OK, so I don't know if this is the right board to post this on, but I have to say something to someone........

I have long suspected that our local Pontiac dealer is consistently ripping people off with overcharges, charging for repairs not done, etc. A few people I've met here locally have had similar experiences to myself so... This is a specific rant pertaining to Kaiser Pointiac-Buick-GMC in DeLand, Florida and should not reflect on any others, as I know there are good ones out there, read on.

Episode 1:
Feb. 2004 - My '97 SE throws a CEL and starts running like crap. I haven't started working on my own vehicles yet, so I take it to Pontiac Dealer Service. They charge me $1300 for what I now know was an upper intake manifold replacement (RIP OFF!!). They told me this was an unusual occurance and that they weren't sure what caused it (BS!!).

Episode 2:
May 2005 - Still hadn't decided to do my own work on the Bonnie, so when it started spewing fuel from the fuel pump area, almost landing on the hot tailpipe, I took it to the Pontiac Dealer again. The dealer was close by the gas station I noticed it at and I frankly didn't want to drive it very far with the fuel pouring out down there (a friend of mine lost his LaSabre when it torched on the side of the road from the same type of leak).

$1200 later they charged me for a new fuel pump, sender and all new fuel lines (again RIP OFF!!) To make matters worse, I spent some time under car this weekend tracing the vapor lines for my EVAP problem and noticed that NONE of the fuel lines have been replaced!!! They didn't even replace the fuel filter!!! WTF!!! I mean, the pump and regulator were rusted, so what are the chances that I have rust packed in my fuel filter?? Pretty good I'd say. AAARRRGGGHHH!!!

Episode 3:
Today - While replacing all the rubber vacuum lines on the EVAP system this past weekend, I found out that the little rubber "tee" vacuum connector that goes on the throttle body is badly cracked and, if not leaking already, will shortly fail. This piece isn't available at AutoZone or Advance, so I called Kaiser Pontiac Parts Dept. today (they're not open weekends at all). Parts guy told me that they no longer sell that part because it'* no longer available. He said he could see it in the system, but it shows as "not available" (for a freakin' '97??). So I asked him for the part number, so I could find it elsewhere, like a junk yard, etc. NO!! "The system doesn't show the P/N because it'* not available." (More BS!!)

I called another dealership that I found online. It'* about 45 miles away. Sure, of course, they have them in stock for $2.32!! Sure they will ship it to me UPS ground. I should get it tommorrow. Oh, and the P/N is 24502852!

If you've read all this (or not), thanks for letting me rant

RANT OFF....

Yup, it all depends on the dealership, we have one like that here too, I will never take my car back to them regardless, if it absolutley has to go to a dealer, its to the chev dealer not the pontiac one.
Dishonesty makes them money now, but in the long run no one will be going to them for work.

Unfortunately, around here there are so many people moving down here every year that I'm afraid they will always have new suckers like me to prey on...

Like P.T. Barnum said...

Yup! Sometimes it'* good for my blood pressure to just vent. That way I won't go postal and they can live to scam another day, lol.

The main thing I don't get about this stuff is don't they realize that in this day and age, almost everybody has access to the net. Within a few minutes, we can verify and prices they throw at us. Or, again most people, have cell phones. In just a couple of minutes, you can call thier competitors and compare the figures.

Gotta wonder how the rip-off places stay in business.....

the ford dealer i work at is good and honest, the only fault ive noticed is that everyone lifts the cars on the pinch welds, which ur technically not supposed to do i understand it

Man that sucks. There'* a bad Pointiac dealer out here in Crystal Lake. So if you are in the area stay away from them. I go to a Buick dealer in South Barrington, they are very reasonable and always get the job done right, have great customer service, ect. Only thing they tried to push was a brake flush when my master brake cylinder went out but I figure you have to do it once in a while when you have the fluids in there for nearly a decade and it was a good time for it anyway since they needed to put in new fluid. But thats it.

a big thanks for posting the part number ( 24502852 ) for that tee connector , I was looking all over for it! Now the parts counter should be happy to help!

Thats why I tend to go to local mechanics over the dealer. I have a place that my family has been bringing thier cars for well over 20 years and never had a problem. They are VERY honest, quick, and know thier stuff.