Is this normal? And sorry if this off topic for this board.

My local Dodge dealer has the slimiest sales department I have ever dealt with. Feel I need a shower after talking to any sales guy. I have talked to lots of sales folks and not the classiest people but a nscessary evil. I bought a mini-van and almost walked away three times and finally came to see it my way. LOL

The service department is the most professional, courtious and competant I have ever seen for a dealer.

All under the same roof. Is this common?

 

dealership i bought my treuck at was the opposite. sales department was great. gave me the deal i wanted after denying it for a hour or so. but the service deartment dont get me started with them. long story short bought brand new truck needed a new tranny the service manager didnt want to help with it at all. anyways i wrote numerous complaints on teh better business bureau and got it all fixed in a hurry and a few freebies from the parts department and got my months payment back ( because the dealership had my truck for 5 weeks) and numerous letters from DC saying they are terribly sorry for the hold up and for the problems i had with my transmission soo early on . in my opinion DEALERSHIPS SUCK NO MATTER WHAT DEPARTMENT.

 

I love my dealer. My family has been buying vehicles there for almost 30 yrs. I also worked there for about a year back in 2001. They are now like my family and I wouldn't trust my car or truck to anyone else. I think once you've found a reputable shop, you'll feel the same way. I guess thats how a shop can garauntee repeat business. I was just there for a rear axle issue, and since I knew the guys rather well, they let me help out, and I learned some things about rebuilding an axle that I didn't know before I did it myself. Sales people, well... lets just say that they are not "car people". They only know what they read, so if you want details on payment stuff and pricing, then your stuck with them. However if you have a technicalquestion about a vehicle before you buy, then talk to an axperienced mechanic/technicain. Good luck!!

 

VERY common.

Sadly, sales has a high turnover in the auto biz. Low margins, high pressure, low commission.

Parts/Service never changes. If the department makes target they get a bonus. Easy to achieve if you work well with your staff.

I bought my van from one shop and took it to another for service. When they asked me why I didn't buy it there I told them it was because their sales team lied to me, but I trust their service department. They were only to happy to work on it after that and took extra care of me when needed. Bending the rules if needed.

I since moved to another part of the city and knock on wood the dealership here is 5 star on all levels, even the bodyshop. Truck got hit in a parking lot!). The turn around time and service was amazing.

I know Dodge sends out surveys and call all the time. Just make sure you are clear with your unpleasant experience, and name names if you can! Thinning the herd never hurts. Do the next buyer a favor!

 

I treat them as 2 seperate businesses, each has to earn my business. I have almost never used the same dealership service department and sales dept.

 

yup - true for many dealers- my dealer has great customer service with parts \ service. The sales guys well....wanted to make me a special deal on an SRT-10. Sticker was 53K, said I'd owe them 60K+ when it was all over using my 04 with 25K on the odemeter as a trade. The kicker was when the sales guy said in a fairly calm compasionate and greasey tone "Dodge doesn't offer any special financing, incentives, rebates for the SRT-10, but you need to write a check immediately, you can't afford to to let this one get away. They are sellling fast..." ...gas was $3 a gallon at this point and I was the only one in the showroom, needless to say I still have my Hemi QC - [:@]

 

Booth are really snakey, Sales and Service are two competting Forces all under the same roof, booth want money money money money... Service has Daimler chrysler in for warenty repairs and has to work hard to a Dodge owner in for maintance items, For a first time owner, thier blood suckers with thier Miantance A or B recamended service.

For the informend owner, I would do all the maintance items my self, I have conclueded Service hates people who have issues, some true, some false, none the less, I hate thier we know best routine....

As for sales, thease people only serve to get in the way of my purchass and cause me grief with thier fake B/S, I can never trust any ones who's eyeing my pocket book...

The dealer is not out thier to lose money and your best to figure out what you want, how much your going to pay and stick to your guns...

The world is allways on sale, and what you buy to day will cost less the next day..

 

Either way, I always feel that I was whored out for someone. ...and I stay on top of the service guys and always say "This is what Im willing to pay. Want to sell the xxxx, call me when you can come down." I get up and walk out. My wife says Im rude. Tough $h1t. I work hard for my money.

 

The biggest dealer in town here (Salt Lake City) has a 5 star rating they make sure everybody knows. Their sales lizards are about average..most don't know much about what they are selling. The only real barganing and information is to be had with the sales management. Even then and after having bought 4 trucks from them it's always the same story.

Their parts department and body shop are some of the best I've ever dealt with. Very knowledgeable and on the money every time. Their service department is "so so"....if you get the right service manager on the right day they don't throw the "your not a certified technician are you?" at me (their common response when I would come in with a TSB in hand).

In my opinion these days you gotta know what your doing or just about anyone will take you for a ride. I'm a very hands on sort of guy so my truck only ends up at the dealership if it's a warranty situation. But with the truck, as with everything else, I research the hell out of it before I get started so I don't get bent over...