Positive experience with Mazda UK, yes really! (let down by dealer)

[Juey]

As you lot all know I have JDM car.
JDM cars don't get the usual recall notifications and any time that I've tried to find out if I should be having any work done, I'm told, sorry nothing in the system and sure enough nothing comes up on the gov.uk site either.

As the recalls are regarding fuel seal, fuel tank and airbags - all of which are fairly vital to survival - I decided to have another go with Mazda UK as I can't believe that my car was fitted with different components to the UK cars.

Found someone helpful, who knew there was a JDM import liason person now who can get in touch with Japan and check the JDM VIN numbers and get back to me. This was Wednesday......

Got a call today - yes, 4 recalls required (airbags x 2 and 2x fuel seal/tank)

First time I've ever got anywhere with Mazda UK.
He's even sending a note to my local Mazda dealer to say I'll be ringing to book in so they're aware of who and how to bill it.

It is possible, you just need to find the right person!

Only question now is how much will the dealer F up the car? Last time it went there they put the HT leads on the wrong way around so both my trailing sparks fired first ...even after leaving the instructions from MRP with them

Will book in next week and see how it goes.

[PeteH]

Good stuff. Maybe they'll give your gearbox a fresh lot of ATF while they are at it.

[Juey]

^^Houston we have a problem^^

[HwAoRrDk]

Good to hear. I mean, it's not as if they didn't have the same recalls in Japan, so JDM imports should be receiving the same attention as UK cars.

I wonder if there'll be some Mazda-internal paperwork finagling that happens which results in your car being marked as "recall done" back in Japan.

[Juey]

So, having been booked in for recalls in February, it was cancelled due to lack of parts.
Finally booked in again next week. S'pose 3 months isn't too bad for a Mazda Dealer........

[Juey]

Mazda UK let down by shoddy dealer (as usual).

Car went in for the recalls last Thursday. (Airbags and fuel tank seal)
Service desk told - don't touch anything else, do not update software, just the recalls nothing else.
Yes sir, no problem.

Pick up car, idle seems lower than it was. The gits, I thought, they've messed with something...........defo not 100% driving home, but shizzle to do...

Out Saturday, longer than usual to start. Stopped the car after 20 minutes driving and had to restart in 2-3 mins, started up and then died on me. Started again and a little hesitant, but running ok ish.
Get home later for a quick inspection under the bonnet - first thought was they hadn't put the battery terminals back on properly but they were fine. A bit more ferreting finds the T1 ht lead loose on the coil, could be pushed on about a centimetre.
So they've had the HT leads off for no apparent reason and then not put them back on properly

Shoved back on and car idles fine again and runs sweet.

Out on a blast to check it all out Monday, and imagine my surprise to see my coolant warning light come on - bearing in mind it was deliberately disconnected due to the faulty float sensor.
Back home and under the bonnet again - voila, they've reconnected it. WTAF?

Wonder what else they've been messing with.......

Have called them to ask why they'd been messing with stuff and was told, "oh yes, we go over every vehicle that comes in to do basic checks on them."
Even when they've been specifically told not to it appears......and then leave them in a worse position than when they came in!
If they're doing basic checks, would they not need to remove wheels, cos they weren't taken off (were dirty and no marks)

Clowns, total clowns.

Donalds Mazda Peterborough.

[warpc0il]

If I was cynical, I'd be considering that they'd deliberately sabotaged the car with a couple of faults that they could then easily sort for £££ when you needed them to fix it for you.

Back when new cars needed a first service within 1,500 miles, I had a company car returned with a nasty clunk from the front end.
The dealer said "No problem, bring it back and we can investigate the problem and repair under warranty"
I took a quick look and saw that the front wheels nuts had been disturbed (marks on the wheel dirt) and sure enough, two of them were less than finger tight

The first service on the Sierra Cosworth was only an engine and gearbox oil change, so they had no business touching the wheels.

Long story short, I went down the corridor to the Dealer Zone Managers office, told him what I'd found and gave him the keys.
Seems that the dealer had had a long history of dubious warranty work claims and was already on a final warning.
Their excuse this time, having been found out, was that "One of the technicians must have got confused with different cars on the ramp and started a brake pad replacement on the wrong car"

They lost their Ford franchise the following year.

[Juey]

...just can't trust them to do (or not do) anything

[ChrisHolmes]

Unless you actually see that the service desk have actually written your request on the service booking form then once that form gets into the service bay they will do precisely what is on the form PLUS the standard "courtesy" inspection. Verbal instructions to the front desk simply get lost as there is no record.
You would think that they would notice the car was running rough.

[Delanor]

In my experience they are all at it - the Japanese manufacturers dealers are supposed to be the best according to surveys for customer/quality of service etc and I have had Toyota, Mazda,Mitsubishi, Suzuki and caught them all fiddling on servicing/repair work etc.

The 6th year 75K mile service (my RX-8 was on 20K miles) they hadn`t changed the Diff` oil and Cabin filter when I confronted the service manager he went to investigate and came back with the reason that " Their parts man hadn`t given the Technician the parts so he hadn`t changed them" but their Technician had managed to tick the check list and they had managed to charge for it on my bill.

This was the final straw after all the bad service I had received from Mazda dealers that I stopped using them and now service it myself lets face it on a car with such a low mileage in addition they had managed to fit the wrong oil filter, under/over filled the engine oil, left the dip stick out, damaged the air filter housing left the gearbox dripping with oil after changing that oil (got an advisory for an oil leak on the MOT for that one) etc etc etc.

Absolutely hopeless!

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Del.

[Juey]

....and another surprise.
Found this in the central cup holders...answers on a postcard please, what is this?
Pen for scale, before you all say it's a pen!

[ChrisHolmes]

It’s a doobry that locates the swingle pin

[bigpete8]

Looks like it had a badge or something attached to it at some point...

[warpc0il]

It's the thermal compensator for the Trichotometric Indicator
viewtopic.php?f=25&t=41195

[Juey]

Looks like it had a badge or something attached to it at some point...

...like a McDonalds star system for Mazda techs?
Looks like I got Billy 1 star and that fell off

[bigpete8]

[Delanor]

I asked her who is all seeing, knowledgeable and wise in all things and she reckons its a "thingummybob" and nothing to worry about.

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Del.,

[Juey]

Solved it!
It's the piece of resistance. Once removed it unlocks an extra 50hp and takes mpg up to manufacturer's official figures.

It's true dat.