Rowe Auburn - Service Center

Sloppy workmanship. We recently had our 2009 Kia Borrego in for an oil change and a tire rotation. We have owned the vehicle since new. The dealership recommended the 9 We recently had our 2009 Kia Borrego in for an oil change and a tire rotation. We have owned the vehicle since new. The dealership recommended the 90,000 mile service which consisted of a transmission flush (closed system, so no way to check level) and a coolant flush. The total work cost us a bit over $500, which I thought was on the pricey side, but when you have work done at dealership, it is likely to be done correctly. After driving about 1,500 miles, we noticed the car was shifing hard and hitching, then the check engine light came on. We took the vehicle back to Rowe, and they determined that their was a camshaft failure, which required a major engine overhaul...fortunately the car was still under warranty and after two weeks the engine was repaired at no charge - gotta love that 100,000 mile warranty!!! After bringing the vehicle home, I noticed a puddle of oil under the car. I wiped it up and it came back. I also noticed the same hitch in the car that we had before - I returned the vehicle to Rowe and they determined that the oil pan had not been tightened and oil was leaking out the gasket. They also found that the Transmission was 2 1/2 quarts low - when I asked how it got that way, they told me that it most likely did not get filled properly when they did the transmission fluid change. (The coolant was also low and topped off - looks like not enough of that got added at the 90,000 mile service either.) I have to give Rowe credit for owning up, but it now makes me wonder if any of the other work I have had done there was done correctly. Two jobs; two mistakes. I also can't help but wonder if the lack of transmission fluid and "hitching" caused by it contributed to the engine failure. I complained to the gentleman at the service desk that I would expect more for $500, and was told that they didn't charge me for repairing it the second time around. (I would hope not!!!) Based on the above, I could not recommend Rowe Auburn for any work outside warranty work authorized by the factory. I would say that everyone I dealt with was courteous and respectful, but with the high rates, I don't think it sets a high bar to expect the work to be done correctly the first time around. More

DON'T TAKE YOUR CAR HERE!!!!!! I had two different places diagnose my problem as the brake master cylinder -- my own mechanic (who couldn't do the work) and the VW place in Watervil I had two different places diagnose my problem as the brake master cylinder -- my own mechanic (who couldn't do the work) and the VW place in Waterville (who didn't get back to me). I took my car here and that was a huge mistake. They replaced the master cylinder and made my car unsafe to drive! My brakes no longer worked. They charged me $400 for that and said they weren't liable because they didn't actually diagnose the problem. I tried to tell Jen Robinson, Chris Goulette, and Dean Swindler several times that they made my car unsafe to drive. All of them said it was not Rowe Auburn's fault. At one point Jen Robinson told me, "YOU made your car unsafe to drive. We just did what YOU asked us to." No kidding -- she actually said that! After fighting with them for hours, they finally agreed to put the old master cylinder back on the car. Like magic, my car was suddenly safe to drive again. So obviously, they had a defective part, but they still tried to charge me over $400 for putting a defective part on my car and destroying my brakes! They eventually refunded my money, but I would never go back here. More

Their mistake is now My problem This is not the kind of review I'd hoped to be writing when I bought my car here 5 months ago. Although I do feel that the Sales Department at Rowe Au This is not the kind of review I'd hoped to be writing when I bought my car here 5 months ago. Although I do feel that the Sales Department at Rowe Auburn is absolutely second to none, it is the way you are treated after the sale that decides whether you will continue to be a customer. After I share with you the experience I've had with their service department, you will understand why I will not go back to them again. My car went in for a routine 55K mile service; tire rotation, oil change, etc. Being that it was the Saturday before my daughter's high school graduation and my day was booked solid, my adult son drove the 230 miles (round trip) to the dealership for the appointment that morning. On his way home afterward it became obvious that we had a big problem; lots of smoke, lots of smell; he pulled over and found that the oil cap had not been replaced after the oil change. What a mess. Oil everywhere from the hood to the rear fender. The dealership was notified, and they had it towed back. Once back at the shop, it was sprayed with water, had an old ill-fitting cap put on, the exterior was hosed down, and my son was sent on his way with a coupon for a free oil change and a refund of my $40 for the 55K mile service that day. I took one look at my car when my son got back with it and could not believe that the dealership would send it back to me in that condition. Rather than send my son home in a loaner so that they could properly address the issue (they claimed they didn't have one. Really? No used cars on the lot that would have sufficed?). Anyway, my husband suggested we wait till Monday when the service manager would be in and we could talk about how to fix this problem. On Monday I did speak with the service manager. He was apologetic and sounded sincere; he said he understood that I was upset and had been informed of what had happened on Saturday. We agreed that he would send a driver to come get my car and leave me a loaner in exchange. He told me that my car would be thoroughly cleaned and that a new insulation pad (cloth/foam hood liner) would be installed to replace the one that was now saturated with oil. I was confident after our conversation that he would take care of everything. The next day he called to say that my car was done and that it had been completely cleaned. He told me that the insulation pad had been cleaned and that there had been no need to replace it. I was skeptical. When their driver arrived with my car, the first thing I did was ask him to pop the hood. Before he even had a chance to do that, I noticed oil was still leaking out from the side edge of the hood. And sure enough, it was still a mess underneath; the insulation pad had been scrubbed to the point of it looking like a rag, one of the clips holding it in place was gone, and as I pointed out to the driver, it was still saturated with oil. I asked him to get the service manager on the phone, which he did, and I relayed to him what I was seeing. The service manager apologized again and said that he 'had been told by recon that everything was good'. (I have photographs that say otherwise). At this point, putting yet another 230 miles on the car to send it back once again to people I no longer trusted was pointless. Instead I asked that he have a new pad sent to my regular mechanic. He agreed to do so and took my email address so that he could make sure 'all was progressing'. A few days later I communicated to him that my mechanic had installed the new pad and that the smell had dissipated. (I found out the smell comes back as soon as you turn on the heat or the A/C). He replied that he appreciated my patience. That was the end of that. Now, my car still smells because the engine compartment was not cleaned as it should have been, and I have no choice but to write this negative review. I want to be clear about what it is I am upset about and what my expectations were; I understand that we all make mistakes. I'm not upset with the tech who failed to put the oil cap on. These things do happen and I'm certain that it was not intentional. It's the 'after' that I am astounded by. I am upset that the service manager did not personally see to it that my car was returned to me in the same condition as when I entrusted it his shop. I am upset that he did not keep his word and do what he said he would do. I am upset that he has not offered to reimburse me for the pad installation or to pay for the proper cleaning of my car after his shop's accident and negligence thereafter. I'm upset that every time I start my car, it stinks! I have not ruled out legal remedies, however I have ruled out the possibility of repeat business to Rowe. More