Complaint Review: Phil Long Hyundai

Everyone, head my advice and learn from my mistake...

DO NOT take your car to Phil Long Hyundai for service unless you have taken it to an independent service station and gotten an impartial diagnostic done first. Here's why:

3/19/01 Mileage: 11302
I took my car in because the instrument panel would not illuminate. Result: fixed...temporarily

I picked the car up, drove home popped the trunk, now the light on the dash to show the trunk is open wouldn't illuminate. Not a big deal, I can live without that for a while.

2/07/02 Mileage: 33222
I parked the car in my friends driveway overnight and saw a big a*s puddle by the left axle. I decided to take it in, and get the trunk light fixed as well. I also noticed my cruise light wasnt coming on. My brakes were squeaking in the back so I had them check those out as well and do a multi point inspection, just in case. (Side note, I had to go to Miami for a week on business, so they had a WEEK to fix the car.) Result: fixed the leak, dash light still didn't work (apparently a part was ordered but I was never told that or was I called when the part came in), they told me the brakes were fine (LIARS), Brakes Plus said there was 1/8" left on the pads and I had to have them replaced, no big deal things wear out.

Here's the straw that broke the camel's back...

4/24/03 Mileage: 54780
Instrument panel light went out AGAIN!
Diagnostic (right off invoice): Wrong bulb installed in left front corner lamp causing fuse for dash lights, tail lights, also headlamps are inop cust declined repair (of course! the cost quoted over the phone was $200 when I hadn't replaced any bulb)
Not a warranty concern... Cost: $84.95 to have someone plug a machine into my car and read an error code and look up the code in a book, probably never even looked at the car.
Now my cruise switch light wasn't coming on, so they ordered a part.

I recorded the conversation with the service advisor when I picked my car up, she stated that the bulb was a single prong and should have been a double prong. Service rep stated that if it was determined that wasn't the cause that it would have been covered under warranty. I didn't get a quote on the cost to repair it because I wasn't going to have anything done. In hindsight I should have, because it would have proved what a deceitful company this is.

I took the car home, looked it over, replaced the fuse (less than $.10) and trouble-shooted to find out the socket was not working right. So I replaced the socket ($9.83 included tax) and everything worked great. I didn't even have to plug a computer into the car to figure that out!!!! Total time spent fixing the problem, less than 10min. Hmmm, $200 versus $10...tough decision. I wonder how much they get paid by the hour? If they get paid $190 a half hour I need to change careers! The thing that bothers me the most is, if I was someone that doesn't know anything about cars they would have gotten away with it!

5/22/03 Mileage: 56189
Cruise control part finally came in. Finally, I only wanted it fixed back in February 2002! (Must have been flown over from Korea on a chickadee) They finally fixed the trunk light, and cruise control light but now my temperature knob doesn't turn all the way to the left anymore. Jesus Christ, can't they fix anything without messing something else up? I don't care anymore, I have lost so many hours of work leaving my car there that I am by now mentally exhausted and frustrated to deal with them any longer.

6/5/03 Mileage: 57022
Now my "check engine" light is on and the car is stammering when you hit the gas. Obvious problem, wires got loose on the distributor cap or spark plug. THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM THAT WOULD MAKE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON. I opened the hood, and found out that the oil fill cap was missing, so I found that and put it back on, checked the wires (no problem there) and assumed that dust or rocks got into the engine, so I had it flushed, changed the oil and took it to the dealer to test them if they were actually lying and see if they would find that as well so that I wouldn't blow a rod. Now if they had found this out for themselves I would have gladly paid for any repairs, because it was my fault.

Well, surprise, surprise, they failed the test. They called me back and said that the spark plug (Bosch Platinum, longest lasting spark plugs on the market) on cylinder 2 was faulty and cylinder 2 had carbon tracks (BECAUSE OF THE DUST, DUH GUYS!) but they said that because they weren't factory plugs that my warranty wouldn't cover it... OH MY GOD! I hit the roof! Of course I didn't use factory plugs, because they cost twice as much and last half as long! Now I knew for a fact they were trying to swindle me but I didn't have any hard evidence, well I through a hissy fit in front of people and they gave me half off the diagnostic. Then the service advisor told me that the plugs would be $4 each and the wires would be like $60... Ummm, I got the exact same plugs at advance auto parts, part#BKR5ES-11 for $1.68 each (My Bosch plugs cost me $3 each) and lifetime wires at AutoZone for $30.00. Like I said, twice as much.

Good thing I got them on tape saying that they inspected the rods and cylinders (even though I know they didn't, just plugged a computer in). Because my warranty expires in less than 3000 miles and if the rod goes because of their negligence, then that lawsuit is as good as mine.

Side note: Temperature knob still does not turn all the way to the left and probably never will because their hands will never touch my car again!

Every time, and I mean every time I took my car in to get warranty work done I found something else wrong with it after I drove away. I am not exaggerating at all here as you can tell from my timeline.

Women beware! Do not take your car in unless someone who knows about cars is there with you. If they replace something ask to see the part they replaced, to make sure they didn't just wipe it down with WD-40 to make it look new (a common practice around the holidays). Do not leave your car there; watch them while they work on it to make sure they arent messing around where they shouldnt. And if they tell you a quote over the phone have them print it out, come to me and I will personally look at your car, and fix it for half as much.

I want everyone to know that Phil Long Hyundai service cannot be trusted. I know they tried to swindle me because I never took it there for routine maintenance, I did all the maintenance myself so they lost a s**t load of money because they didnt make any money off the actual sale of the car (I got it for $2,000 below what they paid for it), they make it on the service and routine maintenance. Im sure they saw all the money they lost from me not bringing it in to change the oil and decided that they were going to try and get some of that lost revenue back.

Andrew
Colorado Springs, Colorado
U.S.A.