Brown Mazda

In late August 2009, I had a new engine installed in my 2005 Mazda Tribute, which cost me over $6,700.00. After that repair, the service department informed me that if anything happened to my engine, it would be under warranty for 3 years or 100,000 miles. In early December of 2009, I began to have trouble with my car, so I took it in to be serviced with the impression that my car troubles would be covered under my warranty. They informed that I had several issues that were affecting my car and none were covered by my warranty.

Then later on that day (December 16), the rep from the dealership, Rob **, called me back to let me know that 2 of the 4 issues with my car would be covered by the warranty. I asked to speak with the manager, because I was annoyed that their employees are telling one thing one moment then something different the next.

Then the manager (Ted **) said that the car failure was due to other parts not concerning the engine, like the engine mount, oil, dipstick, power steering flush. So they fixed the oil leak regarding the dipstick and topped off my oil and gave me the car back.

Within a few days, my car began to fail again. I took it back to shop and they ran test and reported that my temp guage was to High, and needed to be repaired. And that problem was also not covered under my warranty. So I had to pay $254.63 to fix it. I picked up my car on January 2, 2010, expecting it to work fine, which it did for 3 days.

On January 5, 2010, I was driving home from work, and my car died in the middle of traffic. I called the dealership, and they gave me a number for a tow truck service, which they expect me to pay. I waited on the side of the road in 20 degrees whether for over an hour before a family could arrive to help me. The car is clearly unsafe for me to drive and for my family with whom I have a 17-month-old son, who could have been with me in the freezing car that night it stalled.

I want a refund for my engine and service parts that I had to pay for or new and safe vehicle. I went to the dealership that night to complain to the manager, and no one from the service department was available to speak with. I was contacted the following morning (January 6) by the manager Ted ** who reported that there was nothing he could do about my inconvenience regarding my tow truck expenses or the fact that I don't have a working vehicle. He could only refer me to Enterprise Rent-A-Car services for a discounted rate of $33.00 a day. Ted ** should reimburse me for their lack of service.

I received a recall notice in the mail telling me that my B2500 Mazda pick up had a recall notice that had to be repaired, or this truck could Blow up even while parked in a space at home without any warranting. So I make an appointment with Browns Service. They Received my Truck in good working order no Lights on the dashboard going off or anything weird. But now that they have changed this electrical part that this truck has never before seen the alternator goes bad at the same time they clam it is a coincidence. But it was fine when I gave them the truck in the Morning. No one called to say the alternator was bad before they started adding new electrical parts to it.

Basically they made me buy a New alternator that was $561.18 for coming in for a recall part that they had to fix because of faulty Manufacturing. By the way the recall was Free. But they made money on they other end by blowing my alternator while repairing it. Nice way to do business. This happened on 08/22/08

I originally bought a 2003 Mazda Protege 5 which shortly after delivery had to return to Brown's for faulty brakes. I took the car today a total of 4 times for the same problem and they never fixed it correctly. I finally took it in a fifth time and they told me that the brakes were no longer under warranty because the car had over 12,000 miles on it!!!

Had they FIXED it the first time I would not have had to go back! I posted my story to several website including this one, and wrote letters to the owners of Brown's and Mazda Headquarters. I NEVER heard back from either and out of frustration and safetly concerns I paid to have my brakes fixed at Steve's Auto Clinic which is located right across the street from Brown's Alexnadria Mazda. It cost me $600 but the job was done right! (thanks Steve) and I never had to deal with the incompetents that work at Brown's any more.

The number of times that I had to go back and forth, drop my car off, find other methods of transportation. The consternations of having to deal with incompetent mechanics and inept and uncaring service managers, and to top it off the lack of communication from the Dealership owners and Mazda has made it impossible for me to recommend this dealership to anyone. The bottom line: Dont buy from Browns?.

It's now been a couple of years since this experience but I just wanted to share it again to remind those who are searching to buy a Mazda today in this area... GO ELSEWHERE! Don't go to Brown's.

I purchased a new 2001 Mazda V6 626 in Oct 2002 with 30 miles on it. I have maintained this car per Mazda's mileage maintenance schedule and get the oil chnaged every 3000 miles. In July 2006 with less than 30,000 miles on it, I had taken the car in for an oil change and again told them that the car was overheating and that I had mentioned this several times before when I had brought it in for oil changes. (The shop had told me the car was fine or on two occasions, it was the coolant reservoir leaking which was replaced.)

On this particular visit, the service manager told me that I needed to have the head gaskets replaced probably due to the overheating. Needless to say I was floored and told him that I held their shop responsible since I had mentioned this problem several times before.

