FishingFather

I just found out that all the work I was told would be done to my truck during the PDI was never done. So the oil, filters, and other fluids that they said would all be fresh now have an additional 6,000+ miles on them. I only found out by accident but now I am a little upset.

So my question is this, is a Dodge dealer required to perform a PDI on every vehicle they sell? There was a lot of little stuff I was told by this dealer in Daytona that keeps turning up incorrect. I am trying to work nicely with the management but am not getting much of a response. I will shortly be making my displeasure known to the owner or DC or wherever I need to.

Any other suggestions?

TexasCTD

I am sorry I don't have any suggestions for you on how to handle it. It is kinda water under the bridge now.

That is the very reason I don't take my truck to the dealer or anywhere else for that matter unless I just ABSOLUTELY have to. Learn to do your own maintenance so it will save you money and more importantly you know it will be done right and with the CARE only YOU will give your TRUCK.


To them, your truck is just another piece of iron for them to make money on. TO you, it probably means a little more than that.

I am sure there are plenty of good dealers, but there is always going to be constant turnover with employees, management etc....and they just don't have the same care for your truck that you would want them to. Good luck.

Back to your truck.....I doubt it did any significant damage to it going an extra 6000 miles.

DBLR

IIRC during a new truck PDI they have a list of things to check over and once that is done that's it, they don't change the oil and filter. Now on a used truck they have a list of things to check and fix only if needed for safety reasons. Now some places also change the oil and filter, air filter etc. on a used car/truck and some do not to save $$$.

FishingFather

I guess I wouldn't be so angry except the salemen (more than one) that I dealt with told me on more than one truck I looked at how much they do during the PDI before I got it. I even had to wait a couple days after paying cash for it so it could go through the PDI. I was told one reason it took so long was they were doing work on the rear brakes! So apparently none of what I was told would be done was. I will be doing fluids and filters this weekend. I will also be checking the brakes to see how they look. I wonder if they need work and it wasn't done or the salesman I did the deal with at Daytona was blowing smoke up my Edit!

welndmn

PDI
Pre Delivery Inspection.

A PDI is used on new cars, its normally checking to make sure the correct badges are on it (seen a few hemi badages on a diesel) un wrapping the plastic, installing fuses, and making sure the options that are supposed to be on it are there, and checking fluid levels.
I have never done maintance on a PDI, but its been a few years since I did one.

FishingFather

Thanks welndmn, the term "PDI" was what they kept calling it. Apparently Dodge dealers, at least in FL, are not required to do anything for the sale of a used truck. The "sales manager" told my wife, "well we didn't make anything on that truck so we didn't do anything to it." I find it hard to believe that for what I paid they didn't make anything! I paid the damned asking price in cash! What else could I have done for them? Handed them an extra $1,000 for tip? I know one place that I will never recommend and will gladly tell anyone that asks what Dodge dealer in Daytona to never trust or do business with, just my humble opinion of course.

Luke S

That really is not a good practice on that dealers part. When we get a used vehicle in, my father and I both evaluate it to decide if it is something we want to keep on the lot or wholesale. If we elect to keep it, it then goes to the shop and they go over it with a fine tooth comb. We ALWAYS change the oil and filters, and other fluids and filters if required. If the shop finds a lot of hidden problems it'll still probably get wholesaled, if not, it'll go to the lot. I make a habit of if a vehicle is not ready for the lot, cutomers don't get to see it. It doesn't go on teh lot until it is ready, period.

FishingFather

Luke S, this is what I was told would happen at the dealership I bought from. In fact I test drove a truck the day it that had been traded in. It hadn't been inspected and I thought it needed work to at least clean it up. On my drive I commented to the salesman that there was something wrong with the 4 wheel drive, in my opinion, but I don't have much experience with 4 wd. He said he would call me after it went thru their "PDI". Well he called and said they wouldn't sell it, the transfer case was shot and they were wholesaling it. So either he was lying then about the "PDI" or someone lied later.

My family loves this truck and I really don't expect any issues with it, I just wish I was treated with a little more honestly. We will probably be looking for another in a year or two too. I will certainly be looking on this site for suggestions when the time comes.

Spooler

A PDI is a pre delivery inspection of a new vehicle. Most used vehicles go through a tech inspection. He may of had his wording wrong. Anyway, most dealers automatically do an oil/filter change. One day the dealership I was working at contimplated not doing the oil changes. Funny thing, I had a used vehicle that was bought at a car sale and low and behold the oil was TAR!!!!!! Told the service manager and off he went to get the big wigs. They all looked at it in disbelief. Needless to say I was the one who had to clean it all up and inspect the engine. Perty sure they wholesaled it out the back. It did run fine. From then on oil changes on all used vehicles period.

Luke S

Thats how we do it. I don't care if somebody else did it 500 miles ago, it gets done anyhow.

derceg

I can't believe a dealership wouldn't do the pdi. The manufacturers pay the dealership a set sum for every new vehicle that comes in. The pdi only consists of unwrapping the vehicle and making sure all the fluids are topped off and will drive around the block. If they find a problem with it, thats when the warranty work will start

Luke S

We are talking about a used truck here, not a new one. We shouldn't be using the term PDI in this thread as that only applies to new vehicles.