Tried a new dealership yesterday

[Cal Cruzer]

After the nightmare relationship I had with the Tuttle-Click dealership (where I actually bougth the car) in Tustin CA in the past, I was ready to swear off of dealerships altogether, but they are a neccesary evil for some things like warranty. I finally got motivated to try another and went to the one in Costa Mesa. Man! They didn't give me a hard time on one item. They are replacing the PCM, getting me a new chrome wheel, replacing the shifter boot and actually had my car ready when I went back in the PM instead of telling me they needed to keep it over night. I left a message for my service writer PJ and he acutally called me back within about 10 minutes. The Tuttle-Click dealership would never even bother to call at all.

My only bitch is that I warned them that my car had been lowered and I wanted a notation for the techs and lot boys to be carefull. Well they ran the nose into something and scratched the paint. It's just that I am so happy to actually get warranty work done on my car without a hassle that I am not going to say anything about it. I am hoping that it can be buffed out by someone when I get it detailed next time. I WILL insist on some kind of notification for the techs next time though. I have to take it back in next week when the parts get there.

I had oringinally taking it in for a CEL code P0325 (knock sensor) but after it had been on for 2 days of course it wasn't there when I went in. Just the stored code, so there really wasn't much they could do.

I will see how it goes when I go back.

[Mike-in-Orange]

I never had any trouble with Tuttle-Click for the 4 years I owned my Stratus. Then again, I only brought it in a couple of times for some minor warranty work. Of course, they didn't know crap about Stage 1 other than telling me they had recently discussed with DCX that it absolutely would NOT void my warranty.

Exactly what dealer was this in Costa Mesa? Although my experiences with T-C were fine, I hadn't modded that car at all. Maybe the PT would be a different story.

By the way, aren't you in Huntington Beach? Isn't there a dealer on Beach Blvd that would be closer to you, or have you had even worse experiences with them???

[Cal Cruzer]

Yes, I am in Huntington but my office is in Costa Mesa not far from this dealer. I just didn't know they were there when I was looking for a car. I didn't go to the one in Huntington because my neighbor was unhappy with their service dept when she took her car to them. When she told me all the stuff that they wanted to do to her car on her 15,000 mile service (flush the rad, brake fluid, brake pads (still plenty of pad there), muffler bearings (well okay at least they didn't try that) but the list was rediculous and they wanted to charge her a rediculous amount. I could see no reason to go there. I had no knowledge of Orange Coast Chrysler so I did not know what to expect. I have not talked to them about mods yet. I had pulled my Airaid intake and lower box off over the weekend to modify it and put another stock box in so not sure how they would react to mods. My engine compartment looked stock.

[Gary04GT]

There is nothing like having or finding a new dealership that is really "Five-Star"--it makes owning a PT Cruiser just that more enjoyable.