Tips for a swirl free visit to the dealership tomorrow morning?

**ahunt01** · 08-08-2003, 03:41 PM

I guess they feel they don`t really need to please the few demanding customers. Man I have never seen a place move cars in and out of the shop so fast!

They have colored teams, blue red green grey white silver yellow orange black and I think that`s it.

Anyways you drive into a huge two car garage with these little cubicles lined up in a row and you go to your assigned color cubicle and give them the keys and give them any other instructions you have.

Right after they give the keys to a team of drivers who park them in a line in another huge empty garage joining the "reception" area, and then a seemingly endless team of mechanics picks each car up almost as fast as they get parked and drive them into the shop (another garage which must be huge that`s joined with the garage with the waiting cars).

The whole process is really amazing, almost like an assembly line. Obviously the speed comes at a cost, the customer is nothing more than a #.

**Bill D** · 08-08-2003, 04:04 PM

Sounds to me that if possible, a small private service station would be great. My dad has his Vette serviced at one and they let him go in the garage when the car is on the lift and he and I detail the undercarriage while the mechanics are doing their job. BTW, a few $5 bills here and there to the mechanics always "helps" them take better car of the car too

**imported_CBX Carl** · 08-08-2003, 05:40 PM

Insurance regs make it difficult to allow customers into work bay area. The risks are far to great any more.

Swirl Free Pickup:

My truck dealer even asked if I wanted the white travel film left on before I picked up my 02 Truck. Railcar to truck transport to me. The window sticker was not even applied, it was on the seat for me. Customer is always right.

**imported_Infamous** · 08-08-2003, 07:08 PM

Customer isnt ALWAYS right. It really depends on the situations. Also I would wash the car before giving it to them because it will be less dust/dirt on the car which means less scratches. Obviously they have to touch the car and stuff to fix the problem and you don`t want a dirty car. Maybe there could of been a different route to know if they washed the car or not? Maybe open up the engine bay and see if water will fall.

**ahunt01** · 08-08-2003, 08:03 PM

True there are other routes, but if I was going to have them verify that the car was dirty on paper, and they bring me a clean car, then I was hoping that I could take legal action against the dealership IF it got scratched. If it`s already clean, it`d be hard to tell if they washed it and dried it, and be harder to prove.

That was my plan, but I ended up not having them verify anything on paper about my car being dirty just instructions not to wash it.

Now that I look back I probably should have washed my car, but everything worked out for the best.

I`m now going to start going to a place in PA that works on tons of show cars, their lot is awesome. The cheapest car I`ve seen them work on is an Acura NSX. I figure if they work on nothing but show cars, then they know how to treat your paint.

**Deanski** · 08-08-2003, 09:51 PM

One thing I did and I recommend is to highlight the dents/dings with a china marker. Find a contrasting color and circle the dent, followed with a line and arrow showing exactly which dents you want done. I would also take a quick picture of them highlighted as well.

I did this to my SC430, highlighted stone chips with a black china marker.

As for washing, make sure it`s in the work order. When you get the printout, it should say: CUSTOMER REQUESTS NO WASHING OF VEHICLE.

As long as it`s in writing, you have more to come back and point out that your request was not followed through.

Regards,

Deanski

**ahunt01** · 08-08-2003, 10:57 PM

, I just searched the entire printout and they didn`t even put it in the computer! He said something about them not washing cars normally. According to the guy there, their policy is no car wash unless requested, the totally opposite of the last dealership I went to. So maybe that`s why it didn`t say it in the printout.

Do you mean highlight the dents and chips so they can see where the only imperfections are. That way if you find dents/chips that they put in then you have proof? If that`s what ya mean, would you take the picture there at the dealership for even more proof?

**Deanski** · 08-09-2003, 06:49 AM

YES, Highlight ALL dents/defects prior to arriving at the dealer. I would take the pics prior to going.

Walk the car with the service manager, show ALL highlighted areas to the service manager and make sure they put this into the work order, how many dings/dents/defects and they should include a statement as "See all highlighted areas/marked areas for repairs" or something to that effect that they clearly understand that only those areas are to be addressed.

I still would request that a "DO NOT WASH" be added to the workorder. They only have to type it in!

Regards,

Deanski

**everner** · 08-09-2003, 07:36 AM

The situation calls for "Diplomacy","Tact". Would you get an instant "Tude" if your first encounter with a stranger, led you to believe, that he/she, implied you were: numb, careless, not up to the task, dumb....? At my first visit, for service at the dealer, I explained to the service writer:" I baby my car. I have gone over every inch of her, trying to make it look sharp. So far I have only,(insert number) dents, or paint defects. Please be careful, but I trust it is in good hands. There`s no need to wash it, as I just cleaned it so the "Tech" won`t have to work on a dirty car." The service writer will hear you, without being set off. Once a situation is started in a negative way, it takes a "Big" person to overlook it." Tact " BTW, the Tech that worked on my car came and talked to me. He said it was one of the cleanest cars he had ever worked on. He asked what products I used. We were on the "right foot" from then on...

**Accumulator** · 08-09-2003, 12:55 PM

As rek implied, it`s sorta a balancing act between being assertive enough and coming across all wrong. And if the guy has his attitude on, things can go downhill fast. I always make it clear that *I`M* the unusual element in the situation.

As for the insurance/customer in the shop issue, I had a used car dealership with a service area. I`ll just say that I`ve NEVER had a problem talking with a tech or being in a shop. Well, one problem, but I just left instead of getting into it with the guy. This was when *I* was in my 20`s at a place like ahunt01 described.

Every time I see a thread like this I`m just SO glad/lucky to be doing business with the shops I use! These days, they TAKE me back to talk with the tech.

ahunt01- Glad to hear it all worked out OK. You may very well be happier with the shop in PA you`re considering. Yep, you DO have an extra hurdle in front of you being young, and driving a loud, tinted Honda doesn`t help your case. Unfair? YES!! But still true. Maybe the shop in PA will see a fellow car nut/customer for life and have the right attitude from the get-go.