Does Toyota really monitor Dealership service?

I've owned my 2012 DC for just over a month. I went with the Tacoma thinking that all the troubles Toyota has had in the past few years, they would make sure that the service deparments at dealerships would treat you as a friend and not an enemy.

I took my Tacoma to the service dept. where I bought the truck because it was drifting to the left on the highway. Driving it was a workout....just to keep in going straight.

They checked for a bad tire but determined it was out of alignment, so they put it on the rack to line it up.

When Mr. service guy came out with the paperwork, he explained what they did. Then the guy says to me "this is the only freebee you'll get".

I should mention the truck only had 890 mile on it at the time.

It didn't register what he said to me until I was driving off.

If I was faster on my feet, I woiuld have reminded him that I paid $30,000 for that alignment, nothing was a freebee.

I'm beginning to think after that comment and reading horror stories here, I'll skip the free maintenence and change the oil, etc. myself.

I really like the truck, but I think I would have bought another brand had I known it would be like this.

Thanks for letting me vent.

 

next time tell the service tech to go fuck himself. It doesnt really solve anything, but you feel a lot better afterwards.

I would never go to the dealership for anything other than buying parts or warranty work.

 

Dont let a dick head in service change your opinion on your truck, you still have a sweet truck. That guy is an idiot, but there is a chance he was kidding too knowing you were under $1k

 

If possible, go to a different dealer. Clearly that dealer has asshole techs. To be fair there are most likely assholes at all dealerships... but still.

 

or the techs are fine and the service advisors are the dicks...

 

He probably meant it's the only free alignment you'll get, which is reasonable.

 

My dealer in Dartmouth is pretty good. I haven't been in many times, but the service personnel who greet me when I drop off my truck know me by name. I went in for my last oil change and received an email within 2 days asking me how I would rate my last visit, and the service adviser who looked after me. And one week after that I got an email from Toyota Canada, asking me to do a online customer satisfaction survey. So to the OP question "Does Toyota really monitor Dealership service?", I think they do.

Frank

 

Should have told him its all going to be a freebee under 30,000 miles

 

X2. And if you give any survey question a low score, it triggers a follow up call from the service manager asking you how they can improve.

 

Nothing like the service techs in my area, sorry to hear this...

 

My dealership, