Can we please get past the dealership model?

[BuschLatte420]

They send out surveys after a visit to the service department. Would be nice if they sent out a survey after purchasing a truck too. I get surveys from Audi for every interaction at the dealership. Filled one out out after the initial purchase, and have filled one out any time I use the service department. Fortunately for me the local Ram dealership has a great sales team. Unfortunately the service department sucks. Which is why we drive to a different dealership an hour away if we need to use the service department.

Had my oil changed last week at the dealership, after that saw numerous oil spots on my driveway. Apparently the person spilled oil on top and behind the engine and made its way down onto everything. Took it back and waited 2 hours for them to clean it up. Didn’t offer to make it right in anyway for the inconvenience. Got the survey call yesterday. We’ll see how that goes! The person on the phone didn’t like that they didn’t offer to clean my drive way lol.

 

[mikeru]

My suggestion about the survey is to be brutally honest without being spiteful. Dealerships necessarily take those surveys seriously since it can impact them financially.

It's definitely an inconvenience to have to go back for something like that. But It's a minor thing to clean spilled oil from the truck. I do it every time I change the oil because of where the oil filter is located. Not sure what you're expecting in the way of making things right. I would think a discount on the next service would be sufficient. Going to your home to clean your driveway is a little over the top though lol.

 

[wrigley]

I recently purchased a new RAM from my local dealer. The process absolutely abysmal with dishonesty and gaslighting at every turn. I have already talked to the ownership of the dealership that they have lost my business forever. Is there a path for customers to share these experiences with FCA for them to see how bad their brand is being represented?

I am not terribly interested in getting back on the soap box just for the sake of it if at the end of the day nothing happens to the dealer to change their behavior. I want nothing more than to be able to go to a manufacturer's website, configure my vehicle, have it built and delivered to me without having to ever talk to a dealership again.


Yes, I am bitter these **** bags can just lie to the public and there are no repercussions for their actions.

Sounds like what's going on elsewhere!

 

[HEMIMANN]

My Dealer's service keeps getting bad reviews but nothing changes there. Same nasty, incompetent people, allowed to continue being nasty and incompetent.

Filling out their stupid surveys brings back bad memories of forcibly receiving tenured professor performance surveys on the last day of class. I pretended to scribble something and put it in the 'secret' box so the asses wouldn't take note I didn't write anything prior to receiving final grades.

Toward the end, when I knew I'd graduate, I'd get up immediately on receipt, toss it in the trash and walk out. For the ones who didn't give a $hit about teaching, that is.

Similarly, I don't waste time on corporate 'surveys' anymore.

 

[Kickboxer]

I bought my ram in 2017 all online only going to dealer to pick up. Was smooth as butter.

Sounds easy, but most buyers will trade a vehicle, and that is another place
for the games to begin......
Don't minimize the trade factor.

 

[Kickboxer]

I bought my ram in 2017 all online only going to dealer to pick up. Was smooth as butter.

You make it seem easy, but most buyers have a trade-in, and that value
is very important.
Don't minimize that.............

 

[jejb]

You make it seem easy, but most buyers have a trade-in, and that value
is very important.
Don't minimize that.............

You can do both. I ordered my 22 2500 from Granger in Iowa. All done over the internet. When the truck came in, I took some pictures of my trade and we worked out a deal. I also priced my trade locally and Granger made me a very fair offer. No hassles or surprises at all when I drove up to get it. In and out in about an hour.

 

[TitoT]

It pains to say this but Tesla is going to eat everyone's lunch with their direct to consumer system. Their network will improve overtime.

 

[HEMIMANN]

Tesla quality is crap. People are finding out. Lowest rated on Power Poll.
1st to market doesn't mean continued success. Cool factor has worn off.

 

[TitoT]

Tesla quality is crap. People are finding out. Lowest rated on Power Poll.
1st to market doesn't mean continued success. Cool factor has worn off.

To be more specific, the direct to consumer model. No more dealers, only service centers.

 

[Dave Haddon]

I think some of you have gotten off track. Bottom line if you do not like the deal offered for any reason walk. Perhaps try other dealerships..or go to another brand and go throiugh the same routine until you are happy. Your money rules. Option 7 is fix up your current vehicle and screw the dealerships.

 

[KoboldTaco]

Haha @Dave Haddon but this was an interesting read anyway. I’ll pile on coz, well why not? I work with a lot of folks in Eastern Europe; none of them understood the concept of a dealer. They do have a retail location to visit for looking at one, maybe two examples of what they could order. For them, acres of car lots were a waste, and after covid, I agree.

I used to be like many Americans; want to go scope it out, touch it, drive it etc. I started renting to get more time with the car/truck before I bought one Because the test drive around the block, yeah…naw. Turo is a great way to rent what you want to try and then you can experience it. Drive it to work, etc and you will quickly see if it’s a good fit or not.

