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Which car brand comes with the best service?

post #1 of 41
2/19/11 at 7:34pm
Thread Starter 
I own a Subaru WRX STI. There is a gremlin in the car that my dealer has not resolved after three visits. I also just got into a fender bender and I will bring it in for repair, my body shop quoted most parts as being delivered in 2 days.

I wonder, is there a brand of car you associate with always-in-stock parts and quick repairs? Do all car brands save money by their dealers' not stocking parts? What about loaners? Pickup and delivery? My Subaru has loaners just not a lot of them so there is competition. Plus I don't like them (all Outbacks and Legacys).

Domestics? Or no longer? The premium brands?
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post #2 of 41
2/19/11 at 8:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by brescd01 View Post
I own a Subaru WRX STI. There is a gremlin in the car that my dealer has not resolved after three visits. I also just got into a fender bender and I will bring it in for repair, my body shop quoted most parts as being delivered in 2 days.

I wonder, is there a brand of car you associate with always-in-stock parts and quick repairs? Do all car brands save money by their dealers' not stocking parts? What about loaners? Pickup and delivery? My Subaru has loaners just not a lot of them so there is competition. Plus I don't like them (all Outbacks and Legacys).

Domestics? Or no longer? The premium brands?

The manufacturers don't own the dealerships, so the decision as to what parts to stock at a dealership is divorced from the finances of the manufacturer.

This applies to loaner car, and pickup and delivery policies too -- these are entirely handled by the dealership. In general, dealerships selling higher-priced brands seem to offer loaners more often than say Ford or Chevy dealers. Subaru is at a relatively low price-point and I would not expect exceptional policies from most Subaru dealers. (But if there are a few in a given area, the competition factor may benefit you, the consumer.) But whether you'll get a true dealer-owned loaner of your same brand, or simply an Enterprise rental, is up to the dealer. For routine service, my preferred BMW dealer will give me a BMW loaner, but they book them several weeks in advance. If I want to come in tomorrow for an oil change and don't want to wait, I'll very likely get a $25/day Enterprise car. When my BMW recently had a performance issue that they were having difficulty solving, they put me in a 2011 5-series to keep me happy.
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post #3 of 41
2/19/11 at 8:58pm
It's really dealer-dependent, and I've long wished various brands would more actively manage their dealers - they are really the ones that can turn people off from a brand, regardless of the car's quality. From what I've seen, BMW NA doesn't give a damn what they do, though the dealer I use is okay - they screw up, they're often clueless, but their hearts of usually in the right place.
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post #4 of 41
2/19/11 at 9:11pm
It all depends on the dealer, which is why most of the time you are better off finding a good mechanic that you trust and won't rob you blind.
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post #5 of 41
2/19/11 at 9:37pm
Lexus hands down. They have been amazing which is why I'm on my second car from the brand.
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post #6 of 41
2/19/11 at 9:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Artisan Fan View Post
Lexus hands down. They have been amazing which is why I'm on my second car from the brand.

What's your previous and current models, did you buy them new or CPO? My friend's LS430 just surpassed 200K miles and still trouble free.

Level of service is dealer-dependent. Corp. HQ can set guidelines and it's up to HQ to monitor dealerships. My friend always gets a survey from Lexus corp. HQ after each service appointment.
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post #7 of 41
2/19/11 at 10:06pm
Based on limited experience, but my family has owned mercedes, BMW, Honda, etc and Lexus has been the best without a doubt. They're a pleasure to deal with and we've bought/leased 3 cars from them now over 10 years.
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post #8 of 41
2/19/11 at 10:12pm
My friends who own Lexus vehicles rave about the service. I prefer German cars, and, unfortunately, I've had service issues with all of them.
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post #9 of 41
2/19/11 at 10:13pm
Mainstream? Easy. Lexus.

Much to my chagrin.
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post #10 of 41
2/19/11 at 11:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mussel View Post
What's your previous and current models, did you buy them new or CPO? My friend's LS430 just surpassed 200K miles and still trouble free.

Level of service is dealer-dependent. Corp. HQ can set guidelines and it's up to HQ to monitor dealerships. My friend always gets a survey from Lexus corp. HQ after each service appointment.

Bought both the ES300 and ES330 new but they treat CPO customers just as well. I get a survey after every service and they take it serious. The service reps are brutally honest and meet commitments. They do free extra things like a drink in the lounge, free car wash, free cabin filter and washer blade installs, etc. They are also cutting edge on the social media channel. Just a great company all around that literally redefined the luxury car segment.
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post #11 of 41
2/20/11 at 12:01am
Lexus Elite dealerships...too bad the cars are so bland and unexciting. Mercedes is second
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post #12 of 41
2/20/11 at 12:14am
Quote:
Originally Posted by uhurit View Post
Lexus Elite dealerships...too bad the cars are so bland and unexciting. Mercedes is second
I agree with your comment about Lexus, but not MB. Certainly not the MB service dept. I frequent.
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post #13 of 41
2/20/11 at 12:34am
I've had excellent service with both Infiniti and Lexus. Audi, not so much.
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post #14 of 41
2/20/11 at 2:09am
Lexus usually has good service, but I did have a couple bad experiences a few months ago. I ended up calling corporate after the GM and the service department basically refused to fix something they broke on my car while repairing something else in that general area. They ended up fixing it (only after I called corporate), but I'll never return to that dealership again. Their car washes are also hit and miss. The Columbus dealership had a self-wash you could drive through. The one in West Palm can take 45 minutes for a wash, even longer. I don't even bother using the wash there anymore and just hand wash at home.
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post #15 of 41
2/20/11 at 2:27am
Its totally dependent on the dealership, the service you're getting, and the price you're paying. I own a Toyota and last year one of the area dealerships started a Price Match program. Bring in any advertised ad, from ANY shop (not just other dealerships), and they will price match the service. Now, their service isn't best, by any stretch of the imagination, but I'm willing to sacrifice in that department to get the best price on what I need done. Also, two days for special order parts isn't bad at all.
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