Mlkirby
Lexington Park,#2Author of original report
Fri, August 31, 2007
As of yesterday, August 30, 2007, I am getting a new oil pan. I had the Consumer Protection Division of the Maryland Attorney General's Office mediating my case, they called me on Tuesday of this week and told me that All Tune and Lube in Waldorf had been sold....what a shock. They said that Mr. Courtney, who was in fact the owner, had sold the franchise over the weekend and negotiations were taking place with the new owner. Come to find out, James still works at All Tune and Lube in Waldorf, so I do not even know if he was the co-owner as he told me he was or not. I was recently told that he is a mechanic there. I don't even know if the information that I provided James with ever got to Mr. Courtney, which is a shame. The mediator told me that All Tune and Lube will be paying in full to replace the oil pan, as it was their fault, and they have made an appointment for me at another shop so that James will not be working on my car. I also spoke with VW in Waldorf and was told that someone from All Tune and Lube had called the parts counter to get the information on the oil pan so that it could be ordered and they stated that they do not know why it took so long to get this resolved, that it should of been taken care of as soon as the problem was noticed. It goes to show that honest people win in the end, I was lied to from day one by James, at All Tune and Lube in Waldorf, and maybe it was because he did not want to pay for it out of his pocket, I do not know. What I do know is that by taking the correct actions, I have come across people that are willing to take responsibility for what happened, and that should of happened weeks ago, as I still have an oil leak and have had one since I orginally had the car serviced in June. Still, consumers beware of All Tune and Lube in Waldorf, James still works there, and just from my experience, I would make sure if you do take your vehicle there, don't let James touch it. The shop is under new ownership, and I am sure, just from this weeks events, that the new management is better than the last. A good end to a horrible saga.
Robert
Buffalo,#3Consumer Comment
Thu, August 30, 2007
It's unfortunate that you're pushed into this position. My point about the VW dealer attempting to repair it is that they attempted an IMPROPER repair. A helicoil isn't going to do it and they shouldn't have tried that - that would be reason enough for me to find a different VW dealer to use in the future. My concern is that you're still driving around with a leaky pan. As I stated, it can be repaired by any competant welder with a TIG welder - and this would surely cost less than a new one. The choice is yours of course, but what I would do is get the pan PROPERLY repaired (fill in the old plug port and drill and tap a NEW plug port) and then present the repair bill to Precision Tune Auto Care. If they don't pay it I would sue them in small claims court. I understand your position and I understand the position of Precision Tune Auto Care. They don't want to buy a new pan, when a less costly repair is all that is necessary. Even small claims courts will expect that you mitigate your loss - what this means is that if it's reasonable to have it repaired rather than replaced, the court will award the repair costs. I'm on your side! Just offering my advice as to what I would do. The pan can be repaired, but it seems to me that the VW dealer you're going to is "hell bent" on selling you a new one. Another choice would be to purchase a pan at a junk yard (ooops, I mean "auto-dismantler) and again present them with the bill to purchase it and have it installed. Good Luck
Robert
Buffalo,#4Consumer Comment
Thu, August 30, 2007
It's unfortunate that you're pushed into this position. My point about the VW dealer attempting to repair it is that they attempted an IMPROPER repair. A helicoil isn't going to do it and they shouldn't have tried that - that would be reason enough for me to find a different VW dealer to use in the future. My concern is that you're still driving around with a leaky pan. As I stated, it can be repaired by any competant welder with a TIG welder - and this would surely cost less than a new one. The choice is yours of course, but what I would do is get the pan PROPERLY repaired (fill in the old plug port and drill and tap a NEW plug port) and then present the repair bill to Precision Tune Auto Care. If they don't pay it I would sue them in small claims court. I understand your position and I understand the position of Precision Tune Auto Care. They don't want to buy a new pan, when a less costly repair is all that is necessary. Even small claims courts will expect that you mitigate your loss - what this means is that if it's reasonable to have it repaired rather than replaced, the court will award the repair costs. I'm on your side! Just offering my advice as to what I would do. The pan can be repaired, but it seems to me that the VW dealer you're going to is "hell bent" on selling you a new one. Another choice would be to purchase a pan at a junk yard (ooops, I mean "auto-dismantler) and again present them with the bill to purchase it and have it installed. Good Luck
Robert
Buffalo,#5Consumer Comment
Thu, August 30, 2007
