Dealership

[Boosted57]

I swear they always manage to tick [edited 2hotford] me off. I had my car in for some quick warrenty work and I asked them to please not detail or clean my car after they're done (Bad cotton rags= more swirl marks . ) They call me up and tell me thier going to clean the car up and it will be done in an hour.... Why do dealerships always have to do this.

[Rockpick]

While it is definitely a pain in the rump, dealerships always strive to achieve a higher level of customer satisfaction. This, of course, involves that 'quick wash' or a free oil change just to name a couple of options. This, generally, makes an average 'Joe' happy. Mainly because he/she only washes three times a year and that's when the dealership does the freebie after their once every 8K mile oil change.

Unfortunately, for those of us that are 'Certified Car Crazy', this can spell disaster as some dealerships toss the keys to a car jockey and tell them to run it through their automatic wash. This, in turn, causes a downward spiral of potential problems with swirls, harsh chemicals, and other problems that the owner, being a detailing enthusiast, will have to deal with or pay to have them dealt with.

You bring up a very good point by starting this thread in my opinion. I, for one, when I have my vehicles at any service (dealership or other) where it requires me to leave the vehicle, always check to see if this is standard operating procedure. If it is, I make the service writer write to specifically NOT do any of their 'freebie wash service' on the ticket. Further, I'll always follow by explaining that I'm very particular about my vehicle's finish and want it to stay looking good. Also, I'll follow with a 'thanks anyway' to show that I know that they're trying to convey good will and further their customer service scores.

So, in summary. Make 100% sure that they don't do it to your vehicle. Most of the time, you'll prevent it by making it an issue but, inevitably, there will be a miss or lack of communication and it'll happen.

Sorry about your situation! Good luck with everything!

RP

[2000]

my glass is half full.....sorry honey, i have to spend saturday in the garage, my truck was at the dealer.

[Rick]

Huhh, interestingly enough every time I take my car in whoever is writing up the ticket when I first get there they always comment something like "I won't even bother asking you if you want it washed." (because it's already spotless). Just make it a bit of an issue, but not too much. If they do it again I would call their head service person and complain about the free service. At the Honda dealership I use they have plastic flags they slip over your antenna that say "wash" if you request they wash it so that way they only do the ones they need to do. I wounder if anywhere else does this, because it's kind of nice, they have never washed mine.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Dealership

Originally posted by Boosted57
I had my car in for some quick warranty work and I asked them to please not detail or clean my car after they're done (Bad cotton rags= more swirl marks . ) They call me up and tell me their going to clean the car up and it will be done in an hour.... Why do dealerships always have to do this.

Lynn and I recently took our new Pilot in for service and I had just finished using the NXT Spray Wax on the finish, the NXT Tech Protectant on the exterior trim, and the Hot Shine on the tires.

In the back of my head I thought... "How can anyone look at this car and think to themselves that it needs to be washed?"

Than after pondering all of the horror stories I have read about dealerships, I had Lynn create a Do Not Wash sign to place in the front window, with the words, Just washed, waxed and detailed today below it.

She also told the service manager to make sure the car was not washed or polished in anyway because we had just done this ourselves.

I think this will be our SOP every time we take the car in. We just don't trust the workers at the dealership. I'm sure they're all good people with good intentions, but it takes a care and passion to maintain any finish, especially a black finish.

Mike

[Desertdawg]

I just wish I owned something new enough to be worthy of taking to a dealer for service...

But then I do love to mechanic on them myself. That way I know they are fixed right the first time..

[atclew]

Re: Dealership

Originally posted by Boosted57
Why do dealerships always have to do this.

I suppose I'll throw my two cents worth into the tip jar. I took my Riv-ee into the dealership for some scheduled service on a rather warm Monday morning, after spending a weekend up close and personal on the finish. Being that I had just moved here not too long ago, this was my first visit to the dealership here.

