There are 4 dealers in the Denver metro area and one inalienable truth amongst all 4 is they are NOT D1 friendly. A while back I went into a dealership (will not name names) with approval over the phone that they would check my SRS fault and just let me know what it was for free. Of course since I am a Audi tech I asked them for a "solid". I know as just about everyone on earth knows it takes a whopping minute to hook up a machine and read a code. I showed up and talked to a service writer (not the one I talked to over the phone) and he came at me with a hour of diag time to read a code. I explained to him I know it takes a minute just to tell me a code so I can fix my airbag system and I am a tech. If they did not have a propriatary computer for this I would have just found another way. I was going to buy a bunch of LR gear while I was there but instead decided to just leave. It has left me with such a bitter taste in my mouth I have not even entertained recommending any dealers to any other LR owners. I did try to do this at all 3 other dealers and got the same response. Even though I have 2 good friends working at the other 2, neither of which are techs tho.

I guess the point of this rant is, if you do not support those who work so hard to keep your name brand on the road then what is the point?

 

Dealerships are large businesses with huge overhead costs to operate. No mystery that their primary goal is profitability... Some are better managed than others but mostly you will find that their goal is to screw you every which way 'till Tuesday, then ask you to come back on Wednesday.

This is not necessarily the fault of the manufacturer, although they could do a better job of incentivising dealerships to be far nicer and accomodating to the customer. I buy Land Rovers cause I like em... not because I like the salesperson.

Truth be told, I don't blame them... it's a business and not your buddies workshop. Which is why I would never support or recommend that anyone support a Land Rover Dealership. Plus, there are so many independent parts suppliers, specialized fabricators and independent mechanics specific to Land Rover that stealerships serve no real purpose other than code reading and at that point you may need to just pay $90 to have someone tell you exactly which parts have failed. AND you best throw a few bones to an indie for diagnostic reading too since the equipment is VERY expensive.

I completely get your point... I just have no expectance that a dealership is there to help me after the sale.

 

While I respect that viewpoint. There is no way in hell I will ever pay $90 for 1 minute of work. I would rather pull the bulb in the cluster.

If you look at it from a numbers standpoint, that is $5400 per hour.

I know dealers are ridiculous. I work at one. I also do work on the side at less than half the labor rate of my dealer.

 

That clearly is frustrating and one of the main reasons I got away from dealers completely. My wife has a 06 LR3 and I have a 98 Disco, I service both vehicles at Pikes Peak Rovers. They are honest respectable and are always willing to lend a helping hand.

Hopefully you have one of these shops in your area...

 

I too worked for Audi and admire their training programs and care for the customer... they have to in order to come close to touching BMW's sales numbers.

As far as $90 / minute...Let's say you are an indie mech... If you paid out $10,000 for autologic (and the annual updates at $$$'s) would you offer to let Joe-rover-owner plug in for a $10 diagnostic fee? Oh and then not have you fix the problems you found for him? Then "Joe" goes and spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars over time with someone else?

Business is business

P.s. no offense meant to anyone named Joe.

P.p.s. Quattro is far superior to X-Drive.

 

+1 for quattro!!! I loved my old Audi with the torsen center diff and a push button locking rear diff. crazy germans! hahaha


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpM45fS5b1Q

 

I bought a laptop, invested in Ross-Tech w/ a USB DLC connector. Cost total around $1200 with free updates.

My point is they have a proprietary tool. Why be stingy with a enthusiast?
You create one really pissed off customer. Want to guess how many people I am going to tell about this dealer? Probably effect 1000's of customers. Why make such a large enemy out of someone who loves the brand?

I know I am barking up the wrong tree. I should just drive down to Pikes Peak as other guys in my 4x4 club go there as well. Plus I like going down to the springs. We have JC's rovers up here but I do not know anyone who works there. Being a tech I find it hard to trust anyone with my vehicle. If I could just fix this myself I would not give a crap anymore.

 

I believe we are in agreement. I too think dealerships should care more about service of older vehicles. Generally, owners of the older m.y.'s are more loyal and comitted to service. Maybe I am pessimistic about certain things but I just don't have faith in businesses to care more about me, my feelings or my opinions EVEN if, in the long-term, I know it is at their detriment as I will not support them because of that attitude.

As for disgnostics, it is good and altruistic to buy expensive equipment only to then share it with others of like interests at no cost. I admire that. If only more people were like that.

But when you own a business you have to pay for your lease, utilities, inventory, tools, test equipment, employees, etc... and unfortunately favors aren't legal tender.

Next time I'm in CO. I'm stopping by your place for a free check up.

 

For what the dealer spends on donuts, coffee and HD tv in the waiting room they could throw out a few "freebies" in good faith to the little guy.
You roll up in a 18 month old RR Sport charge the guy a full hour, you pull up in a 15 year old Disco...come on.

That being said they are in business to make money.

 

Most dealerships deserve the bad rep they get. I used to work for a few VW Dealers. The last one I worked for had a large enthusiast customer base. We took care of the enthusiast, and in turn they all wanted to have our plate frames, stickers etc. on their cars. We would work on their cars at our regular labor rate, but, when it came to certain things, there were definite hook ups, we gave club discounts on parts, held car shows at the dealership, participated in events, etc. It was both a profitable and fun dealership to work at.

Currently I work at a motorcycle shop that has a HUGE enthusiast customer base. We hold on to them because we treat them largely the same way I just explained.

Not all dealerships are bad. They get a LOT of stuff crammed down their throat and up the other end from the manufacturers. They have large overhead costs, etc.

As a flat rate tech myself, I would not have a huge problem with paying for diag time. Once you consider, (and no offense meant here in any way shape or form), the Service Writer needs to get a Tech, pull that Tech off of whatever job they're working on, the Tech needs to then go get the scan tool, walk over or pull your truck in, connect the scan tool, print out or write down the diag codes, look up what the codes mean or what the possible/probable cause may be, spend a minute or two talking to the service writer about rectifying your situation, then the service writer has to explain the problem and possible remedies to you. When you decline to have the work done, they have to put the scan tool away, hand you back your keys, or pull your truck out. It's definitely more than a minute.

The dealer has to pay the service writer and the tech, the electric company, the insurance company, the manufacturer for the scan/diag tool, etc.

Heaven help the tech if he offers to scan your codes for free, with no work order, and something goes wrong, his fault or not.

I went to scan a very good customer's bike, for free, they have had a ton of custom work, performed every service etc. at our shop, I plugged in the scan tool and their bike wouldn't even power up. Not my fault, not the shop's fault, not the scan tools fault, but, you better believe I ended up diagnosing and repairing a ground fault for free. Just shy of 2 hours later, the bike powered up and was fine, the code was for a short in the injection system, which was related to the ground fault.

Remember, I'm not trying to cause controversy, be a jerk, or anything else, just illustrating the same basic scenario from the other side of the Service Counter.