Bad Service Experience Today

Unfortunately the way most dealer's manage their shops assume that the
customer will drop the car off for the day. Thus most of the time ends
up being queing time, not working time.

Generally they do not actually make a detailed appointment book like you
expect at a dentist's office. The design is for cars and techs to show
up in the AM, then someone assigns cars to techs by some mysterious
process and hopefully things start getting done. The shop considers
itself doing well if at the end of the day all of the cars they planned
to work on actually get done.

Personally I find this frustrating as a customer since our dealer is
over a 1 hour round trip away and thus I prefer to wait for the vehicle.

Also, you must realize that the cashier person you talked to is likely
no well paid and perhaps only minimally trained.

John

 

IMO this chestnut is an urban legend.

I've been doing the majority of the work on our cars for many years and
continue to do so on the most modern of them. I also help out quite a
few friends with their routine needs.

Much is still completely mechanical such as brakes, suspension,
drivelines, etc. I have added a hand-held code reader to my tool box
to find things like bad oxygen sensors. In some ways it is easier to
diagnose a modern car thanks to the onboard diagnostics than it is to
diagnose some older cars. Every time I try to get our '67 Jag weekend
car running exactly right it is a nightmare of manual adjustments with
the three carbs, etc. Give me a modern fuel injected engine with
diagnostics anytime!

John

 

If any shop every figures out how to manage the schedule more accurately
and thus to make real appointments they will have a big customer
satisfaction advantage. So far I have yet to find one which does.

John

 

Actually, they hope customers will drop 'em off, but never assume.

Not true. I will agree that it seems that way to customers, but, not true.
Jobs are assigned to techs by abilities, speed, and the order of seniority.
There may be 12 techs in a shop, but maybe only one transmission tech, one
or two
alignment techs, one that specializes in electrical, then you'll have a
bunch of oil changers and trainees.

As well you should, with that kind of drive.

Very likely.

Spdloader

 

There is a large Honda dealership in Phoenix Arizona. You can take
your car in for routine service without an appointment, and your car
will be in work within 30 minutes. Not only that, but the service
shop has huge, floor to ceiling windows between the waiting area and
the shop hoists. You can sit there in comfortable chairs and couches
watching your car being worked on only a few feet away. There is
never any question as to whether or not your car is actually being
worked on, or just waiting in que. They definitely know how to do it.
I just wish it wasn't so darn far away, although I have made the trip
twice.

Dick

 

Here's the end of the story, as Paul Harvey would say. We took the
Accord back to the dealer this morning. I met with the service
manager as he asked me to. It took about an hour to finish the 45,000
miles service. He still wouldn't charge me for any of the work that
was done. I really tried to pay him, but I guess he just wants to
make sure I remain a customer. Still feeling a little guilty, but am
very happy with how things worked out.

Dick

 

.......and they lived happily ever after.


Spdloader

 

"Dick" wrote

Dick, I'm curious: did you buy the car at that dealership?

 

No, but I bought the one just prior to this one there. When It came
time to buy this one, they just weren't willing to get the price down.
I bought it elsewhere for $1,500 less, which was significant. The
trade-in offer was exactly the same at both dealers, so the $1,500 was
real savings. This was an EX V-6 with Navigation.

I know that one can expect to get better treament if you buy the car
where you are getting service, but I did buy the one before, and
except for a couple of LOF's, this dealer has done all the service on
the '03 since it was new.

Dick

 

You have nothing to feel guilty about. You were honest and communicated
clearly and the dealer elected to go the extra mile for you. Hopefully
they have earned your continued business and that of your friends and
associates.

John

 

John Horner wrote:

A '67 Jag? You have my complete sympathy!

I owned a '69 Porsche 911T, the last of the 6 cyl models with carbs
(triple Weber). I was never really good at getting them just right,
although I did virtually everything else on the car.