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An open letter to Jeep/FCA

nerubi

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Sorry to hear your frustrations but why not just go to a dealership? They have every color and nearly every configuration you could want and if they don’t they will add it for you there.

I went on Nov 11th to purchase my wrangler and drove home same day and was extremely happy.

I just don’t understand this ‘ordering’ trend.. if you want one that bad and can’t stand to wait then simply go to a dealership. Unless you live at the North Pole I’m sure there is a dealership somewhere within a reasonable distance.

Again, I’m not poking fun at your situation, it’s terrible and I’m sorry. But I just don’t get it.
I guess all 2019 JLs are going to the NE because they aren't coming to my area. The biggest Jeep dealer in my state with four Jeep locations has five 2019 JLs, all 2 dr Sport S models. Dave Smith in Idaho, the biggest Jeep dealer in North America, has 79 JLs in stock, 19 are Rubicons and only three of those are 2 dr like I ordered. So where can you find what you want sitting on a dealer lot.
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TrailTorque

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I guess all 2019 JLs are going to the NE because they aren't coming to my area. The biggest Jeep dealer in my state with four Jeep locations has five 2019 JLs, all 2 dr Sport S models. Dave Smith in Idaho, the biggest Jeep dealer in North America, has 79 JLs in stock, 19 are Rubicons and only three of those are 2 dr like I ordered. So where can you find what you want sitting on a dealer lot.
Where are these dealerships miles wise in reference to where you live?
 

Steevr

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Let me guess, you are someone famous. If you are honest about the dates you jumped ahead of hundreds of us that ordered long before you. Are you Shaq? Beyonce? I was at the biggest Jeep dealer in the state yesterday talking with their Jeep specialist who has had 11 Wranglers and she said they can't understand how a circumstance like yours happens. Michael Jordan?
Nope, just your average Joe Shmoe who's waiting for their first Wrangler. Can't figure it out either but there's a few others on this board who also ordered in December and are being built at the same record pace. Thing I can't understand is when we placed the order on 12/1, we were told there was a restriction on the painted hardtops. Our dealership was guessing at an 8 week delivery at that time, as 6 weeks was a normal delivery time for them for the '18's (on orders with no restrictions). Guess the real question is, does Michael Jordan own this dealership?

We would have been one of the early orders too (October or November), had it not been for the fact that we wanted to take delivery after 1/1 for tax purposes.

This time around it's the total opposite of when I ordered my 2015 F-150. Ordered in Sept 2014 when the order banks opened and didn't get my truck until almost March. The reason was that all the dealers' orders were being produced before customers' sold orders so that the dealers could have the new aluminum F-150's on display. What a shit-show that was.

And yes, why would I not be honest about my dates?

I noticed yours is a 2-door, but others have been posting that they've been receiving theirs, so that's probably not the issue.

I hope for everyone that's been waiting a long time that things get moving for them. I was dumbfounded by one member's post that was still waiting an eternity on a VIN, only to find out that his combination of options (or lack of) would have caused his order not to be built until spring. And no heads-up from FCA or his dealership. That's just wrong and bad business.

Fingers crossed for you Mike.
 

lsp408

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If you think you got treated bad before the sale, the after sale service will make what you experiencing here a walk in the park.
 

nerubi

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Where are these dealerships miles wise in reference to where you live?
5 to 50 miles. Dave Smith is 1300 miles - lower cost and more inventory there but an expensive trip to get there and drive back. The other Jeep dealer 30 miles away has two - 2019 JLUSS in red and silver. Most dealers are only getting a sprinkling of stock orders delivered because customer orders have preference for build.
 

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5 to 50 miles. Dave Smith is 1300 miles - lower cost and more inventory there but an expensive trip to get there and drive back. The other Jeep dealer 30 miles away has two - 2019 JLUSS in red and silver. Most dealers are only getting a sprinkling of stock orders delivered because customer orders have preference for build.
Makes sense, are you dead set on a 19’? There’s 10,000,000 18’s to choose from. I hear they are the same as the 19’s lol
 

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An open letter to Jeep/FCA,

...

While I still smile when I see Wranglers of any vintage, I will not be driving one again. If during the period of time I am trying to buy a $47K vehicle I get such poor service and attention, how will the service be after they are no longer interested in my money....
While I understand you are upset, please keep in mind that this is still a very new, completely redesigned vehicle. I am sure the factory is still having "teething issues" on this brand new model, and will probably continue to have new-vehicle issues for quite some time.

