What's the stupidest thing you've ever had to take your car in for service for?

[Jeremiad]

This morning I jump in the car to take the boy to daycare, put it in gear and boom! There goes my last remaining headlamp. So I have to drive to daycare and back in the dark with no headlights. It's not so bad because there are plenty of streetlights, and I'm very familiar with the route.

I go to Canadian Tire, and am in for a big surprise. Replacement bulbs are $115 each! Ouch!

I get home and pop the hood. You've got to be kidding me. No access to the headlights. I pull off some stupid plastic panels, and I can see that there is just no way to get at the headlight housings. A quick Google search and sure enough, the whole front clip of the car has to come off. The bumper, the inner wheel wells, and a bunch of stuff. I have never seen anything so ridiculous!

So now I'm sitting at home six hours after taking the car in, and waiting to get my car back! I can't paint, because I do not have enough paint left. I'm almost out of danish oil, so I can't even rub my wood while I wait. You just don't realize how important your car is until you don't have one!

I can't wait to see what the bill is going to be like. >:\

 

[XFIRE82]

you forgot to tell us what kind of car , but yeah sounds insane. just another reason why I will never own anything newer than what I got, my headlights are maybe $5 , I have lots of used ones and can change with a philips screw driver. They pay engineers good money to figure that stuff out so they got control of things and can charge a pile to do the simplist thing. How about your battery ? , I heard some cars have to take the fender off to change it. Actually I never had to take anything in to get done so am fortunate I can do it all myself.

 

[Rruuff Day]

I'm not even going to touch the Danish oil comment...

 

[ddgermann]

I'm not even going to touch the Danish oil comment...

I know... I spit my coffee out when I read it. He has a way with words. A true wordsmith.

 

[YFCvii]

I know... I spit my coffee out when I read it. He has a way with words. A true wordsmith.

I tell you ... this awesome Man is on Facebook
with one of the most "entertaining" (for lack of any better word)
D.I.Y. Makeover of his Ensuite that just beats the heck out of
any Extreme Home Makeover on TV.
The "word-smithing" above absolutely has double-meaning
and every way of interpretation is the most valuable thing that I can find.
It tests my empathy against my better understanding for humor and I love it

So what do you tell your Doctor when he asks, "how much coffee do you drink?" @ddgermann
... it's the best medicine, I would say ..."

 

[ddgermann]

It was 05:00 when I read the post @SN-III
Remember I’m currently 14 hours ahead in time. So it was the first of 3 daily cups.

 

[YFCvii]

It was 05:00 when I read the post @SN-III
Remember I’m currently 14 hours ahead in time. So it was the first of 3 daily cups.

Absolutely Understood ... and which became 2 3/4 cups this day

 

[Jeremiad]

My daily driver is a Cadillac CTS Sportwagon.

Here's the follow-up to the story.

I dropped it off at about 8:30 this morning, and got a ride home from the shuttle guy. I do have my TA here, but it is covered in snow and I have no desire to drive it in this crap. So I'm stuck at home. I already mentioned the need for paint and danish oil, which limits my ability to get things done. I worked on finishing off some trim and built a door and a box for my closet project.
I got a phone call about 10am, and she told me she had good news. The headlights are only $23 each, and I need a new park light bulb as well, but it is also cheap like $4 or something. I tell her that while it is apart and they are in there, go ahead and replace every incandescent bulb in those housings, because I do not want to have to do this again in a few months.

At 2:35pm she calls to say it is done, and I can pick it up. Can I have a ride? Sure, no problem. 3:40pm the shuttle arrives to pick me up. I get there, swallow hard, hold my breath, and take my $436 bill like a man. I notice that my invoice says two headlight bulbs and one park light bulb, so I go back to the service girl and say hey, didn't I say to replace them all? She apologizes and says oh yes, my bad. I tell her I'm not impressed, and if I have to come back in a couple of months to do this all again, there is no proper description for how upset I will be. Sorry about that sir, your car is out front, ready to go.

