1st experience with the stealer!!

[TORQUE THIS]

Derby Dodge in Derby, CT.



Had to bring the rig in for a bad wheel bearing.



Brought it in on Monday morning, Finised it on Thursday afternoon. No hassels, no problems.



Have to say I'm pretty happy with the first experience. To be fair I guess I'll call them a DEALER!!





Did notice 4 other diesels in the service lot

 

[Thomas]

Four days for a wheel bearing?

 

[ToolManTimTaylor]

To be fair I guess I'll call them a DEALER!!

Mark , The kindness overwhelms me.

 

[TORQUE THIS]

Tim, how does this make ya feel...





dealer





No capital letters and small print

 

[mediccummin]

oh my a happy customer

Look Crown people even post good things about there dealer, I guess if you did good work this is what you would get. The customer is always right. :--) :--) :--) :--)

 

[chuck3]

Four days? Wonder how long it would take if it was something really serious? Sorry Sir we should have this ready by 2004, but you may want to call to be sure, in case we run into problems. :--)

 

[46wdx]

Always thought good service was bring it in in the morning and pick it up that night after it was repaired and checked.

 

[duaneparks]

I realize this post will take this thread in a little different direction, but I gotta say it.



I took the girlfriend's Maxima into a Nissan dealership not too long ago with a "clunk" in the steering. They immediately offered a loaner if the repair was going to take longer than I could wait. No questions asked.



They diagnosed the problem and replaced a CV Joint and Half Shaft in 45 minutes while I waited. To me, *that's* a dealer (service department). I wouldn't think twice about taking her car back there for anything. I WISH we could get service like that at the service departments around us.



Archer Dodge in Stafford, TX isn't bad at all, but even they don't hit the mark that Nissan does. And Nissan isn't the only one who does it. I remember 12 YEARS ago being shown around an Acura service department. The floors were clean, there were precious few vehicles being worked on (lots of empty service bays) and very few vehicles sitting on the lot waiting for service. Hmmm, were they onto something even wayyyy back then?



Mind you, that Nissan service department I mentioned above (Lonestar Nissan in Stafford, TX, in case any were interested) is obviously not affiliated with DC, but I don't think it should matter. Other vehicle manufacturers have raised the bar for their service departments, and I think DC should as well.



I'm finished ranting for now, I think.



Duane

 

[TORQUE THIS]

Let me clear up a few things!



First, I was offered a loaner car, didn't need it. I had a vehicle to use.



Second, I dropped it off to the dealer at 9am, was notified at 10:30 to what the problem was. One and a half hours to pull it apart and notify the customer. Pretty good if ya ask me. Was told that parts would be ordered that afternoon and would have the truck back by Thursday night, WHICH IT WAS!!



I know from experience with jobs that I have had in the past what it takes to get parts for equipment, vehicles, etc. Sometimes it got pretty fustrating, but what are ya gonna do???



I think being up-front with a customer and not blowing smoke up their a$%, is a good thing for this service department. They are not a 5 scar dealer, just a little dealer that I will DEFINETLY go back to in the future if need be!



Oh yeah, I was even asked if I wanted to see the parts that were replaced!!!

 

[o_mccarroll]

I had the carrier bearing on the rear driveshaft grenade on me at about 8,000 miles. I took it to the nearest dealer, and it took them TWO WEEKS to replace the part. No loaner was offered, and when I asked for one after the first week, they wouldn't do it.



My favorite excuse they gave me when I repeatedly asked if the truck was ready was, "Well, driveshafts for these trucks are pretty rare parts. We have only been able to locate two in the country. " . Sure.



They constantly send me stuff in the mail about bringing my truck in for a free oil change. Only if I have a week to kill . . .

 

[MikeR]

They diagnosed the problem and replaced (it) in 45 minutes while I waited. To me, *that's* a dealer service department.

I know exactly what you mean Duane. I work at one of the biggest honda dealers in the area, and when a car comes in for an appointment, it is pulled in and worked on immediately. If one rolls in unexpectedly for a warranty problem, it is put high on the priority list to get checked out and/or fixed within the next couple of hours. We have a huge parts department, and we stock all the 'known' common failure parts for all years/models, and we especially stock the parts listed in all tech service bulletins for the year of vehicles that would still be under warranty. We are kept up on all service bulletins(and there is a TON of them) and recalls so we aren't caught by any suprises. Honda is big on getting a warranty customer on their way quickly, so that means if we don't have it, call another dealer who does and get, or order the part priority overnight. Honda will pay for the customers rental car, and they also pay for whatever freight charges ar involved.



Then it's a whole different world when I need to take my truck to the Dodge dealer... .

The service writer is always the impossible and forgetful person, and I'm usually dealing with a service writer who typically argues they've never heard of bulletins or ever heard of any such failures. Appointments mean nothing... they keep your truck for a few days anyway for a repair(s) that is only suppose to take a few hours. If you have runability problems, it takes their techs usually more than one day to verify they recognized a problem.

Rental cars? Forget it! And I live outside of their courtesy shuttle run area, so I have to get someone to pick me up and drop me off. And least... no matter how common a failure, the parts departments NEVER stocks any replacement parts. Don't they ever have anything more than filters,light bulbs and keys in that back room?

 

[duaneparks]

Originally posted by TORQUE THIS

Let me clear up a few things!



First, I was offered a loaner car, didn't need it. I had a vehicle to use.



Second, I dropped it off to the dealer at 9am, was notified at 10:30 to what the problem was. One and a half hours to pull it apart and notify the customer. Pretty good if ya ask me. Was told that parts would be ordered that afternoon and would have the truck back by Thursday night, WHICH IT WAS!!



I know from experience with jobs that I have had in the past what it takes to get parts for equipment, vehicles, etc. Sometimes it got pretty fustrating, but what are ya gonna do???



I think being up-front with a customer and not blowing smoke up their a$%, is a good thing for this service department. They are not a 5 scar dealer, just a little dealer that I will DEFINETLY go back to in the future if need be!



Oh yeah, I was even asked if I wanted to see the parts that were replaced!!!

Ahhhh, now I see. I figured there was a reason behind the multiple day repair. In that case, you're right, and I too would return to a service department like that. As long as I know what's going on and why, I'm usually ok with whatever they have to do. Communication and keeping promises are KEY to good customer service.



I'm by no means trying to take anything away from your opinion of the service you received, but imagine your satisfaction if they could have had your truck repaired in less than a day, which is my whole point.



Me, I'd have taken the loaner car, but that's because I too live outside of the shuttle service area of my dealer, I also work outside of the shuttle service area, and I don't have another vehicle to rely on.



I wish more dealership service departments (seems like an oxymoron, doesn't it?) had a better resource in their parts department. You'd think those two would be VERY closely linked, so much so that the parts department could provide the parts in a more timely manner, be it by having them on-hand or locating them at another dealership and getting them on-site in an expedient manner (overnight or better). I realize this isn't the only issue present in most service departments, but it still applies to quite a few.



I wish there were more dealership service departments like the one you found (and the one I go to). Seriously. We'd be a happier bunch of owners!



Duane

 

[dewdo]

I had to stop at the dealership in Almagordo, NM a few days ago with a bad wheel bearing assembly, but mine had the bearings falling out and was easy to diagnose. Had the assembly over-nighted in from Denver was was under way the following afternoon. No loaner was offered, but we were in our camper and spent the night in their parking lot hooked up to their electricity. Cost nearly $600. 00, but the service was courteous and prompt and the people friendly. Yes I would use them again if I was in their area. (they were former five star dealership, but gave up on all the crap DC required to maintain it. Probably because they weren't screwing enough people)



Dewdo in the other Washington