I moved halfway across the country a few years ago. The dealers (except for one) where I moved from were the "your blinker fluid is overdue" types. It's been odd, but even after adopting a 14 year old Subaru and taking it to the Toyota/Subaru dealer, they do what I ask and then list what they found and their recommendations. All of their recommendations are exactly true, I just don't have the money to do everything, so I'm doing the important things first (which, oddly, in order of importance their view agrees with my knowledge). So what gives? Why can't all dealers be this way? Also, their prices are often LESS for repairs than when I call a couple of independent shops I've had recommended in my area. For OE parts! I continue to praise the service advisors and chat with the service manager about how refreshing it is. Hoping positive reinforcement works...
What are your good and bad dealer experiences? Do you have a good dealer you go to?
Good Dealers
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Originally Posted by HowAboutThis
I moved halfway across the country a few years ago. The dealers (except for one) where I moved from were the "your blinker fluid is overdue" types. It's been odd, but even after adopting a 14 year old Subaru and taking it to the Toyota/Subaru dealer, they do what I ask and then list what they found and their recommendations. All of their recommendations are exactly true, I just don't have the money to do everything, so I'm doing the important things first (which, oddly, in order of importance their view agrees with my knowledge). So what gives? Why can't all dealers be this way? Also, their prices are often LESS for repairs than when I call a couple of independent shops I've had recommended in my area. For OE parts! I continue to praise the service advisors and chat with the service manager about how refreshing it is. Hoping positive reinforcement works...
What are your good and bad dealer experiences? Do you have a good dealer you go to?
Had great luck with a Honda dealer where the service manager has been there a very long time. And he works too, answering just about all the phone calls that come into the service area. While the advisors are busy handling all the incoming customers. Newer, free service loaners. I even took a loaner to lunch while getting an oil change and rotation after talking to the service manager.
When I was ready to sell the car I thought it would help to have it inspected for potential buyers. They did an inspection and only said it needed a new rear brake light for a few bucks which I knew about. They even changed the oil even though it wasn't due and no charge. I think I had a coupon for a free inspection. Car was 9.5 years old with 166k miles on it.
Other Toyota/Honda dealers have been fine but treat you more as a number/customer which is ok. The above dealer treated you as a friend, remembering conversations from last time I was there. Even dealer reviews praised the service dept.
II have found the VW dealer in Altoona PA to be an excellent dealer. They know the cars, do very good maintenance work, don't oversell stuff and get the work done in a very reasonable amount of time.
Zee09
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Those kinds of dealers we all should support.
Most are the opposite.
No good dealers here at all! They all try the same tactics to flush your wallet. One dealer stopped delivering parts to shops if the items were under $1500. If I needed a $500 fan clutch for a dodge truck I was not worth their time.
Now they sent out an apology note to every one. Another dealer sold me the wrong part. Then charged me 20% restocking fee when I returned it! They went out of business soon after.
Originally Posted by Boomer
II have found the VW dealer in Altoona PA to be an excellent dealer. They know the cars, do very good maintenance work, don't oversell stuff and get the work done in a very reasonable amount of time.
I can whole-heartedly reccomend:
Valley Auto World BMW / VW
Audi Cape Fear
Porsche Wilmington
Volvo Cars Fayetteville
Stand up folks.
A good dealer experience I had was with a recall for the airbag wiring in my Rubicon. Good/Great as in they didn't screw anything up. They did try to sell me a $95 synthetic oil change, and that was because I had only 5 K miles on it, otherwise I'm sure they would have had a list of things. I passed on the oil change and thanked them for asking. If only they knew how many times that oil was changed in those 5K miles............ LOL
I try and make it a point to avoid dealers after the sale, unless there is a recall or warranty item that needs to be addressed.
Dealers should be grateful for customers who still come back after the car is clearly out of warranty. They should be grateful for whatever service business they can get, even if it is just their $29 oil change coupon, and not have their service writers trying to fob hundreds of dollars worth of useless 'recommendations' on you.
Originally Posted by wdn
Dealers should be grateful for customers who still come back after the car is clearly out of warranty. They should be grateful for whatever service business they can get, even if it is just their $29 oil change coupon, and not have their service writers trying to fob hundreds of dollars worth of useless 'recommendations' on you.
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A few years back, our local Autonation Ford dealer was bought out by a family owned Ford dealership in another part of our area. Took a chance on them with my 92 Explorer that needed radius arm bushings. They suggested I go to the NAPA store next to them, get the parts with my grumpy senior discount and bring 'em back. They put 'em in, realigned the front end for over $100 less than several other shops in the area. Service guy said they'd have gotten the bushing kits from NAPA anyway, and I might as well take advantage of their discount program.
Had my wife's car in there, and I have yet to have an issue with their work or their pricing. Recently had all four strut/shocks replaced on my wife's 2006 Ford 500 - $1150 out the door. Next best price was $1500.
Sometimes you just get lucky.
But funny how my local dealership seems to to well. Very nice folks......I had the same experience with my Subaru dealer and now with my Lexus dealer, but not so with my MB dealer at the beginning, but once they realized I knew more than the advisors it all changed. Unfortunately they prey on the ignorants all of them, but to different degrees.
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Several years ago, I frequented a new Honda dealership that opened up near my house. I guess they were trying to build up their business, so they were extra friendly, had many service coupons, didn't push BS work, and etc. Over time, the customer service went south. They hired a bunch of slimy [censored] younger SA's who always claimed my fluids were dirty and pushed flushes, even though everything was clean. They told me my battery was weak (which it was), and wanted close to $200 to change it - with $75 to clean the terminals lol. The online reviews started reflecting the poor service.
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My local Acura dealership is fantastic. I would happily use them for sales and service.
The local Toyota dealerships are lacking.
I never use a dealership for tires and batteries except one time I punctured a sidewall on a Hyundai with less than 10K on it and only the dealership had the matching Kumho in town. Tires and batteries both I do Sams Club or Costco. Even if I get the coupon $125 for a genuine Toyota battery installed it is still too expensive for my taste, but at that price at least I feel they are not cheating old ladies.
As a tow driver for AAAI have like 1 dealer I've put on my "list" as their service advisors blew me off on my roadside diagnosis on several occasions.
I use that as my measuring stick on how good a dealer is. Most places the SA will put in the notes as "Tow driver diagnosed X as he saw Y", but nope...this Honda dealer acutally said out loud to me "We will diagnose it properly, no need for the roadside quarter backing"
Favorite dealer is a Land Rover dealer. I show up a car, chat with the service advisors, and most of the time, they go look at the car, I show them the problem, they get impressed and tell me where to drop it.
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