I thought, "no problem, be done in a jiffy." The service agent walks me out to my car and I see that it is still quite wet. I asked him why is my car wet. Same thing, they ran it through the courtesy wash. I very tactfully explained to him that I had spent many an hour removing defects from the finish the previous weekend and now it had just been all for naught because his "kids" he had working in his shop didn't know how to properly wash and dry a vehicle. Needless to say I was quite ticked off. But they service agent was kind enough to send two of the guys out with fresh towels to dry the vehicle off properly. I still ended up having to pretty much redo everything I had done the previous weekend because of their ineptitude.

Oh well, I've moaned and groaned enough.

[Mosca]

Communication is the key, not just with the service writer but also with the guys who would actually do the washing. Find THOSE guys and tell them to not wash it; believe me, they'll high-five you.

Dealerships wash the cars because most people find that to be an extra touch. If it wasn't appreciated by most customers, they wouldn't do it, but a large % of service customers like it, unfortunately for the rest of us who don't.

The hardest part for us fanatics to wrap our minds around is that it's an attempt to give the customer more than she asked for; it really is an extra. The hardest part for us dealers to understand (20 years in dealer management here) is that not everyone wants it!

So, when you know you are going to be an exception, COMMUNICATE. I like the "just detailed" sign, myself.


Tom

[atclew]

Originally posted by Mosca
So, when you know you are going to be an exception, COMMUNICATE. I like the "just detailed" sign, myself.


Tom [/B]

Believe you me, there is already a laminated "do NOT wash" placard in my glovebox to place on the dash when taking it in for service.

But like Mike and Lynn said from above, you would think a highly reflective finish and shiny tires would clue them in. But alas, it doesn't

[Mosca]

Imagine 2 cleanup kids talking.

"Dude, we were told we have to wash EVERY car!"

"Yeah, but who's gonna know we skipped this one; it's already clean!"

"You wanna get fired? Let's just hose it down and wipe it dry, but we can't do NOTHING, if we get caught we're through!"



Just sayin'.


Tom

[rjstaaf]

I think the key here as someone else said is communication. One of the primary things I do with any dealership I deal with is to pick one service advisor and build a relationship with that person. Whenever I take my car in I only deal with that one person. They get to know you and you don't have to keep communicating your needs to different people every time. I think you will find you will get better service this way. I never thought of the laminated sign idea, that is a good one. I always just had it written in big letters on the ticket that they were not to wash the car.

[DaGonz]

Whenever the Jeep goes in for service, I explicity state to the service writer that the Jeep is not to be washed. I have seen the "lot lizards" at work...

I put a sign on the dash that is visible to everyone that states do not wash!

I tape a smaller version to the steering wheel that says do not wash!

And for good measure, I tape a do not wash! sign on the driver's window and the rear window.

I recently updated my signes to include versions in Spanish, as a lot of the "lot lizards" are what the PC crowd calls "undocumented aliens"

[gb387]

I like the sign idea... never thought of that. I have not had a problem yet but I think I will make a couple signs up anyway and toss them in my glove box.

[toyotaowner]

My Camry has a problematic paint as it is. In Sept, I had major work done on it since I let maintenance slip and voila, I paid the price ($4000 of it ).

I just bought the new car and forgot to stick a sign on dash and since I couldn't get both cars home, I dropped it off at service. I was told that it would be done by Tuesday (It was a Sat.) I was nervous since I turned off the security system. Just after my salesman was telling me how they had 2 Scions stollen.

Anyways, I pick it up and was horrified by the nasty job. They didn't even dry it and I could see all the water dried on it. I just signed the papers and walked away since I never mentioned anyway.

I have a set of signs in both cars in the glovebox. However, the dealer themselves (& not the freebie car wash next door) can detail well since my Sienna was spotless with no swirls when I picked it up. But they probably save that one up for those picking up new cars.

[Lt1Corvette]

That sign is a good idea. Normally I stay away from dealerships like the plague and my normal mechanic knows not to wash (less work for him and I am happy after). Unhappily I have to go into a dealer this tuesday, so I think I will be putting up a sign in the window. I was thinking that placing an NRA sticker at the bottom of the sign might help a bit to.