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Cigarette smell

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by davids_rv, Jun 18, 2005.

  1. davids_rv

    davids_rv New Member

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    Almost 2 weeks ago, I dropped my Prius off at the dealer to have them fix a clunking noises in the steering and a squeak above the NAV display. I was picking up my new HiHy, so I thought it would be a good time to drop it off for the work. It also didn't hurt that they knew I was the new HiHy owner and they were very excited about it. They spent 3 days test driving it and trying to diagnose the problem. On Friday, they called me and told me they needed to order a new steering column and rack. I picked up the car so I could have it while we waited on the parts to arrive. Up until this point, I was very happy with the service. They had kept me informed (calls twice a day on the progress) and it was giving me the excuse I needed to drive the new HiHy.

    When I picked up the Prius, I found that it smelled of cigarette smoke. This enraged me and I had a "lively" talk with the manager. They promised it wouldn't happen again and did a full detail job on the car when I returned it to complete the work (which didn't help much, the detail that is). His investigation turned up that the runner that brought the car from the storage area had just smoked a cigarette and that was the source of the problem. The manager also told me that he couldn't make his employees not smoke, but that he would make sure this never happened again. He said he understood my issues with the situation as he was a non-smoker and also would be very upset in the same situation.

    I did have issues with his statement about being unable to make them refrain from smoking. I have to put up with a damaged car because his employees can't refrain from smoking and transferring the result of their bad habits to my car. There is still a faint smell of cigarette smoke when the A/C runs (which is all the time in TX). I will have to try replacing the air filter to see if that eliminates the odor. I'm not sure that I want to risk further damage by taking it back to have them further address the problem.

    Unfortunately, they are the most convenient location for me to use. They are also one of the very few area dealers not marking up their Hybrids. I will most likely give them one more chance and then make a much bigger deal of it if it happens again. All other aspects of the service seemed great, but this is one thing I can't accept.

    Has anyone else had issues like this? If so, how did you resolve it?
     
  2. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Unfortunately my Prius tech is a smoker and for reasons not clear to me is allowed to smoke, on the job, in the shop and IN MY CAR!! I've been there when he's been doing it.

    Now, if you don't know me I'm not one to bashfully let things pass just b/c I don't want to upset anyone. I speak my mind, clearly, to anyone.

    But this case was sticky. He'd been trying to diagnose and fix a complicated unusual problem with my SKS and I knew, before I got there, that he'd been actively working on it for many hours without success and he was as frustrated as I was about the difficulty. Also, at the time, I was one of only a few Prius owners and had personally talked with this repair guy a few times so he knew me. So a complaint would immediately been tagged to me (and my car).

    The last thing I wanted to do was create a delay or a more stressed out tech by complaining at that time. I've since only had the car in for a couple brief service things and have never, since, had cigarette odor in there.

    I probably should, at some point, compose a letter about the situation and how I think no repair person should be allowed to smoke in or around the cars...but I guess I was just so happy when the SKS thing was fixed I just kinda let it go. I got some "Ozone" air freshener and a room deodorizor and the smell eventually went away.
     
  3. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco\";p=\"99650)</div>
    My sympathies to both. I second the recommendation for "Ozium".

    By no means use "osmium" instead, it being the famously worst-smelling element.
     
  4. davids_rv

    davids_rv New Member

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    Fortunately, I'm not in the same situation as you. Since I live in Ft. Worth, I have at least 6 dealers within 25-30 miles of me. Unfortunately, I suspect the majority of techs do smoke and I would probably have problems at other dealers. I've had this problem with other (Chrysler) dealers in the past. In those cases, they just claimed that they didn't do it and refused to address the issue further and I found other dealers to do business with. Of course, I'm extremely anal about this type of thing. As the customer, I believe I have every right to be. As I mentioned, this dealer is one of the very few in the area not jacking up prices on hybrids, as such, I want to reward this dealer with my continued business, If they will let me.