I remote start the car and get out to the front of the building and guess what? The passenger park light that they did not replace does not work. I go back to the service department. Oh no, she says, you come to yell at me again? I haven't raised my voice at all yet, but you need to come out front with me and look at this. What did I say? Did I say replace them all? Does that look fine to you?

To top it off, I get in the car and am not terribly surprised to find that they have adjusted my seat, my tilt steering and my telescopic, but they also unplugged my dash cam and no idea why but they turned my cellphone mount all sideways. The car came into the shop with all four TPMS sensors and four screens of display on the DIC showing low pressure, and came out the same way. My invoice has details of a multi-point inspection having been done on my car and recommending other service, but they couldn't fill my tires? I can fix that myself once I bring my air compressor back down from the bathroom, but seriously. $400+ dollars in service, and you can't add some air? In fact, you have to acknowledge all of the warnings before you can even get to the mileage reading that they have to put on the service ticket, and nothing is done about it?

Once again, I am very disappointed.

So tomorrow morning it will go back in to the shop to get completely disassembled again, and I will be without a car for another whole day. After I pick up some paint.

As an entertaining side note, I went immediately after picking up the car to Windsor Plywood to get some more Danish Oil. They didn't have any. So I picked up my boy and went to Home Hardware. No dice. Home Depot. Nada. Rona finally had what I need at $7 a can more than I paid at Windsor, but I need it, and tomorrow I can spend all day rubbing my wood to my heart's desire.

 

[Jeremiad]

Oh, I almost forgot Michael's other comment.

Yes, I have had to replace the battery in this car two years ago. It is in the right rear quarter-panel, and can be accessed inside the electric motorized hatch, which is completely inaccessible when your battery is dead. There is no keyhole or handle.

Another brilliant idea.

 

[ddgermann]

My daily driver is a Cadillac CTS Sportwagon.

Here's the follow-up to the story.

I dropped it off at about 8:30 this morning, and got a ride home from the shuttle guy. I do have my TA here, but it is covered in snow and I have no desire to drive it in this crap. So I'm stuck at home. I already mentioned the need for paint and danish oil, which limits my ability to get things done. I worked on finishing off some trim and built a door and a box for my closet project.
I got a phone call about 10am, and she told me she had good news. The headlights are only $23 each, and I need a new park light bulb as well, but it is also cheap like $4 or something. I tell her that while it is apart and they are in there, go ahead and replace every incandescent bulb in those housings, because I do not want to have to do this again in a few months.

At 2:35pm she calls to say it is done, and I can pick it up. Can I have a ride? Sure, no problem. 3:40pm the shuttle arrives to pick me up. I get there, swallow hard, hold my breath, and take my $436 bill like a man. I notice that my invoice says two headlight bulbs and one park light bulb, so I go back to the service girl and say hey, didn't I say to replace them all? She apologizes and says oh yes, my bad. I tell her I'm not impressed, and if I have to come back in a couple of months to do this all again, there is no proper description for how upset I will be. Sorry about that sir, your car is out front, ready to go.

I remote start the car and get out to the front of the building and guess what? The passenger park light that they did not replace does not work. I go back to the service department. Oh no, she says, you come to yell at me again? I haven't raised my voice at all yet, but you need to come out front with me and look at this. What did I say? Did I say replace them all? Does that look fine to you?

To top it off, I get in the car and am not terribly surprised to find that they have adjusted my seat, my tilt steering and my telescopic, but they also unplugged my dash cam and no idea why but they turned my cellphone mount all sideways. The car came into the shop with all four TPMS sensors and four screens of display on the DIC showing low pressure, and came out the same way. My invoice has details of a multi-point inspection having been done on my car and recommending other service, but they couldn't fill my tires? I can fix that myself once I bring my air compressor back down from the bathroom, but seriously. $400+ dollars in service, and you can't add some air? In fact, you have to acknowledge all of the warnings before you can even get to the mileage reading that they have to put on the service ticket, and nothing is done about it?

