Mazda Dealer Service Horror Story #8,888,888,888.

Background:
I "pre-ordered" my 2004 RX-8 from a dealer that is 1 hour drive from my home because their service department had a good reputation. Then I was lucky enough to end up with the mis-advertised Horsepower bribe from Mazda ($500 and free scheduled maintenance for the warranty period). Free service: this is the only reason I take my 8 to the dealer. I have owned rotary cars since the late 1980s and have learned the golden rule the hard way - most Mazda Dealers don't know an end seal from a walrus.

Yesterday:
I picked up my car from the dealer after taking it in for a scheduled maintenance visit (oil change and air filter change (35,000 miles)). I got there just as the service shop was closing so I just went to the cashier, picked up my receipt and keys and left.

When I started the car the engine sounded a bit rough, but smoothed out almost immediately so I chalked it up to sitting for a week on the dealer's lot. I couldn't have been more wrong.

I left the dealership right into bumper-to-bumper traffic for several miles, but when the road opened up a bit I noticed the car was very sluggish to accelerate. I triple checked all the gauges - all okay. The car was running smoothly and sounded fine, it just wouldn't accelerate like it should.

All sorts of possibilities ran through my head, but the one that made the most sense to me (at the time) was that they had maybe re-flashed the ECU and somehow put the car into "limp mode". Since I didn't see any signs of trouble and I knew the service department was already closed, I decided to nurse it home and call them in the morning to see what the #$% they did to my car.

I never made it home. I got about 35 miles and the oil light (low oil level) came on, so I pulled over immediately and turned the car off. I went to the trunk to get a rag to check the oil level and noticed the whole rear end of the car was covered in oil. I checked the oil level and didn't have one - EMPTY.

When I bent over to pick my heart up off the ground I noticed oil AND water were coming from the bottom of the engine bay. I punted my heart into the woods and dialed roadside assistance.

The car is back at the dealer where they are waiting for the technician that worked on it to come back from vacation. When he gets back and looks at my blown engine (not confirmed by Mazda, but a 99% chance), maybe he will rember what the HELL he did to my car!!!!!!

Simply - the worst oil change in (my) history

Silver lining: This means I have to drive my 94 RX-7 as a daily driver until they fix my 8

 

Wow, I'm sorry to hear that. Hope it all gets resolved (in your favor, obviously) soon.

 

that sucks, i'd say they put the oil filter on wrong (most likely)

 

Hopefully you'll get things fixed. I don't take the car in to get an oil change even when they offer to do it for free. When I had my Honda I let the dealer do the oil change once and the mechanic left a tool under the hood an closed it damaging the hood. What are the odds? That was the last time anyone else did oil change on my car.

 

thats gay....these mechanics are supposed to know more than us, and are supposed to be taking care of our cars so we come back....

 

he probably took it down to the Jiffy Lube on his lunch break ...

 

Probably just drove it over a cinder block and let the oil change itself.

 

Its kinda sad.. over a year ago I'd be saying "yeah right like a dealership would let that happen." and now I see myself saying "Jesh another fuqued up dealership story."

Demand a new engine as Abbid said not a reman, plus a nice loaner from their lot of your choosing of course. Though I give you credit for not ending the story with "After assulting the Service Manager and Staff and my wife/gf/family bailing me out of jail...."

 

dang, that is a bad oil change. good luck getting it settled. hope you get a new engine.

 

wow! good luck with that!

 

OMG, I'd be a bit more pissed off than you sound in your post. Stick it to them, make them put a new engine and give you another 3 years of free maintenance!

 

Sorry to hear about that, glad I do my own oil changes lol

 

Demand a new engine on a crate direct from Hiroshima Japan. It sound's like the mechanic was thinking on his vacation and forgot to tighten the oil filter, or maybe the dipstick, Who know's?, let them have it. Good luck

 

You own a FD and would still consider taking your rotary powered vehicle to a dealership? Wow, I thought FD ownership implied advanced mechanical skills to keep it running.

 

Horrible story.... But that ^^ was Hilarious

 

One thing that can happen is the original seal ring (rubber gasket on the filter) can stick to the engine.

When you put the new filter on it doesn't seal and pukes out the oil. (in most other instances double gaskets are good, but not this one)

I went through 8 qts by making this mistake, even though I knew better and always check the filter I pulled off. It was almost comical, change oil start engine, turn off, hear liquid dripping on floor, see scale model of Valdeze spill on floor.

Clean floor, tighten fliter, go buy more oil, repeat oil spill process.

Very mad look at old filter, SON OF A #%$&@. Go buy more oil (3rd gallon) remove new filter and bonus seal. Replace filter and oil. Get beers, several, It's all better now.

 

In his story he says that the only reason he takes it to the dealer is because he got the free maintenance for the life of the warranty deal. I don't blame him. I'd take it to the dealer too if I had that deal. Sure they messed it up this time, but even though I have no idea what the original poster does for a living I'm going to bet that Mazda has deeper pockets than him and can buy him a new engine easier then he could buy himself one had HE made the mistake.

 

This is why whenever i get my car back from the dealer, i always do a visual onceover, look under the car to make sure the plastic panels aren't hanging + open the hood, check the oil, make sure its not overfilled or underfilled and make sure that the techs didnt' leave any tools in my engine bay (happened once before with my other cars). Then i drive off. Probably takes 5 mins. I see other techs coming out of the service bay looking at me like what am i doing?? but i guess its quality assurance thing for me. Since i can't see you in the waiting area, when i get my car back, i'm going to do a once over inspection ....I guess it looks like i dont trust my techs working on my car but in another way, its me actually caring about my car than your avg person. . But that totally sucks about your car. I hope they fix that for you without blaming you

 

I hear you. I do all my own wrenching normally, but the Free Maintenance and Warranty Period things convinced me to bite my lip, close my eyes, and hand the keys to a Mazda Service Manager.

The way I look at it - Its their problem and they will fix it to my satisfaction or give me a new RX-8. I'll definitely give them that choice... once.

In his defense, the service manager at this Mazda Dealer is truly excellent. The techs (I'm learning) might be another story.

Thanks everyone for the kind words. I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

oh man sorry to hear this! :/

 

How can anyone Pre-order a 2004?

The cars been out for 4 years.

 

He pre-ordered his 2004 in 2003?

 

As the man said: I preordered my car in 2003, just as they were first coming to the dealers.

I didn't care for the appearance package and all the cars the dealers were getting around here had the appearance package on them, so I ordered exactly what I wanted and Mazda build the car after I ordered it. It took 3 months to take delivery, but I'm the patient type that gets what they want.

Back on topic: The dealer said they were looking at the car today and would have an answer for me tomorrow. I hope its something stupid like a cracked oil line or fitting, but I fear the worst.

I have to say I kind of like this warranty thing though - usually when something goes wrong with my car its hours of troubleshooting and $$$$ of my own money to fix it in my own garage with the spare time I don't have. Of course my 1984 and 1994 RX-7s are a bit past the warranty period....

 

 

OUCH, I found myself picturing this and it hurt my head just thinking about it.
Did he forget ot tighten the drain plug?

Good luck with the dealersihp