Would you leave your Viper at a Dodge dealer for 2 weeks??

JH23JOB

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I'm leaving for 2 weeks on vacation in awhile, and the Dodge Dealership offered to keep me car for me there since it need the steering box area frame mod done to it anyway. They said since it was going to take a couple of days to do it, and when they were done it would go into a secure storage building in the back lot. Is that a bad idea ?? What do you think??
 

joe117

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A Dodge dealer backed a truck into mine. I got a good whole car paint job out of it for $1k from me.
 

Joe Dozzo

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Not a chance!

One trip to the dealer resulted in ~$11000 damage when lot clown spun car on public road and hit a curb sideways. Car was two weeks old at the time.

Second dealer and last trip, car was broken into and stereo stolen while inside "locked" building. Unit replaced but still got dinged for ~$500 in fluids - it was a 20K mile "service" just before going off warranty - EVEN after the service manager said there would be no charge.

"Customer Service" at Dodge dealers - in my opinion - has nothing to do ensuring the customer has a satisfying experience.

I won't do the 998 upgrade at the dealer- unless I can get Woodhouse to move to Denver. I'm hoping to get the parts and have the work done myself.
 

J DAWG

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Ihave left my car twice at 2 different dealerships. The first time for 3 weeks. No problems there. The second time for one week. Someone scuffed my front wheel on a curb and scratched the front air dam as well. I would not hesitate to leave it again, but I have learned to look the car over with someone prior to leaving it and when I pick it up.
 

MichaelP

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What is the down side on NOT leaving it. When you come back you will have to bring it in and leave it for a couple days to have the work done.

The upside of not leaving it, reread the above stories and you decide.
 

Snake Bitten

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Dan,

Archer is authorized for a couple of Twin City dealerships to do the recall mod...and the best advice I have read is a pre and post inspection with whoever you decide to leave it with.

Still got that grin? Is is not going away anytime soon...We were like rock stars Saturday night, eh? Camera flashes galore! Drop that GTS off with me, I can break in those new tires for you...Can't wait for CC Summer Nationals...have a good vacation!
 

Viablo

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I would never leave it a the dealer for 2 weeks. Learned my lesson the hard way (not with the Viper thank goodness).
 

SneakyPete

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Just depends if you like some burnout, who does not care, to damage your car at the dealer. I would pull it into service, go over the car with the service manager and camcord the cars condition. That way when you get it back, and it is damaged, there is no dening it by the dealer. otherwise they will say they did not do it.

I have had 2 cars damaged at different dealers from leaving them there for just general work for just for a day or a few days.

You just can't control who has access to them, who moves them every morning/night and such. Most of the people who work on these cars and at the dealer just look at them as just another car and don't care. After all its not there hard earned money that bought the car.

The only people I let touch my car is Roe Racing and the dealer in town where I personally know the salesman, service adviser and vipertech. I drive 35 miles to this dealer for warantee work, when there is dealer 3 miles away, but it is worth the piece of mind.

My examples:
1) my first 1997 GTS, brand new 21 miles on it, bought it in late 1998 from woodhouse. Took to local dealer for oil change. Car Porter that moves and washes cars, decides to show the engine to his buddies at lunch. Slams the hood down upon closing and cracks the right corner on the edge of the headlight. After 5 weeks of complaining and the dealer dening that they did it, I got a check for $14,500 for the hood and repaint. I sold that car.

2) 2001 GTS, Dark Saphire blue color, clear coat scratches show very easily just like black. Had failed water pump, on a Wednesday. Took car to dealer on Thursday, viper tech off until monday. Picked car up monday night, car had no gas at all, completely empty. Pull into gas station under neon lights and every pannel on the car was scratched. Another God **** nightmare. Went back to dealer, they said "someone was tring to be nice and washed the car with on of those hard bristle brushes", Dealer attempted to buff, clay bar and such the scratched out. They would be gone temporarily unitl you washed it a few times and the scratch hidder would wash out of the scratches. Did not have to battle them about a repaint because the car was taken off my hands for other reasons. But you can bet it would of been another bitter battle like above.

Its one thing to damage your car yourself, you can live with that. But when you are paying someone to do work and they damage your car, that is unacceptable.
 

KWIK

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Dante,
I'm sorry you feel there was no response from Timberline Dodge....I, personally, had two conversations with you asking you to bring the car in for inspection and discussion to resolve this problem. I received no visit from you, the offer is still open. Please contact me ASAP at Timberline Dodge. The direct Viper line is (503)736-5183.
Ken Klickman,
Viper Tech
 

Mike Brunton

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I would not leave my car.

My car was 'stored' at Herb Chambers Dodge in Danvers, MA for 2 weeks to fix a friggin BATTERY. They seemed unable to discover the cause of the problem - started replacing stuff left and right. Finally ordered a battery and called it fixed - but it wasn't (happened again).

Anyways, I was driving by the place (it's on a main road) one night and I see my Viper sitting outside in their UNLOCKED UNSECURED lot in the middle of a downpour. I go over to look, and my car is FRIGGIN UNLOCKED. My brand new Viper - sitting outside, in the rain, dirty as ****, unlocked, with CD's, my G-tech, my expen$ive stereo, and other stuff all sitting inside it.

I raised **** and was told it was a one-off slip-up... but I really don't buy it. They freaked when I told them not to drive the car - service writer almost refused to do the work. I asked why it needed driven for a battery change? No answer.

Figures.
 

artman

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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by JH23JOB:
They said since it was going to take a couple of days to do it
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Are all Dodge dealers slow like this with regards to getting work done on Vipers? The only two times so far I check in with local dealer, they wanted car three days to install a cat back exhaust; a whole day to do a fricking oil change and state inspection. Asked them why so long and answer was 'it is a complex precedure'. Give me a break!! I just laughed and huhg up. Local shop did exhaust in two hours; change my own oil in 20 min. I would not go to (my) dealer for anything other than warranty work, let alone unnecessarily leave it there with the caravans and neons.

You'd think for a $70k car you'd get Lexus like service.........
 

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