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Have to laugh at some of the "dealers suck" stories. I've had 3 new F-series trucks since 2000. Mostly used the closest dealer to me for my own convenience, but have had a couple of less than satisfactory experiences lately (since I picked up my '18). Decided to stop in to another local Ford dealership just to get a feel for their service department. I asked the service advisor about getting an oil change on the 3.5EB and asked whether it was true that the plastic plug that is associated with the plastic oil pan REALLY needed replacing at each change. He looked at me like I had two heads--said he'd never heard of F-150s with a plastic pan or drain plug....sigh. Guess the search goes on....
Have to laugh at some of the "dealers suck" stories. I've had 3 new F-series trucks since 2000. Mostly used the closest dealer to me for my own convenience, but have had a couple of less than satisfactory experiences lately (since I picked up my '18). Decided to stop in to another local Ford dealership just to get a feel for their service department. I asked the service advisor about getting an oil change on the 3.5EB and asked whether it was true that the plastic plug that is associated with the plastic oil pan REALLY needed replacing at each change. He looked at me like I had two heads--said he'd never heard of F-150s with a plastic pan or drain plug....sigh. Guess the search goes on....
This is the same story at so many dealerships...when I bought my 2018 I asked them about the squeaky and problematic pano-roof and the frozen door latches. They said they knew nothing about them and hadn't heard of those issues! Now if they had just been honest and said yes we know about them and if the truck they sell me has those problems that they will for sure deal with it under warranty and make sure they take care of me it would make the process a lot more transparent and easier to accept.
Its a sign of the times...Integrity and Honesty along with Respect are qualities seldom seen anymore in our society.
Seems everywhere you go everyone is full of crap!
You asked the wrong guy. LOL most service advisors have never cranked a wrench! LOL If you really want to find out how good the service is, talk to the guys doing the actual work. I did, and we have equal respect for each other now that he knows I cranked a wrench and not lowing smoke from the Internet. I can trust he will take care of my truck for me. He did the best he could on the 2016, but there was just no fixing that truck without throwing a lot of parts at it. When I come in now, even for just an oil change, they take it right in and get it down quickly. I get it back and it is clean, no marks on the hood or interior.
Overall my dealership has been very good to me and my family, which is why we all drive Fords. There was a period of upheaval when the GM AKA the Owner took on the role of Regional Manager and had the service manager take over GM, and was over his head, he admitted it himself, and they brought in some other guys to do the service, and one guy was horrible, never got things done right, and we had lots of complaints. The guy who stepped into the GM role left and went to work at their GMC affiliate across the street as the Service Manager, and is still there, then they fired the SM they had, and got a couple new guys, and the Owner came back as GM. Now the dealership is back to normal.
It got so bad with all the problem not found BS, and the killer was when they told my wife they found no codes when her door latch stopped working on the passenger door (which happened to become a recall later on), that at that point I was done with them and I sent them an email detailing my experiences and displeasure at the down turn they took. When considering a customer who has spent roughly $450,000 in the past 7 years on vehicles with them and asked by the SM have you ever been here before when we walk in, was like a punch to the gut. Like, Seriously? I have been a customer of theirs since thy took over in 2003!
With the Platinum I exceeded $500K in sales with them. I am not their Top customer though, one guy has bought more, so I'm second.
You asked the wrong guy. LOL most service advisors have never cranked a wrench! LOL If you really want to find out how good the service is, talk to the guys doing the actual work. I did, and we have equal respect for each other now that he knows I cranked a wrench and not lowing smoke from the Internet. I can trust he will take care of my truck for me. He did the best he could on the 2016, but there was just no fixing that truck without throwing a lot of parts at it. When I come in now, even for just an oil change, they take it right in and get it down quickly. I get it back and it is clean, no marks on the hood or interior.
Overall my dealership has been very good to me and my family, which is why we all drive Fords. There was a period of upheaval when the GM AKA the Owner took on the role of Regional Manager and had the service manager take over GM, and was over his head, he admitted it himself, and they brought in some other guys to do the service, and one guy was horrible, never got things done right, and we had lots of complaints. The guy who stepped into the GM role left and went to work at their GMC affiliate across the street as the Service Manager, and is still there, then they fired the SM they had, and got a couple new guys, and the Owner came back as GM. Now the dealership is back to normal.
It got so bad with all the problem not found BS, and the killer was when they told my wife they found no codes when her door latch stopped working on the passenger door (which happened to become a recall later on), that at that point I was done with them and I sent them an email detailing my experiences and displeasure at the down turn they took. When considering a customer who has spent roughly $450,000 in the past 7 years on vehicles with them and asked by the SM have you ever been here before when we walk in, was like a punch to the gut. Like, Seriously? I have been a customer of theirs since thy took over in 2003!
With the Platinum I exceeded $500K in sales with them. I am not their Top customer though, one guy has bought more, so I'm second.
