
Larry of Capecoral, FL on Nov. 6, 2009
I have a 98 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 with 116,000 miles on it. I have been taking it for service at Rodger Dean since we bought it. Never had a problem until this last time, the car was losing power coasted into the dealer. They checked it out and said I need an alternator, total was 500.00 dollars very high but it is the dealer so I figured it would be a factory alternator. I figured I would pay for it and have no more problems. I had some other things done oil change etc.
When I picked the car up they said they went over it and said I needed the transmission fluid changed and a few other minor things needed to be done. Well the next day the car quit charging again, so I take it back up they said it needed another alternator. It seemed strange a new alternator would quit charging that quick. But it was under warranty so they replaced it no charge thats fine. The service advisor Nick then says by the way your water pump is leaking, I said you just saw this now, he said the mechanic must have missed it the first time, so I got an estimate around 600.00.
I drive away the car starts to squeal loudly the alternator belt. I take it back the said the water pump was leakin g all over causing the belt to squeak. I opened up the hood I look at the engine I see no water or leaks you can see the alternator and the belt, nothing except squeaking. They take it back in pulled the car out in 5 minutes said it was taken care of. I said what did you do, we sprayed it with silicone spray. I could not beleive it a dealer doing this. I said will last he goes oh yea the corvettes do it all the time. He said it would last until I fix the water pump.
I just spent over 600.00 now they want another 600.00. I took the car to a mechanic I know who builds race cars. I asked him how much it would cost to fix the water pump and check the squeak and fix it. He tested the water pump three times the pressure was right on, they search the engine for leaks could not find a thing wrong. He told me I did not need a water pump the dealer was just trying to make some extra money. So I ended up having to pay him another 300.00 for a new belt Rodger Dean had sprayed so much silicone spray on it. The belt was slipping they told me when the put the second alternator on the tightened the bracket to tight and ruined the spindle that controls the belt.
I called the service manager and told him this before I had the work done and he said bring it over and we will look at it. Well by this point I certainly do not trust Rodger Dean I did not want to take a chance of getting ripped off again. The mechanic that ended up looking at it and fixed everything told me if it needed a water pump he would have put it in and made alot more money. I know he was telling me the truth. I ended up losing 300.00 and time out of my day dealing with their incompetence.
I just wanted to make people aware in South Florida about this dealer I know General Motors has had problems of late. But I did not think the dealers would start ripping off their customers to make up for it. I need to know how I can let G.M know what this dealer is doing, I went to their website and did not see a way to make them aware of this dealer. If you know how please let me know