dealership "car is to old to run well"

[DaveSmed]

Heh, can tell who in this thread has done the dealer-tech thing. Luckily no more for me, couldn't stand it.

[markseven]

LOL, wow. You are so wrong.

Give us the scoopy :D

[WillisE30]

Give us the scoopy :D

Warranty is a big screw job for you the technician. The times are low, you'll be lucky if you can make any time on the job at all. It's also a loosing proposition for the service department and the dealership as others have stated previously.

Generally speaking techs are paid flat rate, meaning that they get paid whatever the job books out at, whether it takes them ten minutes or two hours. Warranty times are lower than regular repair times, in other words you make less money for the same work. When your pay check is based on how productive you can be with your time this gets old fast.

As for modified/old cars I know exactly why shops prefer to avoid them. Generally speaking on old vehicles things are in various states of degradation, meaning they're an extra big pain in the ass to work on. Parts are more prone to breakage when being removed, there's usually more than one problem a customer is experiencing so fixing the first/most obvious thing doesn't always cure the customer complaint. All these little potential headaches add up to big potential time loss and less profit for everyone involved.

The same is true with modified vehicles, only in a different way. Adding parts to your car obviously changes things and obviously can effect diagnosis and repair, generally making it more challenging. For one techs aren't used to dealing with modified cars, two you don't know what was done to the vehicle by the owner and you often have to figure it out on your own time(shrinking paycheck).

Obviously this doesn't excuse out and out lying or poor customer service on the part of a service writer/manager. However, I think lots of you are missing some important points in understanding shops and why they behave the way they do.

[bimmer8604]

Warranty is a big screw job for you the technician. The times are low, you'll be lucky if you can make any time on the job at all. It's also a loosing proposition for the service department and the dealership as others have stated previously.

Generally speaking techs are paid flat rate, meaning that they get paid whatever the job books out at, whether it takes them ten minutes or two hours. Warranty times are lower than regular repair times, in other words you make less money for the same work. When your pay check is based on how productive you can be with your time this gets old fast.

As for modified/old cars I know exactly why shops prefer to avoid them. Generally speaking on old vehicles things are in various states of degradation, meaning they're an extra big pain in the ass to work on. Parts are more prone to breakage when being removed, there's usually more than one problem a customer is experiencing so fixing the first/most obvious thing doesn't always cure the customer complaint. All these little potential headaches add up to big potential time loss and less profit for everyone involved.

The same is true with modified vehicles, only in a different way. Adding parts to your car obviously changes things and obviously can effect diagnosis and repair, generally making it more challenging. For one techs aren't used to dealing with modified cars, two you don't know what was done to the vehicle by the owner and you often have to figure it out on your own time(shrinking paycheck).

Obviously this doesn't excuse out and out lying or poor customer service on the part of a service writer/manager. However, I think lots of you are missing some important points in understanding shops and why they behave the way they do.

I agree 100%. Thankyou for writing a super long post to express how I feel!!!

Kyle

[kellie]

Yes, thank you Willis. Well said.

[moatilliatta]

it would be fun to drag my car into a dealership, dirty and with bottlecaps/snowtires. Tell them my engine idles funny at 900rpm and see if they can figure it out. :p

Vacuum gauge FTW

[moatilliatta]

Many independent BMW shops are equipped almost as well as dealers when it comes to diagnostic computers and software updaters. They have no choice but to spend the money or face extinction. Find one and you'll be happy. My local independent started 35 years ago and never changed location. So, they know 2500s, Bavarias, 2002s as well as e39s, e46s and newer cars.

the local shop buy my is working on putting a 4.4 in an e34

[delatlanta1281]

I take my car to an independant Jag shop. They charge me cost for parts and I decide what I pay my mechanic for labor. I also pay for his bar tab due to him being my best friend. On the other hand the VW dealer wanted to charge me a grand for the passenger side CV axle replacement in my Jetta wagon (5 speed auto stick 1.8t). The WHOLESALE COST of the axle was 508. The retail was $675. No one besides vw had one. Needless to say I replaced it at a whopping $508 dollars. I don't take my cars to dealerships. Sorry to those who actually do honest work, but watching a tech put my oil plug in with a medium air impact cured me of that. Soon after the impact "installation" my oilpan was toast. It seemed the bolt had somehow threaded itself into the bottom of the pan. VW had no I dea how this happened. And I replaced the oil pan on my own for $160 as opposed to $550.

[nando]

Vacuum gauge FTW

that would be funny, because I already know that my engine idles at about 50-55kpa. stock is like 40kpa I think?

[xLibelle]

i HATE having to try and source parts from the dealer. A tiny little clip is $2.30 while any online shop that sources from BMW gets it for $.20. WTF?!?!
i figure the bmw dealers dont want to waste their time with old antiquated shit so they MAKE it worth thier time by jacking the price, am i right?

[02stu]

the dealership was in Charlottesville, which I thought would be more understanding. I never told them the engine was in an e30, they think it was a standard e36.

[Farbin Kaiber]

Warranty Book Time (labor hrs.) + Flag Time (pay system) = FTL

It's all about CP Gravy.

[rThor432]

i HATE having to try and source parts from the dealer. A tiny little clip is $2.30 while any online shop that sources from BMW gets it for $.20. WTF?!?!

Really? That sucks, the parts manager gets mad at me for ordering a ton of little nickel dime special order items that have to be imported from Germany.

He's a friend though, so I dont care. The only reason I go there is to visit him anyway. I buy all of the expensive stuff through work.

[Brinkley]

the sales people at my dealership dont even bother with me anymore they know im there for free sodas and parts

[redhatpat]

The two parts staff at my local BMW dealer are women with nice boobies. And they wear blouses with a couple buttons undone. :D

Now, I'm sure I need some more of those $0.50 door clips... :D