Car Dealerships

[mafibisha]

For those in know about car dealerships, who is the best person to speak with regarding a service issue of being wayyy overcharged. I realize the Service Manager would be the obvious but when its an issue that actually involves the manager, who is best? The General Manager of the dealership? OR, would you take your issue to the corporate level?

TIA.

 

[Green Tea]

The number in the front of the owners book for customer service. They can help more than anyone inside the dealership.

 

[dawson5]

Fixed operations director if they have one. If not escalate to management of the dealership, like General Manager or owner.

 

[mafibisha]

The number in the front of the owners book for customer service. They can help more than anyone inside the dealership.

With a billing issue of being way overcharged?

Also, not sure we still have the book...

Fixed operations director if they have one. If not escalate to management of the dealership, like General Manager or owner.

Does every dealer have a Fixed Operations Director?

Thanks for the feedback! I knew someone here would be in the know!

 

[dawson5]

With a billing issue of being way overcharged?

Also, not sure we still have the book...





Does every dealer have a Fixed Operations Director?

Thanks for the feedback! I knew someone here would be in the know!

Not all will. My husband is one and it seems to be the larger dealerships having this position. The GM should head up all departments, owner is usually the top. Not all owners are GM's though. At the very least there should be some kind of customer relations person to address your concern to.

We always receive a customer satisfaction survey. If you have dealt with them in the past, you might have gotten one. Be sure to fill it out. Car manufacturers usually take this up with them and it reflects on their customer satisfaction score, can effect a paycheck of the service manager. My husband has a clause in his contract saying that their score cannot slip below a certain number or it will knock of a certain percentage of his commission.

 

[MomToOne]

There is usually a "Customer Care" type phone number for Corporate you can try.

Or there's always the Better Business Bureau. A complaint might there might get you a better response, if they are interested in keeping their record clean with them.

 

[KNJWDW]

I would suggest the Service Director or Fixed Operations Director, depending what title the dealership uses. This is my DH's job and he would definately want to know if there were any issues like this.

 

[kmacht]

How do you know you were really overcharged? Most large dealerships have a book that tells them to charge x or service y. This is to make it fair to the customer so if your car gets the new guy just out of school working on it, you pay the same no matter if he takes 1 hour to do the job or 8 hours. If you care to elaborate on what work they did on the car I bet alot of us here could tell you if it is in line or not.

Keith

 

[mafibisha]

How do you know you were really overcharged? Most large dealerships have a book that tells them to charge x or service y. This is to make it fair to the customer so if your car gets the new guy just out of school working on it, you pay the same no matter if he takes 1 hour to do the job or 8 hours. If you care to elaborate on what work they did on the car I bet alot of us here could tell you if it is in line or not.

Keith

This is more in relation to *diagnosing* the problem. Anyone know what the standard charge per hour is in their area?

 

[NeverlandClub23]

I had a diagnostic test done on my car this past weekend. It was $100 for a diagnostic test and $109 an hour for labor (if I chose to get it fixed through them). It was a Toyota dealership if that makes any difference.

 

[msmayor]

This is more in relation to *diagnosing* the problem. Anyone know what the standard charge per hour is in their area?

Not sure there really is a standard charge.

The garage I use has a stated $110/hour labor charge, but in almost every case I am never charged a diagnostic fee because I have the repair work completed at that location. There have been situations where my car has been on a lift for 2-3 hours while they search, but I am only charged for the repair time.

Of course, I've been using the same mechanic for 16 years so he knows my cars inside and out, and he knows he can depend on regular business from me.

Did you ask about the charges for diagnostic service before agreeing to let them look at the car?

 

[mafibisha]

I had a diagnostic test done on my car this past weekend. It was $100 for a diagnostic test and $109 an hour for labor (if I chose to get it fixed through them). It was a Toyota dealership if that makes any difference.

Not sure there really is a standard charge.

The garage I use has a stated $110/hour labor charge, but in almost every case I am never charged a diagnostic fee because I have the repair work completed at that location. There have been situations where my car has been on a lift for 2-3 hours while they search, but I am only charged for the repair time.

Of course, I've been using the same mechanic for 16 years so he knows my cars inside and out, and he knows he can depend on regular business from me.

Did you ask about the charges for diagnostic service before agreeing to let them look at the car?

Thanks for the input. Ours was more. Anyone else care to weigh in?

 

[tlbwriter]

My husband has a clause in his contract saying that their score cannot slip below a certain number or it will knock of a certain percentage of his commission.

The fixed operations director is over the service department? And he gets commission on that?

 

[dawson5]

I didn't get a chance to ask my husband how he would handle this. They are in the middle of remodeling the shop, so the sign that gives prices is down right now. (I was there last night.)

I know that when someone takes their car in, hubby's shop at least, they are told what things will cost and what will be done to find out what is wrong. Did they not tell you that it would cost $XX to hook up to the computer or $XX/hr to drive it around to try and replicate the problem? Always they call before proceeding and have an okay to continue. Again, this is at the dealership where my husband works.

This is from their service web page:

Up-Front pricing:
"The price you're quoted is the price you pay."

Before any work begins, we will provide you with a complete and detailed quote for the work that needs to be performed and we guarantee you won't be charged a penny more than promised for the service.

Not all dealerships are the same though.

The place where you took your vehicle, do you have something that explains these things? Is there a web page where it might have their diagnosing policies?

 

[midas]

There is usually a "Customer Care" type phone number for Corporate you can try.

Or there's always the Better Business Bureau. A complaint might there might get you a better response, if they are interested in keeping their record clean with them.

She hasn't even taken it up with management of the dealership yet! Why go to corporate or the BBB when this could be resolved with 1 call to the general manager or owner of the dealership.

If after their explanation you're still not satisfied, you then call corporate.

You could also call another dealership and ask how much a certain job would be. Alot of times it is based on time so they may not be able to give you an exact cost, but at least a ballpark to see if the other dealership is in line.

 

[dawson5]

The fixed operations director is over the service department? And he gets commission on that?

Yes. Service manager, body shop manager and parts manager answer to the Fixed Op Dir, who answers to the General Manager and/or Owner.

The manufacturer (the ones my husband deals with at least) send out random customer satisfaction surveys to people. Was the repair fixed correctly the first time, in a timely manner, did they answer all questions you might have, etc. You are scored on that. The dealerships rank within the district on service based a large part on that score. He has to keep a minimum score or he could lose like .5% off of a part of his commission. They take keeping the customer very happy, very seriously. The first six months he was there, it was low as he was trying to repair what the previous person hadn't done. Since then it has been a non-issue.