Is it wrong that I am posting a rant about my car dealership on a cycling forum?
Anyway...I called last week to set up an appointment to have some basic maintenance done on my car (oil change, tire rotation, mileage maintenance). I get here for my scheduled appointment time and am told that I will have to wait an hour for something that should take no longer than thirty minutes. There are four people in front on me. WTF! Why did I bother scheduling an appointment?
Conclusion: I need to move out of the Motor City to a place where I can live car free.
Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans. - John Lennon
Terre Haute, Lafayette, or Indianapolis, IN, depending on the day
Posts
1,838
Why take your car somewhere to change the oil and rotate the tires when you can do it yourself faster than you can drive to the oil place?
Yes, car dealerships suck. That said, try scheduling on the spot maintenance at your local bike shop.
Like all service businesses, they will double book expecting a certain amount of no shows. I would ask for some sort of consideration from them. Discount on that day's service, etc. I had a very good relationship with a service advisor at the Ford dealership where I bought my last car. He would always get me a loaner vehicle. I would drop mine in, get in their car and leave. They also had a courtesy van that would pick you up and drop you off if needed. As I officed just a few miles from the dealership, I used that option once or twice as well. Still set up the appt, just never chose to wait.
Are you a registered member? Why not? Click here to register. It's free and only takes 27 seconds! Help out the forums, abide by our community guidelines.
Originally Posted by pgoat
U r a ceiling cat of teh intrawebz, my texicano friend
find a local vocational training schoolwith an automotive tech class. While you can't schedule an exact time, you can usually get am/pm and drop your car off, pick it up later. These programs usually charge a flat fee plus parts. Bring your own oil/filter/liquids and you would just pay the fee ($15 where I am), but sometimes these schools get a great break from the autoparts folks, so it's cheaper to let them get yur stuff. Last time I had the oil changed (synthetic), other fluids checked/topped off, and tires rotated it cost me a few pennies off $30.00.
there's a strong chance that the young person changing the oil and rotating the tires at your dealership is actually s student in one of these programs!
Why take your car somewhere to change the oil and rotate the tires when you can do it yourself faster than you can drive to the oil place?
Yes, car dealerships suck. That said, try scheduling on the spot maintenance at your local bike shop.
I live in a very small apartment with a parking lot. Not only is doing car maintenance in the parking lot frowned upon, there is not room for me to store the proper tools to do such maintenance. On top of that, the car is new and the maintenance was part of the purchase of the car. My gripe is that my appointment time was apparently also the appointment time of 4 other people, and my half hour maintenance took an hour and a half.
If I was car free, I'd not have to even worry about oil changes and tire rotations and air filters, etc. Also would not have to worry about rising gas prices.
Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans. - John Lennon
apc9, I am going to look for a vocational training school as I need to get some work done on my ford freestyle. thanks for that tip!!!
Are you a registered member? Why not? Click here to register. It's free and only takes 27 seconds! Help out the forums, abide by our community guidelines.
Originally Posted by pgoat
U r a ceiling cat of teh intrawebz, my texicano friend
Is it wrong that I am posting a rant about my car dealership on a cycling forum?
Anyway...I called last week to set up an appointment to have some basic maintenance done on my car (oil change, tire rotation, mileage maintenance). I get here for my scheduled appointment time and am told that I will have to wait an hour for something that should take no longer than thirty minutes. There are four people in front on me. WTF! Why did I bother scheduling an appointment?
Conclusion: I need to move out of the Motor City to a place where I can live car free.
living car free is completely over-rated. trust me.
Why take your car somewhere to change the oil and rotate the tires when you can do it yourself faster than you can drive to the oil place?
Yes, car dealerships suck. That said, try scheduling on the spot maintenance at your local bike shop.
She had a free coupon for it. You cannot do it on your own for free.
When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking. -Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The development of Underwear Manufacturer the chest is a sign of mature young girls, then the future must be shaped curve of the perfect body ready. Therefore, development is very Underwear Accessory important to protect breast health. Such brass ball valve unscrupulous "naked bikini" from the surface, looks, and other real bikini does not make any difference. But in fact, Corset it is by a special material made of, brass valve submerged under water, completely dissolvedwithin a few best forex trading software seconds away. - BF member mangqi
The coupon runs out. Do you think she'll be back to actually pay for her service? That's why they sent the coupon in the first place is to try and bring in an eventual paying customer.
When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking. -Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The development of Underwear Manufacturer the chest is a sign of mature young girls, then the future must be shaped curve of the perfect body ready. Therefore, development is very Underwear Accessory important to protect breast health. Such brass ball valve unscrupulous "naked bikini" from the surface, looks, and other real bikini does not make any difference. But in fact, Corset it is by a special material made of, brass valve submerged under water, completely dissolvedwithin a few best forex trading software seconds away. - BF member mangqi
Terre Haute, Lafayette, or Indianapolis, IN, depending on the day
Posts
1,838
Originally Posted by UnsafeAlpine
She had a free coupon for it. You cannot do it on your own for free.
That makes a bit more sense, at least as far as the oil and other stuff goes.
