Reasons why you don’t go to a main dealer for a service

[p4cks]

Was having a conversation with some colleagues today and whilst we all drove a wide range of marques of varying ages and condition, what we all had in common is that we ’d never consider visiting a main dealer for a service or repair!

So I wondered if you would humour me and answer these for me:

Why don’t you visit your main dealer for servicing or repairs?
How does it make you feel when you HAVE to go to the main dealer for something?
What do they do that you DON’T like?
What do they do that you DO like?

[p4cks]

Chamon_Lee said:

Is this not getting old now.

Yes there are st main dealers
Yes there are st indies
Yes there are good main dealers
Yes there are good Indy.

Pick one and be happy.

Thanks for your input

[p4cks]

Some great replies here chaps, I'm impressed!

Keep 'em coming

[p4cks]

swisstoni said:

The whole setup needs a kick up the backside ...

I whole-heartedly agree. My background is in Customer Service/Customer Experience and I'd love to work for a dealership (even for a month or two) to show them the error of their ways and what customers actually want. They only seem to hire anyone with dealership experience as opposed to anyone outside of the industry who has new ideas so really, they'll never improve!

[p4cks]

sparks_190e said:

jamoor said:

p4cks said:

swisstoni said:

The whole setup needs a kick up the backside ...

I whole-heartedly agree. My background is in Customer Service/Customer Experience and I'd love to work for a dealership (even for a month or two) to show them the error of their ways and what customers actually want. They only seem to hire anyone with dealership experience as opposed to anyone outside of the industry who has new ideas so really, they'll never improve!

Exactly, do mechanics go on to be managers?

I really want to leave school and be a service advisor at a dealership said no one ever. The industry doesn’t attract staff because of its terrible reputation.

My manager was a technician, then service advisor and now aftersales manager.

It's not a terrible career choice? I don't think I'd earn the same money doing anything else similar. I love my job, I haven't always loved it, but I ended up at a good dealership.

I'm not sure we're saying that it's a terrible career choice, rather than it being a largely insular sector seemingly unwilling to accept better working practices from other sectors therefore resulting in a consistently bad customer experience across what seems to be the majority of dealerships

[p4cks]

Bit of a bump here, but recently come back from an 8-hour round trip to Lotus Silverstone to diagnose my TC light fault. They found the fault straight away (SAS needed refixing and recalibrating) and was only 30 minutes labour time.

This was versus the awful 'couldn't give a st attitude' of Lotus Bradford who I'd been to previously regarding the fault who told me I'd have to spend £300 on a fix which 'may or may not work'. I bought and fitted the part they'd suggested myself in about 10 minutes and it did sweet FA, hence me giving up and driving 460 miles.

Lotus Silverstone came across as genuine enthusiasts who know the cars inside out, rather than the shiny suits strutting around polished floor dealerships offering endless cups of coffee all day.

[p4cks]

Nads02 said:

Got my yaris for £775, toyota dealer wants £295 for a full service...

I just get the parts off Euro Car parts all the filters, spark plug and oil comes in under £100 (Don't remember the proper price)

Indeed. I managed to get my Evora serviced (oil + oil filter) for £130 all in and I even get my service booked stamped by the garage

[p4cks]

I've a garage local to me which are literally on a back street, only deal with cash and will take on any job. They did the pads and discs on my shed, the ARB bushes on my Evora and the rear silencer on my Clio V6. I trust them infinitely more than I'd trust any polished tiled dealer.