    There was an article in the Ft. Worth paper yesterday talking about how hybrids don't pay for themselves on a 5 year cost of ownership analysis. Of course, they had to use the jacked up prices to justify their position. http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/business/11918960.htm
    Vandergriff Toyota is quoted as jacking up prices by $4000-$6000. They also mention that Vandergriff did away with their waiting list and went to a "call" list as bigbaldcuban knows well.
     
  5. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    I've been a mechanic for 39 years now, and have never smoke in a customers vehicle........ever. I smoke in my own and sometimes in my house but then most times I went outside. I gave up the disgusting habit 22 years ago but if I was still smoking I'd never do it in a customers vehicle. Our shop is smoke free at work. Not even in the welding bay are you allowed to smoke. Smoking in a customers car................. how tacky.
    davids_rv pull the A/C filter and spray it with Lysol or some other Air Freshener. That will help but it's in the upholstery and headliner.
     
  6. flyingprius

    flyingprius New Member

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    I would be so enraged if a tech smoked in my Prius!! That appalls me that the techs are allowed to smoke in and around the vehicle. I wouldn't go anywhere near the dealership again; I would report them the better business bureau too. I can't stand smoking... :guns: :guns:

    I know this isn't as bad as someone smoking in a customer's car, but it's pretty bad: I worked at a VW dealership and the owner drove around in a demo Phaeton. The guy would smoke like a chimney in the unsold Phaeton. The Phaeton is VW's $65000+ flagship sedan; I almost died when I heard what he was doing. No one said anything because he owned the place; how tacky!!! Whenever a prospective buyer wanted to look at the car, he would come over and tell me to make it ready for them....are you kidding me? It was nearly impossible to make the car presentable and not smell like an ash tray....unbelievable.
     
  7. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    Yuck. I would be really upset, as would my husband. He quit less than a year ago and still struggles with it on occasion. He actually replaced his old car partly to get away from the cigarette smell.

    I have never seen a tech smoking in a car. While working under the hood, yes. Some places will allow this. I believe the dealer where he works will not allow smoking in the shop, because people have to take "smoke breaks" in order to get their nicotine fix.

    If you go back there, specify that you don't want anyone smoking in your vehicle when the service writer is getting the ticket ready. And if you like, you can throw something in there about "having asthma and being allergic to smoke." (sure, it may be a little white lie...) That'll make them pay attention... :)

    If you post your location there may be local PriusChatters who can recommend a good place for you to go.
     
  8. GreenLady

    GreenLady Member

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    davids_rv: If you don't mind my asking, where did you buy your Prius? I live in North Richland Hills. I went to TX Toyota of Grapevine and they were asking 4k above MSRP!
     
  9. Sufferin' Prius Envy

    Sufferin' Prius Envy Platinum Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(GreenLady\";p=\"99688)</div>
    Just think of the nice vacation you and your S.O. can take elsewhere in the 48 states for that $4,000.

    Pick a place you would like to go. Call a dealer in that area that sells at MSRP and plan your vacation around the car’s arrival. Fly there, see the sights, then drive your new Prius home as part of your vacation. You should come out way ahead on the money side, and it will be a vacation you won’t soon forget!

    I would love to gig the stealership with a snotty, and loud enough for the benefit of other customers, “I hear Seattle is nice this time of year . . . I think I’ll pick up a Prius there at MSRP while on a lavish vacation that will be paid for with the $4,000 you aren’t trying to blackmail out of me.â€

    Fortunately my dealer sells at MSRP . . . unfortunately now I have to pay for that lavish vacation without any justifications!~ :? ~

    .
     
  10. GreenLady

    GreenLady Member

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    LOL

    I wasn't quite ready to buy when I went in for that test drive, but I did respond loudly to the quintessential question, "What will make you buy this car today?" with, "Well, for starters, I won't pay 4k over MSRP!!!"

    I have considered buying from an out of state dealer and having it shipped, but taking a vacation does sound like a good idea. My parents have offered to pick one up in their area and drive it down here.

    I'm still a few months away from buying (have to pay off other car first), but it's nice to know I have options.
     
