Mr Johnson

+1
You could be increasing your service revenues instead of trying to punish people that didn't buy from you. Consider if you do that well you might even get them to consider your dealership for the *next* purchase (even though there are clearly reasons why they might currently want to drive farther).

I live close enough to the dealerships that I can walk or have someone drop me off. Even for large service because I'm lucky enough to have another car I usually just arrive on the day that is convenient for me to drop it off or with a day or two worth of notice.

tex2670

I spoke with someone who is an F&I manager at a Nissan dealer. He said, right now, they are making NO money on the sales of new cars. Any sales $$ they make is on pre-owned. Any dealer in this economy that has alienated service customers in the past with narrow minded policies like that one has to really be re-thinking their philosophy.

Lets Drive

iTrader: (3)

My dealer gives me a Lexus whenever they have to hold my car, and the same goes for the other closest dealer that I know of. I always make sure to call ahead, though.

The Mazda dealer owned by the same management, works with Enterprise for loaner cars, and offers those as loaners. I know Mazda isn't a luxury brand, but it just shows that when owned by that same management, they specifically choose how these things work.

My GFs Acura dealer(s) offers her an Acura when her car is taken in, and that also holds true for a number of friends who own Acuras.

The BMW dealer has a similar deal like the Mazda one, and offers loaners depending on who they are partnered with.

In general, I'd say you are right in that it varies by dealer.

kalvano

No, 95% of the time they purchased elsewhere to save themselves $500.

Which is fine, but they can go back there if they all the extra special treatment.

I love it when they come in for help with how stuff works, because the place they bought it from cheaper just tossed them the keys and that was it. Then they want to take my time off the sales floor to deliver their car to them? Or they expect us to treat them exactly the same as people who bought from us?

We'll happily service their car, but we will not extend them the same benefits as we will to someone who purchased and services with us.

It's worked fine for us for a long time.

LexFather

Depends on your relationship with the dealership too. I've never had any issue getting loaners.

There are a lot of asshats that abuse the loaner "courtesy". Lexus really went above and beyond with the loaner program initially and to this day where others had to follow suit as best as they can.

There is a CL member here with a E46 M3. She was told she can't get a loaner for a service that was under warrenty. Being a past Lexus owner she was asked why and was basically told "just because". So she walks around the lot and she find an entire row of loaners.

Got her dad to make a "phone call" and she got a Z4 loaner

tex2670

I'm not saying all should get treated fully equal. My Honda dealer performs annual emissions inspection for free because I purcahsed there. If I went to a competitor and told them to do it, they'd laugh.

But that un-equal treatment only goes so far before it has a negative effect, and believe, me, customers notice it. If a dealer won't give loaners unless you purchased there, IMO, that is a mistake. Why not tell them they can't eat the snacks or use the wi fi? These are amenities utilized to keep customers coming back.

And maybe--just maybe--that 5-10 mins of the sales person's time makes the customer realize what a sh1tty dealer the cheaper one was, and now you've made them a future customer.

LexFather

I agree for the most part. Its about creating a "relationship" with the dealer. Not only have I bought cars from them but I've sent PLENTY of referrals that have bought cars. My club SELOC does service with them and gets a small discount. So when myself or my family goes for service, they show appreciation b/c we are giving them business. In return they have done some amazing things for us.

It also helps not to be a pompous *** to people.
Since I have an incredible relationship with mine, I hear the stories of
-people in a 1990 ES 250 trying to get a new loaner for an oil change
-people geting a diagnostic check, gets a loaner, drives for 2 days, then refuses the service
-people buying all their cars elsewhere, goes to dealer for small service like oil changes and expects VIP treatment like he spends 1k on a 60k service
-people getting a loaner full of gas and bringing it back on empty
etc etc

There are quite a few bad loaner apples.

Most non luxury brands don't make much if any money on new cars sales. They do mostly on service and pre-owned. GM is the worst, they only make money on service, not on selling cars.

One thing I can appreciate about Lexus here is when you get a loaner, you can't tell. The only thing is a small number sticker on the top. Its always funny seeing a G35 or Acura loaner with the giant stickers all around the car "LOANER CAR COURTESY OF MARTINS BAR-b-QUE RIBS AND ACURA DEALERSHIP". No taste no class

Allen K

iTrader: (4)

That's a dealer to dealer thing. The last loaner I had said <Dealer> Lexus Courtesy Vehicle and proceeded to list their website and phone number. The only thing that bothered me was that every time I looked in the rear view I read "Courtesy Vehicle"

kalvano

Hmm. I'll get right on that.

tex2670

The Lexus dealers in my area have these window stickers, but I don't mind them using the advertising space to tell the world they provide loaners while I'm driving it around. I'd much rather this than have them stick their ugly name plate on the trunk of my car before I purchase.

LexFather

That was actually not directed towards you but to customers who come in with this giant chip on their shoulder. However, you can still get on it.
Taking off dealer stickers are the first mod Do those Lexus dealers also have ribs?

Lets Drive

iTrader: (3)

I'd agree, in that its a bit short-sighted to treat customers that way, though I doubt the actual practice is as blunt as being presented here.

Looking beyond the initial sale, if you can win the customer over, you set the potential for any other customers they may refer to your dealer, as word-of-mouth passes along the experience. I know I've kept a number of people out of a specific dealer, and directed them towards another, due to the treatment/attitude of some of the staff.

Agreed. The first thing I try to establish when speaking with any of the service people at my dealer, is a measure of respect. None of them caused or are directly responsible for my problem, and it usually makes the interaction and process a LOT smoother, where I usually walk away happy in the end. It's great when that service person then goes the extra yard for you.

copa

I agree with this. Sterling McCall is a centrally located dealership, and it is closest to where I live and work. When I went shopping for a new car, they had pretty much the same attitude you do.

They knew they were located conveniently, so they were pricing too high. They got offended that I wanted to comparison shop. They were fronting so they could demonstrate they were "in control." Anything they offered had a strings-attached qualification of "What are you going to do for us in return?"

So I went over to Westside Lexus. They treated me great, they worked hard to earn my business, they didn't play games, and they were not afraid to compete on price. I bought my car from them.

So when I need service, do I go to the conveniently located Sterling McCall? Hell, no. If they have a bad attitude for sales, they'll have a bad attitude for service. I gladly drive the extra distance to get customer-oriented service at Westside, and I would rather give them my money.

tex2670

And--if they pickup, you don't even have to drive out of your way.

iKenn

iTrader: (1)

Sometimes I make an appointment the same day and ALWAYS get a loaner.