NumanR
Established member
No they arent, they just think they always are right 
Lets turn the tables around for a second!
- Thread starter T14086
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Lets turn the tables around for a second!
And that.... is exactly why Fiat will never get me to buy another new car from them, my previous comment was only one of many many experiences with bad dealers. I have used six dealers in 8 years, only one ever did the work asked of them, without fail every visit ended in more grief... unfortunately for Fiat, the one good one has been sold to one of the worst, which is sad.NumanR said:No they arent, they just think they always are right
NumanR
Established member
nuovapanda said:
Interesting that a comment such as mine should make you react in the way you have. Customers are NOT always right. Customers compare different vehicles from the past with present day vehicles, they compare diesels with petrols, they compare fuel injection and carburettered cars. They also compare phase 1,2,3 and 4 emission vehicles as if they were the same. Alot of my job is to explain the differences between vehicles and why they do what they do. Just because I own a computer doesnt mean I could diagnose what is wrong with it. I CAN compare it to another computer but that may be irrelevent if windows 95 is used on one and XP on the other.
Customers should always be looked after and respected, but to say they are always right is not correct.
I don't reckon he means on the level you're talking about, but then again, I reckon some of our members in the Ulysses area and coupe section know more about those cars than a lot of fiat workers, there's numerous threads where the owner has had inform them about what to do. Odd state of affairs where an internet forum (this and the eurovan website) can do that.
nuovapanda is right with the comment about 'so I had a rant and they said because I was so polite they thought I wasnt really bothered!!!!' as I have had the same experience. I'm very polite, laid back and rarely lose my temper. I have gone back to the dealer about 5 times for several issues since I bought the car in March and they've still not been rectified.
My girlfriend on the other hand is not laid back and will lose her temper and she did, and the response above is what she got. Is a problem more urgent if tempers are lost? Perhaps I should go through life screaming and shouting!
By the above rationale, do dealers/garages then take advantage of polite people and only concentrate on the angry ones?
Customers can be a pain in the arse no doubt, but at the end of the day they are the dealers bread and butter. WIthout them selling/repairing/servicing cars is going to be difficult. I know businesses that have folded due to poor customer service and relations.
My girlfriend on the other hand is not laid back and will lose her temper and she did, and the response above is what she got. Is a problem more urgent if tempers are lost? Perhaps I should go through life screaming and shouting!
By the above rationale, do dealers/garages then take advantage of polite people and only concentrate on the angry ones?
Customers can be a pain in the arse no doubt, but at the end of the day they are the dealers bread and butter. WIthout them selling/repairing/servicing cars is going to be difficult. I know businesses that have folded due to poor customer service and relations.
NumanR
Established member
Apologies if my comment was misunderstood and caused offence. I was referring technically, I should have made that clear.
OP
OP
The Negotiator said:
Quite right I reckon as owners of these cars only have to concentrate on one car,but techs have a wide range of models/engines etc.
However you are right many owners really do know their cars and this is of great help if it needs to go into the garage for repair,unless you have a 2-post ramp in the garden shed there are some jobs you cant do,as they can explain to the tech symptons better & work recently done on the car etc......invaluable information
Ironic but I told Sky my digibox(thinggy)is knackered & after 3 years & countless visits by 'engineers' they finally believed me....doesn't make me a satelite engineer does it? but things you own (like cars) you get to know & can tell if something is wrong even if others cant.
"Customers can be a pain in the arse no doubt, but at the end of the day they are the dealers bread and butter".........& without cars....you gotta walk
(joke!!!!) I find a firm approach is better when taking your car in for repair,not to soft but not growling.Too soft & you might be ripped/fobbed off & too agressive & you can be ignored on purpose out of spite,not fair I know but I have seen it happen.T14086 said:
I think that is the basis of a problem, the techs should know about everything through continued training and have decent factory support access. The Fiat system is a joke, you fax and then wait for upto a couple of days for an answer I have had 6 BMW's and not once did I have to take the car back a second time for the same problem or was able to tell the technician anything he didn't already know.
Not the tech's fault, but a training/support issue.
OP
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BMW & Ford have the best training for technicians,Fiat is getting better & now IMI approved.Hopefully the 'fax' system will be changed in the near future & as far as the techs training is concerned its money out of the dealers pocket to attend these expensive courses so only the select few (or one!) who get to go!
I belive in traeating people the way I like to be treated, so does 99% of people. But when a garage does a simple school boy error I get upset. I pay for a service that I expect to be carried out in a timly manor. If they inform me of issues I am happy to resolve them, but when a major dealership sends my car out afters it's 1st ever service with stalling problems I argue at them. I pull up to a main round about and had to keep the revs at 2k to stop the car from stalling. They admitted it was there fault.
Garages are nice when your buying a car. afterwards most do not care.
I do think people expect different things, but a lot of people and garages need to buck up there acts.
It's all about personal preference, moan when you have a valid time to moan. Also praise when you can.
Garages are nice when your buying a car. afterwards most do not care.
I do think people expect different things, but a lot of people and garages need to buck up there acts.
It's all about personal preference, moan when you have a valid time to moan. Also praise when you can.
