Courtesy car lead time at main dealer
Discussion
HTP99 said:
Jonnny said:
Silverage said:
HTP99 said:
Why should the dealer pay for the fuel that you are going to use?
If they are going to offer courtesy cars then I would expect their running costs to included in the price of the services I am buying from them. It just seemed a bit petty to be adding £3-odd to the bill. If I took one of their cars out for a test drive I wouldn't expect to see a bill for the fuel I'd used at the end of it.
I only need the thing to get back home to work. With my previous Passat the VW dealer would send someone out to collect it and then return it again afterwards. That worked far better for me.
hornetrider said:
HTP99 said:
And as for the op stating the service advisor didn't consult some sort of rota or diary regarding courtesy car availability; how about he just knew, or the information was right in front of him?
Yeah I just found it a bit odd. So, they have availability in the service workshop starting on Thursday (only three days into the future). When I booked it in for a service the other week, lead time was only a week. All of which suggests they are not totally stacked with bookings for the next month.
So to be given exactly one calendar month booking date in the future feels more like policy than actual car availability. Iyswim.
They will also have you drop the car off in the morning and fit it in at some point during the day. How long was the wait for a wait appointment?
raceboy said:
Not strictly speaking 'service' work but had a problem with my 2 day old 'new to me' car, phoned the dealer, and went in the next morning, they had 30 minutes trying to fix it while I had a coffee, failed and a C Class Merc appears instantly for me to use for the next 2 days while they sort it. 
That was probably a managers car that got 'borrowed' rather than a service loan car as you were having problem with a car they had sold you so soon after collecting.Happened to me and they gave me the sales managers 911 C2 (991.1) with less than a thousand miles on for a week at very short notice. No doubt he borrowed something more interesting off the used car lot.
Silverage said:
HTP99 said:
Jonnny said:
Silverage said:
HTP99 said:
Why should the dealer pay for the fuel that you are going to use?
If they are going to offer courtesy cars then I would expect their running costs to included in the price of the services I am buying from them. It just seemed a bit petty to be adding £3-odd to the bill. If I took one of their cars out for a test drive I wouldn't expect to see a bill for the fuel I'd used at the end of it.I only need the thing to get back home to work. With my previous Passat the VW dealer would send someone out to collect it and then return it again afterwards. That worked far better for me.
Back in the day my Dad used to get his brother to pick him up in the morning and drop him back in the evening.
Dimebars said:
If only dealers had invested in modern technology that would give service advisors instant computerised access to booking diaries for service work and courtesy car availability...................
Or indeed, if perhaps the advisor had just finished having the exact same discussion with another customer. b
ds, the lot of them. Other option is that every person that walks in the door wants / demands a car, like for like please as I'm terribly important... and thus they are actually booked up weeks in advance or the dealership is fed up having a car out all day for a 20mins repair and said car does 0.7 miles.
But it's my right, I want a courtesy car.
No win situation for dealers really... sadly those who need / deserve a courtesy car are usually held up by somebody who could easily wait, get a lift home / to work by the courtesy driver or indeed walk, but they're obliged to supply and as a result have to disappoint some genuine customers.
Much like those dying people who have to wait an hour for an ambulance because Fat Shazza from number 34 has been domestically abusing her boyfriend and cracked a nail and now feels all compo and thus wants every emergency service to attend to pander to her pish.
I may have taken that too far... but feels good.
Silverage said:
HTP99 said:
Why should the dealer pay for the fuel that you are going to use?
If they are going to offer courtesy cars then I would expect their running costs to included in the price of the services I am buying from them. It just seemed a bit petty to be adding £3-odd to the bill. If I took one of their cars out for a test drive I wouldn't expect to see a bill for the fuel I'd used at the end of it.I don't see why a 2-3 week lead time for a courtesy vehicle is an issue really. I work for a main dealer. The service department have six loan vehicles. They are all run, owned and operated by the business, not the manufacturer. We are a privately owned main dealer franchise. Common misconceptions include:
Vehicles for sale are not insured for use by customers or are prepared for sale so we don't want them out on the road, some are not even taxed. Others are demo's reserved for sales. We need to keep one by for any collections or lifts we have booked in. Other vehicles on site belong to customers, staff or visitors.
Main dealers are busy, the overheads are huge and for privately owned ones at least running a large fleet of courtesy vehicles would be prohibitively expensive. We actually charge a small but fair fee per day for use of a courtesy vehicle. Many of them come back without fuel replaced, or are filthy. It shouldn't need to cost the dealership.
Most people don't pre-empt when their vehicle needs a service and leave it till last minute, and then want the world, it's not how it works!
Vehicles for sale are not insured for use by customers or are prepared for sale so we don't want them out on the road, some are not even taxed. Others are demo's reserved for sales. We need to keep one by for any collections or lifts we have booked in. Other vehicles on site belong to customers, staff or visitors.
