Screw Capitaland's service department (NSFW)

[acwrx]

     I'm sure I will get smited for this thread by someone or people that don't agree, but so be it...just expressing my opinion. Maybe someone can change my view on this, as much as I doubt it, but for now I am just really pissed off. So let's start off with saying that I got a pretty good deal (so far anyway) on an '04 STI down in PA. It had a brand new engine (less than a week old) and turbocharger (less than 1 1/2yrs old) installed before I purchased it. I have the receipts showing the work done along with the total spent on it at the Subaru dealership in PA (always good to have records). Now about 4 months after buying it, I see that the Air Bag light is coming on every so often. So being that I like the idea of my head having a place to go that is somewhat soft and a little less lethal, I decided to take it to Capitaland to get it fixed. I brought it in, dropped it off and the next day got a call saying it was done. When I asked for the total, I found out it was just a little shy of $300(!). I asked if a sensor was bad or what was wrong. I was told and I quote (even though they deny it): "There were some loose wires and a bulb had to be replaced". I just said "Oh..." and told them I would be there later to pick it up. I was pissed off and happy that I had some ammo...he said a bulb had to be replaced...? What bulb exactly would you be replacing; I'm pretty sure the Air Bag light was coming on juuuust fine. I arrived there later and talked to the same guy I spoke to on the phone. He denied ever saying anything about a bulb and at that point, I really didn't have an argument. Apparently someone literally spent 3 hours working on my car to find a loose wire (sarcasm), maybe that is the case, I do not know.
     Fast forward a month, my car is leaking oil from the passenger's side head, I bring it there and get charged for a couple of hours (~$200) to get the cam cover bolt taken out, have some anti-seize put on it, and put back in place. I'm happy that the problem is fixed and I honestly do not know what is involved with getting to that damn little bolt, so all is fine. Thanks Capitaland...no problem here. About a month after this incident, my Air Bag light is BACK ON. Great...that sucks, but it's hard to find time to drive my car to a dealership during business hours to fix this. So I let it go for a while. Now skip forward to just the other day, the driver's side head is now doing the same thing as the passenger's side was, leaking oil. So I call up Capitaland and tell them the problem with the oil leak and I tell them that the airbag light had come back on again, so I need that fixed as it should be under warranty (I assumed that work/parts were warrantied 12kmi/12 months...shouldn't assume I guess). They said no problem and I dropped the car off to them.
     So now I go today to pick the car up and I am told the bill is $230+. No big deal, I just thought maybe this side took a little longer than last. I paid and I am handed the invoice, I start to walk out and then I look down at it... there is a line item for fixing the air bag light in the amount of $40+ for "...added a wire tie to try to keep in place..."! WHAT THE FUCK?!?! So I go back to the guy and say "shouldn't this be under warranty?” I am told "no, it is not a part, only parts are warrantied". So I just turn around and leave, I'm pissed and arguing with someone isn't really going to do any good. But I have to say this...what the fuck business does NOT warranty their work? Seriously? So if you didn't fix the problem right the first time, I am supposed to pay you bastards more money to put a fucking $0.001 zip tie on it? The great part is I am told that the only way this could have been fixed right is if they had replaced the wiring harness. Well fuckers, why didn't you give me that option originally? Now I have the world's most expensive zip tie ($340+) as some ghetto ass fix for my SRS system! Something else that's great...my invoice from the first time for the "fix" states "Repair wires and connections reassemble all ok." So far it looks like they didn't actually repair any wires or connections if all they did was plug it back in and charge me ~$300.
     I guess the bottom line is this, I didn't argue much and I kept my composure. Reason being: I am going to have a field day with this one. A copy of this message will be edited for naughty words (lol) and sent along with copies to Capitaland management along with Subaru of America. I'm pretty sure there is some law that prohibits paying for work that isn't actually done too...not too sure about that though (yes that is sarcasm yet again). Seeing as though I have in writing that they did something they actually didn't and all they have is my signature signing that I wanted the work done... However, even if all is lost and I get no other satisfaction, I can get even... They may have unfairly charged me by quite a bit, but I figure all that it would take is to dissuade a few, maybe 3 people from going to get their work done there. Hell, I can think of a LOT of people that own Subarus (no, not just you guys lol) and will need work done on them eventually. I also know if this crazy place called the interwebz. It's a wonderful thing when someone uses a search engine to find a place and some of the first results include user ratings. All it takes is one person with a bad experience to help change another person's mind about something. But what do I know? I'm just a disgruntled customer with a message. 


(This message obviously has NOTHING to do with Fred, he has been helpful and is a great asset to the community!)

I think that this is the worst way possible to go about the problem. I know the staff at capitoland very well. Between my family we have bought around 20 -25 subaru's and a good handful of GMC's from them. I don't intend on making this offensive, but doing something like this is completely immature, and should have been delt with on the spot. You had the oppourtunity to have it taken care of, but you let it go...multiple times.     

Its not a great idea idea to burn bridges. You never know when you might need to cross them again.

[idipskoalmint]

I think that this is the worst way possible to go about the problem. I know the staff at capitoland very well. Between my family we have bought around 20 -25 subaru's and a good handful of GMC's from them. I don't intend on making this offensive, but doing something like this is completely immature, and should have been delt with on the spot. You had the oppourtunity to have it taken care of, but you let it go...multiple times.     

Its not a great idea idea to burn bridges. You never know when you might need to cross them again.

This incident was nearly a year ago. I think Joe's gotten past it...

[RedRoof2]

This incident was nearly a year ago. I think Joe's gotten past it...

Right.  So what was wrong?  SRS Clock spring faulty or something?

[idipskoalmint]

Right.  So what was wrong?  SRS Clock spring faulty or something?

Haven't seen him post in a while

[deadlydave]

Its not a great idea idea to burn bridges. You never know when you might need to cross them again.

True.  Again, it was quite a while ago.  Bumping a topic this old in other places would get 2-4 days of open mockery.   

[acwrx]

True.  Again, it was quite a while ago.  Bumping a topic this old in other places would get 2-4 days of open mockery.   

ohh wow, woops never even noticed it. hit me with it. im a rookie i know.

[WRXer]

rable rable rable rable

[jms8313]

just on a side note, I had a very good experience with capitaland's service department. My turbo blew one day on the way to work, and i called fred and talked to the service people and i dropped it off after work. They had it taken apart the next day, put in a new turbo, changes the banjo bolt, flushed all the fluids and i havent had a problem since (its been about 7,000 miles). They didnt even joyride the car (i checked the mileage) which seems to occur alot of the time. The service staff were pretty helpful and courteous to me every time i called.

I guess my main point is dont believe everything you hear, form your own opinions because from what ive seen on here the experiences are hit or miss.