OT: Lower Life Forms

[Waquoit]

The aren't too many folks I like less than Service Advisors at car dealerships. I haven't met one that wasn't an unfriendly balloon knot Everything is a fight, you can't take anything they say at face value. The glee in their eyes when they tell you that your problem isn't covered by warranty is sickening. I always leave feeling dirty for having been in their presence. I feel like that sportscaster that went off at the towing company, though I kept it to myself.

 

[geordi]

They are still about 4 clicks above Mark Emmert!

 

[ThetaZoo]

The aren't too many folks I like less than Service Advisors at car dealerships. I haven't met one that wasn't an unfriendly balloon knot Everything is a fight, you can't take anything they say at face value. The glee in their eyes when they tell you that your problem isn't covered by warranty is sickening. I always leave feeling dirty for having been in their presence. I feel like that sportscaster that went off at the towing company, though I kept it to myself.

I thought this was about Emmert too.

 

[Waquoit]

I thought this was about Emmert too.

Sorry. But that would have been on topic. I should have added "Other" in front.

 

[mauconnfan]

Thought this was a Syracuse thread?

 

[storrsroars]

The aren't too many folks I like less than Service Advisors at car dealerships. I haven't met one that wasn't an unfriendly balloon knot Everything is a fight, you can't take anything they say at face value. The glee in their eyes when they tell you that your problem isn't covered by warranty is sickening. I always leave feeling dirty for having been in their presence. I feel like that sportscaster that went off at the towing company, though I kept it to myself.

My experience is it depends on the brand/dealership. I own two cars on opposite ends of the spectrum - a POS Jeep Patriot and a Mercedes. The Bobby Rahal Mercedes group here in Pgh is great. Even if they have to deliver bad news, they recognize the main goal is to get you - and your relatives and friends - to buy from them again. They're not condescending and while you're getting the bad news you're likely sipping on espresso and a nice pastry while sitting on a $5000 leather couch. You can eat off the service dept floor.

The Jeep folks, OTOH, are all bro jocks who failed to qualify academically for Syracuse or UNC.

My vote for lowest life forms are the folks behind the "Genius Bar" at the Apple Store. They all get that same delightful gleam in their eye while telling you you're screwed because Apple no longer supports your laptop/phone.

 

[August_West]

My experience is it depends on the brand/dealership. I own two cars on opposite ends of the spectrum - a POS Jeep Patriot and a Mercedes. The Bobby Rahal Mercedes group here in Pgh is great. Even if they have to deliver bad news, they recognize the main goal is to get you - and your relatives and friends - to buy from them again. They're not condescending and while you're getting the bad news you're likely sipping on espresso and a nice pastry while sitting on a $5000 leather couch. You can eat off the service dept floor.

The Jeep folks, OTOH, are all bro jocks who failed to qualify academically for Syracuse or UNC.

My vote for lowest life forms are the folks behind the "Genius Bar" at the Apple Store. They all get that same delightful gleam in their eye while telling you you're screwed because Apple no longer supports your laptop/phone.

That's on you for buying Apple products. Their business model is planned obsolescence. Everyone knows this. That gleam in their eye is
1) they don't have to do any actual work other than say " sorry not supported, not sorry though"
2) they share in commission on the 1000s you spend in response as you custy up for the newest product that will be a planned paperweight in 3 years.

 

[8893]

The aren't too many folks I like less than Service Advisors at car dealerships. I haven't met one that wasn't an unfriendly balloon knot Everything is a fight, you can't take anything they say at face value. The glee in their eyes when they tell you that your problem isn't covered by warranty is sickening. I always leave feeling dirty for having been in their presence. I feel like that sportscaster that went off at the towing company, though I kept it to myself.

I would pay a modest amount for some video of the exchange that inspired this post. The silent rage would be priceless.

 

[jibsey]

none of my apple products get viruses and my windows based computers have them all the time, so I don't care what apple charges.

 

[August_West]

none of my apple products get viruses and my windows based computers have them all the time, so I don't care what apple charges.

Good luck with that.
I own both they are both fine. You may dispense with that urban myth these days though,

 

[Fishy]

Unfortunately, it comes down to what you pay for something.

If you buy a Mercedes, you will be treated better than if you buy a Jeep. If you buy a MacBook, you will be treated better than if you buy an HP from BestBuy.

Find a good mechanic - no need to keep going to the dealership.

 

[Waquoit]

Yup. I had it good for years. A great mechanic walking distance from my old office. But the location changed and I went ahead and prepaid for scheduled maintenance to save a few bucks. Live and learn.

 

[8893]

Yup. I had it good for years. A great mechanic walking distance from my old office. But the location changed and I went ahead and prepaid for scheduled maintenance to save a few bucks. Live and learn.

