[Blackbart]

lets have a vote to see exactly how everyone feels....please answer using your most frequently visited dealership. I know we all have horror stories, but I just want to know what we on average think about our "regular" dealership.

[BeachinXJ]

Weren't you the one that flipped out about someone calling it a stealership in that other thread?

[Blackbart]

Originally Posted by BeachinXJ

Weren't you the one that flipped out about someone calling it a stealership in that other thread?

well.....I guess you could call it flipping out. but yeah, my curiosity has been peaked by the other thread.

[RickyN29]

I have delt with numerous dealerships, multiple Jeep, multiple Mitsubishi, and multiple Dodge. Basically, they are dirty low life scumbag establishments. Generally there will be one cool cat in the parts department that I get real friendly with and develop a relationship. So I can usually get an alright price on parts. But for ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING ELSE, they try to bend me over without lube, and that my friends, is not cool, i repeat, not cool.

[Stang5lgt]

I went to the dealership to have my truck checked out. They wanted 12k put a new diesel in my truck. I fixed the truck for less then 1000 bucks. So yes they are all stealerships in my opinion. Everytime I need a part they have to order it. And it costs a arm and leg. I wanted a Ford wiring for a trailer plug. Charged my 100 bucks. OUCH!! I paid it cause I wanted a clean look. Last time I bought a car from one. They a$$ %aped me tryed to get me to buy a bunch of crap when I was signing paperwork. One time they even tricked me into signing cause I told the guy no. And he said sign here anyway knew I was tired from driving 9 hours the day before. Lied to me about the interest rate. So I buy from Private parties now. I don't like the none lube service when I get bent over.

[bluehdmc]

I call them dealerships, although I haven't been back to the one I bought my Jeep from and unless it needs some sort of major service work or warranty repair I probably won't. I'm a mechanic by trade so I'll do my own service work if possible, although I'm giving it up (In most cases they pay a truck driver more than they pay the mechanic who keeps it running, and the driver doesn't get dirty or have to invest in tools) I've only had one auto/truck I took back to the dealer, it was a toyota, 1 warranty repair, and when it blew a head gasket I didn't have the time or place to do it myself. That was a good experience but I've had a few negative experience with my motorcycles. One neglected to properly tighten the mounting for the front axle on my Harley, they were all apologies when I brought that to their attention. A previous BMW I had the dealer could never hook up the aftermarket communication system every time I brought it there. I had a few other problems with their service dept, (probably one of the reasons they went out of business). I've also tried a stint at selling cars,most people are outrageous when you sell them a car, they want it for nothing, (they seem to think the markup on a $20K car is $5k or something) this was in the mid 80's I probably averaged $75-$100 commission per car, occasionally you'd hit a home run but not that often. They really make their money on used cars, no one knows how much they paid for it, they don't have to deal with a customer satisfaction report, if it has a scratch or something, "hey it's a used car". It's really a tough business.

[mpd8488]

There is one Great Jeep dealership in where I live called Heritage Chrysler Jeep. I didn't actually buy my jeep from them, but we bought our Exploder from them, had some warranty work done on the PT Cruiser, and we bought a few parts there. The Jeep half also pointed us in the right direction when we were searching for my XJ. Really friendly and convenient.

[Blake]

There are only two dealerships within a 100 mile radius that I've had a good experience with.:

-A small town Ford dealership where a hand shake is as good as a signed document, never pushy, and are really good about warranty work. (Sloan Ford, Columbia TN)

-A large Chevy dealership that always has parts on-hand, and is will do anything to make a problem right. The timing belt tension-er-thingy broke in a Isuzu Amigo that I hand, and it destroyed the engine. They took the time to look, and found a recall that was 2-3 years old, that was never done. They put in a brand new engine for free.

Every other dealership has left me with a bad taste in my mouth.

[Torquemeister]

Has your curiosity been Satisfied Bart ?

[jeeping.copm]

STEALERSHIP 100%. you ever see that commercial where a ladys in her car and went to one for a free brake inspection and they said mam we found that youre brakes where put on wrong. I bet they were lying about the whole thing and said that will be an extra 200$ please. Like when my freind went there for some inspection and they endend up replacing his rotors on so he went to the managers with the old ones and said these were fine and got a refund.

[Blackbart]

Originally Posted by Torquemeister

Has your curiosity been Satisfied Bart ?

not yet, kind of interesting to see peoples take on a service that they decide, of their own free will; to use, or not to use.

[AMK]

Most that I have dealt with fall in the "stealership" category. From clueless parts counters to ridiculous prices, I try to avoid them at all costs.

With that being said, there are some exceptions. There's a Ford dealer nearby with a pretty young lady with a Southern accent () who is the service manager. She has always been very honest and straight up. For example, I needed to order an owner's manual for a truck and I intended to order it from her. Instead of charging me the dealer rate for it, she gave me the contact information so that I could order it myself.

[Alexia]

The local Jeep dealership to me in York, none of their service department have ever heard about the CPS going out on XJs a common part replacement as they get older. They didn't even bother to replace it after I told them to.(Surprisingly though, their idiot fix of replacing the ignition coil did improve my gas mileage, so not too upset about it.)


Local Dodge/Chrysler specific dealership, absolutely perfect. Mechanics always got the problem fixed the first time and even replaced an engine in an older Neon twice within a year of the warranty expiring.(Unfortuneately they can't rebuild engines at the dealership, so they send them to an independant shop. That shop screwed up reassembling it the first time.)

[VegasJeep]

I think it is funny. People will ***** about the lack of knowledge from the places they purchase parts from(which goodhelp does nto come cheap). Yet in the same sentance will ***** about how much the parts cost they need. people at dealerships may not know anything. Shops do everything they can to keep at least a wel rounded staff with a broad knowledge base. For the average person they know enough to get the job done.... with little exceptions.


Everyone in here that thinks that the prices are to high at the places they go need to open up their own shop. I encourage you to open your own parts business or dealership. It seems very simple listening to some of you talk. It must not take much money to do cause no one thinks they should charge much money. Make sure you figure in your salary for that shop as well, and all other expenses.

[175MM BULLDOG]

I bought my Jeep at a "stealership". I have recall and bodywork done at a dealership. I am lucky enough to be located close to a dealership that is top notch 5 star rating. They call when they can take you right in. They have a lounge with coffee, TV, etc. They have real mechanics, and a knowledgeable body shop personnel. They are repairing my Unlimited as I speak. It was rear ended by a soccer mom. So for recall work, and bodywork that is covered by my insurance, I choose the dealership.