My Infiniti Service Dep. is a JOKE!

[RobHakari]

Well... as I'm about to head to college in the heart of Texas... I'll most likely be bringing all of my problems to DFW Infiniti(i think that it;s name) or else the Infiniti dealership out in plano.I'm hoping that since I'veh eard the DFW dealrship is the largest one that the should have a very reputable service dept.

[PalmerWMD]

the DFW dealrship is the largest one that the should have a very reputable service dept.

Scottsdale Infiniti and DFW argue sometimes over who is bigger.I think it may depends on the salesyear.

Fred...

[RobHakari]

ok. well thats good enough for me. have ytou ever heard any complaints or super comments about DFW Infiniti?

[PalmerWMD]

I am sure their servcie dept will do a good job for you.

Fred...

[greg_atlanta]

Dealers have very high costs -- lots of well-paid employees and not so well paid employees, loaner cars, waiting areas, rent -- and even if they "rip you off" they still may be losing money on every transaction.

Customers service is not important when they're bleeding money away just staying in business.

[Jberger]

Greg, Most mainline car dealers make great money. Sure they have large operating costs, but small % profit on a large volume still generates a nice return. While it's not software company margins, they do just fine.

Poor customer service will kill a luxury oriented business faster than just sub par product. There is no excuse for the treatment I've recieved, nor is there any excuse for the dealer to charge more than list price for parts.

BTW: If you are heading to DFW, then I think you will love the service at DFW infiniti. Danny is a heck of a guy and I've heard anyone speak in less than glowing terms about dealing with them.

[zinkie13]

Quote »Zinkie, I think part of the problem is your inability to describe precisely what is wrong. A "broken" tie rod would render the vehicle undrivable. Who knows what a "messed up" tie rod is? If it is merely worn out, the service writer is circumloqaciously saying it may not be the dealer's fault.[/quote]

Maxnix....I am by no means an expert on cars. I can handle getting a little bit technical but not down to the nitty gritty. Are you trying to say that in order to get good service, or that in order to get something fixed that may have been broken while the car is being serviced I should be able to explain every detail of the problem? Probably 99 percent of the general public would not be able to do that, even if it is something simple. I think, even if they didn't agree that they may have caused the problem, that they should have been polite and helpful in trying to solve the problem. They made no offers except to schedule another appointment. The most recent thing they said was...When you get it fixed in you home town...SHIP us the broken part so we can examine it? How would that really help anything. Doesn't really make sense to me....Does it to u?

[airman]

ok. well thats good enough for me. have ytou ever heard any complaints or super comments about DFW Infiniti?

I hate to dissapoint you, but I'm not pleased with my first two visits to Grubbs Infiniti. Don't know Crest Infiniti yet but I'd prefer to find a good indy shop that could work on Q.

[AZhitman]

No excuse for anything less than TOTAL SATISFACTION from a dealer service department. None. Regardles of your knowledge base, their overhead, how much they pay their guys, etc. NO excuse.

Friggin' guy that works on my Q makes $20K a year more than I do. Drives a new G35 sedan, wife drives a new QX4.

[zinkie13]

After no success with my most recent phone call.....What should i do? Who should i contact?

[RobHakari]

Call the Infiniti Headquarters. that should get the gears turning

[zinkie13]

Do you know what the number is for that? And if there is anyone specifically I should try and talk to

[maxnix]

Are you trying to say that in order to get good service, or that in order to get something fixed that may have been broken while the car is being serviced I should be able to explain every detail of the problem?

Yes. How else is the service writer to understand the nature of the problem? Or why you think an action of theirs caused it to fail? Are you willing to pay for a carte blanche wild goose chase? Didn't think so.

Probably 99 percent of the general public would not be able to do that, even if it is something simple.

Those same 99% don't bother to learn about their cars, so any good service they get is accidental, I assure you. Learning is what this board is all about. It is most assuredly not about ranting "No one undertands me because I choose ignorance over knowledge."

I think, even if they didn't agree that they may have caused the problem, that they should have been polite and helpful in trying to solve the problem. They made no offers except to schedule another appointment. The most recent thing they said was...When you get it fixed in you home town...SHIP us the broken part so we can examine it? How would that really help anything. Doesn't really make sense to me....Does it to u?

Seeing neither the car again nor the failed part, how else can the service writer determine how it failed? Clairvoyance? Seems like a reasonable request to me.

I think you need to take a couple of real deep breaths and reflect upon what you have said to the service writer. Imagine if someone came to your place of employment and raved on about how poorly you performed, but couldn't explain exactly what constituted poor performance - how would you react? Perhaps not as well as this service writer. Just saying it's their fault doesn't make it so.

[Shayne I30]

"Effective Communication" goes both ways. The service writer zinkie takes issue with is in the "business" of repairing and / or servicing vehicles. To say that zinkie or any other customer must be able to pre diagnose their car's condition renders a significant part of the service writers business superfluous. An analogy is the relationship between a physician and his/her patient. If someone goes to their cardiologist, they are not expected to have an understanding of the heart's anatomy and the specific symptoms associated with possible conditions. Instead, the physician (just as a service writer) must be trained to communicate in a fashion that will help the layperson draw out their problems that will ultimately lead to testing and diagnosis. This Socratic communication requires the participation of both parties. Obviously, knowledge is power, but, in my opinion, Zinkie has every right to expect politeness and an explanation from his service advisor that is not designed to dizzy or confuse.

