Dodge Dealership 'Viper Tech'

[DLTARNU]

Dodge Dealership \'Viper Tech\'

Went to the local Dodge dealership to get my oil changed. Drove up and saw an SRT-10 being worked on. "Good sign", I thought. "At least I'm not the first Viper they've seen."

Talked to the service manager and he told me that their resident Viper tech has "worked on them since they first came out in '95." Uh huh. Viper came out in 1995...

Anyway, he was just the service manager so I wasn't too worried, yet. Didn't have to wait long to start worrying.

I'm on the showroom floor looking at the Ram SRT-10 truck when one of the assistants asks me to come out to the work bay. Seems the 'Viper tech' didn't know how to OPEN THE FREAKING HOOD!

And I don't mean he was having trouble with it, like a latch was stuck, he didn't even know where the friggin' release was located! He was staring at the car like a monkey trying to pick a lock.

So I opened the hood for him and casually worked into the conversation about the torque specs on the drain plug and that just because I brought 10 quarts of oil didn't mean it NEEDED all 10. He, of course, knew this already...

This is my first and last time getting the oil changed by an outsider, unless it's Levin. I'll buy a lift for my garage and do it myself. The incompetence level of people when it comes to Vipers is staggering. Went to 6 places this weekend trying to get my oil canged, and all 6 declined because it was a Viper and they didn't know how to work on it. I appreciated their honesty. Was frustrated by the situation, but still appreciated their candor. What's wrong with saying, "I don't know how to do that." I'll gladly go elsewhere. But don't say, "Yeah, no problem" then proceed to screw up my car.

Blah.

 

[99 R/T 10]

Re: Dodge Dealership \'Viper Tech\'

"If you want a job done right, take it to Tator" Or Levin , or do it yourself. Since I haven't got any techs in the area, I do everything I can myself.

 

[DLTARNU]

Re: Dodge Dealership \'Viper Tech\'

If Tator wasn't 1500 miles away, it'd be no problem. But he is, so it is

Doug tends to be very busy, so I was trying to do all the 'simple' stuff (oil change, coolant flush/change, etc.) without him, and leave the more advanced stuff (brake pads, header install, etc.) to him. But I'm rapidly finding out there is no such thing as a 'simple' procedure on a Viper. I'll have to get a ramp for my garage or something so I can start doing this stuff myself because I have lost ALL faith in the local mechanics/techs/installers.

 

[scottgf]

Re: Dodge Dealership \'Viper Tech\'

Similar story here:
Had to get my Snake smogged, called a smog place "Sure we have smogged lots of Vipers"....Me thinks ...cool.
Take it there, the guy puts the car on the "dyno" then asks if the engine is in the rear....***!!!
I watched him like a hawk the rest of the time....took him 4 tries to get the smog done....not because it failed...he just couldnt figure out what to do.....
I'm going for the garage lift too, and will do most everything myself..
Cheers,

 

[Devin 97 Blue GTS]

Re: Dodge Dealership \'Viper Tech\'

Send a PM and I will change it for you on the weekend, got to always help a Viper brother

 

[joe117]

Re: Dodge Dealership \'Viper Tech\'

Get a board and use it to check what angle the ramps are going to need.
Regular store bought ramps might not clear the front of the car.

 

[DLTARNU]

Re: Dodge Dealership \'Viper Tech\'

Devin,

Thank you for the offer, but the dealer did finally get it done. Now I just have to check the oil level to make sure he didn't under/over fill and look for leaks to make sure he didn't under/over torque the drain pan plug or under/over tighten the oil filter.

Does your offer extend to coolant flushing and changing?

Going to order the replacement tubes and the radiator cap with the sacrificial anode from Roe. Also have to wait for my case of Zerex Racing Super Coolant to come in. Should be in by next week.

Just finished installing smooth tubes and K&N filters. 10-minute install my eye...

 

[STUGOTS]

Re: Dodge Dealership \'Viper Tech\'

"If you want a job done right, take it to Tator"

Could not agree more.

My car is there as we speek and not only is Chuck installing what I asked him to he found another problem I had no idea about and is fixing that as well.

GETS NO BETTER THEN CHUCK

 

[PhoenixGTS]

Re: Dodge Dealership \'Viper Tech\'

Hey be thankful your new car did not have the 998 Recall installed backwards so you can't even get the oil filter out!

 

[STUGOTS]

Re: Dodge Dealership \'Viper Tech\'

Hey be thankful your new car did not have the 998 Recall installed backwards so you can't even get the oil filter out!

YEAH Chuck was telling me about that one

 

[Carleton]

Re: Dodge Dealership \'Viper Tech\'

Thanks for the heads up guys as my car is at the Dodge Dealer now getting an oil change and new abs module.

Carleton

 

[01sapphireGTS]

Re: Dodge Dealership \'Viper Tech\'

I'm almost ready to stop cruising for the summer because I can't find anyone I trust to do an oil change outside of 9-5 M-F. I may end up with a lift and some LONG ramps myself. My car is lowered so the ramps need to be even longer than for you stock height guys. I also want to clean the underside of the car while it's in the air.

 

[V 10 MAFIA]

Re: Dodge Dealership \'Viper Tech\'

As soon as the so called Viper Tech didn't know where the hood latch was, thats when you should have drove the car immediately out of there. Glad to see you got on the forum to ask for help. See if Doug Levin Motors can help with service.

 

[SneakyPete]

Re: Dodge Dealership \'Viper Tech\'

Went to the local Dodge dealership to get my oil changed. Drove up and saw an SRT-10 being worked on. "Good sign", I thought. "At least I'm not the first Viper they've seen."

Talked to the service manager and he told me that their resident Viper tech has "worked on them since they first came out in '95." Uh huh. Viper came out in 1995...

Anyway, he was just the service manager so I wasn't too worried, yet. Didn't have to wait long to start worrying.

I'm on the showroom floor looking at the Ram SRT-10 truck when one of the assistants asks me to come out to the work bay. Seems the 'Viper tech' didn't know how to OPEN THE FREAKING HOOD!

And I don't mean he was having trouble with it, like a latch was stuck, he didn't even know where the friggin' release was located! He was staring at the car like a monkey trying to pick a lock.

So I opened the hood for him and casually worked into the conversation about the torque specs on the drain plug and that just because I brought 10 quarts of oil didn't mean it NEEDED all 10. He, of course, knew this already...

This is my first and last time getting the oil changed by an outsider, unless it's Levin. I'll buy a lift for my garage and do it myself. The incompetence level of people when it comes to Vipers is staggering. Went to 6 places this weekend trying to get my oil canged, and all 6 declined because it was a Viper and they didn't know how to work on it. I appreciated their honesty. Was frustrated by the situation, but still appreciated their candor. What's wrong with saying, "I don't know how to do that." I'll gladly go elsewhere. But don't say, "Yeah, no problem" then proceed to screw up my car.

Blah.

I tried to tell you in one of those other post! Atleast you got out with no actual damage to your car. Thats when the real aggrevation begins.