Another dealership service cautionary tale

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Originally Posted by BHopkins
Wow! I need to praise my Subaru dealership for how they have treated me in the past.

Last time I took my car in, I asked them to do the complimentary 25 point inspection that they offer. When the service was done they reviewed the inspection report with me. She pointed out that while camber was slightly off on the RH wheels, it was still in the "green", thus no service was required. No attempt to sell me a fuel injector cleaning or a throttle body cleaning, or anything else of the sort.

Next time I'm in there, I'll have to tell them how much I appreciate the way they treat me.

BTW, my dealership gives me a ride back to work . . . in a Subaru. Oh, and they also offer loaner bicycles for the true green people. Yea. I've never taken them up on that offer.


Which is the "RH wheels"?

the camber on the rear wheels is not adjustable and is out-of-spec negative on every alignment I've ever seen - usually -2.X degrees.

My Subaru dealer also gives rides to work and then picks you up. It's definitely much cheaper for them to pay someone minimum wage to drive me and a few others to work in a 1998 Legacy wagon than to offer each of us a loaner. I'm probably coming across crassly, and I don't mean to. There are many decent dealers out there, but those same dealers NEED TO make money, and many times that's with up-sells. Why people get offended over attempted up-sells, I'll never understand.

Sure, I get upset over someone getting taken advantage of, just like the next guy, but many people are perfectly happy and drive along happily with their over-maintained-by-the-dealer vehicles. Compared to those who trade-in their vehicles every 3-5 years, how much is grandpa really paying extra in maintenance for his 2007 Subaru that "needs" wiper blades every year, or for the brake fluid to be changed every few years?
 
Originally Posted by RichR
Originally Posted by pbm
Uphill_Both_Ways said:
WylieCoyote said:
I hear that Stormy Daniels got a new job at a Mercedes dealership....she'll be providing the ultimate 'customer service'....


You better double bag it!


Common misconception among the lower socio-economic folks. Way too much friction.

Kinda like mixing 0W-20 and 15w40, you heathen!
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Here's a tip: BURY them on the 'customer satisfaction survey'. If they don't offer one, ask for it. If they refuse, contact the manufacturer. Many a paycheck live-and-die by customer index scores...
 
Originally Posted by Nickdfresh
Here's a tip: BURY them on the 'customer satisfaction survey'. If they don't offer one, ask for it. If they refuse, contact the manufacturer. Many a paycheck live-and-die by customer index scores...


Yeah like Google Reviews... My Toyota Dealership I'm dealing with now is far better than the Chrysler dealership I was dealing with and it shows on their Google Reviews. Sure enough these matched up in real life.
 
I took my jeep in to have a recall done. It had 35k on it. The dealer called me 5x that day trying to wallet flush me. They wanted $360 to drain and fill my axles. I had recently done that myself with Torco synthetic gear oil.

I wonder if they would have even pulled the covers? Or just sucked it out and refilled.
 
This is what happens when folks are paid via flat rate vs. hourly or salary. It turns into a cash grab game to keep the lights on at home vs. being paid independent of what you sell / how fast you work and providing customers what's appropriate. The current pay system not only doesn't reward honesty or quality of work, it actively discourages it.
 
As I've said before, I've never had an issues with the BMW dealer I use of the two Mazda dealers I patronized when I had an MS3.
 
Originally Posted by gathermewool
Originally Posted by BHopkins
Wow! I need to praise my Subaru dealership for how they have treated me in the past.

Last time I took my car in, I asked them to do the complimentary 25 point inspection that they offer. When the service was done they reviewed the inspection report with me. She pointed out that while camber was slightly off on the RH wheels, it was still in the "green", thus no service was required. No attempt to sell me a fuel injector cleaning or a throttle body cleaning, or anything else of the sort.

Next time I'm in there, I'll have to tell them how much I appreciate the way they treat me.

BTW, my dealership gives me a ride back to work . . . in a Subaru. Oh, and they also offer loaner bicycles for the true green people. Yea. I've never taken them up on that offer.


Which is the "RH wheels"?

the camber on the rear wheels is not adjustable and is out-of-spec negative on every alignment I've ever seen - usually -2.X degrees.