It's unfortunate that you're pushed into this position. My point about the VW dealer attempting to repair it is that they attempted an IMPROPER repair. A helicoil isn't going to do it and they shouldn't have tried that - that would be reason enough for me to find a different VW dealer to use in the future. My concern is that you're still driving around with a leaky pan. As I stated, it can be repaired by any competant welder with a TIG welder - and this would surely cost less than a new one. The choice is yours of course, but what I would do is get the pan PROPERLY repaired (fill in the old plug port and drill and tap a NEW plug port) and then present the repair bill to Precision Tune Auto Care. If they don't pay it I would sue them in small claims court. I understand your position and I understand the position of Precision Tune Auto Care. They don't want to buy a new pan, when a less costly repair is all that is necessary. Even small claims courts will expect that you mitigate your loss - what this means is that if it's reasonable to have it repaired rather than replaced, the court will award the repair costs. I'm on your side! Just offering my advice as to what I would do. The pan can be repaired, but it seems to me that the VW dealer you're going to is "hell bent" on selling you a new one. Another choice would be to purchase a pan at a junk yard (ooops, I mean "auto-dismantler) and again present them with the bill to purchase it and have it installed. Good Luck
Robert
Buffalo,#6Consumer Comment
Thu, August 30, 2007
It's unfortunate that you're pushed into this position. My point about the VW dealer attempting to repair it is that they attempted an IMPROPER repair. A helicoil isn't going to do it and they shouldn't have tried that - that would be reason enough for me to find a different VW dealer to use in the future. My concern is that you're still driving around with a leaky pan. As I stated, it can be repaired by any competant welder with a TIG welder - and this would surely cost less than a new one. The choice is yours of course, but what I would do is get the pan PROPERLY repaired (fill in the old plug port and drill and tap a NEW plug port) and then present the repair bill to Precision Tune Auto Care. If they don't pay it I would sue them in small claims court. I understand your position and I understand the position of Precision Tune Auto Care. They don't want to buy a new pan, when a less costly repair is all that is necessary. Even small claims courts will expect that you mitigate your loss - what this means is that if it's reasonable to have it repaired rather than replaced, the court will award the repair costs. I'm on your side! Just offering my advice as to what I would do. The pan can be repaired, but it seems to me that the VW dealer you're going to is "hell bent" on selling you a new one. Another choice would be to purchase a pan at a junk yard (ooops, I mean "auto-dismantler) and again present them with the bill to purchase it and have it installed. Good Luck
Mlkirby
Lexington Park,#7Author of original report
Thu, August 23, 2007
Thank you for your input, and I am not questioning your expertise, but the oil pan should not have to be welded. I took my car into All Tune and Lube in Waldorf without any problems and now my oil pan is leaking. James took responsibility for stripping it out until he found out that the oil pan needed replaced. I do not want it fixed, as Volkswagen has already fixed it and it did not work, I want it replaced. I should get a new oil pan because mine was not welded, or anything for that matter, when I took the car in. In update to my case, I contacted the Consumer Protection Division of the Office of the Attorney General. They mailed a letter dated August 7, 2007 to All Tune and Lube Waldorf and I still have not gotten a response. I still feel like I should not have to pay for the oil pan to be replaced, I will be pursuing this until I get a new oil pan. I just want to say that I contacted the Corporate office of All Tune and Lube and got no where. They told me that they could not help me, as my oil was not changed every 5000 miles as it should be, this was my problem because the oil pan was dirty. I contacted Volkswagen service again and was told that in fact, the less you change the oil the better, as the screw does not get removed as frequently. Also, the handbook that came with the car for service states that the oil should be changed every 10,000 miles, no less. So the point of not changing the oil every 5000 miles is mute. Still All Tune and Lube Corporate office, Elena, said they could do nothing to help me.
Robert
Buffalo,#8Consumer Suggestion
Tue, August 07, 2007
About the helicoil - helicoils are not used when a water tight (in this case) oil tight seal are required. Normally, the plug port can be repaired by either drilling and tapping to the next larger size oil plug OR filling the old port (by welding) completely and then drilling and tapping a NEW oil plug port. Cracks are repaired simply be welding over the crack. Many times I've heard dealers and others claim that something cannot be repaired because it's aluminum - absolutely false! It takes a special welder - TIG which most dealers and neighborhood mechanics DO NOT have. I have seen this type of repair done many times in my 53 years. I am sure that the pan can be repaired, but that is up to you. I might suggest you find another VW dealer to go to - they seem to like selling parts when a repair is all that's necessary.
Mlkirby
Lexington Park,#9Author of original report
Fri, August 03, 2007
The oil pan was repaired by Southern Volkswagen at the expense of All Tune and Lube Waldorf. James admitted to stripping it out and accepted the charges to repair it. Volkswagen called James and let him know that the oil pan was so stripped out the helicoil did not fix the leak and I would need a new oil pan, he declined. James then changed his story from it was their fault to it was no longer their fault, but mine. I dont know much about repairing the oil pan, but from what the Volkswagen dealership told me, mine cannot be repaired.
Robert
Buffalo,#10Consumer Suggestion
Thu, August 02, 2007
I don't know how much they want for replacing the oilpan with a new one, but I do know that a cracked aluminum oil pan can be repaired by any qualified TIG welder. It might be cheaper for you to simply remove the pan, take it to a good welding shop and have them repair it (including the oil plug port) and reinstall it yourself.