posted by
someone claiming to be Nick
on
Thu Jan 25 04:53 CST 2001 [ RELATED]
|
|
Took our S70m to the nearest Volvo dealer, 50 miles away, last night. I'll say that it's a combined Volvo/Audi/Porsche/Jaguar/Land Rover dealership, and a few people here will know who I mean.
They gave us a loaner....a clapped out, cigarette-smelling Ford Escort from the rental-place across the street. Whatever, it got us home.
Got the message this morning that our PSMV (Pewter-Silver-Metallic Volvo) is done, and called the dealership.
"Yup, all done."
"So, how's the car?"
"It's $318, and it's all ready."
"No, I mean, how much wear is left on the tires and brakes and things?"
"Oh, our guys don't tell us that."
"They should. Everything I read on the Brickboard says they should."
"Uh, I mean, they don't tell us unless it's under 25%." Pause. "You likely have at least 30% left..." Pause. Slow burn on my end. "I can go ask him..."
"That would be cool."
A couple of minutes of terrible hold-music passed, then he came back and told me that the tires have about 50% treadlife left, and the brakes have probably the same. So that's 50% left on the stock MXV4's at 30k, and the same on the OEM brakes at 30k. Not too bad...
I think the guy's used to dealing with "rich people" (It's a mindset, not an account balance that makes you one) who bought a loaded S80 so that THEIR luxury car was different from the neighbor's LS400 or something. I don't guess people with a Jaguar really care what their brakes are doing, either.
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be John O
on
Thu Jan 25 12:20 CST 2001 [ RELATED]
|
|
I work as a Volvo master tech at a dealership and I don't tell a writer anything about brakes, tires (or anything else) that's still OK in my opinion. Why, NO NEED!
If I think your car's OK, then there's no need for me to write down tire and brake thickness specs as it's nothing to be concerned with.
On the other hand, IF I see that your brakes have 10-15% material left, I'll write it down and get prices, same with tires.
What else do you expect dealer people to do for you?
BTW, We no longer have Volvo loaners either, apparently it was a losing situation financially so they stopped it. Say what you will but any business stops programs that cost them more to than its worth. They do get you a rental car, but yeah, could be an Escort or (if you're luckier, a Cadillac)
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be Ray Niblett
on
Fri Jan 26 04:50 CST 2001 [ RELATED]
|
|
The dealer I use records pad thickness and percent wear
on a form they return with the car. I like it because it
allows me to plan when I should expect to replace pads.
Basically, it is a long checklist of everything they checked
or measured.
The list also provides feedback indicating what was checked and
looked over. I think this has some value just in the fact
that a lot of people don't trust service departments and wonder
what they are really doing. So, I think the dealer may have
realized it is a postitive thing for them to provide the
checklist back to the owner.
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be Nick
on
Thu Jan 25 13:18 CST 2001 [ RELATED]
|
|
"I don't tell a writer anything about brakes, tires (or anything else)that's still OK in my opinion. "
Then why have I read so many people here whose dealerships DO tell them the state of their car's systems?
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be John O
on
Sun Jan 28 03:29 CST 2001 [ RELATED]
|
|
I'm a VERY busy person at work and have done this for 24 years. I don't waste my time writing down everything that's OK on your car as it's pointless and wastes my time. If your brakes, tires, etc are like new, there's just no point in writing things like that down.
If I see problems or "concerns", then I write it down.
We're paid on a flat rate system, that means we're only paid while working on a car, not writing novels about all the parts of cars that are still in "like new" condition.
If a customer asks me or the service writer the percentage of brake pad life or tire life left (which happens), I'll mention it but to me and most other techs I've ever worked with, most don't waste their time writing down all the good things about the cars they're repairing or maintaining everyday.
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be Nick
on
Mon Jan 29 03:25 CST 2001 [ RELATED]
|
|
So what you're saying is that, in your opinion, Volvo owners don't deserve to know the status of their car, or the level of wear on the wear items?
It's not like I want a "novel," for cryin' out loud, I asked about tires and brakes. Wear items.
Is it because I own a "poseur" Volvo, not a good'n crusty 240 or something?
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be John O
on
Mon Jan 29 13:49 CST 2001 [ RELATED]
|
|
"Volvo owners don't deserve to know the status of their car"
I didn't say that did I?
I look at it like this: No news is good news.
Like I said before, if I'm asked for specifics I'll tell whoever wants to know but I don't generally make a habit of writing down every wear item. Cars have alot of wear items.
When I see an older, tired, higher mileage or neglected car where almost everything needs some sort of attention, I'll have the whole backside of the RO filled out with everything, plenty of details (parts and labor prices with detailed explainations for the service writer) BUT a newer car with 30K miles that needs nothing doesn't need me writing down things like "brake pads at 40% or better" or "tires about 1/2 worn out or better" when I know that those parts are still good for at least another 20K-30K miles. Most of our customers are repeat customers who always come to us for all their services, etc so I know we'll see the same car again when "it's time" anyways.
There's another note here that you're probably not even aware of and that's that many people feel that dealers are always trying to oversell them (selling items prematurely or things that to them just aren't important). I try to not mention un-needed items like that so that people don't think we're doing that. If I see that your brake pads are at about 20%, to me that means that you have a little time left but not much so then I'll write that down on the RO, but not before as it's not necessary.
