Vehicles & Servicing Best Posts in Thread: Buying a new car in Dumaguete

And they just gave you your keys?

As a mechanic working in a US dealership we do not hand over the keys before settling bills.
That being said we would have bent over backwards to resolve your warranty claim first. We might tell you we got it covered under good faith then just write it off. Profitable dealerships understand covering warranty claims whenever possible creates customer loyalty. Rumor has it people talk about their experiences.

Manufacturers don't make it easy for dealerships to get reimbursed for warrant-able repairs.
They will only pay standard labor times that they set. Only the most skilled mechanics and properly equipped shops can achieve those times. They don't pay the same labor rate that you do, it's a fixed and lower $ per hour. They make me prove the cause of the failure. A skilled warranty administrator is invaluable to making sure a dealership gets reimbursed from the manufacturer. Any dealership that thinks warranty administrator isn't a job by itself isn't doing there customers or themselves any favors.

Warranty claims need to include:
1. The mechanics ID number, think training certifications for the vehicle model and any major components like the engine or transmission.
2. diagnostic and repair procedures followed have to be documented step by step. More and more diagnostics are performed with server connected software or software that records files that will need to be attached to the claim.
3. All parts that a repair calls for have to be billed to the claim with the correct part number.
4. Primary failed component code and cause of failure code.
5. Failed parts have to be returned.

What is hard is we can't honestly tell your repair is covered when you drop off your vehicle for say a check engine light. We may know in general your engines major components are covered because of the low mileage and the in service date. We could do a quick scan and see a code for a component that is listed in your warranty booklet. That doesn't mean this repair is immediately covered no mater what. The key is that codes often don't reflect the primary failure but are only a symptom. We have to do the diagnostics to determine the true primary failure and its cause.

 

That's a very good question. I bought a new car from Toyota in 2015. It was about 18 months before I took it in for the 5000 Km oil change/check up. The service guy told me the warranty is void because I should have come in after 3 months. He pointed to the owners manual which call for service at "5000km or 3 months". I told him I selected the 5000 km option. To which he replied "well the warranty means 5000 Km or 3 months, whichever comes first". I explained I didn't know what they meant, only what Toyota had written. The service guy sort of surrendered at that point.
Since we were talking about warranties I asked him "hey you guys are always trying to sell me the synthetic oil and say I can drive 10,000 Km between changes. The owners manual never mentions synthetic oil. What's Toyotas policy on synthetic oil?
Sorry Sir I don't know.
I wasn't bothered or annoyed, more amused than anything.
All in all I'm quite happy with my Toyota and their service.

 

I recently purchased a Fortuner from the Toyota dealership in Sibulan. My experience with them, both sales and service, has been very positive.

 

I had a Strada pickup from Mitsubishi Sibulan. I made two warranty claims in the 3 year period and there was no problem getting the work done. You may have to wait a couple of weeks for parts but there was no argument about who paid.