Showing posts with label dealer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dealer. Show all posts
Wednesday, 19 October 2011
For most people, going to the dealership for service is about as pleasant as passing a kidney stone, so here are my top 10 pointers to help make your next service visit more pleasant:
- Be Detailed
If there are any issues with your car like strange sounds or vibrations, be as detailed as possible when describing the symptoms. The more info, the better, as the mechanic can better figure out how to diagnose and what to check.
- You Can Say No
When going in for an oil change, be prepared to be up-sold, unless it’s your brand-new car’s first service visit. When pitched, the key is to not feel pressured whatsoever. You can say no to all recommended services, and ask as many questions as you want/need to. If you are a new customer, it would help to bring old receipts of past work done so you could make a decision, and to also gauge whether the shop is being honest.
- Beware of "Free"
When a dealer offers free services like a multi-point inspection or a brake inspection, it’s a strategy to get you in the door so they will pick your car apart and find what repairs and maintenance are recommended to up-sell you. If you don’t really need a brake inspection, don’t bother going and don't let the word "free" cloud your judgement.
- Get Inside Help
If you have a problem with your new vehicle that needs attention, leverage your salesperson who you purchased the car from to bring you to the service department. Someone who is close with a dealer colleague most times will get squeezed in for an appointment sooner, or have a minor problem get checked out without having to pay, but just don’t ask for the world, i.e. if something is going to take a while, just make an appointment, or be patient if you just need nitrogen put in your tires. - Build a Relationship
If you find a good service advisor, maintain a relationship so you could build a more personal rapport. With a personal rapport, he/she will be more honest with you, lobby for you with some repairs or warranty work, and maybe even hook you up with a discount on a huge bill or a major service.
- Don't Settle
Do not tolerate poor service. If the dealer closest to home is convenient but their service stinks, go to another dealer that may be farther, but provides better service. Don’t reward bad service or shops who always try to up-sell you mercilessly. Asking for referrals from friends, colleagues, neighbours, relatives and internet car forums can help too.
- Ask to See
If a dealer is recommending additional services, ask to be chaperoned into the shop so they will show you the worn or loose parts. Even if you know nothing about cars, pretend you do. By asking questions and asking to see things, you will force them to be honest and back up their recommendations. Don’t buy any BS about the shop not allowing customers into the service area. If they say that to you, don’t go to them again.
If you can, I recommend you wait at the dealer while the car is being serviced. Most have wireless internet, so you might be able to bring your work there and have a free coffee. By being there, if they try to up-sell you, you can ask to see the worn parts before making a decision or getting a second opinion. If you leave the car with them, some dishonest shops may try to up-sell services knowing you’re not around to see, and hoping you’ll give them the go-ahead. - Recommended Up-Sells
Preventive maintenance-based up-sells I encourage you to go ahead with if recommended and at the proper intervals are tire rotations, alignments with new tires, engine air filters, cabin filters, fuel filters, fan belts, wiper blades, transmission fluid changes, coolant flushes, differential fluid changes, spark plugs and a brake service. All of the mentioned should be paid attention to at least once a year, with brake services recommended once a year. Most shops do not charge labour to install wiper blades. Services that are less important if the car is otherwise running fine are battery services (most batteries today are maintenance-free), fuel injector services (generally not needed as long as you don’t always drive with an near-empty fuel tank) and brake fluid flushes on 2-3 year old cars. Brake fluid flushes are only recommended if there is 2% water in the brake fluid or if the manufacturer recommends it at a specific interval and mileage. - Ask for Pictures
If you must be at work while the car is in for major service, don’t be afraid to ask the service advisor to snap and upload pictures of your car’s worn tires, brake or under-body parts before giving them the go-ahead to replace, or ask for measurements of the brake pads in millimetres if they are recommending new brakes that are going to cost a fortune. Only ask for pictures if the potential repairs are expensive. Trust them on the filters if they recommend them as they are relatively cheap but important. If they say no, then you say no to giving them business. At least one person in the dealer has a SmartPhone or a cell-phone with a camera that they can upload to their computers to e-mail you.
