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How to handle Jeep Dealership Experience Survey

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Luvwine

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I got an email with the "Jeep Dealership Experience Survey." I gather this is important to the dealer as I had earlier gotten an email asking me to call the sales manager or general manager if I was going to give anything other than the highest possible marks to the dealer. Just looking for others' perspective regarding the issues I had to see if I am perhaps looking at this the wrong way.

On the plus side, I found the sales manager (the person I dealt with) to be pleasant on the phone and did not try to rush me. The pricing was among the most competitive around (just over 10% below MSRP on a custom order), and he did respond to my emails for status most of the time appropriately. He is a high volume dealer and there were no hidden fees or games on pricing or hard sells for extras or a warranty or what have you. I also had trouble with getting my control number from the Tread Lightly website (which really sucks) and he helped with that and solved the problem. When it came time for the vehicle to be delivered, the pricing given for delivering the vehicle to me (to save me the long trip to the dealer) was very fair.

On the negative side, the issues I had were mostly minor. He was slow at times (usually one or two days) to respond to emails and he occasionally did not respond at all. If I called him and he did not pick up, I would leave a message but don't think he ever returned a phone call, which was frustrating at times. But it was really the final paperwork/delivery that left a bad taste in my mouth though perhaps I am overreacting. He quoted me $500 to have the jeep trucked to me or he could have the jeep driven to me for $250. I asked his opinion and he told me he had no issues with his folks delivering it by driving it. I asked him about damage and he said that any damage that occurred on the way to me would be on them. So I took the driving it to me option for less money. The paperwork included an odometer statement that the jeep had only 5 miles on the odometer. I called him and told him that I thought my warranty would start with the mileage on the jeep when I took possession and that there was nearly 300 miles on the odometer and that I did not think it was right that I should have to sign a false statement that I was taking possession of the jeep with only 5 miles when that was clearly not the case. I admit I did not ask about this issue in advance, but thought that since any damage that occurred prior to delivery was on them (which he confirmed) I thought warranty would start on delivery. There was also no way for me to know what the mileage was on it prior to the trip as his delivery folks got lost (another nitpick, they were supposed to call me prior to arrival but they said they were not given my number). His position on the odometer statement was that I did not have to sign it but if I did not sign it as is (he would not change it) that they would drive the jeep back to the dealership. This is what left a bad taste in my mouth. Had I known that the miles driven by his delivery were going to be charged against my warranty and that I would have to sign an odometer statement that was false, I would have had the jeep trucked to me. Last nitpick was that I saw (in advance) that there was a "binding arbitration" clause in the contract. I asked about this and was referred to the GM of the dealership who told me that this was required but that if I did not like the result of arbitration I could file for a "trial de novo" and have a trial if I wanted. I did some research and consulted with a lemon lawyer (as those rights are what I was wanting to preserve given some folks have had to use the lemon law on 4XE vehicles) and the lemon lawyer confirmed that the arbitration clause was indeed enforceable and no "trial de novo" was available for a voluntary binding arbitration. Since the lemon law is against the manufacturer and not the dealer here, that did not matter, but I did not like being told false information by the GM (who should have known better).

Am I wrong to have trouble leaving highest possible marks on the survey given the above experience? I have not called the sales manager or GM since delivery. Appreciate any thoughts.
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Strommen95

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I don't know anything about the binding arbitration part. If your big gripe is over not knowing the warranty would start at 5 miles and not the amount when delivered to you, then you should leave the highest marks as that's where they really make their money. My personal opinion is that it's pretty obvious the warranty would start at mileage 5 given they were personally delivering the vehicle to you. I don't understand why you'd think differently. The mileage was at 5 when you agreed to purchase the vehicle and have it delivered. If you wanted it to start at the lowest possible mileage, then splurging more for the truck delivery would've been optimal. I really doubt the miles will make any difference anyways, feels like splitting hairs.
 

Chazdog

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Really? 10% below sticker in this market? That earns them 5 stars right out of the gate! High volume dealers are taking and processing orders all day and have little time for emails and voice mails that aren’t relevant to moving units in and out the door. They could tag you as a 1 star PITA customer but never would. Chill, throw them a bone and enjoy your new Jeep.
 

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GATORB8

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All perfect scores no matter what. Costs you nothing. It could really help someone's family. People who trash surveys receive nothing in return.
Agreed. All you'll get out of a bad survey is a follow up call, if you want that, you may as well just call them direct.

I actually tipped my sales guy, the amount of time he sacrificed tracking my order and walking my wife through the Jeep (while maybe should be expected) was appreciated. Nothing crazy, enough for a nice dinner, but I guarantee he'll be all over my current ordered Ram and future business.
 

Buzzbomb9

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Sounds like they went above and beyond during the sales process with the discounts given. That and they drove your new Rig to you directly, that is a BONUS and time saving cost on your end. As far as mileage goes, your warranty would start at the odometer reading once the final inspection is done on the Jeep by the Service Tech at the dealership or done at the production plant before it gets put on the carrier truck. I would give the dealer/sales person the highest marks possible. :like:
 

ReimundKrohn

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Interestingly, I received the exact same “if for any reason you cannot fill out this survey completely satisfied and definitely recommend, please call me or our General Manager” email this morning. I figured it was a bot email; this confirms it.

Now, I have had a great experience - thus far - but sounds like there’s been some head butting between you and the GM. We are only hearing your side of the story, of course, but telling you to sign the papers or they’ll take the Jeep back to the dealer is out of line and unacceptable.

Since this is a bot email, I wouldn’t bother trying to call the GM back for another go around. If he/she wasn’t returning your calls before, they’re not likely to now. Sounds like apart from the GM though, you had a great experience. If it were me, I would give the salesperson straight A’s and provide candid feedback like you’ve done here on the dealers GM.

To be clear, I agree with some of the others here that I wouldn’t have expected warranty to start at delivery. Warranty is a Jeep matter, not a dealer one. Jeep’s warranty clock is based both on the calendar and the odometer, and can’t be adjusted. That said, this GM could have and should have been more courteous with their responses. You don’t talk to a customer who just dropped 50K+ with you like they’re dirt.

PS: I have a three hour (one way) highway drive to pick up my Jeep. The dealer offered to drive it down to me pro Bono. I did not, however, cut a deal at 10% below MSRP. Perhaps they gave up too much margin on this sale and are having regrets themselves.
 

WhereRU_A-A-Ron

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All perfect scores no matter what. Costs you nothing. It could really help someone's family. People who trash surveys receive nothing in return.
Are you talking about this particular instance or just any survey in general?
 

Jank4AU

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Interestingly, I received the exact same “if for any reason you cannot fill out this survey completely satisfied and definitely recommend, please call me or our General Manager” email this morning. I figured it was a bot email; this confirms it.

Now, I have had a great experience - thus far - but sounds like there’s been some head butting between you and the GM. We are only hearing your side of the story, of course, but telling you to sign the papers or they’ll take the Jeep back to the dealer is out of line and unacceptable.

Since this is a bot email, I wouldn’t bother trying to call the GM back for another go around. If he/she wasn’t returning your calls before, they’re not likely to now. Sounds like apart from the GM though, you had a great experience. If it were me, I would give the salesperson straight A’s and provide candid feedback like you’ve done here on the dealers GM.

To be clear, I agree with some of the others here that I wouldn’t have expected warranty to start at delivery. Warranty is a Jeep matter, not a dealer one. Jeep’s warranty clock is based both on the calendar and the odometer, and can’t be adjusted. That said, this GM could have and should have been more courteous with their responses. You don’t talk to a customer who just dropped 50K+ with you like they’re dirt.

PS: I have a three hour (one way) highway drive to pick up my Jeep. The dealer offered to drive it down to me pro Bono. I did not, however, cut a deal at 10% below MSRP. Perhaps they gave up too much margin on this sale and are having regrets themselves.
Dude, LOVE that signature! Hilarious!
 

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Luvwine

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Just an addendum on the warranty issue. I had read elsewhere on the forums that if there are test drives and such that the warranty for the purchaser starts at the mileage on the odometer when purchaser gets the vehicle. I did not think to ask about this prior to delivery, but given that they did agree that they would be responsible in the event of any damage to the vehicle prior to delivery, I guess I figured that it would be no different than if I was getting the vehicle at the dealership. I was therefore surprised that I was expected to sign an odometer statement that was for a different mileage than what was on the vehicle the first time I saw the vehicle. I have no idea (nor any reason to doubt) if the odometer statement I was given was accurate even when the vehicle left the dealership. If it does not matter, why have the customer sign the odometer statement?
 

Buzzbomb9

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There is an addendum when it comes to test drives on units that are stock at the dealership and driven by potential customers. I think in your case this was a Jeep that was earmarked as your Jeep. Most dealerships that I know of do not allow test drives on units that are for specific customer orders. That is why the odometer statement reads what it did when taken off the carrier truck and delivered directly to you.
 

mferrara91

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I spent 5 years in the dealership world as a Chrysler service manager. I can tell you the surveys are important to salespeople and a good portion of their income is tied to those responses. Unless the entire experience was a complete trainwreck, take care of the salesperson and any other issues handle offline.

On the warranty point, the warranty starts the day you take delivery regardless of mileage. As others have stated, it is based on time and/or mileage For Jeep. However, that does not mean that if something were to happen shortly after the warranty expires that a Jeep dealer could not provide a goodwill repair. I did many of those during my career as a service manager, and I can tell you I only did it for the people that were respectful and weren’t PITAs.
 
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Luvwine

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Interestingly, I received the exact same “if for any reason you cannot fill out this survey completely satisfied and definitely recommend, please call me or our General Manager” email this morning. I figured it was a bot email; this confirms it.

Now, I have had a great experience - thus far - but sounds like there’s been some head butting between you and the GM. We are only hearing your side of the story, of course, but telling you to sign the papers or they’ll take the Jeep back to the dealer is out of line and unacceptable.

Since this is a bot email, I wouldn’t bother trying to call the GM back for another go around. If he/she wasn’t returning your calls before, they’re not likely to now. Sounds like apart from the GM though, you had a great experience. If it were me, I would give the salesperson straight A’s and provide candid feedback like you’ve done here on the dealers GM.

To be clear, I agree with some of the others here that I wouldn’t have expected warranty to start at delivery. Warranty is a Jeep matter, not a dealer one. Jeep’s warranty clock is based both on the calendar and the odometer, and can’t be adjusted. That said, this GM could have and should have been more courteous with their responses. You don’t talk to a customer who just dropped 50K+ with you like they’re dirt.

PS: I have a three hour (one way) highway drive to pick up my Jeep. The dealer offered to drive it down to me pro Bono. I did not, however, cut a deal at 10% below MSRP. Perhaps they gave up too much margin on this sale and are having regrets themselves.
When I asked whether the odometer number could be changed to match what was on the vehicle when delivered, he first said that there was no way for him to verify the odometer. I offered to take a pic or for his delivery guys to tell him. Then he said that it would not be "notarized." I pointed out the form did not require a notary. That is when he said I did not have to sign but if I did not, they would drive the vehicle back to the dealership. I suspect he was just unprepared to be questioned about this issue and was making up excuses on the fly, but the threat to remove the vehicle did not sit well with me.
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