  11. Hybrid_Dave

    Hybrid_Dave New Member

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    David...if the dealership service manager tells you that the tech didn't smoke in your car, I don't think he's being 100% honest with you. If you can still smell it to this day, that tech smoked in your car. I've had passengers ride with me in my cars that smoke, never in my car, but when they get in, I can smell it on their clothes. The smell may be around on the fabric for just a few minutes after they leave, but never for more than that. It's like people who don't smoke and are in a bar filled with smokers. Second hand smoke on clothing smells much different than smoke on clothing of the person who actually smokes. I'd raise more hell if I were you. Sorry to hear about that.

    Dave.
     
  12. naterprius

    naterprius Senior Member

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    I am absolutely the most sensitive person to cigarette smoke. Many smokers have damaged their sense of smell so badly that they think they don't STINK, but they do. They try to tell you they weren't smoking, but you know better.

    If this happened with my Prius I would raise holy hell. As far as I'm concerned, someone smoked in the car (or just before getting in) and ruined the car. You can never get that nasty smoke smell out of the cracks and crevices of a car.

    Honestly, I would approach the owner of the dealership about swapping out the car. Let him file an insurance claim for whatever it costs him, or take it out on the offending employee via wage garnishment or whatever. If he had scratched the paint, cracked a tailight or whatever, wouldn't he be responsible for that as well? It's a similar devaluation of the car, and it's not fair to you to have to suffer.

    By the way, who the hell smokes these days? It's kind of like sporting a mullet or something! It's kind of like, "Do you think he doesn't KNOW?"

    Nate
     
  13. davids_rv

    davids_rv New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Hybrid_Dave\";p=\"99720)</div>
    I don't really have any reason to believe that he is not being honest with me. I was told that the guy that brought the car to me had just finished a cigarette. He therefore had it all over his clothes. When he started the car, they had the A/C set on MAX and I believe the smell was pulled into the A/C. He sat in the car for several minutes while it cooled down before bringing it to me. I didn't notice the smell immediately because the A/C had switched to drawing outside air before I got the car. About 15 minutes after I got home, I went out to move the car and when I started the car, that was when I got the face full of cigarette smell.
     
  14. Hybrid_Dave

    Hybrid_Dave New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(naterprius\";p=\"99760)</div>
    Well, that's one way to handle it, though it would be the toughest battle to get anything out of. I can understand having the car professionally cleaned on the inside (steamcleaned, scrubbed, etc..) then handing the dealership the bill for it...but I serioulsy doubt they will switch out the car. An insurance company would not cover that for anyone because the car isn't a loss as a totalled vehicle or defective. Plenty of used cars on lots and by private sellers have been smoked in. Hell, even demos and dealer owner vehicles are smoked in, and sometimes worse (scratched, abused, etc...) and they sell 'em, people buy 'em, and for a discount at that. But, that's neither here nor there I guess. It was wrong for it to happen, but it has to be cleaned, and deoderized, that's about all you can do. The smell will go away in time, but it's a shame it had to be there in the first place.

    Dave.
     
  15. davids_rv

    davids_rv New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(GreenLady\";p=\"99688)</div>
    GreenLady, we live in Haltom City, so we went to Freeman Toyota for both our Prius and our HiHy (I actually got on the list for both in May of 2004). The last time I heard, their wait was 3-6 months. My salesman was David Hudson. Gary Hopper is the keeper of the Hybrid lists, so he can provide you the most accurate information about the wait and size of the list. Also, keep in mind that this cigarette issue has been the only negative experience with them.
     
  16. Erick

    Erick Member

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    UGH! That totally sux. A similar thing ALMOST happened to my wife's Infiniti. I went to the dealership (the world's worst dealership) in Santa Monica and after a ton of problems with these idiots, I finally agreed to take my car somewhere else, and the guy who was going to drive it to me was smoking. He was standing by the open driver's side door and he took a big puff and was about to get in when I stopped him. I had to drive home with the window's open! Some people are just plane rude....
     
