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Poor dealer experience - What would you do?

3704 Views 47 Replies 25 Participants Last post by  oldsarge
So long story short, I brought my 1025R in for some service a week ago. I got a call yesterday it was ready and I told them I’d come today (Tuesday) to pick it up.

I pulled up with my truck and trailer and went to the service area. I saw my tractor in the yard in the back and noticed a service guy jump on it. I was assuming he was getting ready to bring it out to my trailer but thought it was odd since I had just pulled up. I then walk by and go inside to pay for the service. As I walked in I noticed they were using MY tractor to clear some snow piles in THEIR yard. I have no idea how long they were using it today but this is unacceptable.

I actually was already in the process of trading mine in for a new 1025 or 2025. I even have all the numbers figured out with a sales guy and I just need to sign the deal. but now I have virtually no trust with this dealer.
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This happen when we picked up my wife's Lexus at the dealership. A service attendant was sitting in her car eating French fries. He also put 50 miles on the car. He obviously took it for a ride. We just asked for an inside and outside wash.
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I will put it this way would you deal on a trade not knowing what you were getting? Now they know ask for more. They likely already have a buyer in mind.
When I drop anything off for any kind of work I record either the odometer reading, or hour meter reading.
When I pick it up I again record those numbers.

Over the years I have seen customer vehicles used for parts runs, lunch runs or just plain joy rides.
At an auto dealer, I saw them use a customers car as a courtesy vehicle to drop off another customer that was dropping off their car.

In today's world, you can tell me anything someone did and I will believe it happened.
We are not in Kansas anymore.
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i'm with dave55 record my OD and hour meter, reset my trip meters to zero, i caught a dealer master tech saying he road tested a truck for a steering issue when he failed to, saying no problem found, but tried the old you need bull stink.
leaving service to check my trip meters i went back inside taking the GM out and showed that the truck had only moved 2 tenths of a mile the distance from the lot to inside and back out, later i replaced the blown out internally strut's myself took them to the GM showing what was wrong, that tech no longer works at that dealer.

in a lot of these cases all we can do is complain up the line till something is done, IMMO they could have easily comped the service wrote it off and say we are sorry . as to myself it's one of life's lessons
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You guys know you could always do the work yourself and the problem of poor dealer service would be a thing of the past. No more of who did what or what didn't happen. It's like this kind of stuff has happened for years and likely will continue for years no amount of complaining will likely change it. You signed the service agreement. Which in some states means it's theirs till you pick it up and pay for said service. If the agreement states otherwise then you have a right to complain.
But really I am on your side this stuff shouldn't happen.
You guys know you could always do the work yourself and the problem of poor dealer service would be a thing of the past. No more of who did what or what didn't happen. It's like this kind of stuff has happened for years and likely will continue for years no amount of complaining will likely change it. You signed the service agreement. Which in some states means it's theirs till you pick it up and pay for said service. If the agreement states otherwise then you have a right to complain.
But really I am on your side this stuff shouldn't happen.
We can't do warranty work ourselves with all the recalls.
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We can't do warranty work ourselves with all the recalls.
Then I guess the answer would be to quite buying new and be happy with what you have when the warranty wears out.
Yes I did talk to them and one of the service guys went outside and told them to stop. I didn’t want to create a scene but I’m waiting on the sales guy (also former owner of the dealership) to give me a call. Still no call or email as of yet…
"the sales guy (also former owner of the dealership) to give me a call."
Let me take wild guess here. Former owner now working sales as part of a buy out agreement. He was a former JD dealer who USED to be customer oriented, sold out to a regional or national JD chain whose customer service is last on the list of priorities if it is even on the list.

Maybe I'm just a curmudgeon but this same story seems to be repeating over and over. Actually, I hold the hope that isn't the case and that this was just some kind of one off mistake by a yard worker.
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A while back someone posted a pic of their "new JD" machine that had apparently been repainted and sold as new. Why are these dealers committing business suicide?
A while back someone posted a pic of their "new JD" machine that had apparently been repainted and sold as new. Why are these dealers committing business suicide?
Why does the public do the same? Simple pretty sells better. Even if it's junk.
Yep, how old is the saying "buyer beware"?
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Surely you have heard of the Sherwin Williams overhaul.
500 dollars worth of paint adds 5000 dollars to the price.
Yeah I think they have a branch manager that I will contact. The dealership was bought out a couple years ago and it seems things have gone downhill. Part of a huge chain now of 30 or so locations. I’ve usually had a good experience with them before.
Let me guess................Ag Pro?
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I've a feeling we're not in Kansas any more ...

Until 2002 I had been doing snow removal at dealerships, truck outlets, and small car dealerships where I worked in various positions from parts driver to sales and service manager. Using a customer's vehicle for anything other then to test it for the problem for which it was brought into service, would have been a big no-no at most places.

The problem is no matter how much you moan about it, the people involved are not going to see the harm and wrong in it, will just think you are wrong for complaining about nothing, and are a crazy old coot. Though they might pretend to give it lip service, they will just be mocking you behind your back. Though it might get you 15 minutes of fame on Tic-Tok.

