Don't let the dealer touch your car?

[bpeckham]

My current car is a 2012 G37S, which I love. It's the main reason, I'm considering the Z, but the G37S isn't without issues. I wonder if the dealer caused them.

The biggest issue on my car is fading paint on the rear spoiler.

This spoiler feels like a dealer-installed option. The spoiler has the third brake light, but there's also a disconnected third brake light in the rear window.

Anyway, the spoiler seems to be lower quality than the rest of the car.

With that long lead-in, here's the main topic: Don't let the dealer touch your car. Don't let them install a spoiler, or put a sticker on the bumper, or (gasp!) install an alarm system or drill holes.

I kind of feel like Nissan does a decent job engineering a car, and dealer-installed options seem like low-quality, overpriced crap.

If I had my way, I'd drive the car off the truck and never let the dealer touch it. Give me the car as it came off the ship from Japan.

 

[Haste]

My cars only go back to the dealer for recalls.

 

[bpeckham]

My cars only go back to the dealer for recalls.

I think that'll be my policy from now on. In the last few years we switched to a local, independent mechanic for regular service because we took my wife's Audi to the dealer, and it came back with 80 extra miles on the odometer. I called them out on this, and they circled the wagons. Worst customer experience ever. I'll never set foot (read spend $) at that dealer ever again.

 

[therumblewagon]

I think that'll be my policy from now on. In the last few years we switched to a local, independent mechanic for regular service because we took my wife's Audi to the dealer, and it came back with 80 extra miles on the odometer. I called them out on this, and they circled the wagons. Worst customer experience ever. I'll never set foot (read spend $) at that dealer ever again.

This is the way.

I'm taking my Elantra N to the local Hyundai dealership in the morning (not the one I bought it from, so this will be a first time experience) to get a second key fob ordered and have them look at what I think is a small factory imperfection on the hood and on the inside of the driver side door. Really minor stuff, but I bought it new so I expect it to be in good shape.

I have no intent of letting them swing it around back, but regardless when I pull up I'm putting it into valet mode. I just can't bring myself to trust the majority of service departments. Too many horror stories.

 

[Haste]

I think that'll be my policy from now on. In the last few years we switched to a local, independent mechanic for regular service because we took my wife's Audi to the dealer, and it came back with 80 extra miles on the odometer. I called them out on this, and they circled the wagons. Worst customer experience ever. I'll never set foot (read spend $) at that dealer ever again.

There are a ton of factors but overall I just haven't had very good experiences using dealer services except for recalls, and even then I had 1 bad experience with Ford. The last time I had a Nissan dealership change the oil in my old 370Z, I popped the hood afterward and there was oil all over the engine cover. Not that big of a deal but it's really just the principle. Really too lazy or don't care enough to clean up fresh oil on a spotless engine bay. I'm sure it varies dealer to dealer, tech to tech, but I seemed to have bad luck more times than not.

I use an indy for stuff that's over my head or when I just don't have time and it's too urgent to wait. I got a set of race ramps last year and have been changing the oil and doing some other stuff on all our cars since. Best $ spent in a while.

Hyundai offers complimentary maintenance for 3 years, 36k miles on our Veloster N but I decided to do everything myself even though it costs more $. I'd just rather do it right then have to spend the time taking it in and wondering if they really did everything they're supposed to do.

 

[West Aussie]

I haven’t had any bad experiences with dealer service centres in Aus other than their pricing.
Although I haven’t used a Nissan one for quite some time.

I suppose we have few things that keep them honest ( well as honest as a car dealer can be)
1.. longer warranties,
2… the ACCC which protects consumers from dodgy works
3…many brands now include three years free servicing or at least packages with heavily discounted servicing
4…very good third party mechanics that you can use and still protect your warranty…meaning dealers have to do a decent job otherwise we just take them elsewhere

 

[StrikeS30]

Only thing my vehicles ever go back to the dealership for are recalls and warranty work if it may so happen to need it

 

[Z06fan]

I think that'll be my policy from now on. In the last few years we switched to a local, independent mechanic for regular service because we took my wife's Audi to the dealer, and it came back with 80 extra miles on the odometer. I called them out on this, and they circled the wagons. Worst customer experience ever. I'll never set foot (read spend $) at that dealer ever again.

I switched to mechanics that specialize in branded vehicle and am much happier with better results. I have a local mechanic that specializes in Mini's/BMW's for my wife's Cooper S and my Honda Odyssey is currently at a mechanic that specializes in Honda/Acura's.

I'm currently looking at an older Mustang convertible and have already found a local guy that specializes in Fox Body Mustangs. There are good, knowledgeable people out there that will do better work and are much less expensive than dealers.