- Ask About Extended Warranty Privileges
If you purchased an extended warranty, the package may include several free oil changes. If you don’t recall whether the extended warranty package you bought includes them or not, ask the service advisor to check for you – they have access to that info. It may turn out that you do, and if say you had 4 oil changes as part of the package, you save about $200 in maintenance.
Hope these help. Now Drive on....
Monday, 17 October 2011
This is my very first blog entry, and I wanted to take the opportunity to introduce myself and set the tone for future blog posts. I’ll try to be succinct below.
ü I am a car enthusiast, and started detailing the family car when I was 9 years old. I am not an expert or authority in any particular area pertaining to vehicles, but through professional automotive industry experience, personal experience, connecting daily with car enthusiasts on the internet, and tons of self-directed learning, I know a lot about cars.
ü I am most well-versed in the areas of automotive parts, maintenance, cleaning, detailing, mechanical repairs, ownership, buying vehicles, saving money, being defensive as a paying consumer, and keeping up to date on all models by all makes past and present and their reliability history.
ü I love writing and disseminating information in interesting and easy-to-follow ways, as well as to help and serve people from my heart. I wrote for my University newspaper, and have been published in a few internationally-distributed health and fitness magazines.
ü Cars excite me and are a huge passion of mine. I am continuously learning every week on industry trends, new models, reliability history of aging models, sales performance of various makes, and technology. I plan to share my opinions here on various automotive issues in the news.
ü I have previously served as an automotive parts consultant at the retail level, as well as a Service Advisor at the dealership level. I have seen all kinds of customers and car owners, good and not so good.
ü By nature, I am resourceful, a strong multi-dimensional thinker, extremely detail-oriented, observant and have ultra-sensitive senses. Thus, when it comes to cars, I am well-suited to performing excellent work, diagnosing car issues, figuring out ways to get answers, and finding ways to save money.
ü I am a stickler for proper vehicle maintenance, using quality parts and lubricants. I am not a licensed mechanic, but am fully capable of repairing and maintaining vehicles, and confidently know my stuff. I insist on doing all maintenance and repairs myself if possible, and doing things my way unless a job is too messy to do without a hoist, or beyond my capabilities. I choose my mechanics and network of automotive contacts very carefully, and take good care of all of them.
ü I am literally and figuratively a Car Buff. I love talking about them, driving them, and in the summer months, I keep my car impeccably clean and yes, buffed by dusting and wiping her down at least once everyday with automotive detailer and a microfiber cloth (until it rains, then I wait for when I can wash her again).
ü Luxury cars are my favourite vehicle segment. I love fine cars, but also like to be frugal because I believe in saving money, never overspending and owning a car within one’s financial means. I plan to share info on how to meet these goals, because when it comes to buying cars, one of my Canadian automotive writing idols Phil Edmonston aptly summed it up best: “Symbol doesn’t always equal substance. Just ask any disgruntled Jaguar owner.”
ü Lexus is my personal favourite make, and Infiniti is a very close second based on their value. To me, Lexus vehicles are beautiful, finely built vehicles that stand the test of time both mechanically and stylistically, and my favourite model is their flagship LS. In case a Lexus executive is reading this, I would love for you to provide me with a new or used model, black on black, with the long wheelbase and Executive Package! In defence of Toyota and Lexus, both NASA and the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) concluded in February 2011 that there were no electronic causes for the unintended acceleration debacle, though Toyota
I plan to use this blog as a medium to share my $0.02 on all issues related to cars and the industry. I also hope to connect with the internet community and deliver insightful views, information and lots of personal tips through two decades of experience that will help people.
Ladies and gentlemen, this PDI passes with flying colours and is ready to go.
Drive On….
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