Also, if I think your tires are marginal to poor (especially in winter), I'll note that with prices as well.
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be Nick
on
Mon Jan 29 15:08 CST 2001 [ RELATED]
|
|
Look, truce, okay? I'm pis*y about the dealership I have to do business with. They're the closest one, and they're 50 miles away. The next nearest is like 100 miles away, and in the neighboring state. This dealership has its clientele over a barrel and they know it. We trekked 2.5 hours north to BUY the car, because this "close" dealership's sales staff treated me like dirt and lost themselves a sale. So far they've excelled at providing the bare minimum customer service that they can get away with. At the last service, they charged me $150 and all the papers showed they did was an oil change.
I had them work on a minor warranty issue, and they didn't bother telling me what they did, I had to read the paper to find out that their fix for a rattling speaker grill was to turn the bass down and note "tell owner not to turn the bass up." Gee, customer service.
I said it before, and I'll say it again: They also sell/service Porsches, Jaguars, Audis and Land Rovers, and they're in the ritzy section of Indy, so I think they're used to dealing with people who could really care less what they do, as long as the warrantee stays valid.
For the 30k service, I wanted to make sure that my $318 wasn't just going for another oil change. I'd go to a good independent Volvo mechanic...but there aren't any around me that work on the 850/S70. So I'm stuck with this dealership, and if I want to know anything more than what it's gonna cost me, I have to ask, and be persistent about it.
I'm not a "whiner," and I don't think I have a lemon. The only time I contact the dealership is for routine maintenance, actually. My car doesn't have imaginary rattles or squeaky wiper blades, and if a bulb burns out I just change it myself. I'd like to think that compared to the average new Volvo owner as portrayed here on the Brickboard, I'm a DREAM customer, because I'm not constantly nagging the dealership about "this broke, and this failed, and oh poor me, my car's a lemon because the ashtray light burnt out!" I like my Volvo and plan to have it for a LONG time, and I want to get an idea for how long things like tires and brakes are going to last, so I know how to budget for them.
Long post, I know. Basically, I'm a gearhead who finally happens to own a new car for a change. I'm used to knowing my car, and I don't like being kept in the dark. It's not just an appliance to me.
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be John O
on
Tue Jan 30 01:03 CST 2001 [ RELATED]
|
|
I wouldn't enjoy a long drive like that to have anything I own repaired either. As long as you're going to keep returning to that dealer, I'd highly suggest that you try to get to be on good terms with those people there (IF possible?) as doing that will make your visits more enjoyable in the long run. Just a suggestion.
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be Nick
on
Tue Jan 30 02:16 CST 2001 [ RELATED]
|
|
Oh, I'm on good terms with them, and I'm always courteous when I go. I just have to ask if I want to be told anything. I only pull "an attitude" when strictly necessary...and it hasn't happened yet with the Volvo dealer, not like it does with the domestic dealerships I've had the misfortune to patronize in the past. Honestly, I'm not treated badly at this dealership...but I'm treated like the average "I don't care" customer they get.
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be John O
on
Tue Jan 30 13:31 CST 2001 [ RELATED]
|
|
It's been my experience from the inside that if service writers and/or techs like a customer, they tend to go the extra distance for that customer. The opposite is also true if those same people don't like you or think that you've got an attitude, even though you could say that that you're a paying customer and thus deserve exactly what you're paying for. You'ld be right, no doubt but attitude (in any type of business really) makes a very big difference in how you're treated. A good attitude, good relationship can also help you get better price breaks from writers if the occasion arises. Just something to consider if you havent already.
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be Andy
on
Mon Jan 29 15:31 CST 2001 [ RELATED]
|
|
Nick, since you describe yourself as a gearhead, the only times you have to take the car in for service is the 30,000 60,000 and 90,000 intervals which require the specialized equipment. I've been told that you can do the regular maintanance yourself as long as you keep the receipts to keep the extented warrantee in effect. I plan to do this but I first need to get the appropriate factory manual dealing with the maintance service.
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be Nick
on
Tue Jan 30 01:56 CST 2001 [ RELATED]
|
|
No extended warrantee. (car hasn't shown a need for one) I only plan on taking the car to the dealership regularly until the standard 50k warrantee is up, then probably for the major services you list. A service manual is definitely in our future as well.
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be John R
on
Thu Jan 25 10:12 CST 2001 [ RELATED]
|
|
What did you expect on the phone other than to tell you it was ready from a routine service? Why did you bother him with the tire question over the phone? He would have to go over any details when you picked up the car anyway. So your loaner was not up to your standards. Tough. I think some Volvo dealers need to smarten up but not to take unreasonabale criticism.
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be Nick
on
Thu Jan 25 13:27 CST 2001 [ RELATED]
|
|
Geez, you sure have a burdock in your pants. I just wanted to know how my car is...that's not so bad, now is it? This dealership DOESN'T go over details when I pick up the car, that's been proven at previous visits. I have to ask, if I want to know how my car is.
Who said the loaner wasn't up to any standards, anyway? I said "It got me home," and that's all it needed to do. Fact is, it was clapped out and stunk of cigarettes. I didn't criticize the dealership, I didn't even MENTION it to them.
|
|
|
|
|
