Poll-Dealer Service Expectations-#1 Training Amount

[MA-VIBE-FAN]

There have been some recent threads about dealer service and the groups new contact at Pontiac-Jeff Strausser. I thought it might be interesting to see what the groups expectations are. Could prove interesting to us and to Pontiac. I will be posting four: amount, costs, manuals and TSBs. Hope no one is upset with this use of resources, but think the results may be fun. Info provided by my usual source.#1 Since the Vibe was introduced, how much Vibe specific training have the dealers been offered.

[NovaResource]

Who are you expecting to answer these 4 polls? They aren't questions for owners so do you expect dealers to answer them? If so, I wouldn't expect too many. I doubt many dealers frequent this board.

[msmyer]

quote:Who are you expecting to answer these 4 polls? They aren't questions for owners so do you expect dealers to answer them? If so, I wouldn't expect too many. I doubt many dealers frequent this board.I agree, thats why I didn't REPLY! Not a dealer!

[joatmon]

MA_VIBE_FAN, you work at or are a dealer right? and you're tired of reading about people ragging on dealer service departments because they don't seem to have the expertise on this vehicle that owners tend to expect that they have.It seems like you know the correct answers to these questions, but I don't, and I don't care. I mean I do care, because I'm sure it costs each dealership a s***load of bucks to try to stay current on all of the models they have to support, and those costs are passed on to the consumer, me and most everyone else here on this site and others. Whether it is valid or not, car buyers have the expectation that the dealer is the manufacturer's representative on service. Getting dealer service is expected to cost more, but it is also expected to be authoritative and the best available for that car. This is a new model, a Toyota in a Pontiac coat, and it's a new beast for a lot of Pontiac, and we understnad that it's a big task for Pontiac dealers to come up to speed on it.If a particular dealer can't afford to buy the manuals, buy the TSBs, pay for training, and whatever else it may take to be able to support the car, then they should be up front about it. If I take my car in to the dealer for a repair and they can't fix it right because they can't afford to learn how, then I want them to tell me so instead of using my car to learn on. I'd rather try to fix it myself and get the knowledge. I'd take it to a dealer expecting that they already know what I don't.People are having some problems with dealer service on Vibes. I don't know if the amount of problems is characteristic of all cars, or if the amount of problems Vibe owners are having is unusually high. I've had some really bad experiences with the Chrysler service departments in my area, and have never needed to take my Vibe back to the dealer for any service or warranty repair. It does seem from member complaints here that a number of Vibe dealer's service departments are not as familiar with the vehicle as owners expect them to be. I think that is an issue that Pontiac/GM needs to pay attention to, and be proactive in resolving. If, as a dealer, you find that the GM service training/materials processes are flawed, then please work with the manufacturer to get those issues resolved. Everyone would benefit. I would really like to be able to take my car to a dealer not be disappointed in the quality of service. People will always complain about the cost of dealer service, or service from any non-dealer shop too. Parts prices will always be complained about, regardless of the manufacturer. That's just the way it is. What might help here is if someone with the knowledge of these issues, from a dealer's perspective could lay out the costs and procedures imposed on dealer service departments. Perhaps if we had an understanding of the monumental scope of the job, we'd be a bit more patient and understanding. Even so, I still expect the company who sold me the new car to know how to fix it better than I do.

[philndz]

quote:Even so, I still expect the company who sold me the new car to know how to fix it better than I do.Well said.....It is simply discouraging when I the customer w/ no serious mechanical skills (especially after only 3yrs of driving), and only a love of cars has to tell the dealer HOW to perform various services....even down to what i would expect to be one of the most simple ; an OIL CHANGE!! << I think we all expect more than that!