This is the car mechanic story about Hyundai Panama that prompted others to discuss their terrible stories with so called “car mechanic” experiences in Panama.
As you can see, when they give you something to compensate you, whatever they give you is such a joke, it’s more of an insult than anything as you’ve lost so much time & money dealing with the company, it’s probably cost you 10 times more what you already lost with the failing service.
The following are his words:
“Sharing this story among several chat groups so as many members as possible can read this tale of incompetence.
My Hyundai Santa Fe is still under warranty. In January, the support arms for the rear hatch failed. I made an app’t at the Transistmica branch for repair. I showed up at 8:30 AM and was met by the Asesor, Sr. MONTENEGRO. I checked back w/ him at 1 PM and found nothing was done yet. Several inquiries later, and no more info was coming. 4:30 arrives and I’m told the parts must be ordered and MONTENEGRO will call when they arrive.
About 2 weeks pass, and no call. Returned to dealer and was told the parts are in Chiriqui, but MONTENEGRO will call when they are received. (see a pattern here?)
4 weeks pass, no call from you know who. Returned to dealer and through receptionist am told by MONTENEGRO parts are here(he did not want to face me). So with an app’t two days later, I arrive 30 minutes early.
Surprise! At 12:30 (2 hrs after arriving), MONTENEGRO tells me that the parts are not here, but in a warehouse somewhere. They will be here by 4 PM, just in time for the rush hour.
Shedding my cool, I yelled at him and said we were done talking. I asked to speak with the Svc. manager. 30 minutes later, after parking outside her door, I’m asked if I’m waiting to see her. This, after MONTENEGREO has told her his side of the story.
Manager Ms. Karolyna assuages my ire by gifting me with a whopping $4 discount on my air filter, and apologizing for my empty three journeys @ 200 Km round trip.
Proposed resolution: I requested the parts be sent to the new Chorrera site. A call was made to verify that the monumental task of placing screws into the sheet metal of the car to affix the new arms can be done. It is averred by that service manager, that in fact, it is possible.
Plan: to venture out to Chorrera for what may or may not be the final resolution of this arduous ordeal.
Conclusion, this point: Hyundai makes decent cars. The service dept. at PETRAUTOS ranks customer service somewhere between a cut in pay and making an attempt to learn English to accomodate a significant North American customer base. My intermediate Spanish got the message across, but the subtleties of what I wanted to say in English were lost in translation.
Recommendation: avoid Mr Montenegro at all costs. If you must utilize the service dept., keep the name of Ms. Karolyna handy. You just might get your own $3-4 discount if you wait three months for parts and don’t get notified when they’re somewhere in Panama.
Well, it’s better than the initial offering of a calendar from Tambor, when my wheel and tire fell of upon leaving their shop.”