Definition of Insanity

[2002 Caddy]

OK I know the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result... So this time, when I need to take my car to the dealer I called the next closest dealer to my house... When I called during their business hours I got their service dept voice mail ... So I left a short message... My name, make model, my problem, and my cell number and my desire for an appointment. I wait two days for a call back; none came, so then I figured...

Ah what the heck, I'll just take it in to my local dealer that seems to always take 3 or 4 tries to fix a problem.

This time, I'm lucky, and I get the senior service adviser (the one with the Gold service excellence award next to his name)...

Whats my problem??? Its easy.. I broke my #1 key fob on the weekend and I need one that I scored on ebay programmed. On my car this is a "Tech II" only job and will be a ~$60 fee... I'm ok with and expected that.

He says.. "we will need both fobs"... I expected that too and I hand him the Fob #1 (my settings) and Fob #2 (the wife's settings). I point out which is fob #1 and fob #2 (plus they are "stamped" with a big #1 and a big #2). I remind him that the car has two different fobs with two different settings. He says don't worry we've done these before... lots of cars are like this now... (I think YES! I found a service advisor who knows what he is doing!). He takes the "ebay" fob over to "Parts" where they check that it is actually right for my car... It is... (I think YES! This guy is not only smart; he is careful too!)

I then hand him a print out from my copy of the eSi system that tells the Tech exactly what needs to be done. He says "Cool that will make it easy, Thanks."

Let me quote part of what the instructions say:

The order in which the transmitters are programmed is important. The first transmitter programmed will be transmitter #1, and the second transmitter programmed will be transmitter #2. The number on the transmitters are for reference only: #2 can be programmed as #1, or vice versa. Use care to program the transmitters correctly.

He calls me an hour later the job is done, both fobs work fine, come and get the car! When I get there he tells me it only took the Tech half the book time to do it so they are only charging me $39.00. (I think to myself he is: smart, careful, courteous, and honest. I'm in dealership nirvana) I ask if I can give him a hug...

I pay my bill; they bring up the car... Unlocked I get in and drive home.

When I get home... I test the fobs... Both work...

BUT

You guessed it...
Fob #1 triggers Driver settings 2 and
Fob #2 triggers Driver settings 1.

Two trips to program key fobs!
I can't take it... I'll just live with wonky fobs.

I ask, are these cars just too complicated to work on?

[GMCSonoma]

Well, just open the fobs up & switch the boards...I would guess they just programmed without physically looking @ each fob #????


Sounds like you dealt with someone like my GM competitor in town....they are pathetic...as does your store you dealt with. Maybe this recession we are leading into will take of them!

[F14CRAZY]

I dunno if this helps, but...

My car was at a body shop and was brought to the Subie dealer in Lansing to get a new trailer light controller module, among a few other things. The towing package was installed by the dealer I purchased from when I bought it new and is a genuine Subaru hitch and light module.

Body shop calls me and says the Subaru dealer says that it's aftermarket and they cant deal with it, and they take it to a hitch store

I'm thinking OM-flippin-G...

I go to the hitch store, remove the module, and take it back to the Subaru dealer and show them the big obnoxious emblem on it and ask to look up the part number and indeed its a genuine part

Then a few weeks ago I went to the parts desk for a Momo shift knob, a genuine Subaru accessory which is shown in the catalogs. Parts guy can't find the part in the computer even though I point to it in a catalog. I use my phone and find an ebay listing of the same knob with the part number and give it to him. He finally finds it and gives me a price, and I say to go ahead and order.

I come back a few days later for a couple other things I ordered. I ask about the knob and he gives me a confused look, then says he forgot to order it.

OH MY F...you're the parts counter guy! Your job is to order parts!

[2002 Caddy]

Originally Posted by GMCSonoma

Well, just open the fobs up & switch the boards...

SHOOT GMCSonoma, you are a genius! Why didn't I think of that!

Thanks!

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by 2002 Caddy

SHOOT GMCSonoma, you are a genius! Why didn't I think of that!

Thanks!

Hah. My total lack of common sense would've prevented me from seeing that reasonably easy fix.

[shadams]

Bwaahaaaa! Guts swap, done that a few times....

What kind of vehicle is this?

Couple side notes, people everywhere are retarded, not just at dealers, and we dont charge at all for programming remotes, cant believe people do. Most vehicle can be done without the tech 2.

[GMCSonoma]

We do, as 50% buy them elsewhere...if they bought new ones from us, and it doesn't require the Tech 2, we'll just print out the instructions and give them to the customer...

Originally Posted by shadams

Bwaahaaaa! Guts swap, done that a few times....

What kind of vehicle is this?

Couple side notes, people everywhere are retarded, not just at dealers, and we dont charge at all for programming remotes, cant believe people do. Most vehicle can be done without the tech 2.

[2002 Caddy]

Originally Posted by shadams

Bwaahaaaa! Guts swap, done that a few times....

What kind of vehicle is this?

Couple side notes, people everywhere are retarded, not just at dealers, and we dont charge at all for programming remotes, cant believe people do. Most vehicle can be done without the tech 2.

Ya just about every GM car can be done without a scanner... on many you just short to ground the black "program" feed on the receiver...

On my Olds Intrigue you turned the key on and off a few times and press and held the lock and unlock buttons at the same time... The horn toots and you are off to the races... I think GM has gone back to "Tech II-less" programming on all of there new cars now...

Unfortunately this isn't the case on the 98-2004 Sevilles... Mine is a 2002 STS. You can't do it without a Tech II...

Dealers who do ANYthing with a Tech II for free are VERY rare. most charge a book time (door rate) of 30 minute just to take the Tech II out of its case and plug it in. This seems like a total "rip" until you consider that the tool costs over $3000. If you could rent it... the cost would be about the same.

[shadams]

Ahh yes, there are quite a few cars that are like that, guess I should have lookd at your screen name, huh?

I have made a ton more money by NOT charging people for programming, or for that matter scanning codes for check engine lights. Usually they are stunned I didnt charge them then become really good customers. BTW this is something I actually do, I wouldnt expect my techs to stop what they are doing for nothing. At any rate, to me its worth the effort for a chance to make a new customer.

[02silverado1500]

Quote:
I have made a ton more money by NOT charging people for programming, or for that matter scanning codes for check engine lights.

I totally agree with you,
In todays world it seems like no one does anything without the "standard" fee, or make an appointment, etc. Little details like scanning that code for free make a big impression, I think.

Quick story, 2 years ago Both my truck and my fathers truck lost fuel pumps within 3 days apart. Before I knew it was the pumps that failed, I figured it was water in the gas, because we both filled at the same sevice station last. I confronted the manager there, never met him before, He dropped what he was doing, and me and him checked it out, he showed me how the tanks were computer monitored for stuff like that, did a printout, then we went out to the tanks and he checked it there for me......I buy $650 in gas each month, every drop from that station ever since, so does my father, most of my family, alot of my friends. I wasted 30 minutes of his time that day, see how it payed off for him

I just bought a 2008 express 4 months ago, silverado in 2002, called the dealership for parts and questions the other day and got some kid who must've had better things to do then help me out, no phone manners whatsoever, I went elsewhere.