This is why I avoid the dealership...

[SteveInOrlando]

I can't think of another industry where lying, deception, and incompetence are so systemic. I appreciate a guy's gotta feed his family, but it shouldn't require this. I can see why you would want out.

This is systematic to the whole dealership maximize your profits model.

They bring in the GM and Sales managers who only care about profit. Nothing else matters besides sales. Service is just something they must have to be able to sell cars. The huge multiple franchise car dealership groups are the worst for this. Qualified techs aren't important, keep costs low by paying as little as you can to those in service.

I sold cars for 3 months for one of the largest of these groups. What I witnessed in some cases was absolutely criminal. I moved on to another job. My conscience wouldn't allow me to continue doing that job.

I could start a whole separate thread on all the criminal activities associated with these dealers, but it would probably get me removed from the forum. Let's just say the only one worried about your bottom line at the dealership is you. There may be one or two new people who care, but they quickly fall in line, or they move on and find a job that allows them to sleep at night.

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[rr11]

My favorite car dealer story is my father's. In the 80's he was a Iron Worker, very well paid. One of his co-workers wanted to buy a new truck and ask my father to take him to a dealership that spent a lot on TV adds. The guy walks in in bib overalls and a flannel shirt, totally invisible to the sales staff. After 20 or so minuets he went to the receptionist and ask to talk to the manager. When the manager showed up he reached in his pocket and pulled out a roll of $100 bills and said I came to pay cash for a truck but since your people aren't interested I will go across the street to the next dealership.

 

[Highwaystar13]

In my experience with dealerships recently both their sales and service departments have become sterile to the customer. It feels more like you're going to a hospital waiting room than to a place where you have spent (or are going to spend) a large amount of money. It's not that I've received bad customer service but it's more of a neutral service level where they shuffle you in, shuffle you out.

Perhaps it's the brand. Perhaps it's my location. When I was driving Audis I always got the top level of service from the dealership. They made me feel valued as a customer even though I didn't buy the vehicles from their dealership. They would ask what car shows I would do or compliment my wheels. I recently took my Gladiator to the dealership for an included oil change and there was nothing. Again very sterile. I hope others have a better experience and that this type of trend isn't common.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[LadyLightning]

100%
The last time I took my vehicle to a dealer for the 'free included oil change' I later found my oil cap resting peacfully on top of my battery.
That was in 1994 and I have never had non-warranty work done by a dealer ever since.

Same thing happened to me!

 

[wanderer]

Yeah. I just pulled the bumper off where they installed the winch. Nut were loose not torqued down. And no spacers.

 

[sypeck]

I once took a soft top wrangler to the dealership for water coming up through the floor board where rollbar attached…. Got a call saying it was all fixed got in the jeep drove home next sunny day I want to take the roof off and found that the service tech had siliconed shut both side and back windows and all around the perimeter of the soft top ….. lol when I drove back at 900 miles an hour flipping my lid I was told when the service tech put the pressure washer to the soft top to windows they leaked so he thought Siliconing The removable top and windows shut would fix the problem wtf!!! The service manager made the service tech that did such a foolish thing come out and apologize and they took care of me new soft top and windows detail free oil changes…. They never did find the leak by the rollbar It’s a jeep so I just dealt with it

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