Main dealers are busy, the overheads are huge and for privately owned ones at least running a large fleet of courtesy vehicles would be prohibitively expensive. We actually charge a small but fair fee per day for use of a courtesy vehicle. Many of them come back without fuel replaced, or are filthy. It shouldn't need to cost the dealership.
Most people don't pre-empt when their vehicle needs a service and leave it till last minute, and then want the world, it's not how it works!
hornetrider said:
2-3 would be fine. 4... well 4 is getting on a bit. I have a niggly fault with my car which will now take them a month before it's looked at.
It's a long time I know. But could you not, in four weeks, arrange for a lift or borrow a mates car? Use public transport? This is supposing your niggly fault still allows you to drive it.sparks_E39 said:
Most people don't pre-empt when their vehicle needs a service and leave it till last minute, and then want the world, it's not how it works!
Absolutely! It never ceased to amaze me how we stand and scream blue murder that we can't get the car in for service within the next 48hrs... and yet get quoted a 2 week lead time at the doctors and that's fine.
My uncle has just been given an appointment for his knee... in October and he has to get there himself. But by christ, his w
ked out Yaris better be booked in to the main dealer within the week and they better give him a courtesy car.People need to get their priorities sorted - a courtesy car is a privilege, not a right and the sooner people accept that, the better. In fact those who think it's a right are usually the ones who are told it'll be a four week lead time... the nice customers, they usually car a car much quicker.
This like for like crap is tedious too... I got fed up listening to ignorant idiots bleating on about how they've just dropped off a Golf GTi and why are they getting a basic Up! Well, fooking Einstein... there isn't a row of freshly fueled GTi's awaiting your arrival and second, a courtesy car keeps you mobile, stops you getting wet and stops you having to get the bus so take it or bloody leave it.
I'm glad I bailed out... it's an utterly thankless industry.
Davie said:
It never ceased to amaze me how we stand and scream blue murder that we can't get the car in for service within the next 48hrs... and yet get quoted a 2 week lead time at the doctors and that's fine.
You've obviously never spoken to anyone who works at a Doctors.Davie said:
This like for like crap is tedious too... I got fed up listening to ignorant idiots bleating on about how they've just dropped off a Golf GTi and why are they getting a basic Up!
I didn't say anything but I was pretty dismayed to be given an Up! when I took my wife's Tiguan in for service. I don't mind small cars, but I was taken aback at how bad Up! was. I know the dealer has a bunch of Polo and Golf courtesy cars - I think the Up! was a staff members car as it had some personal stuff in it. I'm going to ask for an auto (Tiguan is auto) next time - hopefully there's no auto Up!!Davie said:
Absolutely!
It never ceased to amaze me how we stand and scream blue murder that we can't get the car in for service within the next 48hrs... and yet get quoted a 2 week lead time at the doctors and that's fine.
My uncle has just been given an appointment for his knee... in October and he has to get there himself. But by christ, his wked out Yaris better be booked in to the main dealer within the week and they better give him a courtesy car.
People need to get their priorities sorted - a courtesy car is a privilege, not a right and the sooner people accept that, the better. In fact those who think it's a right are usually the ones who are told it'll be a four week lead time... the nice customers, they usually car a car much quicker.
This like for like crap is tedious too... I got fed up listening to ignorant idiots bleating on about how they've just dropped off a Golf GTi and why are they getting a basic Up! Well, fooking Einstein... there isn't a row of freshly fueled GTi's awaiting your arrival and second, a courtesy car keeps you mobile, stops you getting wet and stops you having to get the bus so take it or bloody leave it.
I'm glad I bailed out... it's an utterly thankless industry.
This is the truth.It never ceased to amaze me how we stand and scream blue murder that we can't get the car in for service within the next 48hrs... and yet get quoted a 2 week lead time at the doctors and that's fine.
My uncle has just been given an appointment for his knee... in October and he has to get there himself. But by christ, his w
ked out Yaris better be booked in to the main dealer within the week and they better give him a courtesy car.People need to get their priorities sorted - a courtesy car is a privilege, not a right and the sooner people accept that, the better. In fact those who think it's a right are usually the ones who are told it'll be a four week lead time... the nice customers, they usually car a car much quicker.
This like for like crap is tedious too... I got fed up listening to ignorant idiots bleating on about how they've just dropped off a Golf GTi and why are they getting a basic Up! Well, fooking Einstein... there isn't a row of freshly fueled GTi's awaiting your arrival and second, a courtesy car keeps you mobile, stops you getting wet and stops you having to get the bus so take it or bloody leave it.
I'm glad I bailed out... it's an utterly thankless industry.
Some of the responses in this thread have been hilarious. It happens so often at our place too. Plan your lives accordingly, there can be 10-20 service customers a day at our very small dealership, yet we only have 3 courtesy cars; you need to book a car if you really need one.