That's asking a bit much of the service manager to know who you are. Unless you talked to him every single time you were there since 2003 or knew him as a friend there is no reason he should not ask you "have you ever been here before". He probably has hundreds of customers. Just because you blew half a million on vehicles in 7 years.(don't know how one manages to do that) doesn't move you to the top of the preferred customer list...lol
That's asking a bit much of the service manager to know who you are. Unless you talked to him every single time you were there since 2003 or knew him as a friend there is no reason he should not ask you "have you ever been here before". He probably has hundreds of customers. Just because you blew half a million on vehicles in 7 years.(don't know how one manages to do that) doesn't move you to the top of the preferred customer list...lol
Actually, it does. I have the same mechanic assigned to my vehicles whether its a repair or an oil change. That guy I referred to had a ton of complaints against him, and had he just looked at the record of the vehicle when the appointment was made, he would have known it was sold from that dealership. Oh, that and the fact that both license plates had the dealers frame on them and it was right in his face. Now all three service managers know who I am, as well as the parts guys. I hear the collective, oh no, he's back, every time I walk in. I'm also good friends of the owner. I've been a customer of his since 2003, over 16 years now, and was a customer of that store since 2001. The first vehicle I bought from him was a 1999 F350 Dually.
The last time I had brought in my truck when that other guy was there, he again asked if I had been there before, and I said, Seriously? then pointed to the plate. He had JUST looked at it to write down the plate number.
Actually, it does. I have the same mechanic assigned to my vehicles whether its a repair or an oil change. That guy I referred to had a ton of complaints against him, and had he just looked at the record of the vehicle when the appointment was made, he would have known it was sold from that dealership. Oh, that and the fact that both license plates had the dealers frame on them and it was right in his face. Now all three service managers know who I am, as well as the parts guys. I hear the collective, oh no, he's back, every time I walk in. I'm also good friends of the owner. I've been a customer of his since 2003, over 16 years now, and was a customer of that store since 2001. The first vehicle I bought from him was a 1999 F350 Dually.
The last time I had brought in my truck when that other guy was there, he again asked if I had been there before, and I said, Seriously? then pointed to the plate. He had JUST looked at it to write down the plate number.
Well whatever. I still wouldn't let it bother you. The only person who remembers me is my service advisor who is now at another Ford dealer, so I'm gonna start getting my work done there. Plus a family friend runs it so there is that. But I don't expect to be remembered by anyone except those two. I only go for oil changes so I can get the vehicle a over and any warranty work or TSB's that arise between changes. So I go maybe 3-4 times a year.
The dealerships are in a tough spot. A perfect example is the leaf spring issue. A lot of the time Ford tells customers that it's normal noise. Then dealers are left to deal with disgruntled customers (I.e. me) and then they either say the party lines about it being normal, or they have to try and fix these problems at their cost because Ford won't approve any work under warranty. I put the blame solely on the shoulders of Ford who need to deal with these issues and reimburse dealerships for fixing them.
Well whatever. I still wouldn't let it bother you. The only person who remembers me is my service advisor who is now at another Ford dealer, so I'm gonna start getting my work done there. Plus a family friend runs it so there is that. But I don't expect to be remembered by anyone except those two. I only go for oil changes so I can get the vehicle a over and any warranty work or TSB's that arise between changes. So I go maybe 3-4 times a year.
I think you are missing the point. It's good customer service for when a customer who frequents a place is recognized when they come in. It really is no different than visiting a diner often. They get to know you and recognize you, and that is how it was with my dealer for a long time, then they had a management change and the Service Manager became GM, the guy below him promoted and a new guy took his place, and the few times I was in, I dealt with this guy. He didn't last long, he was basically doing a job he was not qualified for. The dealership is back to the original GM, and their service department is back to how it was before the change up.
That dealership is the ONLY reason I still drive a Ford and didn't go to Ram.
I think you are missing the point. It's good customer service for when a customer who frequents a place is recognized when they come in. It really is no different than visiting a diner often. They get to know you and recognize you, and that is how it was with my dealer for a long time, then they had a management change and the Service Manager became GM, the guy below him promoted and a new guy took his place, and the few times I was in, I dealt with this guy. He didn't last long, he was basically doing a job he was not qualified for. The dealership is back to the original GM, and their service department is back to how it was before the change up.
That dealership is the ONLY reason I still drive a Ford and didn't go to Ram.
Good/bad relations with the Service department will far outweigh good/bad relations with Sales in my opinion. If I go into a dealer and have a bad sales experience, there's a plethora of other sales guys I can worth with and it will probably not keep me from purchasing from that dealer again. However, if I get one or two bad Service experiences, I'll jump ship from that dealer all together.
My local dealer had a fantastic service adviser that I, by chance, worked with the first time I visited when we moved to the area. I kept going back because of him. He was promoted to Service manager, and I had one less than helpful adviser after that allowed me to sit for 4 hours without an update. Steve had my back and discounted my service after I told him they can't leave me hanging like that. The next guy was great, but he then left. I was worried about who I'd get paired with next, but he ended up being even better. Three of the best people in the Service department know me by name/face and they treat me respectfully. I'll keep going back.
03-17-2019, 11:46 AM
I'm also good friends of the owner. I've been a customer of his since 2003, over 16 years now, and was a customer of that store since 2001. The first vehicle I bought from him was a 1999 F350 Dually.