[90Q45blue]

Well said, newbie.

e-mail me some pics of your car with a write-up on it when you can. i'll put it in the member's rides section.

[email protected]

Nick

[zinkie13]

Thanks shayne! I agree with that.....I think that ANYONE, no matter how much you know about a car, goes to a shop with the basic understand that the job is going to be done correctly and if it isn't then the something will be done to correct it.

Maxnix, I am not saying they should never see the car again, I'm just sayin that if I have a problem that I believe may have been caused by something done while it was being serviced or even that i wasn't satisfied with the work that i shouldn't have to wait 2 months to have it checked up.

And i have thought about what i have said and i believe i am correct.....I didn't go in with absolutely NO CLUE....i called knowing there was a problem with the tie rod...just not knowing exactly what had happened to it. Ok i'll think of it for yoru point of view....say i'm a Audio/ visual equip repair man and someone comes in w/ a blown amp in the reciever....I repair the reciever and send it back to the customer. They bring it back and say something isn't right, the radio works but i cannot get signals from any inputs. The inputs worked when i brought it in but they don't now. I believe something may have happened to it while you worked on it. Would i say well...would you like to wait 2 months in line for me to look at it...o yeah...and it would b at your cost...or would i check inside to see if i accidently snipped a wire? I would definately check it out because more that likely it was a minor problem and i would want to keep my customer satisfied with my work or i would go out of business.

[PtM03m45]

wow shayne your some kind of psychotherapist..LOL Well said bro!!! But it sounds like poor zinkie has a crummy doctor too. Good Luck and find a good communicating mechanic and start dating him...you'd get it fixed then...LOL (bad advice huh) ewwwh

[90Q45blue]

Zinkie,

Have you talked to the service manager again? Have you called the GM? Give us an update on Monday after you've had a chance to go in there and raise hell.

nick

[I30T]

does anyone know anything good or bad about Infiniti of Charlotte? i may get ready to go get my bumper finally fixed down there, since i want it done as best as possible.

[zinkie13]

I have talked to the Service manager and all he offered was for me to bring the broken part down for him to look at. He offered no possible way for me to be re-embursed or to have the rest of the problems fixed.

[maxnix]

"Effective Communication" goes both ways. .... An analogy is the relationship between a physician and his/her patient.

Exactly!

The more articulately and accurately a patient can describe his symptoms, the better the physician can respond. Just sreaming "It hurts!" then expecting an accurate diagnosis and treatment is unrealistic.

Fortunately for the medical profession, most patients don't try to bargain for the best deal or call the physicians liars because the patient cannot adequtely explain his symptoms. If the patient is mentally incompetent and cannot communicate effectively, than treatment becomes exponentially more difficult.__________________Brian1995 Q45 & Q45t

Discover the power of the button!

[g35driver]

Working for a hospitals and doctors I can say that an educated patient will most likely heal quicker they ask questions that make the dr take note. The dr will take time out to show off his or her knowledge and in turn the patient might get better care. Patient's can shop around for the best deal on surgeries but seldom do. I believe the same goes for your Infiniti. That's why I joined this club. We need to be in the know, you know. As for my dealership, Raleigh NC they seem to be very braggadocios about their level of customer service and satisfaction. I was told they were rated at the top per their surveys which they seem to take veriy serious. Only time will tell. So far they got my vote of confidence.Kev...

[zinkie13]

Maxnix....I can explain exactly what the symtoms are but you are trying to say that I should be able to explain exactly what the problem is. Are you trying to say that a patient should try and self diagnose themselves in order to speed up the healing process. With bascially my entire family being either doctors, nurses, or dentist, I can attest to the fact that when a patient goes to see his doctor thinking he knows exactly what the problem is the healing process may be slowed down. This occurs because the doctor has to keep explaining why it might not be what the patient believes it to be.

On a side note....If i go somewhere with a car stearing perfectly fine and drop it off to be fixed, then i expect it to stear well when i get it back. I cannot explain exactly how the tie rod was damaged because it was done inbetween the time the car was dropped off and the time i got it back. I also cannot explain why the gas pedal sticks after they had cleaned the carbon out of the throttle body. Thats not for me to do. I think no matter what the service department should try and accomodate me for being a good customer. They should at least be nice and make suggestions on how to resolve the problem. I cannot keep driving back and fourth trying to figure out what it is.

[maxnix]

I can explain exactly what the symtoms are...

That's all you have to do. Just haven't seen any evidence in the posts confirming your assertion. Service writer has no chance of determining what's wrong and when it occurred otherwise, especially after vehicle has been driven away. __________________Brian1995 Q45 & Q45t

Discover the power of the button!

[zinkie13]

There is nothing more to say about the problem except that it pulls to the right a great deal, the gas pedal sticks, and somehow the car has slowed down over 1 second in its 0-60 time. Those are the symtoms.