CarAndDriver

Anyone have any experience with the Mazda service departments at the Salinas (Cardinale) or Seaside (Val Strough Cypress Coast) Mazda dealers?

Those two are the closest to me and I would like to take my car to the better of the two if possible.

Thanks!

N rider89

ive been to salinas once to get a new tail light (water in it). they came out checked it and said to come back in a few days when the part came in. i guess the service was fine but ive only been there once.

CarAndDriver

Thanks!

N rider89

which ever one you go to come give some feedback on your expeirence of it.

rdr

Yep, I would be interested to know that as well.

Cool to see 3 other locals on the board.

CarAndDriver

Well it looks all three of us are going to have to choose one of the two dealerships to get the vaccum test for the recall done.

Which one are you choosing?

CarAndDriver

Got a reply on another site that said Salinas Mazda service and parts were awful. The service manager in Salinas was particularly bad.

Good from Seaside though. That's where I'm going to go first.

N rider89

cool we have 3 locals i see some 8s around here but not very many.

CarAndDriver

I don't see that many 8's around here much nor do I when I go to the Bay Area. It's actually kind of refreshing. It's not as ubiquitous as a Honda Accord.

N rider89

yeah i like that i dont see a lot of them. most of the ones ive seen are stock except for one ive see that is black with a veilside kit. i saw another that was red and i think stock but it was with some other modded cars so i think it was a club.

CarAndDriver

Well my driver visor fell apart and did the much seen split at the arm. There is a long long thread on the defective visors. I'm glad its still under warranty or it'd be $100 or so.

I am having Salinas Mazda order and install. The service guy I met initially seemed laidback, took one look and said, order the part and we'll install under warranty.

Crossing my fingers.

N rider89

yeah they did the same thing with my tail light. he kinda gave it a look and said he'd order another one. he was laid back.

CarAndDriver

My visor busted so I'm going to have Salinas Cardinale Mazda take care of it next week. I'll let everyone know how it goes.

momo

Stay away from Val Strough Cypress Coast. I took my car there once for general service and I had a really bad experience. They have a bad rep too.

I aslo had my visor fall apart, I took it to the Cardinale Mazda in Salinas and the service hooked me up. I forget his name, but his a big guy and just came back after having back surgery, great guy to deal with.

momo

I know who you are talking about. I don't think that he visits this forum. He actually has alot of aftermarket stuff on his car.

Mine is black with a custom license plate.

momo

Whoa I missed your post. I had the complete opposite experience with Cypress Coast Mazda in C-side. The serivce guy a Cardinale Mazda is very helpful.

Can you guys post the color of your cars? That way if I see you guys I'll wave. Me first I have a BB with a custom a license plate holder, also love music so you may hear blasting something.

CarAndDriver

Well I attempted to take my car into Cardinale Mazda in Salinas today to fix the visor and recall stuff.

First Mistake--well they ordered the passenger visor instead of the driver visor! Aaargh. Something about the microfiche being wrong.

Second Mistake--when I discussed the 4206F engine recall the service manager said that a loaner car was not provided. Grrrr....and he called someone else in the org and they said it was not either. Read what MNAO provides!!!

Well I am holding off on doing the recall stuff till the correct driver's visor comes in.

The manager, who has been nice, said it'd take about an hour to do the plugs and flash. If that's the case, I don't really need a loaner/rental car. However, I'm going to insist on the gas and wash, at least.

Just for reference, I called Seaside Cypress Coast Mazda and the manager there said no loaner/rental car either.

PRINT OUT THE DEALER LETTERS TO TAKE WHEN YOU GO IN JUST IN CASE!

CarAndDriver

I printed out the dealer and owner letter Mazda NAO sent out, which I got from this site (go zoom44!). I faxed it over to the Salinas Mazda Service Manager and politely said, here is what you are supposed to provide for this recall. It clearly states that a loaner/rental car is supposed to be offered regardless of how long the servicing will take in addition to cleaning and a gas fill-up. Please pass this along to the warranty info woman too.

I said if he had any questions that he should call MNAO to clarify proper procedures.

RESULT: Service Manager from Salinas Cardinale Mazda called me back and said that he received the information, verified it with the prev. incorrect warranty woman, and it would all be taken care of when I came in for the recall fix and for the wrongly ordered visor mirror. Appreciated the call, but it really shouldn't be on the customer's shoulders to have things followed properly. I feel bad for those not armed with information and printouts at other places.

Someone should inform the Seaside Cypress Coast Manager too.

N rider89

i agree that this stuff should not have to fall on the customer. im gonna bring in my car some time this week for the recall stuff. i'll come tell my expierence after i get back.


also i have a BB too with a ms kit, ms wing, tint and black powdercoated stock wheels.

CarAndDriver

Look forward to hearing about, hopefully, a more positive experience.

N rider89

my appointment is on thurs. they said they are going to give me a rental but its no big deal to me so it not worth fighting for.

CarAndDriver

For me it'd depend on how long it was going to take, if it was going to take 1-2 hours, I'd just wander around the other dealers looking at cars or catch up on reading materials that have been piling up.

It is good to hear that everything seems to be getting sorted out. I think the dealership has good intentions just misinformation. I guess we'll see when you go in Thursday. Make sure to get your tank down to near empty.

mazdaTyellow

i live in slinas,ca

does anyone knows where 2 get turbo tune ???????

momo

Do you have a turbo? I'm not aware of anyone doing turbo tuning in Salinas? Maybe that place across the street of the cementary over on Abbott St., Doseth? You made have to go up to San Ho.

N rider89

well i droped off my car earlier today at cardinally mazda in salinas.

when i droped it off the guy that helped me was a man named jeff (bald guy). real nice guy knew exactly what i was talking about with the recall and such. he knew atleast something of rotaries. he actuall recomended that when i shut down i rev it to 4k rpms to clear the carbonbuild up. ive heard of this but never done it before.

he was knowledge about the the recall and what it does. he asked it i needed anything else done and i said an oil change. also they gave a free car wash with the work done so sweet.

i didnt really care how long it took so it was probably a couple of hours, i was busy packing for college. i probably dropped it off at around 12 and i picked it up at 5. but no big deal im not in a rush.

at around five i pick it up. he says that i got the pcm reflashed and the two initial spark plugs replaced. the car looked nice and clean. another thing they did is they found another recall about the fuel tank and got that taken care up.

Overall, I had a good expierence. i know i might have had some trouble with getting a loaner but i had a ride there so i didnt even care about it. the guy i talked to (jeff) seemed nice and was helpful. its not a bad place for some recall work, but im still not sure about paying for install ing items there ever since i was quoted about $900 for MS exhaust with install.




its kinda funny i had a good expeirence but i probably wont be back because im leaving for college in 2 days.
also i didnt realise that both dealerships (cardialy and seaside) are owned by the same people. its funny cause i now the family too.

ok im done now