Miata Mailing List: August 1996, Message #41
sponsored by



     


   From: "Kathy O'Connell" 
Subject: SERIOUS Plea for Help!
   Date: Thu, 1 Aug 1996 14:57:41 -0400


 Hi again out there.
 
 Well, as many of you know, I've had some rather challenging difficulties
 with the dealership from which I bought my '96 M a month ago.
 
 At the last visit when they kept the car for three days, and then lied to
 my face to claim they'd done work they clearly had not, I put my foot down
 and decided never to take the car back to them for anything, and felt
 that surely Mazda would back me up on this (once they knew the background
 of the situation).
 
 I have done "all the right things", but have still gotten nowhere.  I've
 gotten another Dealer's Service Manager to confirm that this is not my 
 wild imagination; he confirms that this work was not performed.  He 
 agreed to contact a guy at Mazda Great Lakes Region on my behalf, who was
 in turn to have interfaced with my dealership about it.
 
 Reports were that the Mazda Rep was VERY interested in the allegations.
 So much so, in fact, that he's never bothered to call me at all since
 having been made aware of this fiasco (two weeks ago today).
 
 Since then I have documented everything which has thus far occurred and
 faxed it to the President of Mazda Great Lakes Region, who hasn't so far
 even given me a call.  I am weary of this lack of responsiveness and so am
 going to try to elicit your assistance with my task at hand (which is to
 receive equity and finally have the "new car" which I was entitled to a
 month ago, but still do not have).
 
 Many of you have expressed empathy and offered your compassion and
 understanding to me.  But, I'd like to suggest something even more.  My
 friends have said "NO WAY - no one will do this for you - you're a total
 stranger!"  I pray that you will prove him wrong.
 
 What I had in mind was a fax campaign (certainly open to other
 suggestions) both to Mazda USA and Mazda Great Lakes Region (I KNOW it's
 a lot to ask), on my behalf.
 
 Some of you are aware of a lot of the things I've been thru with the car,
 others of you might be fuzzy on the details.  I'd be more than happy to
 supply you with documentation of my incredible experiences with this
 dealership, and if some of you would be so kind and gracious as to
 actually write to these people for me, I'd be so grateful to you that
 words could not adequately express it.
 
 Mazda (so far) has pretty much treated me as though "if we ignore her
 maybe she'll go away."  The Dealership certainly has as well. 
 
 There is strength in numbers, there MUST be strength in this Miata.Net and
 solidarity to tap into here.  I feel that alone I cannot tackle this
 problem, but with help from you I might be able to achieve the equity I
 seek.  
 
 I want nothing more than the new car I paid for.  Again, details upon
 request.
 
 Remember:  they kept my car three days and claimed to have repainted the
 door (which I never wanted done in the first place), when all they did was
 to touch up the chips in paint (which were caused by door alignment
 problems which had existed when I took possession of the car), and then
 LIED to my face by telling me they had painted it.
 
 Incidentally, how many of you would be happy with a brand new m-edition
 with a repaint job (thru no fault of your own).  That issue alone, I
 believe, is enough - but there is so much more.  Do you think a car (even
 a new one) with a repainted door is "a new car?"  If you have trouble
 answering this - ask yourself whether you'd prefer a used car which had
 factory original paint, or had been repainted.  
 
 Between that and the strange "moving odometer" phenomenon of an earlier
 post, and a whole lot of other things, I don't want to deal with this
 dealership at all anymore, and feel that Mazda should back me up here. 
 
 WILL YOU HELP ME?  I know it's a lot to ask in a busy world, but I believe
 if I knew of someone else in my predicament (David and Goliath-like?) I'd
 help David all I could to down the giant!  It's really US against them -
 not me against them.
 
 Will you help?

 I'm sorta thinking that the "flavor" of these communications should
 include a conviction that you would not accept a repaint on a brand
 new purchase (once again though, your input will be appreciated - more
 heads are better than one and all that).
 

 Thank you so much!
 
 Write me with any questions, and please let me know if you actually do
 this so that I can shower you with gratitude and appreciation.
 
 The fax number for Mazda Great Lakes (make it attention David Hooker) is
     
             616-942-2175
 
 The fax number for Mazda of America is
 
             714-727-6703
 
 Guess we shouldn't leave out the Dealership though, should we?

     Ron Stease, General Manager: Fax: 216-351-4140  It's Ganley Mazda
     In Parma, Ohio by the way.  Mr. Ganley was written to on July 10,
     but still has never given me the courtesy of as much as a phone call.

 My position now is:  I want a brand new car (which is what I paid for), or
 I want my money refunded.  My life has been put on hold.  I can't make
 plans without considering these problems.  My car has "touched up" paint
 chips, and an unacceptable ding-patch job on it.  
 
 THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!
 
 Kathy