Dealer service / repair questions

[trez63]

In the past, I've almost always bought my cars at a different dealer than I've had them serviced at. This will be my first American car and I've heard some horror stories about Ford and FCA dealers giving customers bad service or flat out refusing service if they car/truck wasn't purchased there. What is your experience with Jeep dealers? Does FCA have a good relationship with its dealers in this regard? My plan is to buy some accessories through my local dealer so I can make them feel like I am a real customer. I'll very likely get my services done at the dealer too ... Your thoughts? Can I count on a loaner vehicle at all while they have my truck?

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[JP1]

In the past, I've almost always bought my cars at a different dealer than I've had them serviced at. This will be my first American car and I've heard some horror stories about Ford and FCA dealers giving customers bad service or flat out refusing service if they car/truck wasn't purchased there. What is your experience with Jeep dealers? Does FCA have a good relationship with its dealers in this regard? My plan is to buy some accessories through my local dealer so I can make them feel like I am a real customer. I'll very likely get my services done at the dealer too ... Your thoughts? Can I count on a loaner vehicle at all while they have my truck?

You will be enrolled in Jeep Wave.
Loaner/Rental paid for by FCA.
Honestly, they're one of the last to do it.

Now, with that said, the last couple of vehicles I've owned were bought from different dealerships than service, no issues.
I'm sure there are a few, but think they're fewer than before. Billable hours are Billable hours and they pay the same.

 

[trez63]

You will be enrolled in Jeep Wave.

Oh snap! I feel silly that I hadn't ever heard of this program. Sounds like a great deal. On their site it says that it pays for 4 oil changes as well. That's awesome if it applies to the Gladiator too. The site doesn't specifically show the Gladiator as eligible but I assume that's coming. Thanks for letting me know about this.

 

[Dietruck]

Oh snap! I feel silly that I hadn't ever heard of this program. Sounds like a great deal. On their site it says that it pays for 4 oil changes as well. That's awesome if it applies to the Gladiator too. The site doesn't specifically show the Gladiator as eligible but I assume that's coming. Thanks for letting me know about this.

 

[trez63]

Yep, saw that after I posted. This is a big benefit I didn't even know existed (The 4 free oil changes). That's awesome. Thanks for the info.

 

[Sorbs]

Front office, back office. The two rarely meet. Carrying inventory is expensive. Warranty and out of warranty work is all dealers care about. That’s where they make their $$$. Also, you may not like your closest dealer’s service, so buying there wouldn’t matter to the next dealer you take it to.

When we lived in No Cal I really liked my service in Roseville at Autonation CDJR. Never bought a vehicle from them and they serviced many, many new cars of mine. My service tech was great. He eventually left and we eventually left the state completely.

Since being in Colorado Springs I’ve yet to buy locally but they work on all our Mopars without complaining.

 

[Hootbro]

No FCA franchise dealership is allowed per their franchise agreement to deny warranty coverage just because you did not buy from them. Has it happened, sure but it is not the norm. My experience and what you have touched on is whatever dealership you plan on having to do warranty work on your Jeep should the needed arise, is to already have a relationship of giving them some of your paid regular maintenance and accessory business.

A lot of time it is that relationship with the dealership that is going to make or break those instances were something is on the fence of whether it is customer abuse or actual workmanship or material defect of a problem. They guy that bough elsewhere and has never given the until now demand of warranty claim requesting dealership, is going to have hard time of said dealership standing up for you.

 

[12BNNT]

I have one Jeep dealer that’s literally 2 miles from my work. Bought a Ram there years ago. Bought my Jeep at a different dealer because the other dealer gave me a better deal. However the closer one is closer and super nice service guys (and gal).
It doesn’t matter where you go for your Jeep Wave free oil changes and tire rotations as it’s a national database. I could go to a dealer in another state while on vacation and it would show up on my local dealers computer. But as @Hootbro said, if I’m in the same dealer every few months and they get to know me by name, if I do have a problem they might be more inclined to consider me a “regular” and go to bat for me to fix the problem on the company dime.

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