Car Dealerships Rant (Servicing)

[NJP]

Holden Bite the big one as well. I bought two cars at the same time in 2012 and was told that I would get good discounts to service with them, they look after me by taking $20.00 of each car. The mechanically minded 21 year old blonde at the desk is great at relaying any concerns about the car you may have to the nearly qualified apprentice that will be working on the car under the watchful signature of the mechanic on the final report.

[dicko]

I use one of two local blokes (depending on availability) who work from home. No stuff around, honest guys, quotes in layman terms, business is built on word of mouth etc, and they don't want shitty neighbours.

[GavLew79]

Seat UK have been pretty good to me, pricey, but good. However, they tend to phone me when it's time for a service but now that I am pursuing them for a warranty claim, no one wants to speak. Funny that.

[Surucipe]

Another account of Merc or BMW having far superior service. But you do pay for it.

Yes, but it's a delicate balancing act between providing good service and absolutely taking the piss with their prices. It gets a bit disproportionate at times.

[anacostiakat]

This is exactly why I refuse to use the dealerships unless forced to.

Luckily I have a very good garage/station on Capital Hill here that is reasonable and does good work. Oh, and is convenient!

[terrantheman]

I try to avoid servicing my Jeep at Jeep dealerships. I suspect you can substitute "Jeep" for any other dealership. There must be good ones out there .....I have just never found one.

When my Jeep Grand Cherokee hit 10,000 km I took it into the local Moorooka Jeep Dealership for service. The car was running generally well, but there was a TSB Transmission flash that needed to be done. No drama surely.

Picked up the car, $600 (for an oil change and filter effectively), no TSB flash done. didn't fill out the warranty booklet, black hand prints all over the driver door. Pitiful.

Again the car was running pretty well and I was off to Cuba shortly so no time to take it back. Can wait for the 20,000 service.

I am lucky in that I have a local mechanic Peter Foot who is a Jeep legend. Drives the same model as I do. He did my 20,000 service last week. $290. He couldn't do the outstanding TSB flash (which I knew prior) but under warranty I booked it into Jeep Mount Gravatt today.

The tosser at the front service desk got his back up because the 20,000 service was conducted outside of a Jeep Dealership.

"Listen mate, why don't you ask me what you can do as a dealership to bring me into the fold from this time on?. it is my second jeep"

It goes straight over his head. I get lectured instead. I tell him what I think of him, pick up my keys and walk out.

I still need a TSB done and will take it somewhere else but for the love of God are all dealerships so fricken clueless as to what good customer service is? I know they are called "Stealerships" for a reason and for the prices they charge, the inconvenience they deliver, the questionable work they perform on occasion, Why would you ever deal with them unless for a recall?

Rob I wouldn't even bring recalls in fir them. Many "local" mechanics are "certified" by the manufacturer to do warranty and recall work. To be honest "stealerships" should not be trusted to do said work. I think they use recalls to create near future issues with your wheels. True story as to a dealerships incompetencies... my brake dash brake light game on on my vw tdi. It's an older (better/alh) model. I had read there was a recall in the pedal so I called the stealership to see if the recall had ever been performed since I purchased the car used. No sir they said so I scheduled an appointment. Took it in and got it back and same issue. Well to make a long story short they never did anything to remedy my problem. I ended up looking the car over completely and found I had a bad/leaking brake caliper. Low brake fluid tripping sensor. You would think the stealership would find that right away!!!

[LGC]

1) I do all my own work and maintenance... except for major jobs (which should never happen on a reliable car)

2) I never buy new cars. New models will always have TSBs, recalls, etc.

3) I only go to the dealer for oil changes on my wife's new vehicle (while under warranty). Otherwise, I never go to the dealer, except to buy parts. For service, you are guaranteed to get upsold on unecessary services, or ripped off. I might sound like a pessimist, buy I don't believe in getting 100% honest service on cars from anyone... if you don't know how to work on and troubleshoot cars yourself. Bringing your car to any mechanic does not guarantee that you will get qualified/knowledgable service.

[Borgy]

Does any body remember lifting the bonnet and there was just an engine a change of plugs and oil and you done it all your self. My first car was XA 2 DOOR 351 did my own service couldn't afford a mechanic to do it. If you look under the bonnet of a car today what do you see?

Evan had my own timing light.