I ordered my truck this time around and used the dealership as a transaction point. Was in and out - but they did give a crap, were fair priced, and seemed to care for their customers.

Last, you get to make the decision about where to do business. Someone early on said to explore several dealerships And I too feel the same. I generally start shopping months before that big transaction. Remember, you are the one in control not them.

 

[Summit1]

Maybe you should have found a better dealer...

Exactly.

As for the dealer models, most are not employed by the dealers, although I do recall one of them... dayum, she was hard to get past, at least without a second look (a sexist would say!). I never asked her any questions, because she likely did not know much about the vehicles being offered for sale.

My wife's and my experiences with dealerships has been quite good during the past twenty (or so) years. Both sales and service have been easy to deal with. My requirements are not complicated... no cliches (they are a sign of laziness, but at the end of the day, it is what it is... a virtual paradigm shift ), reasonable pricing (we both need to come away financially OK), and politeness (shows respect).

 

[Coastal WA Gal]

I recently purchased a new RAM from my local dealer. The process absolutely abysmal with dishonesty and gaslighting at every turn. I have already talked to the ownership of the dealership that they have lost my business forever. Is there a path for customers to share these experiences with FCA for them to see how bad their brand is being represented?

I am not terribly interested in getting back on the soap box just for the sake of it if at the end of the day nothing happens to the dealer to change their behavior. I want nothing more than to be able to go to a manufacturer's website, configure my vehicle, have it built and delivered to me without having to ever talk to a dealership again.


Yes, I am bitter these **** bags can just lie to the public and there are no repercussions for their actions.

You might try contacting your state Attorney General’s office and ask who you can report the dealership to and see if there are charges that can be filed. And don’t forget to leave a detailed review of the dealer on Google and Yelp, sometimes the best that can be done in a situation like this is to use the widest forum possible to make sure others aren’t taken in by this dealership. I don’t know if contacting the parent group, Stellantis, would do any good or not, but you can always try. https://www.stellantis.com/en/contacts I wish you the very best of luck.

 

[jimboschnitz]

I agree with Sniperdroid. Dealerships are owned either by independent business people or they are operated by a larger dealership group. Each has it own mission statement and in essence a personality. I have a local dealer that I did business with for a number of years, particularly on the service side but because of my satisfaction with that side of the business I finally purchased a new vehicle from them. That experience was like you would expect, a little haggle here and there and we finally agreed on a trade price and new vehicle price. I was very satisfied with the whole process. However, within a year after my purchase, the dealership changed hands and I found the service department personnel had changed and the service left much to be desired. So I changed my service location to a dealership about 20 miles and what I found was that many of the service people from my old dealership had made the transition to my current one. Bottom line, dealerships are different, they have their own personalities and you have to find one that meets your needs. If you aren't satisfied you need to change.

 

[Spudgunner]

Reading about the obstacles that Tesla has had (and continues) to go through in trying to provide a different purchasing experience is interesting and somewhat depressing. The auto market is anything but free/open.

 

[Dean2]

If you want a truly great dealership experience, buy a Lexus. Their purchase and service model is second to none and proof positive that it can be made SOOO much better than what we normally see. If they made 2500 longbox pickups, that is exactly what i would be driving.

 

[HEMIMANN]

I agree with Sniperdroid. Dealerships are owned either by independent business people or they are operated by a larger dealership group. Each has it own mission statement and in essence a personality. I have a local dealer that I did business with for a number of years, particularly on the service side but because of my satisfaction with that side of the business I finally purchased a new vehicle from them. That experience was like you would expect, a little haggle here and there and we finally agreed on a trade price and new vehicle price. I was very satisfied with the whole process. However, within a year after my purchase, the dealership changed hands and I found the service department personnel had changed and the service left much to be desired. So I changed my service location to a dealership about 20 miles and what I found was that many of the service people from my old dealership had made the transition to my current one. Bottom line, dealerships are different, they have their own personalities and you have to find one that meets your needs. If you aren't satisfied you need to change.

You hit on another problem - dealership consolidation into multiple mega-dealerships owned by max-profit millionaires. I've had two bought out in the past decade and ruined.

Yeah, you can buy anything online, but something as personal, durable, and expensive as a vehicle isn't the same as a box of undies you don't like to return and replace. I research first, narrow down to capabilities, go sit in them, only test drive those with acceptable comfort. Then whether you buy through a dealer or a buying service is up to you.

 

[JoeRfromSC]

No experience with this.

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[Bricknhank]

Anyone who goes to a stealersh!t deserve what they get...

Specialty shops are where it's at.

Its like people that go to fast food joints and complain when the foods garbage...lol...

I don’t know if you speaking about sales or service however if it’s service/warranty work I’m not sure that specialty shops are able to do your warranty work at no cost to you. At least I’ve never seen it.