Also, poor service is poor service regardless of price. If it's a $47K, $37K, $27K (or even less) vehicle, poor service is not acceptable. Price should have nothing to do with it.
 

RussJeep1

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An open letter to Jeep/FCA,


I am a huge Jeep fan.


I bought my most recent Jeep, a 2007 JK Unlimited Rubicon around Thanksgiving in 2006. It has been the most fun vehicle my family and I have ever owned. We have owned sports cars, other off-road vehicles, motorcycles and even a Land Rover Range Rover (back when it was owned by BMW). With the doors and top off, we took the brand new JK off-roading, much to the surprise of the Jeep group members we went wheeling with. Over time, as a true Jeep enthusiast, I put on larger tires, lift kit, better bumpers/winch and some under body protection. Either with just my son or with our whole family, we would go wheeling and camping at least 1 weekend a month, regardless of the weather. Living in the northeast made wheeling trails covered in ice that much more of a challenge. I always told people that it was the most incredible vehicle. We could spend 4 hours going 1.8 miles up a very technical rock trail and another 4 hours on the return, air up the tires, press the button to reconnect the anti-sway bars and then get on the highway and drive 65-70 MPH all the way home.


After 12 years, it was time to get a new one. I ordered a 2019 Rubicon (2 door) on 10/22/18 exactly how I wanted it outfit knowing what after market toys I would add. I then waited, checking early on with Jeep Chat about how the build was going. Week after week, it was stuck in C status. I called my dealer who did not have any other news. On day 45 after my order, I was on Jeep Chat asking about the status of the order. It was still in C status, so I ‘escalated’ the issue, was given a case number and told I would get feedback from Jeep in 3 to 5 business days. I again reached out to my dealer who did not have any additional data.


On the 53rd day after my order, my Jeep dealer called me to say that they had just received an email from Jeep saying they could not build the Jeep as I had ordered it until “some time in the 2nd quarter of 2019”. The only way I could get it built sooner was to remove the safety package or add the $1,420 8.4” stereo. While I had no interest in the stereo, as I wanted to put in an after-market system, I asked what date the Jeep would be built if I agreed to spend the extra money. The dealer did not know. So I called Jeep, and after spending a long time on the call, I was told that it is Jeep’s policy to say that new orders will be delivered in 3 -4 months. So basically, I would go back to the beginning of the queue.


I fumed for a bit and then called back the Jeep customer service line and asked to speak to a manager. After battling with Melissa, the person from Jeep, she would not connect me to a manager.


And lest you forget the escalation at day 45, Jeep never ever contacted me.


So I called my Jeep dealer and cancelled the order. While I hope this is an isolated incident, the forum boards suggest otherwise. I am thrilled Jeep is selling so many vehicles. But this may not be a trend that continues considering how comfortable Jeep appears to be treating its customers so shabbily.


At almost any point in the process, if I had received any form of proactive communication from Jeep that there would be delays, I would have gritted my teeth and been disappointed, but I would have understood. No once in the entire time following my order did I ever get a call/email/text from Jeep that preceded my reaching out to them. No once!


While I still smile when I see Wranglers of any vintage, I will not be driving one again. If during the period of time I am trying to buy a $47K vehicle I get such poor service and attention, how will the service be after they are no longer interested in my money.


Best of luck to the rest of you.
Don, I'm going to answer this heartfelt, justified letter of yours, playing the role of FCA, in the hopes that they'll take notice.

=============

Dear @Dpacew1 :

We, in FCA management that is (there are plenty of FCA folk that feel otherwise) would like to say that we are so sorry to hear of not only your unpleasant experiences, but that it happened to one of our loyal enthusiasts.

But in truth it doesn't bother us that much.

Oh, don't get me wrong, we'll tell you that were sorry, because it's good PR, but mean it, why should we? The rig is selling like hot cakes and the arrogant mistake of not keeping on our toes 100% of the time to keep customers happy gets second billing to our false belief that we'll enjoy near monopsonistic (a supplier of one) power in our market in perpetuity, and along with our after market space, we can afford to be cocky. I mean why worry that the Bronco, or some other manufacturer might someday out build us, or at least make a product offering in our space at 60% of our offering price? We enjoy the largest aftermarket dammit, even if we're too stupid to realize that said aftermarket is only as large as our customers can afford our new JL in the first place.