Originally Posted by <3 2 Ride
I live in a very small apartment with a parking lot. Not only is doing car maintenance in the parking lot frowned upon, there is not room for me to store the proper tools to do such maintenance. On top of that, the car is new and the maintenance was part of the purchase of the car. My gripe is that my appointment time was apparently also the appointment time of 4 other people, and my half hour maintenance took an hour and a half.
If I was car free, I'd not have to even worry about oil changes and tire rotations and air filters, etc. Also would not have to worry about rising gas prices.
Same where I used to live. As a result, I would change my oil at the parts store (who loaned tools, although I always had my own) parking lot. Wear a dirty shirt, borrow an oil pan, reach under (I'm skinny with long arms), open plug, close plug, change filter, pour new oil in the top, old oil in the container, walk it back in side, and 15 minutes later I was cleaned up other than my shirt. I do agree that the work should have been on time, but at the same time there's no way that they can be exactly on time without putting holes in their schedule. Holes which are compensated for by charging more for a service.
My toolbox is about the size of three shoe boxes, lives in the trunk, and has all the tools I've ever *needed* to complete an automotive repair job short of changing the clutch.
I've come to expect bad service everywhere, from everyone. Low expectations keeps me from being disappointed, but makes me uber excited when something actually goes well!
No point here, except sorry for the frustrations
i woke up one morning and i stepped out of bed | had to get a bike, had to paint it red
Of all the treasures I have, it’s the memories that are the most precious.
Take your bike with you on the back of the car. Drop off the car, bike where you have to go from there.
Even if I have an appointment, I always plan to leave my car overnight--it's just a safer assumption that way. Had a surprise last time, though--I dropped the car off and it was about done before I was done in the restroom. I even had a ride arranged, but I didn't need it!
Apparently that's a myth. As long as you can prove regular & scheduled maintenance, it doesn't matter where it gets done.
Federal Law (Magnuson-Moss Act) states that you are NOT required to go to a dealer to get maintenance performed, provided the shop that does do the work follows manufacturer's guidelines and requirements. You have to be vigilant though that the shop is doing the work properly; for instance I own a Hyundai with an automatic transmission. When I get it flushed, I pretty much have to go to the dealer because transmission shops will almost always use "universal" fluid that isn't universal and can actually cause damage to components in my car's transmission.
Originally Posted by baron von trailObviously, I am no expert.
<3 2 Ride, moving out of Detroit is a good idea even if you had free service at your beck & call for life.
When GM set up a truck factory in my town, and imported a bunch of 'experienced help', our little city saw a massive increase in gang activity, gun violence, and road-rage-inducing traffic.
Barely even recognize my hometown anymore....
Originally Posted by 12bar
Because there is just something about riding that makes the world a better place for me.
<3 2 Ride, moving out of Detroit is a good idea even if you had free service at your beck & call for life.
When GM set up a truck factory in my town, and imported a bunch of 'experienced help', our little city saw a massive increase in gang activity, gun violence, and road-rage-inducing traffic.
Barely even recognize my hometown anymore....
Ahh, the myth that the metro area is all Detroit. I live in a very nice suburb that is quiet and safe. The only reason I feel the need to leave here is just so I can depend less upon a motorized vehicle and more upon my own power. The car culture here is strong and the roads are just not safe for riding everywhere I would like to be able to go.
I was frustrated this morning that I had a scheduled appointment for my maintenance. They knew my car was coming in for very specific things at 9 am. There is no reason that I had to wait an hour and a half for my car other than the fact that they over-booked the time. If they are looking for a repeat customer, they failed.
Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans. - John Lennon
It's not about not being able to do it ourselves or finding a way to do it ourselves. It's a new car and the service came with the purchase of the car. I don't pay for anything. If they are looking for a customer that will pay in the future, they have failed. I will use my free service for the year and then I will move on.
Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans. - John Lennon
It's not about not being able to do it ourselves or finding a way to do it ourselves. It's a new car and the service came with the purchase of the car. I don't pay for anything. If they are looking for a customer that will pay in the future, they have failed. I will use my free service for the year and then I will move on.
Ever since I got my daily driver back in 2000 I've done all my maintenance on it unless it's changing tires or something electrical, I don't trust dealerships with the basic maintenance.
I have often wondered as to the feasibility of living car free as a suburban parent of young children. Thinking back on maintaining a full-time professional job, a working spouse, all the kid activities, the distances to the activities and the lack of transit options, I don't think I would have accomplished it.
In consideration of my time, the special tools required and the issues with oil disposal, I gladly pay the $ 40 to have my oil changed every 5000 miles. Interestingly enough, however, I do almost all my own maintenance on the bicycles and motorcycles. Much easier to get to all the necessary parts.
I had an appointment with a well-known national tire chain, to get new tires on my company truck. When I got there, right on time, I was told that I was number four in line. I not only left and never returned, I also pulled a fleet of about 20 cars and trucks. That was thirty some-odd years ago, and I still have never been back.
View Profile
View Forum Posts
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by pgoat
Visit Homepage
Originally Posted by baron von trail 