 

[takemorepills]

My current car is a 2012 G37S, which I love. It's the main reason, I'm considering the Z, but the G37S isn't without issues. I wonder if the dealer caused them.

The biggest issue on my car is fading paint on the rear spoiler.

This spoiler feels like a dealer-installed option. The spoiler has the third brake light, but there's also a disconnected third brake light in the rear window.

Anyway, the spoiler seems to be lower quality than the rest of the car.

With that long lead-in, here's the main topic: Don't let the dealer touch your car. Don't let them install a spoiler, or put a sticker on the bumper, or (gasp!) install an alarm system or drill holes.

I kind of feel like Nissan does a decent job engineering a car, and dealer-installed options seem like low-quality, overpriced crap.

If I had my way, I'd drive the car off the truck and never let the dealer touch it. Give me the car as it came off the ship from Japan.

The OEM spoiler on my Q60 came from Nissan pre-painted. So far, no problems on that.
Also, I had my rear deck cover changed over to the kind without the 3rd brake light.
But, I'm going on my second set of mirror caps and now my a-pillar covers have failed paint.
It seems like thin clear coat or something....
Also, the plastic fuel door has never matched.

You're probably going to see some more paint failure soon, I predict it'll be the a-pillar covers next. Seems to be common on 370 and Gs ...

 

[Donalex]

Seems the OP is talking about new cars. Promise of a pizza or two to the General Manager goes a long way to help guide the staff to keeping your new car "pure". Most stores will add advertising during PDI but that is easily removed.

Agree on the indi shops. ZTech in Longwood, FL is probably the best shop I've ever encountered in my life. Friendly, unpretentious, skilled at a much higher level, and lovers of the nameplate.

 

[Blackbeard]

man i have free service at toyota and i still do everything myself lol

 

[bpeckham]

https://www.nissanzclub.com/forum/threads/hands-up-all-the-aussies.515/post-56745

Sorry, @Hammo25, bit your grille is a cautionary tale of why the car should roll off the truck and right into your hands. Mr. Dealer, please, don't touch my car.

 

[trackratZ]

Here's the thing with my experiences, we're talking about Service departments, not the Sales sharks. Get to know the service manager and main tech personally, I mean build a connection. Two dealers I've dealt with, a Nissan and a Subaru, have really been cool and they do only what's needed. Of course they'll recommend other work, but you can take those to your indy and get them done. Dealer services usually include full inspection, plus often they bundle coupons for oil changes (Nissan had an $80 for 3 synth oil changes I grabbed for my prior Xterra, not bad), and these inspections get to Carfax which help resale later. Dealer servicing on Carfax always look good to potential buyers.

Bottom line, fine a dealer you can feel comfortable with and stick with that rappor with the service guys. It does work.

 

[bpeckham]

Here's the thing with my experiences, we're talking about Service departments, not the Sales sharks. Get to know the service manager and main tech personally, I mean build a connection. Two dealers I've dealt with, a Nissan and a Subaru, have really been cool and they do only what's needed. Of course they'll recommend other work, but you can take those to your indy and get them done. Dealer services usually include full inspection, plus often they bundle coupons for oil changes (Nissan had an $80 for 3 synth oil changes I grabbed for my prior Xterra, not bad), and these inspections get to Carfax which help resale later. Dealer servicing on Carfax always look good to potential buyers.

Bottom line, fine a dealer you can feel comfortable with and stick with that rappor with the service guys. It does work.

This is actually what I'd done with the Audi dealer. Always the same service advisor, met the tech a few times, actually went back into the shop (seems like that wouldn't be allowed). Totally intended to keep using them, until the mystery 80 miles. When I showed the service advisor, he initially agreed with me. It wasn't his management chain got involved that the wagons circled.

I'm not saying all dealers are the same (well, I guess I am by starting this thread). I'm sure there are good dealers out there, but they seem harder and harder to find.

 

[bpeckham]

I'm kinda interested in how the Nissan experience will go. All of my prior Nissans were purchased (and serviced) at dealers in the Phoenix area. Since I moved to San Diego, I switched to Infiniti, and I did like my Infiniti dealer (sales & service). Over the past 20 years of Infiniti ownership a mega dealer in San Diego scooped up all the Nissan shops (and even eventually the Infiniti shop I used to like).

Now, finding a Z is hard, and I'm guessing, if I'm able to find one, it won't be from the mega dealer in San Diego who has had the same three Proto Specs at ridiculous markup that haven't moved in the last four months.

So I expect the ownership experience to be: purchase the car from some dealer I don't know, hundreds of miles away, perhaps from another state. Then have the car serviced at my local mechanic's shop.