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This open class action lawsuit is closed!
This Open Class Action Lawsuit is no longer active, but if you believe you were overcharged for auto repairs, you may still be able to take legal action by filling out the form on the Top Class Actions Start a Class Action page.
When you bring your car to a dealer for service or repairs, only the dealer really knows what work is actually being done. This lack of transparency allows dealers and their service centers to take advantage of customers.
Sometimes dealers overcharge for the work that was done or for the parts or materials that were used. Still other times they charge for work that was never performed or parts or materials that were never used.
Overcharges may happen for a range of services, from major repairs to regular maintenance, to simple oil changes.
Why do Overcharges Happen?
Automotive dealerships can increase profits by overcharging for repairs, parts, and services.
For example, on Edmunds, one mechanic describes a systemic culture of dishonesty in the automotive dealership service industry: “They wanted me to sell more, to recommend service that wasn’t needed and to overcharge for the work being done. Ultimately, I concluded that the fundamental incentives built into the system were dishonest. I couldn’t do it anymore so I got out of the business.”
Have you been overcharged for repair services? We want to hear from you! Tell us about your experience in the comment section below.
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10 thoughts onAuto Dealer Service Overcharge Open Class Action Lawsuit
I took my truck to chevy dealership for oil change. It’s a 2021 colorado. The back up camera had not worked for months so I asked them to tell me if it was a fuse or other. I also had a cracked rear tail light assembly. The pre-invoice showed a 344.67
charge diagnostic for back up camera and a 199.67 to order another camera. Next was 357.00 for tail light lamp assy plus 50 core charge so 407.82 to order new lamp assy.Then they wanted to do maintenance to fuel injector throttle boby cleaning of 98.36. Plus the oil change for 85.00. Total 1001.68. So zI paid the 1001.68 and got the oil change. The 344.67 do
Diagnostic was exactly what I told them that the camera no longer worked.Nothing was done to the camera. The next day I get an email stating they are adding 500.00 to the pre-invoice PLUS labor added on to the 1001.68 I already paid. I emailed back saying not to proceed as It is too much money. I am then told I will be charged a 35% restocking fee for all parts and will only be refunded 500 of the money I paid if I don’t proceed. They have not recieved the parts so there should be no restocking fee if the parts order is canceled. They then tell me I should just pay the added 500.00 plus labor as I will be out 500.00 of my original paid 1001.68. If I still choose not to proceed. So I paid 500. 00 for a 85.00 oil change and for them to tell me my back up camera doesn’t work, which I already told them when I got there
Friendly Chevrolet in Dallas Texas. This place has alot of bad reviews they are one of the only full service chevy dealerships with a body shop that’s why I decided to go there. I’ve got a 2021 silverado RST diesel. Has a new production diesel engine in it never buy a car that is first to do anything. Besides the engine troubles this truck is still bad ass. because in this accident the blinker stick and the seat both got broken I thought the dealership would have a better chance at fixing it correctly. There was damage to the front and back of truck but it still drove was mostly cosmetic. A friend offered to fix the cosmetics for free with a chain and a come-along. We wanted the service to be documented so we took it to Friendly. This place charged the insurance company $20000. It’s hard for me to even say that amount, O God. Plus they had my car for 2 months something about parts and gm us on strike. After paying like $3000 for a rental truck for 2 months. Get the truck back, they didn’t even fix the broken seat, they left off the wheel well shroud, and the check engine light comes on now. So I’m told to bring the truck back up there tomarrow. The repair tech tells me that the che k engine light is because this truck needs engine work. Little does he know that the other dealership already blew up the last engine and even though the truck may have 80000 miles on it this engine only has about 30000 all with dealership oil changes and all maintenance done at another dealership only reason I went here was for the body shop aspect. These new cars are bad ass but unfortunately they are Damm near throw away vehicles. Even though they are priced as much as a small house. If the new truck is wrecked with any serious damage a person is better off starting over again with a new new truck as expensive as it is. I wish chevy would just swap me out with the same truck but brand new. I don’t know who to file a class action against or how I can go about receiving my replacement truck for this lemon, but somebody besides me needs to rope this buck. Friendly Chevrolet and GM as a whole need to be sued until they do the right thing and put the customer first.Friendly Chevrolet in Dallas Texas. This place has alot of bad reviews they are one of the only full service chevy dealerships with a body shop that’s why I decided to go there. I’ve got a 2021 silverado RST diesel. Has a new production diesel engine in it never buy a car that is first to do anything. Besides the engine troubles this truck is still bad ass. because in this accident the blinker stick and the seat both got broken I thought the dealership would have a better chance at fixing it correctly. There was damage to the front and back of truck but it still drove was mostly cosmetic. A friend offered to fix the cosmetics for free with a chain and a come-along. We wanted the service to be documented so we took it to Friendly. This place charged the insurance company $20000. It’s hard for me to even say that amount, O God. Plus they had my car for 2 months something about parts and gm us on strike. After paying like $3000 for a rental truck for 2 months. Get the truck back, they didn’t even fix the broken seat, they left off the wheel well shroud, and the check engine light comes on now. So I’m told to bring the truck back up there tomarrow. The repair tech tells me that the che k engine light is because this truck needs engine work. Little does he know that the other dealership already blew up the last engine and even though the truck may have 80000 miles on it this engine only has about 30000 all with dealership oil changes and all maintenance done at another dealership only reason I went here was for the body shop aspect. These new cars are bad ass but unfortunately they are Damm near throw away vehicles. Even though they are priced as much as a small house. If the new truck is wrecked with any serious damage a person is better off starting over again with a new new truck as expensive as it is. I wish chevy would just swap me out with the same truck but brand new. I don’t know who to file a class action against or how I can go about receiving my replacement truck for this lemon, but somebody besides me needs to rope this buck. Friendly Chevrolet and GM as a whole need to be sued until they do the right thing and put the customer first.
