service advisor: Your tires are on the low side of percentage wear, I can replace with some (POS) Pirelli's for $137 a piece, I replied with a polite, "no thank you just rotate them and i'll keep an eye on them and get new tires at the end of the month." This merely was a courtesy call, which is fine, and of course I appreciated it. #2 phone-call from service advisor: "Uh yeaa, your battery is failing the battery load test", I replied with "thats funny, I have never had any issue with my battery, so if I do, I will replace it". Again a courtesy call, but this one somewhat annoyed me because I knew right then a there he was trying to stiff me. (By the way when I received all the paperwork, the tech wrote satisfactory condition under the "battery condition" check box!) Also he says "we can't get the car to make the noise you were complaining about so we'll try again in the morning". I said "fine, but more than likely its because of your technicians multiple and continuous attempts while the engine is already warm that the vehicle wont make the noise" just as a heads up to the advisor to hand along to the tech. So saturday morning comes... I call my prescribed service advisor, no answer. Call again ten minutes later, he answers and says "I'm really busy i'll call you back in ten minutes" of course I said ok, not a problem. Nearly an hour goes by, no call back. So at this time I decide just to head down there and if the car wasn't complete to wait until it was. Roughly another hour later I arrive at the dealer and see my car sitting there, see a tech walk up to it, start it (I HEAR THE NOISE), and take it for its final test run. So I proceed to go inside and find the service manager and ask him if my paperwork is complete, he said "I have some things to tell you about your car". I started by asking if they had completed the VVT service, he said "no, we couldn't get it to make the noise" which was bulls*** because I just heard it! We went outside and tried again for it to make the noise and it wouldn't happen!? Anyhow I said fine, whatever man give me the bill and the car. He then proceeded to explain to me that when the ******* moronic tech was reversing out of the bay this morning he didn't realize there was another vehicle behind him, my MS3 got shafted right in the arse! He says, "it's already being taken care of" I said "F yes it better be taken care of", so I see the damage, its not horrible and the paint that was scratched off has been fixed but my $45 mazdaspeed license plate cover is f'ed and the black plastic bumper trim has some gouges in it. At this point I was livid. I just told him to get my paperwork and let me pay for this s*** service and get out of here before I injure one of your staff members. Bill says $450, I was quoted $370 for this service.... Another attempt to shaft me! I went right back to the service manager and explained that my quote was $370 so it was taken care of, better have been or I was about to grab my keys and leave without a care.
Drive impressions - Sporadic idle, i mean i'll put the clutch in and it'll hang at 1,500-2,000 for a while and pulsate. Someone didn't do something right, so when I got home I reset the ECU and it was fine after that. Now three days later my fu^&%ng radiator hose pops off as i'm driving! I really want to walk into that service department with some nunchucks and whoop some ass at this point.
My point i'm trying to get across is are there ANY stealerships that are honest in the south Florida area!?!? Can anyone point me in the right direction!?!? Sorry for the super long post guys, but this is unacceptable.
Drive impressions - Sporadic idle, i mean i'll put the clutch in and it'll hang at 1,500-2,000 for a while and pulsate. Someone didn't do something right, so when I got home I reset the ECU and it was fine after that. Now three days later my fu^&%ng radiator hose pops off as i'm driving! I really want to walk into that service department with some nunchucks and whoop some ass at this point.
My point i'm trying to get across is are there ANY stealerships that are honest in the south Florida area!?!? Can anyone point me in the right direction!?!? Sorry for the super long post guys, but this is unacceptable.
Last edited: