BE WARNED - With log Book Servicing you are not not getting what you think you are paying for. This is a long story that I will try to keep as short as I can. I'll start at the beginning of my woes but the latest saga will be of interest to anyone with a Patrol or any other type of Nissan for that matter.
The sales department gave me a great price and I eagerly bought my first Brand New Patrol, a TD6 about 12 months ago . Third in a long line of happy Patrol ownership where I serviced them all to death. However my joy was short lived as I have had trouble with the Local Nissan Dealer in Nowra conducting servicing or fitting accessories to my car since day one. Now Nissan HQ is wading in to the muddy
water further.
When I purchased it they fitted the ARB Bar, Safari
Snorkel and Nissan Cargo Barrier amongst other accessories. Many needed some reworking to get it right. Seal snorkle properly. Realign bar and install all of the bolts that are meant to be there and ensure the airbag in not compromised.
However, the mauling they gave my brand new car to fit the Cargo Barrie goes beyond comprehension. They drilled numerous holes in the wrong spots and did not even bother to fill them with a grommet (they went straight outside under the car) let alone treat the bare edges left behind or clean up the metal waste. They drilled into the subtank filler pipe and left that open also, we are talking fairly big holes and you could obviously see what had happened. Ultimately the Cargo Barrier fitting compromised the structural strenghth in a way that it would not provide saftey to my children in the middle row of seats.
Needles to say I was furious and suggested that they replace my vehicle. That got their attention. This resulted in an agreement that they would service my car free for the first of 100 000km or 3 years by way of compensation (yes I got it in writing).
First Service (1000km) and they missed a host of things including the valve clearances (tappets). When they did do this after I showed that the service log has it listed specifically for my car, they did it but dented hell out of the intercooler fins. Not happy Jan and I kept a close eye on my subsequent servings.
After many staff changes at the dealer in goes the trusty TD6 for a 40k service and I was still wary but feeling that I was getting what I was entitled to - WRONG!! It comes back minus the Tappets Being done again!! Along with numerous other items listed in "the book" that were not done including replacing the brake fluid despite stating that it was done on the work order.
I got them to do the items missed, apparently inadvertantly by a junior member again, but they still did not do the CV joints in the front axle that are specifically listed for the Y61. They state that it is not in the Nissan schedule provided separately for each servicing. I show them what tha log book says (page M23 if you are interested) and they hav no idea of what it is or how to do it ie they have never done it.
This is where Nissan comes in after I ring custmer service and the dealer rings the Service Rep for NSW. Nissan Rep rings me after several weeks of deliberation and asks why I think the CV needs to be serviced. I point out it is specifically listed in the log book and on their web site as a normal service item for the 40k service. That is it is not for severe operation. He sheepishliy states he will get back to me.
He does get back to me and states that this maintenance is only for vehicles that are assessed as needing it. When I ask how this is done he replies by the servive department. The same incompetent bunch that miss what they are supposed to do. That can not wield a spanner with any degree of certainty. You must be joking says I. No says the official Nissan Service Rep thats why we have free wheeling hubs. But what if I have left my hubs in for 40k? Still wont done says he, not for any servicing anytime unless you want to pay for the approx 3.8 hrs labour to get it done.
I asked what Nissan intended to do about this issue as there were many people getting less than they expected out of this. Also that ultimately if the CV is not serviced then it will fail where owners would expect it not to. He said if anyone had a problem with this then they should contact Nissan Customer Service about it.
So here is your chance to ring Nissan and complain. The official line is that it wont get done. Anyone paying for a 40k service (or 80, 120, 160...) would expect it to get done as the log book states it is part or the service. If they were honest in telling you its not done you could choose to leave it, do it yourself or pay someone else to do it. I rekon that is as close to fraud as it can be and that Nissan need to know that.
I will fight with my local dealer some more and recommend that anyone take a good look at what they are actually getting compared to what their logbook says.
told you it was long!
JamieMac