Once again, I am very disappointed.

So tomorrow morning it will go back in to the shop to get completely disassembled again, and I will be without a car for another whole day. After I pick up some paint.

As an entertaining side note, I went immediately after picking up the car to Windsor Plywood to get some more Danish Oil. They didn't have any. So I picked up my boy and went to Home Hardware. No dice. Home Depot. Nada. Rona finally had what I need at $7 a can more than I paid at Windsor, but I need it, and tomorrow I can spend all day rubbing my wood to my heart's desire.

Wow that’s just amazing the light was out and they left it like that. Especially after you told them to do all of em.
This service dept must have a family member running it or I cannot imagine you ever using them again. Well after they change the bulb... for bloody well free I would expect.
Yes you got completely hosed. Service managers wonder why customers come unhinged at times. Well that’s exactly why.
Just wow.
On the bright side you did end up getting more danish oil for your wood.

 

[YFCvii]

Oh my @Jeremiad
This is likely the Airdrie Dealership? The same that can't sell a New Cadillac
because, in part, they don't invest in Cadillac Service Technology nor do they
send technicians to so-called Cadillac Service Seminars/Training ... but will
service a Cadillac a few years down the road?
Part reason why I have to travel miles for preferred stand alone GM Dealership Service.
… same price & more gas … Good thing I like driving.
Hope the Cadillac Service issue clears up for you tomorrow so that you can get back to
meeting your Wife's "anticipate possession date" one the D.I.Y. renovation.
I remain tuned in …

 

[YFCvii]

The stupidest thing? ... a 2nd attempt was needed for an oil change as a result of another dealership ...
A decade + a couple more years ago, and well before our Corvette-days and just into
our Elementary-School Pontiac Montana-Vision days , a GM Dealership
here in YYC required that we book a service appointment for an Oil Change.
We did just that after finding the next available date was in two weeks
So two weeks go by and we take our Pontiac Montana in and the Service
Adviser asked what else will we need to have done as it will be in the shop all day.
Huh? "This is it, an oil change" and then came the kicker ... here is what was said ...
"Well we are unexpectedly busy today and might not be able to complete it"
... we quickly departed the Dealership that has recently sold to become "un-named" ...

... yet another Dealership in YYC to kick-tires at ... and that's it ...

 

[Creedence85]

Crazy story. This is precisely why I hate dealing with the dealer, and the way they organize their service. I've had many good experiences to be sure, but have also had bad experiences and miscommunication with the service rep and the tech to a level where it's obvious neither understand the problem. I've come to accept that unfortunately there are a certain number of people who just want to finish their work and go home, taking little care and no pride in doing things properly.

I'm surprised at Cadillac for not making the headlight bulbs more accessible. I recently had a headlight bulb burn out on my G35, the dealer wanted $360 for the bulb (just the part, not install), to which I told the parts person there is no way I'm ever spending $360 on a bulb. Thankfully replacement is relatively accessible by pulling back the fender liner and Amazon to the rescue with a pair of bulbs for $20. I could buy a pair of these bulbs 18 times for the cost of one bulb at the dealer, even if the original did last 15 years.

 

[12cents]

It is not only Cadillac Creedence, my Avalanche has a similar problem with the headlights. I have to remove the whole headlight assembly to change a bulb. It involves removing the front grill and peeling back the inner fender and then some. Changing the bulb is still a morning's work after all of these years of ownership. Frustration is not the word to describe my feelings.

 

[Creedence85]

At least it was only the grill and the inner fender on the Avalanche, removing the bumper cover on the CTS seems excessive.

 

[Jeremiad]

My apologies for not following up on this sooner. Honestly, I was too upset to be able to post without using inappropriate language, so I just buckled down and worked harder on my bathroom project and haven't been online much.