Audi Coulsdon - 2 months wait for courtesy car, which I find ridiculous. Booked drop off service and will take train, bus or taxi home.
Audi Crawley - 2 weeks wait last time I checked, but they offered me A3 manual diesel and wanted me to pay for excess waiver so I decided not to use their services again. No way to get there by public transport
MB Brooklands - 2-3 weeks wait, 4 weeks wait for pick and drop off service as they only did it once a week from my post code.
MB Caterham - never needed courtesy car but they always had appointments available in 2-3 days
MB Epsom - I think it was only 1 week wait and got nice car too.
If it was up to me, I would not use any Audi dealer but unfortunately have to.
Audi Crawley - 2 weeks wait last time I checked, but they offered me A3 manual diesel and wanted me to pay for excess waiver so I decided not to use their services again. No way to get there by public transport
MB Brooklands - 2-3 weeks wait, 4 weeks wait for pick and drop off service as they only did it once a week from my post code.
MB Caterham - never needed courtesy car but they always had appointments available in 2-3 days
MB Epsom - I think it was only 1 week wait and got nice car too.
If it was up to me, I would not use any Audi dealer but unfortunately have to.
PenelopaPitstop said:
If it was up to me, I would not use any Audi dealer but unfortunately have to.
I don't think manufactures realise - well, maybe they do but their franchisees don't care - that if you're not happy with servicing arrangement then next time you may well buy another marque.I will never again buy Honda and VW is only feasible as there's another dealer within reach.
Sheepshanks said:
PenelopaPitstop said:
If it was up to me, I would not use any Audi dealer but unfortunately have to.
I don't think manufactures realise - well, maybe they do but their franchisees don't care - that if you're not happy with servicing arrangement then next time you may well buy another marque.I will never again buy Honda and VW is only feasible as there's another dealer within reach.
t we get if a customer gives you a 1* survey.. You'd think you st on their drivers seat.. Our latest one, tyre soap was left on the tyre. Gave us a 1*, no bonus for the 5 advisors for the month because of it. Jonnny said:
Sheepshanks said:
PenelopaPitstop said:
If it was up to me, I would not use any Audi dealer but unfortunately have to.
I don't think manufactures realise - well, maybe they do but their franchisees don't care - that if you're not happy with servicing arrangement then next time you may well buy another marque.I will never again buy Honda and VW is only feasible as there's another dealer within reach.
t we get if a customer gives you a 1* survey.. You'd think you st on their drivers seat.. Our latest one, tyre soap was left on the tyre. Gave us a 1*, no bonus for the 5 advisors for the month because of it. This was at the supplying OPC .
I rang and told them I was a bit suprised at this poor level of service , come back and we'll wash it for you , a nice round trip of 40 miles , no thanks I'll do it myself .
About a week later I got an unexpected call from Porsche UK doing a survey , I just told them the truth about how unclean the car was , and that funnily enough my daily driver BMW had been serviced a few weeks before and had come back like new.
I got a call from the OPC DP , asking why I'd given them a bad review ?
They asked the question and I told them the truth , if it cost anyone bonus quite frankly I couldn't care less , up your game you're meant to be at the pinnacle of customer service when in fact you're not.
Arranged a mot at the same OPC a year later , pre booked for a Saturday morning as agreed , it turned out that the tester was having the day off and a driver took it to another garage whilst I waited nearly two hours, a tad unhappy that day.
Never been back , nothing could persuade me otherwise.
Poor at best.
Buster73 said:
Jonnny said:
Sheepshanks said:
PenelopaPitstop said:
If it was up to me, I would not use any Audi dealer but unfortunately have to.
I don't think manufactures realise - well, maybe they do but their franchisees don't care - that if you're not happy with servicing arrangement then next time you may well buy another marque.I will never again buy Honda and VW is only feasible as there's another dealer within reach.
t we get if a customer gives you a 1* survey.. You'd think you st on their drivers seat.. Our latest one, tyre soap was left on the tyre. Gave us a 1*, no bonus for the 5 advisors for the month because of it. This was at the supplying OPC .
I rang and told them I was a bit suprised at this poor level of service , come back and we'll wash it for you , a nice round trip of 40 miles , no thanks I'll do it myself .
About a week later I got an unexpected call from Porsche UK doing a survey , I just told them the truth about how unclean the car was , and that funnily enough my daily driver BMW had been serviced a few weeks before and had come back like new.
I got a call from the OPC DP , asking why I'd given them a bad review ?
They asked the question and I told them the truth , if it cost anyone bonus quite frankly I couldn't care less , up your game you're meant to be at the pinnacle of customer service when in fact you're not.
Arranged a mot at the same OPC a year later , pre booked for a Saturday morning as agreed , it turned out that the tester was having the day off and a driver took it to another garage whilst I waited nearly two hours, a tad unhappy that day.
Never been back , nothing could persuade me otherwise.
Poor at best.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff