When did dealers service centers start treating customers like an inconvenience?

[Traveller128]

This is not the case at all, at least for me. I will have to wait a couple weeks to bring my car in for its appointment. Then on my appointment date it would be 10 days out before they could even look at it. Had this happen with my wife’s wrangler last year. Waited three weeks for my appointment. Then after I dropped off my car it wasn’t even looked at till a week later. Im sorry but thats completely unacceptable for any tier of vehicle. Especially when you consider that a loaner is also not available. I’m not asking for special treatment or someone to get bumped. Im just asking if i’m waiting weeks to get my vehicle in then you look at it within a day that I drop it off. If you are still backed up at that stage then reschedule the appointment.

Having an appointment to us, means we will look at your car on the date you have the appointment. Having an appointment to bring a car in to then wait longer is pointless. I've only had one dealer try to do that to me over the years, and I told them it was unacceptable. That's not an appointment.

I have no patience for dealers that do that, it's ridiculous to make a date to be without your car for an open ended time period. We don't do that here, and I've only spoken with one shop that did that. 6 months later, they weren't scheduling like that anymore. I totally do not understand how they think that's an appointment. "On this date, you'll bring us your vehicle and we won't give it back or tell you what's wrong for at least 10 days". Yeah, not going to happen. That's some of the worst "customer service" going.

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[aldo98229]

Yep, seems like the go-to excuse everywhere nowadays. It was a valid reason in 2020, 2021, and maybe even into 2022, but having a hard time believing everything is still cocked up due to Covid alone. I'm sure there's still some lingering impact but it gets old when every poor experience is blamed on the Rona.

Everything is getting blamed on COVID these days.

I just had to purchase an air ticket for a business trip. The first business trip I am doing since COVID started three years ago.

The price of airfare is now THREE TIMES what it was before COVID. Not only that, but airlines now charge extra for things that used to be included before, like A SEAT...and a carry-on.

I spent half a day doing what before COVID would have taken me 30 minutes - figuring out a travel route that helps me justify spending so much money in air fare, and making sure that the ticket includes everything that I need —i.e., like A FREAKING SEAT!

Business lodging, on the other hand, appears to be quite inexpensive right now. I guess with the high cost of air travel, a lot of people are refusing to get on a plane and hotels are having to discount.

 

[guarnibl]

Everything is getting blamed on COVID these days.

I just had to purchase an air ticket for a business trip. The first business trip I am doing since COVID started three years ago.

The price of airfare is now THREE TIMES what it was before COVID. Not only that, but airlines now charge extra for things that used to be included before, like A SEAT...and a carry-on.

I spent half a day doing what before COVID would have taken me 30 minutes - figuring out a travel route that helps me justify spending so much money in air fare, and making sure that the ticket includes everything that I need —i.e., like A FREAKING SEAT!

Business lodging, on the other hand, appears to be quite inexpensive right now. I guess with the high cost of air travel, a lot of people are refusing to get on a plane and hotels are having to discount.

What airline lets you buy a 'ticket' to board the plane but then makes you sit in the isle ha? I've always been able to just ignore the seat selection and they'll assign me one at check in. The risk I believe you take there is you're likely to get bumped if the flight is full. I've never had that happen, luckily -- I fly pretty frequently.

 

[aldo98229]

What airline lets you buy a 'ticket' to board the plane but then makes you sit in the isle ha? I've always been able to just ignore the seat selection and they'll assign me one at check in. The risk I believe you take there is you're likely to get bumped if the flight is full. I've never had that happen, luckily -- I fly pretty frequently.

...or worse, end up stuck in a middle seat...

 

[guarnibl]

...or worse, end up stuck in a middle seat...

Mmm… I’d probably choose being on the floor of the isle before sitting in the middle ha

 

[sentience]

My local Toyota dealership has service loaners; the two nearest Jeep dealerships do not.

The Toyota is first day complimentary, with a nominal fee for any other days. Haven’t had any work requiring more than one day yet. No waiting - if they can’t get to it day of, schedule an appointment.

I intentionally drive ten miles further to another Jeep dealership, after multiple rude experiences with the local service team and my previous JK.

The other dealership has a responsive and respectful service team, but is notably understaffed. As of 2022, they only had one tech specialist for 4xes, and he appears to be shared between different locations.

