On Oct 6th I took my Abarth to Nyle Maxwell Fiat for it's regular service interval (it's still under warranty). I was talking to the sales folks about buying a 4C and realized I had been there for about an hour and a half so I needed to go. I went back to the service dept to get my car and I see it still on the lift... I ask why it's not done yet and they tell me the oil drain plug stripped out and they will have to replace the oil pan. The reason I take it to the dealership is because it's still under warranty and I expect them to not do hamfisted shit like that.
Service adviser dude says it'll take a week to get a new oil pan in. Fine... I ask them for a loaner car because I need to get back to work and they say there's none available. Fortunately the sales girl I was talking to was able to drive me back to work.
A week later I call and ask for a status; oil pan not in yet. Week two I call again; still no oil pan. I get curious so I look it up myself. Found an oil pan for $60; ships from IL: http://www.fiatpartswebstore.com/products/PAN-Engine-Oil/8424375/04892916AB.html What the hell is taking them so long?
Finally on Oct 28th my car is fixed. When I go to pick it up, the TPMS idiot light is on. I tell the female service adviser this and she says "the tire pressure has been checked. It's just cold thi morning so the light should go off after a few minutes for driving." I drive 20min to work and the light does not go out. I checked the tire pressure when I got there and they all read at 32psi, so it should be fine. I don't think they reset the TPMS when they rotated the tires. Another lack of attention to detail!
On the way home I notice an odd noise under deceleration while still in gear, but not while coasting in neutral. I checked with TexMex who said the oil pan replacement requires the exhaust downpipe to be removed and the noise is probably an exhaust leak. I called and spoke to the service adviser that was managing my repair. told him of the TPMS light being on and the noise. He tells me to air the tires up some more and the light should go off. Says they've had to do that because it's "cold" outside. He also tells me that they didn't have to take the exhaust downpipe off to replace the oil pan, which must be BS. All you have to do it look at it and tell it's in the way of getting the oil pan out. Lack of attention to detail and lying... great.
I aired the tires up to 36psi yesterday, but that didn't clear the TPMS light. When I was airing the tires up I noticed that the brake rotors had a big groove worn in them from the pads. Not "abnormal" wear, but definitely not something that had just happened. I assumed that they take a look at the condition of the brakes every time they do a factory service. I didn't have any time over the weekend to check the exhaust leak out, but this morning when it was cool it was obvious that it was an exhaust leak. As the engine warmed up it became less noticeable. So as of this morning, the TPMS light is still on, the exhaust leak sounds terrible, and I need new brake rotors.
I take it into them today to check out the TPMS and exhaust leak. I asked the service adviser if the techs check the brakes when they do an oil change & tire rotation, and he said yes. So I showed him the big groove in it and asked "Why didn't they mention that to me when it was in here for three weeks?" He says, "hmmm, they should have..." No shit... more lack of attention to detail.
They "fixed" the TPMS by airing the tires up to 38psi (or so they say), but could not find the exhaust leak. They wanted 2hrs labor, $98 each for the rotors, and $115 for the pads. Would have been over $500... Told him no thanks. OE rotors and better than OE pads already on their way for $196 total.
Overall I'm just really disappointed by their service dept. Makes me really hesitant about taking the 4C to them. I did speak to their customer relations manager about that and she assured me that only their master mechanic works on the Alfas. Still doesn't make me feel good. Maybe the Maserati dealership will honor the Alfa warranty...
Service adviser dude says it'll take a week to get a new oil pan in. Fine... I ask them for a loaner car because I need to get back to work and they say there's none available. Fortunately the sales girl I was talking to was able to drive me back to work.
A week later I call and ask for a status; oil pan not in yet. Week two I call again; still no oil pan. I get curious so I look it up myself. Found an oil pan for $60; ships from IL: http://www.fiatpartswebstore.com/products/PAN-Engine-Oil/8424375/04892916AB.html What the hell is taking them so long?
Finally on Oct 28th my car is fixed. When I go to pick it up, the TPMS idiot light is on. I tell the female service adviser this and she says "the tire pressure has been checked. It's just cold thi morning so the light should go off after a few minutes for driving." I drive 20min to work and the light does not go out. I checked the tire pressure when I got there and they all read at 32psi, so it should be fine. I don't think they reset the TPMS when they rotated the tires. Another lack of attention to detail!
On the way home I notice an odd noise under deceleration while still in gear, but not while coasting in neutral. I checked with TexMex who said the oil pan replacement requires the exhaust downpipe to be removed and the noise is probably an exhaust leak. I called and spoke to the service adviser that was managing my repair. told him of the TPMS light being on and the noise. He tells me to air the tires up some more and the light should go off. Says they've had to do that because it's "cold" outside. He also tells me that they didn't have to take the exhaust downpipe off to replace the oil pan, which must be BS. All you have to do it look at it and tell it's in the way of getting the oil pan out. Lack of attention to detail and lying... great.
I aired the tires up to 36psi yesterday, but that didn't clear the TPMS light. When I was airing the tires up I noticed that the brake rotors had a big groove worn in them from the pads. Not "abnormal" wear, but definitely not something that had just happened. I assumed that they take a look at the condition of the brakes every time they do a factory service. I didn't have any time over the weekend to check the exhaust leak out, but this morning when it was cool it was obvious that it was an exhaust leak. As the engine warmed up it became less noticeable. So as of this morning, the TPMS light is still on, the exhaust leak sounds terrible, and I need new brake rotors.
I take it into them today to check out the TPMS and exhaust leak. I asked the service adviser if the techs check the brakes when they do an oil change & tire rotation, and he said yes. So I showed him the big groove in it and asked "Why didn't they mention that to me when it was in here for three weeks?" He says, "hmmm, they should have..." No shit... more lack of attention to detail.
They "fixed" the TPMS by airing the tires up to 38psi (or so they say), but could not find the exhaust leak. They wanted 2hrs labor, $98 each for the rotors, and $115 for the pads. Would have been over $500... Told him no thanks. OE rotors and better than OE pads already on their way for $196 total.
Overall I'm just really disappointed by their service dept. Makes me really hesitant about taking the 4C to them. I did speak to their customer relations manager about that and she assured me that only their master mechanic works on the Alfas. Still doesn't make me feel good. Maybe the Maserati dealership will honor the Alfa warranty...
They sure talk a good game on line!
I have classic Fiats as well... I've heard the Fix It Again Tony jokes for quite awhile. In this case "Tony" is the one breaking the damn thing.