My Subaru dealer also gives rides to work and then picks you up. It's definitely much cheaper for them to pay someone minimum wage to drive me and a few others to work in a 1998 Legacy wagon than to offer each of us a loaner. I'm probably coming across crassly, and I don't mean to. There are many decent dealers out there, but those same dealers NEED TO make money, and many times that's with up-sells. Why people get offended over attempted up-sells, I'll never understand.

Sure, I get upset over someone getting taken advantage of, just like the next guy, but many people are perfectly happy and drive along happily with their over-maintained-by-the-dealer vehicles. Compared to those who trade-in their vehicles every 3-5 years, how much is grandpa really paying extra in maintenance for his 2007 Subaru that "needs" wiper blades every year, or for the brake fluid to be changed every few years?


Yea, I also understand the up-sell. It's when they start crossing the line on integrity when they make a service sound that it is critical to keeping the car on the road, or that it is part of the manufacturers scheduled maintenance when it is not.

Not all customers are acquainted enough with what is needed and what is not. They trust the dealership that they bought the car from to be the best source for service, and the treat them with respect and honesty. Trusting folks like these become easy prey, and victims of the up-sell.

BTW, RH= right hand. Working in the auto business, I assume everyone is familiar with certain abbreviations and terms, especially here on BITOG.
 
Another "bash the dealer thread". We get these at least once a week.........

But when a guy on here over tightens his drain plug.....well that's a different story.
 
Originally Posted by BHopkins
Originally Posted by gathermewool
Originally Posted by BHopkins
Wow! I need to praise my Subaru dealership for how they have treated me in the past.

Last time I took my car in, I asked them to do the complimentary 25 point inspection that they offer. When the service was done they reviewed the inspection report with me. She pointed out that while camber was slightly off on the RH wheels, it was still in the "green", thus no service was required. No attempt to sell me a fuel injector cleaning or a throttle body cleaning, or anything else of the sort.

Next time I'm in there, I'll have to tell them how much I appreciate the way they treat me.

BTW, my dealership gives me a ride back to work . . . in a Subaru. Oh, and they also offer loaner bicycles for the true green people. Yea. I've never taken them up on that offer.


Which is the "RH wheels"?

the camber on the rear wheels is not adjustable and is out-of-spec negative on every alignment I've ever seen - usually -2.X degrees.

My Subaru dealer also gives rides to work and then picks you up. It's definitely much cheaper for them to pay someone minimum wage to drive me and a few others to work in a 1998 Legacy wagon than to offer each of us a loaner. I'm probably coming across crassly, and I don't mean to. There are many decent dealers out there, but those same dealers NEED TO make money, and many times that's with up-sells. Why people get offended over attempted up-sells, I'll never understand.

Sure, I get upset over someone getting taken advantage of, just like the next guy, but many people are perfectly happy and drive along happily with their over-maintained-by-the-dealer vehicles. Compared to those who trade-in their vehicles every 3-5 years, how much is grandpa really paying extra in maintenance for his 2007 Subaru that "needs" wiper blades every year, or for the brake fluid to be changed every few years?


Yea, I also understand the up-sell. It's when they start crossing the line on integrity when they make a service sound that it is critical to keeping the car on the road, or that it is part of the manufacturers scheduled maintenance when it is not.

Not all customers are acquainted enough with what is needed and what is not. They trust the dealership that they bought the car from to be the best source for service, and the treat them with respect and honesty. Trusting folks like these become easy prey, and victims of the up-sell.

BTW, RH= right hand. Working in the auto business, I assume everyone is familiar with certain abbreviations and terms, especially here on BITOG.


Point taken and I agree. I've never personally been taken advantage of (that I remember), but I have overheard others being convinced by the service people that something was needed to be done NOW (e.g., brakes). I'm not saying the brakes didn't need to be done in that case, but the price was absolutely ridiculous. The service writer actually said that they'd turn the rotors and replace the front pads for >$400 (IIRC). I overheard the poor guy calling his wife and telling her about the unexpected expense - made me feel bad for the guy, but who was I to speak up and mention that a local shop might do it for cheaper? What if his brakes really did NEED to be done then and there for him to be safe? As you can tell, I think about this stuff often and kinda beat myself up over little things like this, assuming the worst: that this poor guy got put through the wringer unnecessarily and I could have been the one to tell him!

