So my wife got this Jeep Cherokee for about a year and we get a recall notice. No problem, so about a month ago I bring it in for the recall. I also told them that the windshield washer was not working (which is the main reason I brought the thing back) I was driving through the snow and sleet with a squeeze bottle of antifreeze out the window so I could spray it and clear the window.
So they fix the 3 recalls and tell me they needed to order the part to fix the windshield washer and they would call me in a few days when it comes in. A month goes by and I call them to see what happened to this part that I figure must come from Bora Bora. The parts guy tells me it came in 3 weeks ago. No one called.
So today I go there for my appointment to put the windshield washer part in. I used to be a General Motors mechanic (Oldsmobile) so I know how these places work and I bring a newspaper because I figure it will take at least 45 minutes.
2 hours and fifteen minutes later they call me that the car is fixed. During that time I read every word in the Daily News including all the advertisements, who is running for what position and what they are calling the other guys, where to get my teeth fixed, who to call to clean my chimney or walk my dog, if I had a dog, which I don't. I also did both crossword puzles, then erased one of them so I could do it again because i was so bored.
They give me my car and I go out to take it. It was pouring raining out but I was glad to finally get the car. I get in and turn on the wipers which work fine. I go to put on the washer, and nothing happens. Then I try the rear one and nothing happens. Now, I am not a happy camper because I just spent two hours and fifteen minutes sitting there ready to eat my chair, and now the thing I brought the car in for still don't work.
So I go inside and get the service manager. I tell him the car is not fixed. He says whats the problem. The windshield washer don't work. He says, what is the matter with the windshield washer? I say, I don't know, what do you think I have been doing here all day? He says, the car was recalled. I say: it was recalled last month but I came here for the windshield washer. Oh, let me find out. So he looks on the paper and right on the top it says, Customer claims the windshield washer does not work. I say, I waited a month for the washer part that came in 3 weeks ago and now it is here. He says, we put in a module that the car was recalled for. I say, you put that in 3 weeks ago so why did you put it in again?
I get the manager and tell her I am not very happy. She offers me a cup of coffee and a bagel. This is New York, I can't swing a dead catfish without hitting at least three bagel stores. I don't want a bagel, I want my windshield washer working. So she runs in the back and finds the mechanic. He opens the hood, then he goes and finds another mechanic, then they get the guy who sweeps the floor. Now 5 people are trying the windshield washer and they determine that it doesn't work. Like Duh, is it me!
Now they are going to give me a loaner car because they have no idea how to fix it and it will take a few days.
I am waiting for the loaner car for 45 minutes because when they "fixed" my car, they closed out the paper work and can't re-open it again because the computer thinks it is fixed.
I finally get the loaner car (and a bagel) and discover that it has just about no gas in it. I tell them so they don't expect me to fill this thing up.
On my way home I put five gallons of gas in it so I don't get stuck. I walk into my house and the phone rings. My car is ready.
Now I drive back the five miles through traffic to get my car. 45 minutes later they get my car and I finally get in and start to drive home. I get one block and stop behind another car and I notice in his reflection that my running lights are not on. This car has a bunch of LED running lights that stay on all the time.
I park the car and get out to see the lights are out. So I take out the owners manual (which is 800 pages) and I search for running lights. Sure enough, they are supposed to be on.
I go back to the dealer (where they look at me in horror and try to run away) and I say the lights don't work. A mechanic comes out and asks me "what did we do to the car". I said, aparently you broke my running lights because you were supposed to fix the washer. So back in the shop for 30 minutes so they could re-program the running lights.
This is why I hate new cars and always buy a used one. But my wife wants a new, but who do you think has to bring it back for all these stupid things?