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Thread: Not a good morning at the car dealer.

  1. #1
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Default Not a good morning at the car dealer.

    I like to keep my/our vehicles serviced and ready to go....

    Have a problem, with the blower motor and struts to hold up the tailgate on DW's car.

    Back when, I would order that parts and do it myself......Not so much any more

    Made an appointment....told them what I wanted done....and checking on the parts....
    Booked the appointment after getting the assurance parts were in stock.

    Got there...a little early... the guy started listing all the serice stuff we should do......so was like $500 bucks into me before he even discussed my concerns with the blower motor and struts.
    Stopped him in mid spiel...and said...."Let get to my problems first....and how much?"

    He takes off in the back, come back after awhile and says ...."Those parts are on back order"
    Hummmm

    The girl on the phone that I made the appointment with had assured me parts were in stock.....
    Hummmm

    So guy writes up the work order for the work....then says, "Sign this"
    He says "order for parts"....
    Hummmm
    I thought they were in stock, that's what "The girl said"..... then, "on back order", now "need to order" and I gotta sign the order?

    He started in on "Well she is just a young girl"....What?????
    Stopped him right there....."Who is BS'ing who"......If the Young girl is incompetent, why is she booking appointments and blowing sunshine up my butt....or lying to me to get me in here.

    You can't get out of this that easy this may not be your "fault" but is still your responsibility as service manger....You are trying deflection blame on some else .... and being sexist on top of it?

    Told him to order the parts I need,...... call me when they are HERE....then we will schedule another appointment....maybe.

    THEN we went to Vote...seemed fitting.
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
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  2. #2
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Default

    Hopefully you have other options for service. I doubt seriously that I'd be back there and to make sure they knew why.
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  3. #3

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    There's a Ford dealership in WNC that was has been the only place that has been a pleasant and fair service to my wife and I. VERY rare.

  4. #4
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Sadly this WAS my dealer for her PT Cruiser .....so most likely will get < what I asked for in the first place fixed.

    I'm sure he was upselling as best as he could.......But you still need to take care of the CUSTOMER first.

    There was another dealer in the next town up....but they had lost their official Chrysler dealership back in the big purge in 2009....when the down size happened.

    We will see.
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
    Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27

  5. #5
    Senior Member natertot's Avatar
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    Man, that sucks! Way back when, I was a tech at a Ford dealership and this was never the way to do business. In fact, if we couldn't have parts on hand in time for an appointment we would contact the customer and let them know we would have to reschedule before they would even show up. We figured why waste our time along with theirs. Also, we would make the customer concerns the first thing to address and then list additional things we found with a price for each one. Typically it was small things like lights not working or an air filter, but would also include regular maintenance items and safety concerns. We would also walk customers back to show them exactly what we found and explain to them our reasoning for getting it fixed.

    Seems like your place has put more emphasis on sales than service. What a shame. I think I would just get the parts and do it myself or find a more reputable place.

    Congrats on the vote!
    ”There's nothing glorious in dying. Anyone can do it.” ~Johnny Rotten

  6. #6
    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    I have had a big stick replacing the $50 each rear hatch struts on my Cherokee for ten years.

    That will teach them!

    Heater blower motors are always a pain. Often you have to remove the entire dash board. I can't see you standing on your head with your feet over the seat back trying to remove a blower motor after what has happened in the past month!

    And there is the additional problem in new cars all the "accessories" are on circuits connected to something else. If the blower motor is out something else probably is on the same line and also does not work. My Cherokee has the heater operated by the vacuum system and when you spring a leak you lose heater and cruise control. I lost the transmission safety selector a couple of years back and it bypassed the ignition and shut off the starter.

    You never know these days and at our age sometimes it hurts too bad to crawl under the vehicle and find out.
    If you didn't bring jerky what did I just eat?

  7. #7
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Most likely I will still hae the work done.....not into crawling around under the dash.

    The part that corks me the most....is I CALLED AHEAD.....to alert them of the problem....a week in advance to have the proper parts ON HAND....
    Both parts are "upgrades" and the vehicle is 16 years old But onlt 43K miles.....so that means adaptors ........so me doing it would be even more that a hassle.
    And I sure the young lady that answered the phone was "Yeah sure, I'm writing the parts down....as she is writing in the air...Thinking "Geezer don't know what he is talking about"

    Then the Service guy didn't seem to care that what I wanted....was too busy looking up service records...(yes, all service has been done there).
    Now according to the book....some of the stuff is by mileage....like 45 to 50k miles....at the rate she drives it...that could be 2 or 3 years yet.

    Like I said.....we will see.

    Just tells me "one more thing I need to watch......."
    Used to be you had your Dr., banker, barber, gun guy, lawyer, fix it guy,.......and lately fire wood guy......looks like I need to watch my car guy a little closer.
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
    Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27

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