Local dealer ticked me off

[Bisley45]

So a week ago I found a used 2019 truck I love at a dealer 250 miles away, great price and more packages versus what I was able to find locally. Local trucks were all base tradesmen and base bighorns new or few miles for similar price.

I noticed a leak in my front tire on Friday. Upon inspection I found a nail ~1.5 inches from the edge. I also found a crack in the rubber about 1 inch long 180 degrees from the nail. I was concerned the tread was separating. I brought it to the lander's here in little rock to ask about warranty.

The service manager looks it over aver and say there's no warranty. Then looked the truck over, noticed a lack of dealer badge (removed), and asked if I "bought the truck from them?"
I said no it was in Oklahoma, his face and demeanor changed. Immediately it was your going to need a new tire and quoted me $340 for a new Firestone at....

I got in my truck and talked to my local tire guy, he calmed my concern on the crack, and said it would be an easy fix for the nail....plenty of distance from the sidewall.

Am I being a Karen here, or am I rightfully pissed about the service manager and his reaction to the truck not coming off his lot/ apparent lack of wanting to help?

 

[mlrtimemach]

I wouldn't go back to them.

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[Sandevino]

You’re right and so is he.

You’re wanting a warranty repair on a tire on an FCA product and took it to your closest FCA dealer. I’m assuming the vehicle is under the 3/36 warranty.

He (service manager) said there’s no warranty on the tire as the tires are typically warranted for 12k miles / 12 months and only for the original owner. He asked if you bought it there and might have gone down the customer good will route, but you didn’t.

From experience as a buyer and a tech, preference is given to customers that buy at the dealer and come back for service and warranty repairs.

 

[Bisley45]

You’re right and so is he.

You’re wanting a warranty repair on a tire on an FCA product and took it to your closest FCA dealer. I’m assuming the vehicle is under the 3/36 warranty.

He (service manager) said there’s no warranty on the tire as the tires are typically warranted for 12k miles / 12 months and only for the original owner. He asked if you bought it there and might have gone down the customer good will route, but you didn’t.

From experience as a buyer and a tech, preference is given to customers that buy at the dealer and come back for service and warranty repairs.

I get that, this being my first ram I don't have a relationship with any of the local Ram dealers. I was hoping to find one, like them, and continue using them for service/ warranty work.

My perception was "you didn't by it from us, go pound sand".

 

[Sandevino]

I get that, this being my first ram I don't have a relationship with any of the local Ram dealers. I was hoping to find one, like them, and continue using them for service/ warranty work.

My perception was "you didn't by it from us, go pound sand".

Understood and you’ve got the right idea of building a relationship with a local dealer.

The best way to go about is to utilize their services, get to know the techs and introduce yourself to the shop foreman and service manager.

The other thing you need to do is become a paying customer. If the truck is under warranty, pay them to look it over and see if there’s anything wrong (aside from tires and other wear items). If they find something amiss, let them fix it under warranty.

Unless the truck has less than 10k miles, change all the lubrication fluids - engine oil, transfer case and axle lubricants. Overkill, maybe, but you have no idea what was done with the truck. Pay the dealer to do this. You’ll spend a little money, but your truck will have been properly serviced and you’ll have piece of mind.

Now, they have a relationship with your truck and with you and any subsequent warranty or service visits will have a completely different outcome.

Some will scoff at the idea and that’s fine.

 

[MADDOG]

While the are never warranted by the dealer on a new or used purchase - they specifically disclaim all warranty for tires and will refer you to the tire manufacturer for warranty service - that dealer probably needs to work a bit better with their customer to explain why the tires weren't covered.

It's tough to build a relationship with anyone who responds like that but, now that you know, I'd go back and work with them so that when the time comes for them to fix something under warranty they will assist you with that repair.

Remember that the dealer has to get FCA's approval on warranty work before they do the work as they get paid by FCA to do it. If it isn't a warranteed item, FCA won't pay and the dealer cannot be expected to eat the cost of the repair as it is your truck, not theirs.

 

[Bisley45]

10-4, I was assuming in the event of a tire failure the dealer would be the person who reached out to Firestone. I was assuming a Firestone warranty, not a FCA warranty. That being said the previous owner had purchased a tire and wheel hazard warranty (for like $1300). He quickly quipped, "it doesn't transfer, I can get you a price for a new tire"

 

[Groo]

This is why I only buy from a dealer I am willing to drive to for service. This isn't just vehicles either. Why would you expect to get your hiney kissed when you aren't willing to go through them when it comes to pay money?

 

[Firetruck41]

They get paid well to do warranty work, they should be happy to do any warranty work on anyone's FCA vehicle. In fact, I would think they would love getting customers from other dealers. That said, the tire wouldn't fall under that warranty, and they didn't explain it well.

That's why I only buy used vehicles, never have a warranty, and always do my own work. In the last 30 years of driving, besides recalls, tires, and exhaust, I have only had someone work on my vehicles about 3 times, once was for struts, and then I had to completely redo the job myself when I got it back...

 

[Travelin Ram]

Be grateful you didn’t buy from them. Clearly not someone you want to do business with. I wouldn’t trust them on any FCA warranty work either, you already know they’ll disrespect your truck and treat you poorly.

I’ve bought 1 out of 5 Rams at my closest dealer and every time I’ve taken any of them in for any work they’ve treated me well. Never even asked where a truck came from.