If we were truly smart, we'd realize, or our leaders would realize it smart to make the "I am nothing speech, and so are you," to our employees. It goes something like this.

'As dominant as any company could be in its field, Microsoft, in the 1990s appreciated how the slightest market disruption could turn them sideways, and literally with the issuance of a single memo by Bill Gates, and as the behemoth it was, turned on a dime to shift all direction to making money via the internet, realizing that this technology was not the "pet rock" of its generation, but rather a place to earn that would only get larger.

In a similar vain, this is my 'we are nothing' speech to my fellow employees. It is not to forget how hard we worked over the last decade to make the JL, and how so many deserve credit, or how well it's selling, but to remind all of us that under any stone lies the next market disruption that if we don't manage correctly, may find us in the history books.

Accordingly no customer is every to be overlooked. We treat everyone as if we are fighting for their business in a highly competitive space. And we do so because, electric cars, or hydrogen cell propulsion, or car sharing, or who knows what that hasn't even been invented yet could put us out of business.

We need to be as large and strong as a Boeing 747, but as nimble as a MIG.'

=====

But we're not going to make that speech @Dpacew1 .

Sincerely,


FCA
 
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Dpacew1

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While I understand you are upset, please keep in mind that this is still a very new, completely redesigned vehicle. I am sure the factory is still having "teething issues" on this brand new model, and will probably continue to have new-vehicle issues for quite some time.

Also, poor service is poor service regardless of price. If it's a $47K, $37K, $27K (or even less) vehicle, poor service is not acceptable. Price should have nothing to do with it.
While their may be teething problems, none of that impacts their ability to communicate. It is not like they are a start up where they are still trying to be a grown up enterprise. This is a mature organization that failed at every step to even attempt to communicate, even though I reached out at least weekly to check on my vehicle's status. Managing expectations is a core skill that Jeep failed. Also, while customer service should be standard across all dollar value of purchases, it is fair to expect better service at higher price points. In part, that is where a portion of your payment is going to support. For instance, customer service is better at Nordstoms than Walmart. Anyway, enjoy your jeep. I used to.
 

JIMBOX

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Customer service is based SOLEY and 99% of satisfaction on each dealer/dealer group and FCA becomes PERSONALLY involved with CUSTOMER DIS-SATISFACTION WITH YOUR LAWER/TELEPHONE/LETTER CONTACT--(very time consuming)-

Financially depends on your dealers relationship/volume with FCA--

The ALMIGHTY DOLLAR-

It's a jungle out there-

W.E.

JIMBO
 

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Mabar

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...

Also, while customer service should be standard across all dollar value of purchases, it is fair to expect better service at higher price points. In part, that is where a portion of your payment is going to support. For instance, customer service is better at Nordstoms than Walmart. Anyway, enjoy your jeep. I used to.

Again, I know you are upset, but I still say the purchase price (within reason) has nothing to do with it. Jeep, Ford, Chevy, Ram, whatever the brand, all make $47K vehicles. In point of fact, a $47K vehicle is not that unusual these days.

I still maintain that you would have been equally upset if you had ordered a less expensive model. For example, would you be happy with poor customer service if you had ordered a $37K vehicle, a full 10K less? Absolutely not! You would have been just as angry, just as upset and probably rightfully so.
 

jptamu1958

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An open letter to Jeep/FCA,


I am a huge Jeep fan.


I bought my most recent Jeep, a 2007 JK Unlimited Rubicon around Thanksgiving in 2006. It has been the most fun vehicle my family and I have ever owned. We have owned sports cars, other off-road vehicles, motorcycles and even a Land Rover Range Rover (back when it was owned by BMW). With the doors and top off, we took the brand new JK off-roading, much to the surprise of the Jeep group members we went wheeling with. Over time, as a true Jeep enthusiast, I put on larger tires, lift kit, better bumpers/winch and some under body protection. Either with just my son or with our whole family, we would go wheeling and camping at least 1 weekend a month, regardless of the weather. Living in the northeast made wheeling trails covered in ice that much more of a challenge. I always told people that it was the most incredible vehicle. We could spend 4 hours going 1.8 miles up a very technical rock trail and another 4 hours on the return, air up the tires, press the button to reconnect the anti-sway bars and then get on the highway and drive 65-70 MPH all the way home.


