The missus needed to take her 2007 Honda CR-V in for the driver's side airbag inflator. After waiting months for the part, she was notified that it was in and she took it to the AutoNation dealer. We had bought the car new from that location, back when it was John Elway Honda, years ago.

So, when she goes to pick it up, the Service Advisor told her that her shocks and struts needed to be replaced immediately. There were cracks in the CV boots and the cost would be $1100.

When she got home, I got under it, and couldn't see the cracking they referred to, and performed the old rocking test for strut health. I also asked her if she had noticed any deterioration in ride. No on both diagnostics.

A few weeks later we got the notice that the Pax side inflator had also been recalled. This time we called a dealer in Boulder, Fisher Honda and got an appointment that same week. This time I made the appt and took it in.

After the work was done, I asked for the diagnostic workup and guess what? Other than an engine air filter and cabin filter, no problem. Wait, what about the brakes and wheels and undercarriage, I asked? The advisor went over the multi point inspection sheet and miraculously the boots, and struts had healed themselves!

Aside from Yelping them, any recommendations on how to warn people that they really need a second opinion when this dealer recommends any work?

Obviously, I'll never use them again.

I would contact Auto Nation Corporate and tell them what happened.

Female vs Male customer......

Not correct, perhaps have the wife contact Autonation directly.... Explain how women will
be concerned to bring cars back to that dealer for service knowing the SM is trying to rip them off.

Big problem for SM at dealerships getting bad reviews, I would imagine the first dealer sends you a follow up service questionnaire, have your wife hammer them on it...

How many miles are on this 10 year old CRV? Have the shocks and struts ever been replaced?

Honestly, if they're origional and have 100k miles on them or more, the shocks and struts are due to be replaced. Perhaps the second dealer didn't even put the car on a lift and look at anything.

I took my Toyota Matrix in for the air bag and left with an estimate for $1900 worth of work. Not one item on the list was needed. They had the car off the lift and parked outside when I asked them to "show me". The worst part was they said my gas tank straps were so corroded the tank was about to fall off. They wanted $190 for that. They also wanted $90 to put 4 plastic clips on the plastic shield under the engine ($6 for a pack of 10 online). Nothing but thieves. Oh my gas tank straps are shiny and no rust at all.

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
How many miles are on this 10 year old CRV? Have the shocks and struts ever been replaced?

This would probably be a valid question if 2 different dealerships didn't give 2 completely different diagnosis. One it seems was trying to snooker a female customer and the other treated the male customer as if he might actually know a thing or two about cars. Seems that it was underhanded as all hell of the first dealer to try and talk a lady into unnecessary repairs just because she's a woman. I would be pissed too.

Edited to add that consumers need to contact local news outlets and put pressure on them to report badly about the shady practices of auto dealers.

Was the original dealer the one on 104th and Federal? If so, that seems to be their SOP. I've been much happier with Fisher Honda.

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quote:

Originally posted by mutedblade:

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
How many miles are on this 10 year old CRV? Have the shocks and struts ever been replaced?

This would probably be a valid question if 2 different dealerships didn't give 2 completely different diagnosis. One it seems was trying to snooker a female customer and the other treated the male customer as if he might actually know a thing or two about cars. Seems that it was underhanded as all hell of the first dealer to try and talk a lady into unnecessary repairs just because she's a woman. I would be pissed too.

Edited to add that consumers need to contact local news outlets and put pressure on them to report badly about the shady practices of auto dealers.

It depends. Shocks and struts are SHOT on a 10 year old vehicle with 100k miles. CV boots also can be cracked if they're 10 years old. I'm thinking that the second dealership didn't have a reason to put the car on a lift for the repair, never put the car in the air since its easily 30 minutes to set the lift up, put the car in the air, and bring it down and off, and never even checked the underneath of the car or the components mentioned.

I love how people with 10 year old cars or cars with 100k miles think that all of the wear parts like struts and shocks last forever.

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
I'm thinking that the second dealership didn't have a reason to put the car on a lift for the repair, never put the car in the air since its easily 30 minutes to set the lift up, put the car in the air, and bring it down and off, and never even checked the underneath of the car or the components mentioned.

Only if they're completely incompetent. If a customer is inquiring about struts, brakes, and CV joints, the dollar signs for most dealers start turning like a slot machine. After all, they make a metric butt load of cash off service. And wear on the parts mentioned is not hard to see or identify, even for the untrained and inexperienced.

My bet is this dealer saw a woman, a 10 year old car, and thought why not give it a shot on some high dollar replacements. Happens all the time here in Florida.

I had a moron at the Ford dealership analyze a shift issue with the tranny in my 2001 F150 (115k miles at the time) as a failing transmission which would need to be replaced. Cost = ~$3k plus loss of the truck for a few days while the work was being done. I researched the issue myself online, and found it was not an unusual issue and could be resolved by replacing the clutch solenoid in the bottom on the tranny, a part that fits in the palm of your hand. Took me an hour on my back in the garage and ~$20 out of pocket to repair, and the truck has shifted flawlessly ever since. I no longer give any service department the benefit of the doubt. If they can't prove it to me, they can forget about doing the work. And proving it to me entails putting the vehicle on a lift and walking me through the parts one at a time.

quote:

Originally posted by cudameat:
Was the original dealer the one on 104th and Federal? If so, that seems to be their SOP. I've been much happier with Fisher Honda.

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Yep, that is the one. So far, I have been very pleased with Fisher.

Thanks,

Dealerships recommended certain repairs all the time. Thats fine by me. Recommend all you want and ill be the judge.

Dont tell me something needs repaired immediately as scare tactic to make money.

offering not needed repairs is standard with, not just women, but naive looking people.

I'll bet her turn signal fluid was low, too. Assholes.

My wife and I have like 700K miles on Honda cars in the past 15 years. We drive the cars until they have 250k miles and then trade them in. Never once have we needed shocks or struts. Perhaps our roads are better in south Florida than some parts of the nation, but shock/strut service is oversold as a service in my opinion.

quote:

Originally posted by Fredward:
I'll bet her turn signal fluid was low, too. Assholes.

Nah...?..its the mufler bearings!