  17. davids_rv

    davids_rv New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Hybrid_Dave\";p=\"99763)</div>
    Well, that's one way to handle it, though it would be the toughest battle to get anything out of. I can understand having the car professionally cleaned on the inside (steamcleaned, scrubbed, etc..) then handing the dealership the bill for it...but I serioulsy doubt they will switch out the car. An insurance company would not cover that for anyone because the car isn't a loss as a totalled vehicle or defective. Plenty of used cars on lots and by private sellers have been smoked in. Hell, even demos and dealer owner vehicles are smoked in, and sometimes worse (scratched, abused, etc...) and they sell 'em, people buy 'em, and for a discount at that. But, that's neither here nor there I guess. It was wrong for it to happen, but it has to be cleaned, and deoderized, that's about all you can do. The smell will go away in time, but it's a shame it had to be there in the first place.

    Dave.[/b][/quote]

    I took Evan's and Tochatihu's advice and picked up some "Ozium". I sprayed it into the A/C intake and it did improved the situation dramatically. My primary goal in this situation is to make sure they don't do anything like this again. The smell will go away with time, but it should have never happened.
     
  18. michaelmcgaw

    michaelmcgaw New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(GreenLady\";p=\"99688)</div>
    GreenLady:

    I'm in Euless and ended up going over to Don Davis Toyota in Arlington. Don Davis is selling the Prius at MSRP. I'm dealing with John Rowe. I "ordered" my Prius on April 28th and was told that i'd have the car in 60 to 75 days. If all goes well, i'll pick up my Prius this week, slightly ahead of schedule.

    Don Davis does maintain a waiting list. I was in position #9 when i placed my order, by May 24, i'd moved to #3. John can tell you how they maintain the list.

    Hope this helps.
     
  19. Godiva

    Godiva AmeriKan Citizen

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    It absolutely should not have happened and they should consider themselves lucky you're not allergic. Some people don't go quite anaphalactic but I've known people who's airways really close up when exposed to smoke. Total laryngitus too.

    I had cigarette smoke in my classroom once (long story) and complained to the district and they brought out an industrial HEPA filter and it was run in that room for a week. The smell was finally gone. The only 'fabric' in that room was a wool rug (mine) that I had to air out for weeks. What shocked me about the entire thing was they weren't concerned with the health of the young children breathing it in, as *I* was. They were concerned about *my* health and that I was going to sue their a$$es.

    No one smokes in my car. (My Dad is a cigar smoker and knows better.) I can tell. He did it once in my very first car and I nailed him in a lie so he's never done it again. Anyone who doesn't smoke can tell. And no, your car doesn't get that stink just from it being on someone's clothes. They smoked, the smoke was in your car, they exhaled, it got soaked into all of the fabric. It will eventually go away if you drive with all the windows open, but it will take a long time.

    You'll have to replace all of the A/C filters (at dealer's expense) of course. It would be nice if you could find a HEPA filter and run it in your closed car for a few days.

    But you need to let the service department know they are opening themselves for a lawsuit if they allow the employees to smoke in the cars. Even aside from the allergy issue. What if they burn a hole in something? They burn a hole in *my* car...they just bought it. For the full price I paid plus all of the improvements I did to it. Even swap won't do it since I'd have to pay for the invisible bra, decals, et al.
     
  20. naterprius

    naterprius Senior Member

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    True, someone will always buy a car that's been smoked in, or banged up, or in rough condition, and yes, they get a discount, but that's entirely my point. Smoking in a car devalues it as drastically as crashing it. It happens instantaneously, and repair requires an intense amount of work and expense, and the car is never the same, so even when all of the work has been done, it has still been devalued.

    There are certain people that driving around a car with one side or the trunk smashed in is no big deal. There are also certain people that driving around a car that has the foul odor of cigarettes inside it is no big deal. Both of these types of cars tend to have very little resale value, and the person who paid for it in the new condition and then has the damage happen to them (by collision or contamination) incurs the loss.

    The dealership should compensate a person for the loss they cause the owner.

    Nate