I brought my car in for an electrical problem. My low-beam headlights did not work on Tuesday, but my high-beams did. Both low and high-beams worked on Wednesday. On Thursday, neither the low nor high-beams worked. Neither worked on Friday when I brought it to the service department. I explained all of the above to the individual who took my car in. He stated they would test the electrical system. On Saturday, a different ""handler"" called. He said the headlights were blown and that they had installed new bulbs ($30 each, and $60 of labor, for $120 headlights -- wow). I didn't think the problem had been the bulbs, and I knew that was darn expensive for new headlights, but it sounded a heckuva lot cheaper than an electrical problem, so I put my concerns aside.
I shouldn't have put my concerns aside. The following Thursday, the car died without warning at a busy intersection. It wouldn't re-start; I had no lights; and no power-anything.
I spoke to the service person who initially took the car in. He tacitly admitted that an electrical test had not been done, as I'd requested. I said, you guys saw a girl come in, and figured I didn't know what I was talking about. He didn't deny it. I reviewed my receipt and saw he had summarized the problem as the headlights not working (as opposed to working intermittently) and that he did not request an electrical test. Then, I asked to speak to the manager. He put me on hold while he went to find the manager. Then, THE SAME GUY returned to the phone and said, ""I'm the manager."" I asked, and he had not been promoted in the past five minutes. He was an ""assistant service manager"" (I'm sure they all are). I asked him again if an electrical test had been performed. He hemmed and hawed and said if they couldn't recreate the problem, they couldn't do the test. Other than saying, ""bring it back in,"" he made no effort to apologize or make things right.
I always thought the dealership was a pricier but quicker alternative to the local shops, and that they'd be best for this job because of specialized diagnostic equipment. None of that matters when you don't take the time to do the job right and you don't own up to your mistakes.
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