If you're from central/northern jersey, you have no doubt heard of the Ray Catena empire of luxury car dealerships. I can say with great confidence that Ray Catena Infiniti of Edison, NJ is comprised of some of the more sleazy service reps and incompetent technicians that I have come across.

To make a (very) long story short-

I took my car (under warranty) to the dealership over two weeks ago for the following problems (in order of importance):

1) Clutch pedal sticks, to the point where the car can't be driven longer than 20 min with out serious clutch burning and being at risk of an accident.

2) Transmission grinding in 5th gear

3) Tweeter cracked


I finally picked up my car last night, and here is the outcome:

1) Rep said the techs replaced slave cylinder, and [I]said[I] they replaced te master cylinder too (i have my doubts because I asked for it, and it was miraculously done in a half hour). Rep also said I needed a new clutch, I disagreed, but he said he could get a new flywheel and labor approved under warranty, so I said to go ahead with that bargain. This ended up being untrue, techs installed new clutch on the old flywheel. I picked up the car, and the pedal is just as bad as it ever was, if not worse... and I'm out of $500 for the clutch assembly that may not last because it's on a worn flywheel.

2) Rep said my grind in 5th gear is due to old tranny fluid, so he sold me a tranny flush. Car still grinds into 5th, I'm out $120 for tranny flush.

3) Rep said both speakers in door needed to be replaced and it wasn't covered under warranty, charged me $100 diagnostic fee because I said I'd do it myself.

I got out of the diagnostic fee, but I have the same problems I started with and my wallet is $670 lighter (including warranty deductible). I call dealer back, the say they'll send a tow truck and drop a loaner at my office and make good on the car. I go outside, and they send a teenager to drive my car (which i said couldn't be driven far) all the way from Florham Park to Edison (about 45 miles). I told him to go home in the loaner and that I'd take it somewhere else.

I got home in one piece, only to notice a slight burning smell coming from the rear (might be nothing), and a metallic rattle coming from the exhaust. I check for oil leaks, find nothing. As I'm pulling the car out of the driveway, I hear a jingle. I check the driveway and find a big bolt and washer on the ground.. probably one of the exhaust anchors.

Now I'm basically obligated to take my car back to these guys so they can fix whatever they broke or assembled improperly, at the very least.

I highly recommend avoiding all Ray Catena dealerships after this experience... which is still unfolding. I don't doubt that they will attempt to do right by me now that management is involved... but when bolts are falling from your car and you are continuously smothered in bull**** for weeks on end, I can't help but to question their abilities to get my car put together.

 

I don't have a G yet but I plan to get one soon. Thanks for the heads up as I too live in NJ. I'd recommend calling the Better Business Bureau and filing a complaint. Make sure you have all the documentation available and threaten the dealership to fix this issues or give you all of your money back. I would escalate the the head guy at the dealership also.

 

They are rated A+ at the BBB... and they've been around forever... I just have hard time believing that I am the only one who has gotten such poor quality service.

If they don't fix everything perfectly, then I will most definitely be filing a complaint. Thanks.

Does anyone have any idea what could be causing my clutch pedal to stick when hot? During the "sticky" portion of the pedal's return, it sounds like the rubber piece in the master cylinder... yet the dealer insists they just replaced this. Also, I pull the pedal fast through the sticky point, I can hear either fluid or air being sucked through something. I've read all the other threads about this topic.. and I'm at a loss. Fluid is crystal clear, new slave, new master, clean and well-lubricated pedal assembly. What am I missing... could the clutch line be clogged somehow??

 

that sucks man..I took mine to the dealership in Bridgewater and had about the same amount of BS with them too. I actually work in Denville, which is right by florham park. There is an infiniti dealership on 10 in deville, give that one a shot.

If you find a good place. let me know. the sticking is either your slave or master....whenever they say they replace parts, I always ask to see them, or tell them I want to see it when they are done. I said only so they know im gonna be checking their work and Im not another idiot driver that doesnt know his car.

 

That's a good idea... after I talked to management about how bolts were falling from my car and how the pedal was still not fixed, they apologized profusely, sent a tow truck, and picked up my car from home a few hours ago.

It sounds like they are trying to make good on it, but the fact that it has gotten to this point makes it too much of a PITA to go to them in the future. I haven't been to the dealer in Denville yet, but I did take my car to Douglas Infiniti in Summit once because my CD player wasn't sending signal to one side of my car. They promptly replaced the entire unit and it works perfectly... from now on, I'll be taking warranty work to them. The only complaint I have about them is my clock backlights were out when I picked up the car. I ordered amber LEDs and fixed it in 10 minutes. Actually looks better now, the color matches the rest of the dash.

As for the clutch pedal... I wonder what they will do next. And, if they didn't actually replace the master cylinder, I wonder what they'll tell me if they do it now and realize it was the problem???

 

I took my 04 g coupe to ray catena to have my gas tank filling issue looked at. I actually handed them the tsb. (I have the extended warranty) They called me back saying I need a both fuel pump assemblies and all the parts in the tsb. Hard to believe but there was an issue with my warranty so I couldnt get the work done that day. I brought it to them with an empty tank cause I figured they'd have to dig in and I wanted to be nice. So I got my car back with a full tank and a damn good car wash. lol the loaner was pretty pimp too. All in all I'd have to say my experience there was pretty good.

 

Circle Infiniti in West Long Branch blows also. Read my review of them on G35nyc.com

 

Good to know Harrison.

IHIERBAL - Maybe Ray Catena just sucks at transmissions? I went there once before because my gas tank door actuator had failed.. they gave me a beautiful blue g37 loaner with 1500 miles on it, fixed my car in one day, and that was that. Yeah, they do a great car wash too.

This experience has been different. If they actually changed the master and slave cylinders, then I guess they're doing what they can.. though they should still test it before telling me it's fixed. Then, my exhaust rattling and dropping a bolt in my driveway... that's what really got me going.

Today, they sent a tow truck and picked the car up from my house while I was at work. Hopefully they'll have a loaner available soon, and it won't be the same one I've had for two weeks with cigarette burns and some kind of goop on the passenger seat haha.

 

I've only been to ray catena twice for oil change.
but I do my own oil change now