To make a long story short, Mazda paid for only the head gasket itself since I had kept all my scheduled maintenances and my warranty had expired; all other costs were out of my pocket. After 2.5 weeks with a rental car that I paid for, I got my car back. In January after the coolant tank was again replaced, I noticed that it had no heat. I took it in again and they are telling me it has a mystery problem because the exhaust comes in the car without the recirculator fan on and that the heat and defroster won't stay warm or stops being warn when it is standing still.

I told them that the car has had these problems since day 1 and I thought that was just the way the car was. The car is now in the shop for the second day, I am driving a rental car, which is on them, and again Mazda is picking up part of the tab. I mentioned that it sounded like it was a manufacturing defect since it has been this way since I've owned the car. Has anyone else had similar problems with their Mazda?

Even one of the service managers said to me that the car is starting to nickel and dime me. I wouldn't say that $2500 between August and January is small change.

This is a long story - but bottom line, the work the mechanics did on my car led to the replacement of the engine and transmission. I have a 1995 Mazda. I thought that if I took it to the dealer, over the long run my car would last a couple hundred thousand miles. The service would be consistent and a higher quality. That was not the case at Brown's Mazda.

I took my Millenia to Brown's in Alexandria faithfully for all its maintenance needs to include oil changes and tune ups. I am the original owner, purchased the car in 1994. I had been taking the car Brown's Mazda since 1995. In 1999, the engine verheated. I took it to Brown's. The certified mechanic said it was the radiator cap leaking. Even after seeing the car spew brown water out of the radiator the day before, I said oh well, the mechanic must know - he has been trained to know - that's what the sign says!

Two days later the car's temperature guage shot off the chart and stalled in rush hour traffic on I-95. Got it back to Brown's and they kept it for three days. I recieved it back again with the problem fixed the evening of the third day. With my family in the vehicle I headed off down Rt 1 fully confident the engine problem was solved, that's what the certified mechanic said and I believed him. The car overheated two miles later and stalled in an intersection!!! On the return trip, limping back to the Alexandria dealership, I asked the only thing I could ask. Had the termostat been changed out. They said yes. I said it does not show up on any of the paperwork.

The service department looked my car up on the computer and sure enough it had not been even looked at!! The the aluminum block engine the damage had likely been done. They then replaced the thermostat and gave me the car back - it failed again. Now the engine was spweing blue smoke!!!. I took the car in early one morning and was told to wait. I waited over eight hours in the waiting room, in my military uniform. Every time I looked in the work bay, my car was sitting there with no one on it. I saw other customers coming and going, even those who came in after me!! I asked what was going on and they said the car was reporting an odd code and they could not figure it out!

So there I sat, with them telling me it would only be another 30 mins or so. The car was never the same. I finally replaced the engine and the transmission and have never been back to Brown's Alexandria. They had at one time replaced the font axles due to a clicking noise. They charged me for the parts and repair and the car has still made the clicking noise when turning the wheel ever since - and a second replacement at my expense and a third visit to tighten something up. What I don't know. I will not buy another Mazda. I had up until that time purchased four Mazda's and leased two.

They have lost a customer due to Brown's inept maintencse capability. I asked the service manager once how much it makes for the dealership each year. He said they must take in at least $100,000.00 per year to break even. I jokingly said that was probably the reason I was charged twice for shop supplies ($25.00) for two visits for the same problem. I was a customer of Brown's Mazda for over five years. Loyalty apparently means nothing.

My 2001 Nissan Sentra has broken down on me three times. This last time is just incredible. The part was on a national back order for 5 weeks. Then the part has come in and it's still not running correctly. The tech has had it two extra days and they don't know what's wrong with it. How can that be? These are trained mechanics with computers to help them track the problems. They ordered another part the electronic control system, now that will take 3 more days to get here, that runs into anther week and weekend with no car. This is just the last problem. Before this I have broken down twice while driving about 55 mph. Three times the check engine light has come on and three recalls on top of that have occurred.

Not sure if anyone can help me... but here's my story for anyone who is doing a search BEFORE they buy from Brown's Mazda in Alexandria Virginia. I leased a 2003 Protege5 from Brown's Mazda (in Alexandria, VA 703-660-8400) only 2 months ago. The car had 5000 miles on it at time of delivery and I have put 3000 miles on it in the 2 months that I have owned it. Since I got the car noticed that the brakes would vibrate and grind when applied. Thinking that this is because the car is equipped with anti-lock I figured it was normal; but the vibrations got worse so I took the car back to the dealership to have it checked. They told me that the rotors were warped and that they would replace them.

When I picked my car up the following day I noticed that the rotors had not been replaced instead they were milled down. I know that rotors can be milled only once in their lifetime. So this means that in 40,000 miles or so, when I take my car in for brake work, I will have to pay for new rotors NOT MAZDA. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. I have contacted customer service but have not received a satisfactory resolution.

I hvae been trying to get a faulty AC system repaired on my 2001 MPV van, which is under warranty. The system freezes up routinely. Specifically, the AC works fine, but at some point the air flow shuts down, the HVAC fan whines. in hunid conditions the windshield fogs up. I have asked Brown to fix this 5 times and it still isn't repaired. 3 of the 5 times (including yesterday) they indicated that the AC was cooling adequatrely and that they could not replicate the problem, and did nothing. Once they replaced the expansion valve and another time they adjusted the evaporator controls.

As far as I am concerned Alexandria Mazda is not living up to the terms of the warranty. What is my recourse? My non-dealer mechanc says he is certain he can fix the problem. I should not have to pay for this but it is hot here in DC. I am also worried that the fan or the AC compressor will be permanently damaged by this condition.

I don't know if you can help me or not... 2 months ago I purchased a Demo 2003 Protege5 (with 5,000 miles on it)from Brown's Alexandria Mazda. When I first got the car I noticed that the brake pedal would vibrate when pressed. Thinking that the car is equipped with anti-lock braking I figured that this was normal. But the vibrations got worse; to the point that I took the car to the dealer to have it checked. PLUS I found out that my car does not have ABS.

The Service rep at Brown's Mazda told me that the front rotors were warped and they will be replaced. The following day when I went to pickup my car and visually inspected the new rotors, I noticed that the rotors were the original rotors and that the driver-side rotor had been milled down (turned). I know that rotors can only be turned once in their lifetime, which means that in 40,000 miles or so, when the car needs brake work I WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR NEW ROTORS. I told the dealership's service rep that this was unacceptable and they referred me to Mazda (800-222-5500).

I called Mazda and filed a complaint (Report # 886094) and they told me that the final decision would be up to the district manager of my area. Later I received a call from the dealership telling me that the decision was made to NOT REPLACE MY ROTORS! My wife and I own 3 Mazdas (2 Proteges and 1 miata) but based on this experience with Mazda and the dealership, I don't think I will ever buy a Mazda again (at least not from Brown's Mazda or any other dealership in this 'DISTRICT')

This is a long-term consequence in that it will cost me to replace something that should have been properly replaced while the car is under warranty.

I called to bring my Miata in for regular service on Friday, April 28th. We were to get snow that morning, and when I called for an appointment the day before I asked them what I should do if I couldn't bring it first thing in the morning and they told me to bring it in when I could. I took off from work at lunch and got the car there around 1pm. I was told by the Service Department that they would get to it within about an hour. I had to be dropped off at the Metro Station and take a bus to get home. I was assured I would get a call before any work was done.

At 4pm, I had not heard from them, so I called and was told that because I brought the car in so late, they had not looked at it yet, but they would call me as soon as they did. I had to make arrangements for a friend to take me to pick it up and was told they closed at 8pm on Friday. At 7pm, I still had not been called. I called and was told the man I had spoken to had left already and they had not done the work on my car. I asked to speak with a supervisor who was very defensive, unapologetic, and actually rude. He told me I could come pick up my car and take it to another dealer for service if I was so dissatisfied.

I had asked about obtaining a loaner because I had an appointment the following morning and needed my car, along with the fact that I had made arrangments for a friend to take me to get my car that evening, and there inconsiderate behavior had disrupted both mine and my friends' evening. The most disturbing fact of all was the attitude of the service people who obviously take in more work than they are capable of performing. I was told my car would be looked at first thing in the morning, and they opened at 8 am.

When I arrived at 9am, my car was still outside, not even in the shop, even though they lied and told me it was. I knew it wasn't because it still had snow on it!! I will never go back to this particular dealer for either a car purchase or car repair and will tell everyone I come into contact with what poor service I encountered. To Brown's Mazda of Alexandria: When you so flagrently drop the ball as you did with me, at least have the decency to treat your customers with respect instead of being defensive and nasty because you made a mistake. I realize I'm only one of many customers of which you obviously have too many, but sometimes we little guys can get very loud.

I have a 1997 Mazda 626, a car which I purchased used with 16K on the odometer. I have owned the car now for approximately 8 months - the car is still under factory warranty for another two weeks. Last week the car underwent a transmission replacement that the dealer authorized after substantiating my suspicion that it was slipping. The car was delivered to me about a week later repaired.

From the moment I got the car back it behaved oddly, culminating with my check engine light staying lit. The dealership advised that I bring the car in immediately which I did. Monday, January 29 2000 I spent about 6 hours at the dealership waiting on them to diagnose the problem (the engine was surging and the idle was haphazard). Finally I test drove it, and it seemed fine.

Yesterday, February 1, 2000 the transmission started to slip out of gear about two miles from my home. Long story short, thick acrid smoke plumed from undeneath my car as I I lost the transmission completely. Again. The car was towed at dealers expense and is with them now pending repair. I think this car is a lemon, or at least the transmission is.