I even purchased a 2004 Jeep in 2016 from a private sale and found out it had an undone recall on the receiver hitch. Took it in to the dealer and got a new receiver, no problem no complaints. And ever since they mail me discount coupons for service on the Jeep. Now that’s the way to retain customers.

 

[avantiguy]

The service manager probably could have handled it better but when you need an oil change, go there and get it done. Then you are in the system as a customer. Visit their website and get a coupon before hand.

I've bought 4 used vehicles from dealers out of the area in the last 18 years and always use the local dealers for service. All the vehicles were under the 3/36 warranty( usually under 15,000 miles ) and they were GM and Rams. Once I was in the system they treated me like I had bought them there. I've had a couple of warranty items and several recalls done and never had an issue.

I did buy my new 19 Laramie from a dealer down the road (12 miles) but he had the best price I could find across a couple states.

 

[Groo]

They get paid well to do warranty work, they should be happy to do any warranty work on anyone's FCA vehicle. In fact, I would think they would love getting customers from other dealers. That said, the tire wouldn't fall under that warranty, and they didn't explain it well.

That's why I only buy used vehicles, never have a warranty, and always do my own work. In the last 30 years of driving, besides recalls, tires, and exhaust, I have only had someone work on my vehicles about 3 times, once was for struts, and then I had to completely redo the job myself when I got it back...

No they don't get paid well for warranty work. Warranty work pays less than book time.

 

[mikeru]

No they don't get paid well for warranty work. Warranty work pays less than book time.

That's not what I've been told. I'm friends with the service manager at a local GM dealership, and according to him, his dealership makes the same on a warranty repair as they do if the customer is being billed for the repair. Is this something that's state or federally regulated, or does it vary from car maker to car maker?

 

[LarryA]

That is such a strange reaction by the service manager. Seems short sided to not try and build a relationship with you going forward. I mean at the end of the day they need your business.

 

[canadiankodiak700]

The mistake here was going to the dealer and expecting warranty for a tire. They don't warrenty the tire, the manufacturer of the tire does. You are always going to have more progress going to a tire shop that deals with said brand for warrenty work. Dealers relations with the tire companies are not as good as a dedicated shop's relationship.

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[chri5k]

I don't think either the vehicle dealer or tire manufacturer warranty cover a nail in a tire or the resulting damage to the tire. If there is a road hazard contract on the tires that usually covers things like nails in the tire.

 

[DieselMike29]

We bought my wife her Lexus (Hear me out - what I am going to say applies here!) at the Lexus dealer because you can buy a new Lexus at (Ta Da) a Lexus dealer; however, we have the car serviced at the MUCH CLOSER Toy(ota) dealer. (Why? Because the Lexus is a toy(ota) under the hood.)

I bought my Ram from a CDJR dealer close to where we bought my wife's Lexus - why? because that dealer was along my way home from the VA hospital where I had an appointment AND other than the lack of RamBoxes, it is EXACTLY the Ram I wanted. AND, the same as my wife's Lexus, I have the Ram serviced at a much closer CDJR dealer (actually across the street and down a block from where the Toy(ota) dealer is)

I AM fairly lucky in that I could PROBABLY take either her Lexus to my Ram dealer (or vice versa) and still get all the services (maybe even warranty service) done at either dealer considering that ALL of the dealers (Hendrick Lexus of Charleston, Hendrick Toy(ota) of North Charleston, Hendrick CDJR of Charleston, and Hendrick CDJR of North Charleston) have the same owner - although, it is most likely, the dealers in North Charleston would tell me to go across the street to the other dealer (They are within a (small, maybe a pebble instead?) stone's throw of each other.)

That having been said, the CDJR dealer in Yankton, SD, did some warrenty work on my Ram without saying a word even though they aren't associated with the Hendrick Auto Group (other than being another CDJR dealer, that is.)

 

[leowes]

That's not what I've been told. I'm friends with the service manager at a local GM dealership, and according to him, his dealership makes the same on a warranty repair as they do if the customer is being billed for the repair. Is this something that's state or federally regulated, or does it vary from car maker to car maker?

Warranty work is paid at half the book rate. Say a water pump is leaking and you go to the dealer. The book time is 3.0 hours. If it’s a pay job then they charge you for three hours labor and the tech gets paid three hours. If it’s a warranty job you pay nothing and the tech gets paid half 1.5 hours. And if certain warranty repairs become a pattern the manufacturer cuts the warranty time so the tech gets even less.

 

[chri5k]

Back in the day I was the electrical / electronic warranty go to guy at the Ford dealer where I worked. At least that warranty work paid T & M since there was no book time for "find where they put a screw through the wiring harness" type repairs.

 

[mikeru]

Warranty work is paid at half the book rate. Say a water pump is leaking and you go to the dealer. The book time is 3.0 hours. If it’s a pay job then they charge you for three hours labor and the tech gets paid three hours. If it’s a warranty job you pay nothing and the tech gets paid half 1.5 hours. And if certain warranty repairs become a pattern the manufacturer cuts the warranty time so the tech gets even less.

I'm just relaying what I was told. I don't have any direct knowledge of how this works. I guess he was talking specifically about what the dealership makes, and not the individual tech. No wonder dealerships try so hard to not have a problem covered by warranty, if what you say is true. It's an incentive for the tech to not reproduce a problem when a customer complains about an issue they're having. And that's not fair for the tech or the customer.