On the bright side, did you see the news story where a truck owner took his vehicle in for service at a car dealership. The "mechanic" working on it, did not really know how to drive a standard transmission. While in the bay, the truck jumped forward with the "mechanic" behind the wheel and crushed to death another mechanic walking between the truck and toolboxes. The survivor's spouse/wife ending up suing the truck owner.

At least they did not kill or injure anyone with your property, including themselves, because otherwise you might be on the receiving end of a $1,000,000+ lawsuit yourself. So, there is always that!
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That story sounds crazy (that the widow sues the car owner), but that's just the start of the liability chain. The insurance for the car driver then sues the dealership for the full amount of whatever, or drags them into court at the same time, so, most likely, the car owner doesn't actually have to pay anything.
FWIW:

Michigan car owner sued after Jeep kills mechanic during oil change

"Femminineo told McClatchy News that the car owner is responsible for Hawkins' death in the same way that someone who lent another person their vehicle would be liable for any injuries caused by the driver. He said a person who lends their car is liable for negligent acts because they gave the other person permission to use their vehicle."

"they gave the other person permission to use their vehicle"
FWIW:

Michigan car owner sued after Jeep kills mechanic during oil change

"Femminineo told McClatchy News that the car owner is responsible for Hawkins' death in the same way that someone who lent another person their vehicle would be liable for any injuries caused by the driver. He said a person who lends their car is liable for negligent acts because they gave the other person permission to use their vehicle."

"they gave the other person permission to use their vehicle"
This very thing may be why Missouri changed that this last summer. This change was so it transferred to the driver. To many where driving on the insurance of the owner of the loaner car and had no insurance of their own.
You want to drive in Missouri you better have insurance.
I would really like to see liability attached to the driver's license. No insurance, no licence.
I've a feeling we're not in Kansas any more ...

Until 2002 I had been doing snow removal at dealerships, truck outlets, and small car dealerships where I worked in various positions from parts driver to sales and service manager. Using a customer's vehicle for anything other then to test it for the problem for which it was brought into service, would have been a big no-no at most places.

The problem is no matter how much you moan about it, the people involved are not going to see the harm and wrong in it, will just think you are wrong for complaining about nothing, and are a crazy old coot. Though they might pretend to give it lip service, they will just be mocking you behind your back. Though it might get you 15 minutes of fame on Tic-Tok.

On the bright side, did you see the news story where a truck owner took his vehicle in for service at a car dealership. The "mechanic" working on it, did not really know how to drive a standard transmission. While in the bay, the truck jumped forward with the "mechanic" behind the wheel and crushed to death another mechanic walking between the truck and toolboxes. The survivor's spouse/wife ending up suing the truck owner.

At least they did not kill or injure anyone with your property, including themselves, because otherwise you might be on the receiving end of a $1,000,000+ lawsuit yourself. So, there is always that!
I have been corrected on this issue. The operating for testing. Once the repair ticket is complete and the customer called. Operation can lead to dismissal at JD.
Just maybe they were cleaning the drive so the tractor could be picked up.
So long story short, I brought my 1025R in for some service a week ago. I got a call yesterday it was ready and I told them I’d come today (Tuesday) to pick it up.

I pulled up with my truck and trailer and went to the service area. I saw my tractor in the yard in the back and noticed a service guy jump on it. I was assuming he was getting ready to bring it out to my trailer but thought it was odd since I had just pulled up. I then walk by and go inside to pay for the service. As I walked in I noticed they were using MY tractor to clear some snow piles in THEIR yard. I have no idea how long they were using it today but this is unacceptable.

I actually was already in the process of trading mine in for a new 1025 or 2025. I even have all the numbers figured out with a sales guy and I just need to sign the deal. but now I have virtually no trust with this dealer.
I wouldn't get to worked up about it. After all, is it REALLY all that big of a deal? Did they do anything more than you yourself wouldn't have used it for? Yeah, I get it, they have plenty of other machines that they could have used. It was one guy in the service department 🙄, do you really think the owner told him to get out there and use "your" 1025 to plow the lot? If it really bothers you that much, just tell the salesman that you're dealing with about the incident, because that's the guy that this will matter the most to and who's livelihood depends on your happiness and return business. You can bet that he will mention it to the service department. As a side note, I actually had this happen to me. Back in the 80's, I bought a new Dodge Power Wagon with the Sno-
Fiter package. I found out they had been using the truck all season to plow their lot. I later found out (years later) they had damaged the tailgate and repaired & painted it.
I will put it this way would you deal on a trade not knowing what you were getting? Now they know ask for more. They likely already have a buyer in mind.
Snow blowers and riders and tractors - load testing is hard and as a service dealer for over 50 years, I want those tests when ever possible. If they are involved with the trade and you are so concerned, if it were me, I would be testing that tranny again before trade. There is nothing wrong with being an effective service center and testing things. Maybe the service guy was told, if you called ahead, to go plow your way out and leave it where the customer can get to it without wallowing in the snow. I give the dealer and the service tech a little benefit of the doubt without more info. But I do not need the info, that is for you to investigate if so inclined, in a proper manor, rather than post a set of assumptions before actually talking to someone.
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