Why do dealerships require you to make an appointment for everything now?

[RollingsFarms]

I remember the days when dealership service departments didn't require you to make an appointment for basic things like oil changes and tire rotations and things like that. I have so many "free" services with my 2014 Silverado and it's more of a pain than anything because now the dealerships are so swamped with vehicles that you need to make an appointment to get anything done and you STILL have to sit there for 2-3 hours waiting on your truck. Some dealerships don't even give you a loaner vehicle anymore, they have some stupid shuttle bus thing where they claim they will take you anywhere you need to go. My schedule isn't a clear cut schedule, it's very hard for me to make appointments days in advance because I never know what I'll be doing days from now. I'm used to the days where I could just showup for an oil change or a haircut and get it done on my free time when I had it, now it's "make an appointment". The problem with that is even though you have an appointment it still takes forever and your morning is basically shot sitting around a dealership. It's not just GM, Toyota is just as awful as I take my mother's Camry in for service and it's the same thing. I think the next time I buy a new car and the finance manager tries to sell me on "service plans" or "extended warranties" I'm just going to be blunt. "Look, your service department sucks, you're slow and forcing me to make appointments is inconvenient and when I do make appointments I still have to wait for hours. I also have no use for your courtesy van mess. You couldn't GIVE me any warranty or extended service plan for free right now." I'll be so happy when these free services are up so I can do my own work on my truck and mother's car. I just hope no warranty claims come up because it'll be "make an appointment, it'll take all day".

 

[Panik]

LOL I hear you! I just went over on mileage for my last "free" oil change on 1500. I have a pretty fluid and busy schedule as well. I bypassed the dealership and made an appointment at our local service shop for when I had some free time first thing in the morning. Spent the 45 minutes it took doing some work on the computer and gabbing with the folks in the office. On the whole it was a lot more pleasant and productive and efficient experience than the "free" dealership service. Folks at the dealership are nice, but........

 

[RandyT]

How about having to make an appointment for two weeks in the future for a flat tire on the vehicle today.

 

[grnspot110]

Only took around 25 minutes for mine on my '13 1/2 ton Silverado & was scheduled in just a few days. Of course the dealership is 25 miles away! But we go there occasionally anyway.

 

[RollingsFarms]

Only took around 25 minutes for mine on my '13 1/2 ton Silverado & was scheduled in just a few days. Of course the dealership is 25 miles away! But we go there occasionally anyway.

Some dealerships are much better than others, that's for sure. I just happen to be lucky in that the two GM dealerships and Toyota dealership all have the slowest service departments and are always busy for some reason. Not all new cars either, you'll see people bringing in a 12 year Carolla to the Toyota dealership. Why???

 

[Bird]

I spent a good part of my life living by the clock, as I'm sure most of you do, or did. But now that I'm retired, I don't make "appointments" for anything I don't absolutely have to make an appointment for, which means almost nothing except doctors.

My car dealer is less than 2 miles from the house, has a very good coffee machine, and there are always daily copies of two local newspapers available. So I don't make appointments and don't mind a reasonable wait. However, they do have a "courtesy" van that will bring me home if I prefer.

And yep, even my 14 year old Ford Ranger gets all its service at that dealership.

 

[Clint S]

Made an appointment a few months ago to change the valve stem nuts on my car a few months ago. Should not have been a big deal and been an hours job tops. I walked and had lunch and then walked around home Depot for a while. I was there over 4 hours before they finally tell me I need 2 new sensors at a cost of $500. After causing a scene I was pulled aside and told they did not have the valve stem rebuild kit in stock and would not split some from a new sensors. Two hours later I had two new sensors under warranty for a total of 6 hours for an hour job. Why start a job for a waiting costumer without making sure you have the parts, why 4 hours to dismount 2 tires. Luckily if I had not been waiting and caused a scene they probably would not have warrantied the sensors.

 

[greif]

My local non dealer comes and pick truck up at work

 

[Paystar]

Even worse when you have an appointment and drive your truck 30 miles to town and they say sorry out diesel tech went home early today. Come back next month because we're booked up now.

 

[Tomtint]

All those "free" services really are, is a way for the dealer to capture you and make you return to them so they can try to turn you back into a profit center.