I wound up taking the car back in the next day after buying some things to make sure that I could stay busy all day without having to step out for more parts.

I dropped the car off at about 10:30am, and reminded her to please top up the tires while it is in the shop. I got a phone call at about 12:30 to tell me that they didn't have the bulbs and couldn't find them anywhere. So, let me get this straight. You knew yesterday what was needed for the car and you went ahead and booked the service, but waited until after you got the car into the shop today to source the parts? Uh, well.... yeah. So wtf? Now is it going to be days before I get my car back? No, not at all. We haven't done anything to it yet, so you can just come and pick it up. I will call you when the parts come in and we'll get the car back in then. So three days to change some bulbs. Wow.

So I get her to send the shuttle car to pick me up. I arrive at the service department to pick up my car and she says that the service guy is just putting the car back together, and he will bring it around front shortly. Again, wow. I sit there waiting for a half an hour, and finally get the car back. All four TPMS sensors are still reading low.

It's now been a month, and my bulbs have not been replaced. I highly doubt that they have any intention of calling me to resolve this issue.

 

[ddgermann]

Support your community and “Shop local” they say....
Think you’ve done more than enough on that.
Wow so they not only book the appointment without confirmation that they actually have the parts... they pull the car apart too.

No free air for you!
Just wow...

 

[YFCvii]

... It's now been a month, and my bulbs have not been replaced. I highly doubt that they have any intention of calling me to resolve this issue ...

Wait ... What?
Let me guess ...this must not be a Cadillac Dealership ...
I am finding it rather consistent in my hunt for a Corvette Service Dealership that
unless they sell Brand New Corvettes and/or Brand New Cadillacs,
do not Service either of them there ...
Your story is only making more and more sense for
my advocating this to my Mom for her XT5.

 

[ddgermann]

Wait ... What?
Let me guess ...this must not be a Cadillac Dealership ...
I am finding it rather consistent in my hunt for a Corvette Service Dealership that
unless they sell Brand New Corvettes and/or Brand New Cadillacs,
do not Service either of them there ...
Your story is only making more and more sense for
my advocating this to my Mom for her XT5.

For sure I get that Spence but as it’s not a warranty thing and any dealership can access the “how to” manuals, or the damn internet for that matter, to me it is more about not giving a crap about serving the customer than working on a GM cousin car thing.
What would be the motivation to ever buy a car there when you are treated with such indifference on a simple maintenance thing.
My ex dealership worked on our H3, H1, Cadillac and the Corvettes with no problems... other than warranty work will now have to be done at a Cadillac dealership I was reluctantly informed.
I could see some mess if it was a transmission change but a few bulbs that they should have done to begin with... wow.

So the tech is a POS who doesn’t give 2 sh**s and the service advisors are not following up for the customer.

I wouldn’t let these people work on my lawnmower.

 

[YFCvii]

For sure I get that Spence but as it’s not a warranty thing and any dealership can access the “how to” manuals, or the damn internet for that matter, to me it is more about not giving a crap about serving the customer than working on a GM cousin car thing.
What would be the motivation to ever buy a car there when you are treated with such indifference on a simple maintenance thing.
My ex dealership worked on our H3, H1, Cadillac and the Corvettes with no problems... other than warranty work will now have to be done at a Cadillac dealership I was reluctantly informed.
I could see some mess if it was a transmission change but a few bulbs that they should have done to begin with... wow.

So the tech is a POS who doesn’t give 2 sh**s and the service advisors are not following up for the customer.

I wouldn’t let these people work on my lawnmower.

Completely in tune with what is all being said and share in the frustration ...
Service Advisers appear to be there to just take my instructions (not follow-thru)
and take my key and I see them most attentive when walking around my car
looking for any damage to note
I'm left with a ridiculous impression that a "Chev" and "GMC" Torx will not work or
be able to unfasten "Corvette" or "Cadillac" Torx screws. Or is this just another aspect
of the "generation" user. OK ... I need a drink