I was charged over 13 thousand dollars at Webb chevy. I had a warranty, they denied parts from my warranty but told me 3 different stories why my warranty would not send the parts. My warranty stated Webb Chevy will bot use their parts. Webb lied to me saying we’re being shipped from my warranty place, then the next week said the warranty told Webb to get the parts. That was never said nor did I agreed for Webb Chevy to order them. Webb got the parts and began to work on my car without telling what was going on. Webb also had me get several parts. Three of them they gave me part numbers for. The parts were not for my car. One of the parts they put on which was the transmission cooling line. That line is made for a 2.6 to 2.8L engine. My care is a 3.6L engine and the hose popped out twice transmission fluid was all on the ground, my car takes dexron 6 that has a horrible smell. The transmission fluid they put into my car it’s smell was not as strong aka wrong transmission fluid…Many things they did wrong to my car and did not finish nor correct the mistake. Their answer to me, if you want a refund contact the place you got the part from and said I was not the last person working on your car. Over 13 thousand dollars my car should be purring. Nope it’s another shop actually being fixed. Oh and I failed my emissions trst
Ford dealer charged me $945 for fuel lines that broke from the cat converter. Didn’t see it. They didn’t provide written estimate beforehand, just phone call. When I showed up before the work started and asked to see detailed repair estimate. $166 to diagnose, 2.5 labor hours at $166/hr. Fuel lines $380 something. Who has time, money, connections to tow to another shop to diagnose? I was fleeced, my truck was not drivable to search out another shop. Then after several hours they call and say it is done. I have no idea how long it really took.
You have to look at the Projected or Estimated repair cost would be and discuss upfront with Service Advisor (10% commission maker) which Service you wish to have performed.
Ford dealerships charge labor for individual parts according to a book!
I told them my truck needs a tube up cylinder 4 misfire
They charged me 165 when I diagnosed it already
Quoted 800 including labor then hiked it to 1200
The fleecing of the American consumer. The new vehicles stay in the shop more than the older models.
Took my BMW in for a recall on my airbags. I also had my brakes and rotors replaced and had asked to check the check engine light. After receiving the recommendations on what needed to be repaired and what the diagnostic said, I had my fuel switching valve replaced. I was able to drive home, but the next morning my vehicle would crank normally, but would not start. I called BMW, had to tow my vehicle back down, just to be told that now it was my fuel pump that went out. A diagnostic should have said the code for my fuel pump went out not the fuel switching valve. Never had any problems before having the recommenced services performed.
Sounds minor, but seems pervasive. Van Subaru in Kansas City did an oil change; invoice shows additional $19.99 for “ZAK oil booster” oil conditioner, which i did not want. Service advisor did not ask, mention before or after…I only saw it on the invoice (which I reviewed carefully after leaving dealership).
A Google search shows this is common problem nationally, car forums of multiple brands, locations discuss same problem. The product is snake oil, totally unnecessary, but there is no real information about tHis product except that the manufacturer, Zack, is now owned by Berkshire Hathaway…AS IS VAN SUBARU.
I have no response yet from manager (2 calls – 2 voice mails). I do not want this product in my engine, regardless of charge.
Is this worth pursuing?
Milan chevy dealership is fixing my factory recall for my catalytic converters. So there already right there and would only take maybe a hour to remove the exhaust manifold. Which was cracked. But they want to charge me 5.9 hours to do that job. The guy says it takes time to do it. Im a mechanic of 15yrs and a civil engineer military vet. So i know how long it would take i put full exhaust on a nissan maxima in 3hrs with jack stands on the ground. They want a 1000 dallors for labor and part that i seen part for 89.00 on line.