cheated at dealership

[nkabak]

Call to arms!

For what my 2 pence are worth, I would NOT go down the path of speaking to your dealer or staff.

Take immediate action.(attn)
Politely write to Mazda HQ telling them that
1- you are a previous Mazda owner.
2- you have two major complaints
Non oem part being installed
Poor installation of another product.
Copy the dealership in the letter you write.

Your time is valuable!
Your money should have the same value, as you paid for what you thought was original Mazda equipment.!

All the dealers that I know of value the reputation that they have with Mazda HQ.

See what happens! Let us know.
PS. You might also tell them that you are an ACTIVE member of a MAZDA forum.

 

[self]

For what my 2 pence are worth, I would NOT go down the path of speaking to your dealer or staff.

Take immediate action.(attn)
Politely write to Mazda HQ telling them that
1- you are a previous Mazda owner.
2- you have two major complaints
Non oem part being installed
Poor installation of another product.
Copy the dealership in the letter you write.

Your time is valuable!
Your money should have the same value, as you paid for what you thought was original Mazda equipment.!

All the dealers that I know of value the reputation that they have with Mazda HQ.

See what happens! Let us know.
PS. You might also tell them that you are an ACTIVE member of a MAZDA forum.

nkabak Thanks for your input! I thought about the same actions, but in first preffer to talk to delaer (mention to them next posibble steps)- I usally do not like to escalate conflicts, and if it not helps - write letter to HQ of this automotive group, and if this not help - than to Mazda HQ. But from another hand why I should treat this dealership this way and care about them and their reputation, while they did not care about me?

 

[Psychobroker]

nkabak Thanks for your input! I thought about the same actions, but in first preffer to talk to delaer (mention to them next posibble steps)- I usally do not like to escalate conflicts, and if it not helps - write letter to HQ of this automotive group, and if this not help - than to Mazda HQ. But from another hand why I should treat this dealership this way and care about them and their reputation, while they did not care about me?

This is why you're in this spot in the first place. You haven't taken the proper, aggressive action to get this done, and the dealer has taken advantage of you. Escalatating it to HQ will solve your problems...quickly. Good luck!

 

[koala]

I would have refused to take delivery of the vehicle and demanded that they make it right...

 

[meanstreak]

Though there are many opinions here on the remote start, you should have made sure when you negotiated the deal on the remote start or any other dealer add-on that you werre both talking about the same thing. Though their behaviour in installing an aftermarket item may seem unethical to some, they actually fullfilled their part of the bargain by installing a remote starter even if it is an aftermarket if all you did was ask them to install a remote starter and did not specify OEM. That doesn't mean I agree with or condone dealers who do this without disclosing it, but it is a common practice. In fact, I think they should do the right thing by you just to make you happy as a customer. I am disturbed that they also admit to causing damage to your car during the other installation you mentioned and didn't offer to fix the damages. In that case you should insist they restore the car to the condition you gave it to them in. In fact, they are legally obligated but if you have to end up going the legal route, it could be hard to prove they did the damage. In spite of that, small claims courts usually side with the consumer even when a consumer is wrong simply because their mindset is that the consumer can't afford to take the hit and that a business can.

 

[self]

You should have made sure when you negotiated the deal on the remote start or any other dealer add-on that you werre both talking about the same thing.

Yes, when we negotiated price for the car, we take in consideration price of OEM remote start, and they agreed to install it for me for free (because I didn't want to buy car without remote start, it was "the must" for deal)

In fact, they are legally obligated but if you have to end up going the legal route, it could be hard to prove they did the damage.

I told about this and show it to service represenatative and my sales twice, and they admit that there is damage exist.

UPDATE. I wrote them yesterday a letter, where told them, taht I get survey form from Mazda and want to have their clear answer on existing issues, before I complete survey. So I have today a call from them and they ask me to bring the car on Monday to have damages fixed.
Will see.

 

[Killer]

I would have refused to take delivery of the vehicle and demanded that they make it right...

BIngo...once you take ownership/drive off the lot...you are an owner.