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Nino_1975 said:
Sounds fair enough to me.It's the salesman who isn't interested afterwards,when it leaves the garage as far as the salesman is concerned any further work is the responsibility of the service department thus washing their hands of it.The service department then have to find out when the car was sold,is it under warranty or used car warranty,autocare or carcare etc...all this takes time as trying to get information out of a salesman is difficult to say the least.
If I was thinking of buying a new car (or few years old) I'd ask a technician for a independant point of view as he's not on commision etc...chances are he will say...."thats a dog mate dont touch it,but theres a good one over there I was working on the other day"
I'd go with Nino1975's comments. I've found 'dealers' unwilling to get involved with problems, reluctant to even inquire, and at times downright obstructive. Largely unwilling to help, with a "What do you want me to do?!?" attitude.
By 'dealers' I mean the garage as a whole, not any of the individuals. I'm sure there's good and bad ones, but my closest Fiat dealer are not good.
If I were in the market for another car, it's unlikely I'd grace a dealer's forecourt after what I've experienced locally. I'm sure others may feel the same.
Parts departments however have been fantastic at my preferred Fiat dealer.
By 'dealers' I mean the garage as a whole, not any of the individuals. I'm sure there's good and bad ones, but my closest Fiat dealer are not good.
If I were in the market for another car, it's unlikely I'd grace a dealer's forecourt after what I've experienced locally. I'm sure others may feel the same.
Parts departments however have been fantastic at my preferred Fiat dealer.
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NumanR
Established member
If we as dealers "didnt get involved" the vehicles would not get fixed. Dealers provide far more feedback regarding faults to manufacturers than anyone else. Dealers fight for customers, as much as possible.
i know this is kind of off topic, but sould wiring be covered on used car warranty? i was told the wiring for my sei's rear light is wear and tear so they wont fix under warranty not the bulb holder nor the bulb nor fuse
not the bulb holder nor the bulb nor fuse NumanR
Established member
Wiring is specifically excluded from 99% of warranties.
Ah ok, thanks for clearing that up anyway was just bit shocked that it was classed as wear and tear
has to be said my experience of fiat dealers all good, but only ever bought a car and bought parts from them even had long chat with one of the guys at warwick fiat about centos for yonks
was just bit shocked that it was classed as wear and tear has to be said my experience of fiat dealers all good, but only ever bought a car and bought parts from them
even had long chat with one of the guys at warwick fiat about centos for yonks
NumanR said:
The experiences I had with Reg Vardy Fiat wouldn't really bear that out, I guess they are one of the unhelpful ones. My grievance with them was due to them booking me in for a fuel tank inspection, then bull*****ing me and refusing to inspect - so why even book it in?
With all branches of industry and trade, I'm sure there will be good and bad outlets - seems I found the latter. They certainly put me off ever going back.
What I fail to grasp is some dealers total inability to deliver a new car in new condition! All I ask when buying a new car is that its delivered with no dents, scratches, botched repairs, damaged trim, obvious faults, oily fingermarks all inside and that when a problem occurs its dealt with efficiently. Ive had 4 new cars, all have had the above and more and in all cases repairs have taken ages or just not happened. Thing is, I know someone who buys Suzukis and they never have these problems, and yep, they are ex Fiat customers.
FISH BROTHERS IN SWINDON make anyone feel small. Some dealers let other good dealers down. I do admit it's hard to keep a good rep with so many bad ones.
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Lets not forget though that Fiat sell alot of cars,it's not a excuse but perhaps this is why they are so many poor dealers about? The more you have the more chances there are bad ones! Most large manufacturers(vauxhall,peugeot,renault,ford etc)all suffer the same complaints as the ones mentioned here....however like anything else (shops,pumbers,lawyers etc) if your not happy then go elsewhere.
You get 3.5 hours to service a mercedes yet 1.5 for a Fiat...it's only commonsense that chances are faults are more easily spotted on mercs as you have alot more time...then again you are paying 3 times the amount! Fiat are at the end of the day a lower budget car,thats why they sell loads,but if you want red carpet treatment & your a**e kissed everytime you walk into a dealership then sell everything you have and by a rolls royce etc.
Dealerships on the whole can,and should be,doing better but these days its not easy getting what you want in the condition you expect in any walk of life....ever waited months for argos to send you the missing bits for that self assembly wardrobe,trace that missing parcel the post office lost etc etc.
I still cannot understand why people pick on the car industry yet are prepared to get ripped off by council tax/mortages etc...maybe we think more of our cars than anything else??
You get 3.5 hours to service a mercedes yet 1.5 for a Fiat...it's only commonsense that chances are faults are more easily spotted on mercs as you have alot more time...then again you are paying 3 times the amount! Fiat are at the end of the day a lower budget car,thats why they sell loads,but if you want red carpet treatment & your a**e kissed everytime you walk into a dealership then sell everything you have and by a rolls royce etc.
Dealerships on the whole can,and should be,doing better but these days its not easy getting what you want in the condition you expect in any walk of life....ever waited months for argos to send you the missing bits for that self assembly wardrobe,trace that missing parcel the post office lost etc etc.
I still cannot understand why people pick on the car industry yet are prepared to get ripped off by council tax/mortages etc...maybe we think more of our cars than anything else??
