What Service???

[achr]

This sucks. The Versa is my first Nissan and I really like the car. Shortly after I bought the car, I was invited to a "Meet the Dealer" barbecue which focused primarily on the virtues of their Service Shop.

Well today, I drove to this Nissan/Infiniti dealer (ONLY one in our city of 400,000) to get the 12,000 kilometer service which is basically an oil change, tire rotation, and a few other quick visual checks. I was prepared to wait as much as a couple hours for the car. If all else failed, I could test drive a V6 Altima while waiting. Happily, or so I thought, the Service Drive Through area (which can house 8 vehicles at a time) was empty when I arrived.

ME: "I'm here for the 2nd scheduled maintenance check."

DEALER: "Yeah, O.K.", "How does next Monday sound?"

ME: "Actually, it sounds like crap". "Don't you guys have a quick lube lane?"

DEALER: Stunned Silence!

Drove to my local Chrysler dealer whose service area is open from 7:00 a.m. to midnight Monday - Friday, and from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays. This 5* dealership constantly services all manner on non-Chrysler vehicles due to ONE compelling reason, "Customer Convenience". They're open and available when people need them. They also happen to sell over 500 vehicles per month when the average Chrysler dealership is lucky to sell 50.

I was through their FastLane lube shop with all the required Nissan maintenance performed, including the proper Nissan oil filter in 15 minutes. Total bill $38.73 including a car wash. An even simpler schedule 1 Oil Change at 6,000 kilometers cost me $43.24 at the Nissan dealer with no car wash offered.

They may THINK they have a captive audience by being the ONLY Nissan dealer in town but there are OTHER service alternatives available, and there are laws about warranty rights if the maintenance schedules are followed, even by the owner so I'm not concerned.

[KimberKenobi]

I make appointments for the Camel to get serviced at my dealership... So that doesn't really sound odd... It does sound odd that they had empty bays and didn't take you in... At my dealership, there's a drive area where you drop off your car, but then they drive it back to the work bays...

The Camel gets a free wash if it's dirty and they touch up my paint protectant. I think I pay like $23 bucks just for the oil change and their round of checks.

Sucks that not all Nissan dealers are the same (and that I doubt all Nissan dealers treat all their customers the same).

[BBISHOPPCM]

My dealer has always taken me in without appointment, and I havn't had much of a wait either. I pay about $20 for an oil change.

[Ever Victorious]

It's not just that your Nissan dealer thinks that they can get away with it because they're the only one in the area, it's just how Nissan dealers operate. They're very old-fashioned and inflexible in their ways. 4 nearby dealers to me. None have quick-lube lanes, all require appointments even for oil changes.

This is why I use a GM QuickLube.. exactly the same kind of service you got from the Chrysler dealer. $34 including tax... got me the lube service, wash, and a cold 20 ounce coke as well.

[Great White Versa]

A few months ago I broke the little plastic tabby thing that covers the area on the back of the back seats where they lock to the wall (i hope that makes sense). Anyway, when I went in for an oil change they ordered the part. I called a few weeks later and made an appointment. I showed up on time, maybe there was one car in the drop off area. A service tech walks up and I great him. I tell him I have an appointment to put the plastic tabby thing on and he says, "ok, come back in four hours."

So I say, "um, no. I made an appointment so that I wouldn't need to wait."

He said, "we're busy"

I said a few more things, got no where with him. and then offered to buy the piece and put it on myself to which he replied that it would void any future warrantee service on the surrounding area.

In the end, the guy at the cashiers office wouldn't even let me buy it.

How ridiculous is that?!?!?

[kc5f]

As much as I love my Versa, I can't say much good about the local Nissan service. They do offer appointments for their limited Saturday service, but when I called to get an appointment 10 days out they said, "Call next Wednesday." When I did, they said, "Sorry, we're booked up this Saturday."

Even worse, they don't follow the Versa service schedule, not doing things in the book and claiming others are required. Because of that, all service after 7500 miles has been done by my favorite neighborhood shop and I've saved a ton of money, too!

[matt_a]

Same deal here. We own the Versa and a Scion (Toyota). I can drop by the Toyota dealership anytime they are open and get an oil change with no appointment. Yes, if they are really busy I might have to wait a while, but it's rarely long. At my local Nissan dealership you have to make an appointment even for a simple oil change. And it's usually a minimum of 4 or 5 days away. Seems kinda dumb to me but it's really no big deal. I just have to remember to make/keep the appiontment.

[NY.AD.MAN]

I'm so sorry that all of you had some really crappy experiences,

BUT

Here in Atlanta, I met and made friends with the Service manager, so I get in and out in less than 45 minutes EVERY time, they wash my car, check all of the other fluids and (one time) even rotated my tires. One of the service guys finds me to specifically see what I have done to my car since my last visit...

HOWEVER,

The salespeople down here SUCK!