Auto dealer maintenance upselling

[Dftodd]

Wow. That is not upselling. That is outright fraud/stealing.

The service writer never actually looked at the vehicle. She based her assumption off the mileage.

Wife made her look like a fool, and they lost a customer over that attempted upsell.

 

[MoKelly]

The service writer never actually looked at the vehicle. She based her assumption off the mileage.

Wife made her look like a fool, and they lost a customer over that attempted upsell.

Thanks for clarification. I would also stop being a customer of that business.

 

[dfkrug]

"Honest question…

When one buys a Tesla direct… at least I think this is the term… do you have to run the gauntlet of value added features and services pushed at the Dealership level?"

NO you do not.

It was the easiest and fastest vehicle buying experience I have had.

Great you had a good purchase experience with Tesla. How did they get around that regulation that requires new cars in the US to be sold thru dealers, and not manufacturer-direct?

Years ago, a friend put down a $30K deposit for the privilege of buying one of the first batches of Model S Teslas. It was many years late, but Tesla gave him a card that he could use to take out a Tesla Roadster over night. He gave it to me, and I took one out with another friend. Back then, Tesla HQ in Palo Alto was their only "dealership", and the Roadster was an electrified Lotus Elise. Price: $150K

I did not buy one, but I do remember I got many calls from them asking me to. They also offered to pre-sell me my first replacement battery for $10K. It was very quick, but 3x the price a Lotus Elise.

 

[ultrarunner]

Navy Doc took his VW camper to VW for service and part was valve adjust.

He put thin safety wire on the cover clips. He was charged for full service but safety wire had not been touched…

It was a big deal with dealer asking what they could do to make it right.

 

[sd455dan]

The service writer never actually looked at the vehicle. She based her assumption off the mileage.

Wife made her look like a fool, and they lost a customer over that attempted upsell.

Service writers have a lot of power. Sometimes it goes to their heads and they just make assumptions to make more money without even checking the vehicle.

That would be the last visit .

"Honest question…

When one buys a Tesla direct… at least I think this is the term… do you have to run the gauntlet of value added features and services pushed at the Dealership level?"




Great you had a good purchase experience with Tesla. How did they get around that regulation that requires new cars in the US to be sold thru dealers, and not manufacturer-direct?

Years ago, a friend put down a $30K deposit for the privilege of buying one of the first batches of Model S Teslas. It was many years late, but Tesla gave him a card that he could use to take out a Tesla Roadster over night. He gave it to me, and I took one out with another friend. Back then, Tesla HQ in Palo Alto was their only "dealership", and the Roadster was an electrified Lotus Elise. Price: $150K

I did not buy one, but I do remember I got many calls from them asking me to. They also offered to pre-sell me my first replacement battery for $10K. It was very quick, but 3x the price a Lotus Elise.

Not sure,
I went on line to Tesla's order page and configured the car, hit the buy button . Then it asks for some more info to be registered.
You also pay an order fee of $250.
Once registered, your smart phone has a Tesla ap and the delivery window updates eventually, a bit after a VIN is assigned meaning the car has actually been built.
Idaho does not have any Tesla service/sales centers so my "store " is in Washington state in Spokane. Finally a two week window narrows delivery time down and they have you pick a day and time that fits their and your schedule.
Bring ID and a certified check on the date and time, maybe 15 minutes of paperwork after checking out the car and accepting it with some help pairing the phone with the car a couple pointers and getting questioned on whether you have driven a fast car so as to set it in sport or chill mode initially and off you go.

I think that law may be state dependent?

 

[Hay Dude]

My wife was asked if she wanted a “fuel injector service” for $299. I wonder if that was a simple dumping of a can of fuel injector cleaner into the fuel tank?

 

[Oaktree]

Great you had a good purchase experience with Tesla. How did they get around that regulation that requires new cars in the US to be sold thru dealers, and not manufacturer-direct?

That question has been asked before, and no one seems to have an answer. My guess is that palms have been greased.

I went on line to Tesla's order page and configured the car, hit the buy button . Then it asks for some more info to be registered.
You also pay an order fee of $250.
Once registered, your smart phone has a Tesla ap and the delivery window updates eventually, a bit after a VIN is assigned meaning the car has actually been built.
Idaho does not have any Tesla service/sales centers so my "store " is in Washington state in Spokane. Finally a two week window narrows delivery time down and they have you pick a day and time that fits their and your schedule.

Not that I have any particular desire to own a Tesla, but how does that work for someone who doesn't have a smart phone, or doesn't want to install their aap? I can't be the only one without one.

 

[dodge man]

I remember years ago 60 minutes or some similar show took a vehicle to different service stations posing as a family on vacation. They took a plug wire off. Some places just put the wire back on, no charge. Others put new plug wire or wires on. Others charged for all sorts of work they never did. Of course they had a hidden camera under the hood.

I think the rate of fraud was over half. I personally didn’t see a problem with putting a new plug wire or wires on, they shouldn’t just fall off, the thought being maybe they are getting old, still it’s an eye opener.

 

[sd455dan]

That question has been asked before, and no one seems to have an answer. My guess is that palms have been greased.

Not that I have any particular desire to own a Tesla, but how does that work for someone who doesn't have a smart phone, or doesn't want to install their aap? I can't be the only one without one.

They provide 2 cards same size as a debit card. You can use them forever without a phone, just like keys.
The info and transaction and delivery info can also be done on a home computer that is on line I think.


It is just a Whole Lot more convenient to have the phone ap.
No need to hit a key FOB to lock or unlock doors. With a phone get out of the car shut the door and about 20 feet away hear the horn honk as the vehicle locks walk back to the car in the parking lot and it auto unlocks.

Bluetooth links up from phone to car.
Below freezing outside and need a quick trip to town just open the ap before stepping outside, and select climate and defrost the car heat seats and wheel, also as soon as You use the card the car moves the seat and sets things to your preferred settings. So if the wife has the other card it will also set everything to her likes as the card is swiped and door opened Actually if at home no need to do that either just place the card on the console.

 

[sd455dan]

I remember years ago 60 minutes or some similar show took a vehicle to different service stations posing as a family on vacation. They took a plug wire off. Some places just put the wire back on, no charge. Others put new plug wire or wires on. Others charged for all sorts of work they never did. Of course they had a hidden camera under the hood.

I think the rate of fraud was over half. I personally didn’t see a problem with putting a new plug wire or wires on, they shouldn’t just fall off, the thought being maybe they are getting old, still it’s an eye opener.

Some of the Really scummy ones would dump a packet of baking soda in the battery .