Last Friday, we posted about how a Dodge dealership in New York spent nearly a week working on a truck, and charged over $700 for the labor, only to say they couldn’t fix it in the end. It looks like the story has a happy ending: after the truck’s owner sent in a formal complaint and pointed the dealership to our post, the dealership’s owner refunded both the repair fees and the towing fees.

Joe wrote back on Saturday:

My father filled out a online survey expressing his discontent with his level of service, and used the comments section to refer them to The Consumerist. He also sent an inquiry via their website, also directing them to the published article. Within an hour, the owner of the dealership contacted us from his farm. He was clearly upset, but consented to refund our money plus the towing charge. The dealership made good on our repair bill as far as we are concerned. We are considering a future purchase.

I did not write this as a dig to the dealership, or to the owner, Billy Caprara, but more as a story about how a car dealership, any car dealership or repair shop, can make promises, and charge for a repair that was unsuccessful. I felt that if the vehicle leaves with the same problem as when it arrives, charging for the full repair is unwarranted, and unethical.

I wish an attempt was made by the service people to give an option or a contact to complain. Only after writing to you, and following up with an email to a generic dealership contact did we get a response.

Thank you Consumerist, and thank you fellow readers.

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(Photo: Photocapy)

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