City Pontiac tried to rip me off!

[Gristle]

These guys tried to charge me $455 to change my oil and repair my "hi fan speed only" problem. The service advisor guaranteed it was the fan switch that needed replacing. Luckily, I found the threads on this site about changing the $50 resistor pack. The guy still insisted it was the fan switch and that he already special ordered it for me.I demanded my car back but had to pay them a diagnostic fee. I then went and changed the resistor pack and viola! Problem fixed!Thanks guys for the invaluable postings. It just saved me a lot of money.

[BlueCrush]

Quote, originally posted by Gristle »These guys tried to charge me $455 to change my oil and repair my "hi fan speed only" problem. The service advisor guaranteed it was the fan switch that needed replacing. Luckily, I found the threads on this site about changing the $50 resistor pack. The guy still insisted it was the fan switch and that he already special ordered it for me.I demanded my car back but had to pay them a diagnostic fee. I then went and changed the resistor pack and viola! Problem fixed!Thanks guys for the invaluable postings. It just saved me a lot of money.Great to hear you didn't have to pay full price for something you didn't need. I haven't had to change it on my Vibe yet, but I did change it on my wife's Aztek in November. Saved myself $300+.

[jake75]

I think I would ask, then demand a refund of that diagnostic fee - since it was mis-diagnosed. They did not provide the service they charged you for.They will refuse of course, then I would complain to the local Better Business Bureau.

[Raven]

To change the fan switch is 1 hour of labour tops ($85.00), an oil change is say $35.00, that leaves $335.00 for the switch. Me no think so!

[ProtonXX]

Stealerships are refining their art these days because I had a similar problem but for my Pontiac Grand Am.Basically there is a recall for a hazard switch in 01-02 Grand ams (mine was a 00 but had same exact issues). GM had a special bulletin to fix 00 & 99s too but they of course have to goto the stealership for the diagnostic + fee.If the problem was the same as the recall then its replaced free...if not you are out the diagnostic fee.Of course they get the hazard switch problem wrong & wanted to juice me $500 to replace a $120 multifuntion switch(that was replaced under warranty already).I just went & complained to the manager & they offered to cut me a check w/o any questions. This check covers the hazard switch & the bad diagnostic they did.

[Gristle]

The service advisor told me $190 labor to change the fan switch. I guess with the dealers losing money on car sales, they're trying to make up for it in the service department...City Pontiac is in Toronto, avoid at all costs!

[keithvibe]

where is our cut of the money you saved LOL

[03VibeOttawa]

Quote, originally posted by Gristle »The service advisor told me $190 labor to change the fan switch. I guess with the dealers losing money on car sales, they're trying to make up for it in the service department...City Pontiac is in Toronto, avoid at all costs!Well said.I've had that problem with Turpin GM in Ottawa (where my '03 base was purchased.. I had a slipping clutch last summer, and took it into them. They quoted me over $1700 on the phone.. I told them to have my car out front waiting for me NOW, paid a $117 diagnostic fee, then drove it around the corner to Canadian Customs on Carling Ave., who ordered me the exact same part and had it installed the next day for about $950. Unbelievable.