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From: wmf@chinet.UUCP
Newsgroups: rec.autos,rec.autos.tech,comp.misc
Subject: Re: Service at Dealerships (was: '86 Camaro Computer System)
Message-ID: <1023@chinet.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 15-May-87 07:25:45 EDT
Article-I.D.: chinet.1023
Posted: Fri May 15 07:25:45 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 16-May-87 16:41:47 EDT
References: <1580@Umunhum.STANFORD.EDU> <1034@codas.ATT.COM> <855@elrond.CalComp.COM> <10099@sri-spam.istc.sri.com>
Reply-To: wmf@chinet.UUCP (Bill Fischer)
Organization: Black Dog Moving and Storage (chinet), Chicago, Il
Lines: 37
Xref: utgpu rec.autos:1465 rec.autos.tech:768 comp.misc:494

In article <10099@sri-spam.istc.sri.com> robert@sri-spam.UUCP (Robert Allen) writes:
>In article <855@elrond.CalComp.COM> amamaral@elrond.CalComp.COM (Alan Amaral) writes:
>>It seems to me that you ought to be flaming the DEALER, not the
>>manufacturer.  Things break!  Things go out of adjustment!  If the
>>stupid mechanic can't fix it it's probably not the manufacturers fault,
>>it's the dealers fault.
A franchised new car dealer has as part of his agreement with the factory a
commitment to "honor product". He makes a substantial investment in both
equipment and personnel in order to fulfill this commitment. By and large,
the service department in a new car dealership has the lowest return on the
dealer's investment than any other profit center. 

So, that may offer an explanation, tho not a justification for the indifference
that you find when dealing with a warranty problem. 

What can you, the poor consumer, do? GET THE FACTORY INVOLVED! If you feel that
the dealer has not lived up to his commitment to honor product, a letter to
the FACTORY service rep will get the surest results. (His address is probably
all over your new car warranty book, posted every place but the john at the
dealer's and will be cheerfully given you by any of the "consumer protector"
agencies at the state and federal level). Once you generate that document, it
starts a "tickler" process that will continue to haunt the dealer until some
sort of resolution of the problem occurs. I speak from experience, having
been involved in automating the nightmarish paperwork problems from factory
warranty claims in a number of dealerships. Every week, the factory service
rep shows up at the deal and one of the first order's of business is dealing
with HIS mail. Since this guy can turn off the factory payments (or slow 
down, anyway) the dealer gets for warranty work, he has clout. Of course,
a copy of your letter was forwarded to HIS boss before being routed to him,
so....

Caveat Emptor, let the buyer keep copies ... 
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