Ask the Car People.SM


better to buy where you intend to get it serviced?

180 messages,  Last post on Sep 18, 2008 at 10:59 AM

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What is this discussion about? Auto Repair

Messages Page 19 of 19

#172 of 180 NO DIFFERENCE by stockmanjoe

Jun 11, 2006 (6:50 am)

The sales and service department are totally different. The service manager is happy to take your money regardless of where you bought the car. He doesn't even care what make it is if it is someting they can repair and you got the cash he'll work on it.
 
   Also the sales force turns over so rapidly your salesman will be selling copiers by the time you bring the car back for service anyway.

#173 of 180 Re: Bogus warranty claims when the sale is made [glenonoka] by moonlight293

Jul 14, 2007 (2:06 pm)

Replying to: glenonoka (May 09, 2006 4:11 pm)
My respect to you for your perserverence. Am looking to buy a used car; thanks for sharing your experience. Info on the warranty claims is helpful.

#174 of 180 Re: NO DIFFERENCE [stockmanjoe] by joel0622

Jul 24, 2007 (7:31 am)

Replying to: stockmanjoe (Jun 11, 2006 6:50 am)
I cannot even begin to count the number of times I have picked up the phone and got a good customer taken care of in Service. Be it a loaner car, a bump in the line because they were leaving on a trip, my cost on tires, complimentary oil changes, and the list goes on. Back when we used to have Demo's my demo would spend 3-5 days a week loaned out during the day while a good customer dropped there car off for service. I was spending $100 a week in gas when gas was $2.00 a gallon.
 
Then again I have been here 14 years and have plans no of entering into the lucrative world of Copy machine Sales.
 
So depending on if you have a professional sales person or not would really be the deciding factor in this convo.

#175 of 180 Re: NO DIFFERENCE [joel0622] by canddmeyer

Jun 04, 2008 (2:24 am)

Replying to: joel0622 (Jul 24, 2007 7:31 am)
I agree, buy it where you want, and service it where you want. Dealers in my experience don't do you any favors. There are exceptions of course, but in Sacramento County I haven't experienced nor heard of any special treatment with the exception of Acura dealers who go all out to keep their customers happy. Chevy, Toyota, Ford, and Honda haven't done anything for me I haven't paid for.

#176 of 180 Back in the old days... by isellhondas

Sep 10, 2008 (3:51 pm)

Before there were things like CSI surveys, some stores, especially domestics would flat out refuse to do warranty work on cars people had bought from another local dealer.
 
In those days, anyway, they hated warranty work in the first place since it didn't pay nearly as well as customer pay.
 
I heard the crusty owner of a small Buick Dealer tell a demanding customer once...
 
" If that Mega Store was good enough to cut my throat for a hundred dollars, they ought to be good enough to do your %$# warranty work and you ought to be able to find your way back there!"
 
I'm sure things are better these days.

#177 of 180 Re: Back in the old days... [isellhondas] by mitzij

Sep 12, 2008 (11:08 am)

Replying to: isellhondas (Sep 10, 2008 3:51 pm)
As tempted as I have been to tell some people that, I bite my tongue. A customer is a customer is a customer. We can't afford to cherrypick. Hey, maybe I'll steal that megadealer's customer out from under him! A happy service customer often becomes a happy sales customer.

#178 of 180 Re: Back in the old days... [mitzij] by fezo

Sep 13, 2008 (12:32 pm)

Replying to: mitzij (Sep 12, 2008 11:08 am)
Don't the manufacturers require a dealer to cover warranty work no matter where the car was bought? I remember a big deal years ago because that was GM and Chrysler's policy but Ford allowed the dealer to refuse work on cars not sold by teh specific dealer. During all that Ford changed their policy to that of GM and Chrysler because they were getting tons of negative publicity.
 
I've had no problems getting warranty work done at the local Honda dealer but then I hardly ever have any and the reason I didn't buy at that dealership is that I bought an Ody when they were hard to find and tehy didn't have any.

#179 of 180 Re: Back in the old days... [fezo] by mitzij

Sep 18, 2008 (8:30 am)

Replying to: fezo (Sep 13, 2008 12:32 pm)
Yes, dealers are required to warranty work on any vehicle. A Chevrolet dealer has to honor the warranty on all Chevys. Many dealers snake around this by claiming 'we don't have an appointment for two weeks', or some such excuse. You, as the customer, can't prove otherwise, so you get stuck waiting, or going back to your selling dealer.
Usually, when a customer sheepishly says 'I didn't buy it from you guys, but...', I grin and say I'll forgive them 'this time'

#180 of 180 Re: Back in the old days... [mitzij] by oldfarmer50

Sep 18, 2008 (10:59 am)

Replying to: mitzij (Sep 18, 2008 8:30 am)
"...when a customer sheepishly says 'I didn't buy it from you guys..."
 
Of course the customer could add--"...but if you do a good job for me on this warranty work I might buy from you next time". Then if they give you a bunch of baloney they've lost a potential sale.

Messages Page 19 of 19

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