Ok, I'm finally home after a full 8 hours of torture. I called a local dodge dealer to see if I could get an oil change done this morning prior to storms moving in since we are loading up the Viper on Tuesday to leave for VOIX. The dealer says sure no problem, come right over. I jump in and head out happy as a lark. I asked how long it would take and they say 45min. I leave with my wife and run an errand and return in about 60 minutes. Not done yet so my wife just drops me off so I can wait a few minutes.
I peek out at 1:15, then 1:30 and finally ask at 1 hour and 45 minutes if everything is ok or is there a problem with my car?? The service gal tells me that they didn't send enough oil over so they had to go get more. This is the reason why I didn't go to the dealer that had been doing my oil changes. No locals seem to understand that the viper takes 11 quarts of Mobil 1. Most oil use in cars in this area measure oil use in quarts per week. Finally after 2 hours, my car is ready and I'm on my way. Still time to wash car and get it home in the garage to detail it and get ready for VOIX. I get caught in some light rain, the car is already very dirty so I stop for gas but smell oil burning as soon as I get out of the car. Odd, but I figure the guy spilled some oil on the exhaust. Sloppy work but I'm still good.
I stick a brand new $5 bill in the car wash and start washing wheels, then the car. Since I am heading to VOI, I’d better get the dust off of the engine. I open the hood, switch the spray to Rinse and go after the engine compartment. IMAGINE MY HORROR WHEN THE SPRAY IN MY FASH CLEARED AND I SEE THAT THE OIL CAP IS NOT ON AND REALIZED THAT I JUST POWER WASHED THE INSIDE OF THE VALVE COVER.
I can’t speak. I get on the phone and tell the first guy what is going on. He had been in service 7 years, I had talked to him quite a bit in the morning about the car. He puts me on hold and gives me the young gal that had been there less than 1 year. What the hell is she going to do? Finally, after 10 minutes (and I’m sure severe diarrhea in the shop), the service manager comes on. I didn’t feel his concern at all. The first two employees almost fell to the floor, things like ‘oh my good’ and just ‘oh my’ come out. The service manager asks me if I have driven the car much. Much, no sh*t Sherlock, I already told you that I drove to a completely different town. He wants to get a tow truck there. I ask him if he knows the proper incline that a viper can be pulled up. He does not but he ‘is sure that they can get it on a trailer’. I said ‘I was sure you could handle a simple f’ing’ oil change but that didn’t happen did it.’ He finds out where I’m at and basically hangs up. I call the service gal back and have her get 24 quarts of oil delivered so I don’t have to wait on oil for another 2 hours.
In shock, I watch my car getting put on a tow truck. They did a very good job with me hovering on them. Went over to the dealership and pushed the car onto the lift. I ask the service manager “What is the game plan”? He says “well we will look to see if there is any water in the oil”. I tell him that I can guarantee there is water in the oil since I was f’ing power washing the motor after driving in the rain.
Now I’m a bit panicked, so I at least want the oil drained, replaced then I told them I would drive it. The hell I’m going to let them drive my car. Then the only thing I could think of was drain and replace the oil again. I’ve got about $5,000 spent on going to VOIX and my engine if full of water. This is not a good day.
I feel alone with no one to ask for opinion or help. Luckily the oil cap and fallen down along the wheel well and got stuck. I think they wanted to just put it on and send me home. WAIT – I have Tim W. phone number in my phone. Tim is an officer in the KC-VCA. He can get me in touch with the KC experts. They will help me. Tim doesn’t answer but I leave a message. WAIT – I’m a member of the VCA!!! On the phone to my wife, she posts my phone number and situation. I tell the service manager that in 5 minutes I will have the top guys in the country on my phone! F U!!
Mark from Woodhouse calls me in 2 minutes flat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you Mark. I bought my car from Woodhouse and had some other work done by Mark. In my shock, I didn’t even think to call them direct. Mark explains that I really couldn’t have gotten that much water in and that draining should be fine. Mark also calmed me down so I wouldn’t start breaking windows of all of the new cars in the lot. Point taken and appreciated. I didn’t rip the head off of the mechanic and was civil to him.
The service manage continues to be a **** and tell me that there isn’t any signs of water in the oil. I take the car out for a little drive. Jon B. calls me but I’m driving the car and didn’t feel the vibration of the phone (I love the viper). Jon leaves a VM and I plan to call him as soon as I park the car. He calls me back!! He was upset with me for not putting my full name in my signature (I have since added it, just an oversight). Anyway, I was a customer of his and he was going to do anything in his power to help me. Thank you Jon. Jon goes on to explain just as Mark did that I didn’t really get that much in there and that if we drain and refill we should be good. He also gave me a few other tips so I ran the car good, got the oil nice and hot, then returned to have the oil drained and renewed. Jon also made sure that we meet up in Detroit and talk to the Arrow guys while we are up there. Did I mention that Jon has a friend (I believe a VCA member) that is an engineer for Texaco oil?
I tell the service manager that MY PLAN is to visit with the top viper mechanics in the world next week, meet with the actual engine engineers and builders and visit with a lubricant engineer. He had no comment, just stood there looking my like a post with his blue jeans and Hawaiian shirt.
Mark also told me to get them to document the event. You would have thought I asked the guy for the world. I also got samples of the oil from the 1st and 2nd oil changes. The mechanic was nice helping me get the car in and out of the racks but the service manager just stood there and didn’t say a word. He gave me the documentation and said ‘OK’. That was it. I was going to just go off on him but just thought. – so you are going to let me just walk out of this place as pissed as I was without offering anything to diffuse me. He did.
I did a very nice burnout in front of the service department. Had it sideways down two rows of new cars. I was impressed. I’m going to enjoy next week and let all of this soak in prior to making the next move. I’m assured that the car is good but that is no excuse for the way I was treated. Mistakes happen, incompetence happens but not to even attempt to smooth it over or even try to illicit expertise in the matter to alleviate a customer's concern is unforgivable. I even called my wife and told her that I really felt like making a big scene, let them call the cops on me, I could care less.
Saying that Ozarks Dodges ***** on this forum will not hurt them too much but having my car parked by their lot with signs will work them over. Letters from lawyers will sting and advertising in the paper is cheap here. They could have spent a few hundred bucks to ease my pain and just leave me a ********** customer but now I would spend $10,000 to really make it hurt.
Now, thank you to Tim (I did talk to him), Mark and Jon for listening and helping me out. Thanks for all of the comments from the VCA members, I might have to print out the excerpts (names deleted) and send it to them!
I promise I will just drive them in and out. 