[moryc]

We bought a new VW Passat TDI for the wife close to 2 years ago. The recommended service in their manual is out to lunch. I think the manual must of been written for someone that has no idea about cars and they just want to hose that person for as much money as possible. Their regular service, which is essentially an oil change and Bluetech Fluid (those are the two essentials) is $300. This also includes a whole bunch of crap that you don't need to do. My good friends owns a mechanic shop that specializes in German cars and he gets done for $100. This is without a "buddy discount", I don't believe in those, it is his lively hood. Now this is where it gets interesting, their service for 120,000 km costs $1,500. This is regular service that we are talking about and it includes transmission fluid, oil change and the fluid along with a pile of crap that no one needs. The price at my friend's shop not even $500.

I refuse to go to the dealership for anything except when its warranty work and they are fixing it for free.

[wabashcr]

I've had pretty good luck with the Chrysler dealership for one of our cars that came with free lifetime oil changes. I normally do my own oil changes, but if they'll do it for free, have at it. They change the oil and top off fluids, some absurd # point inspection, vacuum and wash the car for free. Of course they always come back with a list of recommendations from their inspection, but I would never let them do any of the work, and they never pressure me. If I ask ahead of time, they'll do any TSB firmware flashes then as well. Had a cylinder go bad under warranty, and they took care of it and gave me a new V8 Challenger loaner to drive for the week.

This is in sharp contrast with every other dealership service experience I've ever had. But it's nice at least one dealership seems to have turned a corner.

[LLC]

I've always taken my BMW's to the dealer I've bought them from and service and they way I've been treated is top notch. Having the four years of maintenance included save a lot of service bills. Also have a VW and dealer has been very friendly and customer service oriented, maybe a bit expensive but not unreasonable in my opinion.

As it has been stated here, service is where they make their money so it only makes sense they treat you well. Long term thinking not short term is the key.

[spicycorona]

"some absurd # point inspection"

These are usually nonsense. For example, my dealers 150 point inspection missed corroded battery terminals about 10 times. Not a big deal, because if it was it would be done by me or I make sure it was done. But they claim they do it without being told.

99% of those things don't need to be "inspected" on a regular basis. And they miss the ones that do. LOL

[free85]

Motorcycle dealerships are just as bad... if not worse.

[Olga]

I am at my 2nd Porsche (Boxter and now Cayman). Only the best service from 4 different Porsche dealerships.

[polarbear]

Does any body remember lifting the bonnet and there was just an engine a change of plugs and oil and you done it all your self. My first car was XA 2 DOOR 351 did my own service couldn't afford a mechanic to do it. If you look under the bonnet of a car today what do you see?

Evan had my own timing light.

What started off as doing my own servicing on my first car (HZ Kingswood Ute with a 308 in it) because I was too poor to pay someone to do it for me eventually grew into me building drag cars and street rods.

I started with a set of 3/4 drive sockets a roll of spanners and a couple of screw drivers and now have $5k worth of tools, some of which I still don't know what they do.

[jat]

You've definitely pushed some buttons here, by the accounts above.

But if you truly want a head-shaking, blood boiling experience, then own a Landrover!

The most miserable place in the world is the service waiting room of a Landrover dealership.

Roman Christians waiting for the lions had it easy by comparison. They knew what was coming. Who knew a windscreen could cost $1500!!

I should have bought a Jeep.....maybe not

[AndrewNR]

Every stage of my first cars servicing and maintenance has been beyond a joke. Treated as a clueless atm. Regardless to making a point every time they try feed me their bullshit and then stumble on their hypocrisy.

Have heard from a friend who worked in a jeep service center jeep parts are particularly expensive and the culture particularly poor.

Has been an unpleasant entry into the 4 wheeled world this year after 7 in the motorcycle world where all 3 my separate shops and mechanics are often engaged in an interest in my life, take the time to explain something I don't know and often if a job is bigger than expected undercharge me.

[spicycorona]

You've definitely pushed some buttons here, by the accounts above.

But if you truly want a head-shaking, blood boiling experience, then own a Landrover!

The most miserable place in the world is the service waiting room of a Landrover dealership.

Roman Christians waiting for the lions had it easy by comparison. They knew what was coming. Who knew a windscreen could cost $1500!!

I should have bought a Jeep.....maybe not

Those heated windshields are stupid. Same bad experience with Land Rover.

[Shikar]

You've definitely pushed some buttons here, by the accounts above.

But if you truly want a head-shaking, blood boiling experience, then own a Landrover!

The most miserable place in the world is the service waiting room of a Landrover dealership.

Roman Christians waiting for the lions had it easy by comparison. They knew what was coming. Who knew a windscreen could cost $1500!!

I should have bought a Jeep.....maybe not

Just replaced windscreen on my wife's car again. That's TWICE within past 2 months. EACH time windscreen was $3000 on her Lexus. The service is impeccable but I am used to $200 windscreens so these new windscreens are insane prices.

Regards.