After 12 years, it was time to get a new one. I ordered a 2019 Rubicon (2 door) on 10/22/18 exactly how I wanted it outfit knowing what after market toys I would add. I then waited, checking early on with Jeep Chat about how the build was going. Week after week, it was stuck in C status. I called my dealer who did not have any other news. On day 45 after my order, I was on Jeep Chat asking about the status of the order. It was still in C status, so I ‘escalated’ the issue, was given a case number and told I would get feedback from Jeep in 3 to 5 business days. I again reached out to my dealer who did not have any additional data.


On the 53rd day after my order, my Jeep dealer called me to say that they had just received an email from Jeep saying they could not build the Jeep as I had ordered it until “some time in the 2nd quarter of 2019”. The only way I could get it built sooner was to remove the safety package or add the $1,420 8.4” stereo. While I had no interest in the stereo, as I wanted to put in an after-market system, I asked what date the Jeep would be built if I agreed to spend the extra money. The dealer did not know. So I called Jeep, and after spending a long time on the call, I was told that it is Jeep’s policy to say that new orders will be delivered in 3 -4 months. So basically, I would go back to the beginning of the queue.


I fumed for a bit and then called back the Jeep customer service line and asked to speak to a manager. After battling with Melissa, the person from Jeep, she would not connect me to a manager.


And lest you forget the escalation at day 45, Jeep never ever contacted me.


So I called my Jeep dealer and cancelled the order. While I hope this is an isolated incident, the forum boards suggest otherwise. I am thrilled Jeep is selling so many vehicles. But this may not be a trend that continues considering how comfortable Jeep appears to be treating its customers so shabbily.


At almost any point in the process, if I had received any form of proactive communication from Jeep that there would be delays, I would have gritted my teeth and been disappointed, but I would have understood. No once in the entire time following my order did I ever get a call/email/text from Jeep that preceded my reaching out to them. No once!


While I still smile when I see Wranglers of any vintage, I will not be driving one again. If during the period of time I am trying to buy a $47K vehicle I get such poor service and attention, how will the service be after they are no longer interested in my money.


Best of luck to the rest of you.
FCA reading this letter, mmm too bad, thank you, next.
 

travelboysteve

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Well guys,
Here's my ordering story for my 2 door 2018 fully loaded Rubicon.
Ordered Feb 5th, Received it 5 months later after MANY 4 doors were built.
The demand for 2 doors is just not there.
I purchased from a dealer in Vegas, and I live in SoCal, 4-5 hours away, price mainly.

The OP mentioned he ordered a 2 door, I knew 8-12 weeks was just a start after reading that.
Those of us with 2 doors are just going to have to a) suck it up buttercup, b) Get a 4 door or get something else. c) Buy off a lot and make due with what's available.
FCA does care.
It's the people representing them that may or may not care.
Do what you think is best for you.
Sorry for your frustration.
Ordering a vehicle is NOT like ordering from Amazon.
Maybe see if you can keep your place in que, and, if you decide not to take delivery, I'm sure dealer will be able to sell quickly.
I'd stay in the que and not base my future happiness on current frustrations.

Signed,

One who felt your pain,....
 

photowiz

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Car companies are not evolved in their systems. They make a heavy product, in large quantities, and they haven't embraced the new world order (think Amazon).

It sucks but it is what it is. I have to order from the plant because I want a manual trans. My expectation is 2-3 months order to delivery, but I wouldn't be shocked if it was longer. I ordered my last Jeep, a JK, in 2010 and it was at my dealer here in SoCal in 5 weeks flat.

The JL is a new model, and there are problems getting it smoothed out. I am EXTREMELY sympathetic to those disappointed by their experience.

The good news is Jeeps are fun as shit, and the two I've owned so far were very well built and trouble-free.

p.s. I ordered on 11-15, went into D1 12-14-2018 -- so I hope to see it by the middle to end of January so 2.5 months.
 

NCIC105

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Sorry to hear your frustrations but why not just go to a dealership? They have every color and nearly every configuration you could want and if they don’t they will add it for you there.

I went on Nov 11th to purchase my wrangler and drove home same day and was extremely happy.

I just don’t understand this ‘ordering’ trend.. if you want one that bad and can’t stand to wait then simply go to a dealership. Unless you live at the North Pole I’m sure there is a dealership somewhere within a reasonable distance.

Again, I’m not poking fun at your situation, it’s terrible and I’m sorry. But I just don’t get it.
I did the same thing. Still had to wait until later in the year for Mojito to be released. I was able to find on dealers lot with everything I needed.
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