I figured RH meant right-hand, but that's two tires. Were BOTH right-hand tires meant or was only ONE tire meant to be described?
 
Originally Posted by CKN
Another "bash the dealer thread". We get these at least once a week.........

But when a guy on here over tightens his drain plug.....well that's a different story.



Not really! I purchased nine cars from them.
They never tried to upsell me once until this last car for which I bought but was titled in my mothers name. ( gift to her)
Her name was on the recall notice. Plus the 30K service they said was required is nowhere to be found in the manual.
 
A lesson is to be learned here.

We have a dealership here that has a full list up on the wall of all the services they do with the cost listed.
I never purchased a car there but that is the way to do it. They never upsell and call you with a list and even indicate on that list the
order of priority. Imagine if dealers were trustworthy and were not scammers the independents wouldn't even be around.

While that wouldn't be a positive it would be very lucrative for them and they would retain a great reputation.
Then they would have no need to scam!
 
To me the sad truth is that there are more out there that are clueless and go to the dealership and get taken than not. Otherwise the dealerships would be charging even more.
 
Originally Posted by Zee09
A lesson is to be learned here.

We have a dealership here that has a full list up on the wall of all the services they do with the cost listed.
I never purchased a car there but that is the way to do it. They never upsell and call you with a list and even indicate on that list the
order of priority. Imagine if dealers were trustworthy and were not scammers the independents wouldn't even be around.

While that wouldn't be a positive it would be very lucrative for them and they would retain a great reputation.
Then they would have no need to scam!


My Mazda dealer would give you a list of services and prices stapled to your invoice. No surprises.
 
Originally Posted by MCompact
Originally Posted by Zee09
A lesson is to be learned here.

We have a dealership here that has a full list up on the wall of all the services they do with the cost listed.
I never purchased a car there but that is the way to do it. They never upsell and call you with a list and even indicate on that list the
order of priority. Imagine if dealers were trustworthy and were not scammers the independents wouldn't even be around.

While that wouldn't be a positive it would be very lucrative for them and they would retain a great reputation.
Then they would have no need to scam!


My Mazda dealer would give you a list of services and prices stapled to your invoice. No surprises.


Smart move.
Unless it is a recall or warranty item I try to avoid the dealers here.
 
Plaza Motors in Creve Coeur MO had a service writer in the MB store they called the Velvet Hammer. She had her clientele convinced they needed front brake pads with every oil change, since they drove on the highway. She retired over a decade ago, but she was a legend.
 
It would be wrong to assume every dealer was a crook, I agree with that idea that I believe you are trying to convey.

However, it would be equally wrong to assume that there are no dealers who suggest services of dubious need.

Few cars with 30k miles need a wallet flush.

Many seem to be slow to learn in this age of fingertip information, dealers included.

You would think with the ability to record video literally in our pockets, not to mention the ability to do research with that same tool, we would see fewer instances of these sorts of shenanigans.

Maybe we are witnessing few and we just see the ones reported, not that reporting is more frequent.

I just see these sorts of stories and a reminder to Caveat Emptor.

Originally Posted by CKN
Another "bash the dealer thread". We get these at least once a week.........

But when a guy on here over tightens his drain plug.....well that's a different story.
 
They have built up quite the complex over there. My office was once just down the road from their location. Quite the operation they have...

Originally Posted by CincyDavid
Plaza Motors in Creve Coeur MO had a service writer in the MB store they called the Velvet Hammer. She had her clientele convinced they needed front brake pads with every oil change, since they drove on the highway. She retired over a decade ago, but she was a legend.
 
Funny this topic came up. Just 2 hours ago I was speaking with a guy from a neighboring office. He was a dealership mechanic and claimed that the management would have them take good parts off of customers cars and sell them at full new price to other customers. If the donor car was owned by somebody old, it was even better and easier to get away with, as the older folks did not drive much and would not notice the fault right away.

I always wondered why some people had the worst luck with cars, and every time they went to the dealer, something else failed. Maybe this was more common than I thought???
 
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