Jeep has a rental agreement with Enterprise. My rentals for warranty repairs have been covered. It does need to be an FCA Enterprise rental vehicle (eg Pacifica, Compass, etc), which aren’t always available.

YMMV.

 

[Heimkehr]

So now ready to have a fun commute again with a 392. The wife ended up with an Acura MDX Type S, which is also very entertaining.......especially in Sport+, hauls total ass.

Contemporary automotive engines continue to impress me. This goes well beyond my affection for the 2.0T in my Wrangler, too.

Although I've always won the race that the driver in the adjacent lane starts, more than twice have I had to give the bike more right wrist than I'd have guessed necessary to gap the fool. It takes no skill for them to press their right foot down, and with the power capability of the engine and the quality of the transmission design, there's real speed on tap in many modern vehicles. I'm also not too proud to concede that there will be the occasional vehicle that is capable of gapping me, too.

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

You peons still giving Spirit/Frontier/Ryanair your money deserve everything you get. Pay the extra $100 for a real airline or stop complaining. Save $100 on the ticket, but then pay a $150 fee to carry on your wallet. Makes sense.

The CEO of Ryanair actually submitted a plan to European regulators to modify planes to have 25 “standing room tickets” on the very back of their planes for €1. They did not like the idea.

Wait, is FCA dealership service the Spirit Airlines of the automotive world?

 

[rickinAZ]

We beat the dealers up for 5% below invoice and then we wonder why we aren't getting loaners? Like most things in life, you tend to get what you pay for.

Buy a premium vehicle, for full boat retail, and you'll be coddled.

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

We beat the dealers up for 5% below invoice and then we wonder why we aren't getting loaners? Like most things in life, you tend to get what you pay for.

Buy a premium vehicle, for full boat retail, and you'll be coddled.

You might be on to something there…

 

[AFD]

We beat the dealers up for 5% below invoice and then we wonder why we aren't getting loaners? Like most things in life, you tend to get what you pay for.

Buy a premium vehicle, for full boat retail, and you'll be coddled.

Yeah, some forum members that are willing to travel or arrange for shipment will get a decent deal on a Wrangler, which is more than offset by everyone else that made it one of the vehicles with the highest mark-up over MSRP the past few years.

5% below invoice, which is currently only ~10% off sticker price, isn't some amazing deal that would be impossible to get with any other brand, short of boutique, hypercars and other very limited-production vehicles.

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...et-how-can-people-be-paying-this-much.110410/

 

[The Last Cowboy]

Before a good friend of mine was married, he was amazed at how well the Chevy dealer treated his fiancé. He said it was because she was so hot that they all wanted to be in her good graces. They always let her take a brand new Tahoe when hers was in for service, even if would only be a short time. Even let her take a new Corvette once.

Awhile after they married, she wanted to trade and he was good with it, since the dealer was so god to her. He called to get the title, she said it was paid off. When GM credit told him there was a payoff and what it was, he about fell over. Yeah, she paid her 48 months, but had a GM “smart buy” ballon payment of $10k due. She told him that was no big deal, they just rolled that onto her new purchase the last 2 times. To her paid off meant she paid the 48 months. The dealer would take her trade, pay her nothing for the big chunk of equity in it, then add $10 to the next loan. No wonder they treated her so well. It had nothing to do with her looks, just her lack of financial understanding. He consulted with a lawyer, but the paperwork she signed was all in order, and they weren’t married at the time of that purchase anyway. Oh, the dealer enjoyed the hell out of screwing her, but they never touched her in the process.

 

[caraholic]

We beat the dealers up for 5% below invoice and then we wonder why we aren't getting loaners? Like most things in life, you tend to get what you pay for.

Buy a premium vehicle, for full boat retail, and you'll be coddled.

Not the problem at all this is the typical ordeal at all car dealers.

 

[TheRaven]

We beat the dealers up for 5% below invoice and then we wonder why we aren't getting loaners? Like most things in life, you tend to get what you pay for.

Buy a premium vehicle, for full boat retail, and you'll be coddled.

Before COVID, GM dealers were doing 18% under invoice on trucks. Still had worlds better service than CDJR dealers.

 

[rickinAZ]

Not the problem at all this is the typical ordeal at all car dealers.

I don't quite follow your response.

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