The sales push to get us to commit to the prepaid scheduled maintenance (along with the extended warranty, exterior coating product, interior coating product, etc.) was pretty incredible for our last purchase, a few months ago. The good places really have it down to a science, with the sales person doing the soft sell, but mostly trying to keep the assumed final price as low as possible. Then when you come back in to do the final paperwork and pick up the car, you meet with the "finance manager," who is frequently a very attractive, assertive woman, and you get put through the gauntlet of final pushes to extract several thousand more from you with all the extras. The finance manager on this recent purchase was stunned that she couldn't crack me for an extra dollar. Admittedly, a good friend and client is a very successful car dealer and he prepped me beforehand. So when she peppered me with questions about why I was declining various offerings, I answered with the information he gave me and she was rendered speechless time and again. It felt great.

 

[uconnell]

All my sons are excellent mechanics as is my beautiful granddaughter. I own a 2004. Sentra that only sees the interior of a shop for an oil change. I know it's time is coming though.

 

[storrsroars]

That's on you for buying Apple products. Their business model is planned obsolescence. Everyone knows this. That gleam in their eye is
1) they don't have to do any actual work other than say " sorry not supported, not sorry though"
2) they share in commission on the 1000s you spend in response as you custy up for the newest product that will be a planned paperweight in 3 years.

That's why I've owned 2 Chromebooks in the past year. One got stolen. At $250 per, I really didn't care.

I have a local Mac guy who's kept things running, but never again, unless I happen to decide to become a graphic designer for my 60th birthday.

 

[intlzncster]

none of my apple products get viruses and my windows based computers have them all the time, so I don't care what apple charges.

Weird. I haven't had a virus in years, despite very loose web browsing practices. Have 4 Windows machines.

 

[uconnell]

When I first read the title of this thread I thought it would be about the Cuse and UNC.

 

[prankster]

The sales push to get us to commit to the prepaid scheduled maintenance (along with the extended warranty, exterior coating product, interior coating product, etc.) was pretty incredible for our last purchase, a few months ago. The good places really have it down to a science, with the sales person doing the soft sell, but mostly trying to keep the assumed final price as low as possible. Then when you come back in to do the final paperwork and pick up the car, you meet with the "finance manager," who is frequently a very attractive, assertive woman, and you get put through the gauntlet of final pushes to extract several thousand more from you with all the extras. The finance manager on this recent purchase was stunned that she couldn't crack me for an extra dollar. Admittedly, a good friend and client is a very successful car dealer and he prepped me beforehand. So when she peppered me with questions about why I was declining various offerings, I answered with the information he gave me and she was rendered speechless time and again. It felt great.

Enough with the teaser!

Please provide us with the anticipated questions and the recommended answers.

Thanking you in advance....

 

[Chin Diesel]

I took my car in a few weeks ago for a faulty passenger rear door lock actuator. It was covered under the Certified Pre Owned contract. No issues so far.

I wasn't five minutes in to my wait at the lounge when my service manager comes on and asks if I want the 45k service package done that day as well. I said I was good and noted the car was at 43.5k so it wasn't due anyway.

After my visit I got one of those Survey Monkey instant surveys. I gave them 3 out 5 across the board for average. Next day I get an email from the overall service manager saying my survey was sent to the overall dealership manager. And then the phone calls started. We did the phone tag dance for two weeks before the calls stopped.

Agree with Fishy and Waquoit. Unless it is required to be worked on at dealership, find a good local mechanic and stick with them.

 

[8893]

Enough with the teaser!

Please provide us with the anticipated questions and the recommended answers.

Thanking you in advance....

I promptly forgot it the moment I drove away, of course. My brain works like that.

But ask me anything about a "Brady Bunch" episode I haven't seen in 35 years and I'll bet I nail it.

 

[ctchamps]

I promptly forgot it the moment I drove away, of course. My brain works like that.

But ask me anything about a "Brady Bunch" episode I haven't seen in 35 years and I'll bet I nail it.

OK! Did the Brady Bunch ever eat pizza on the show and what was the name of the place they ordered it from?

 

[Chin Diesel]

Enough with the teaser!

Please provide us with the anticipated questions and the recommended answers.

Thanking you in advance....

Simple.

Look the finance person in the eye and say "No Thank You".

Although the 2-3 bills I'm about ready to lay out for my boat engine makes me wish I took up the dealer for the engine warranty (although I realize no matter what is wrong it won't be covered).

 

[B1GEast]

I don't know, the people at the DMV seem worse than rental car people.

 

[huskypantz]

Weird. I haven't had a virus in years, despite very loose web browsing practices. Have 4 Windows machines.

Ye me neither. Mcafee internet security, do not use IE (firefox with a couple of slick plug-ins). Apple is locked down but they p1ss me off with the way they limit your ability to do things like add storage or replace a battery.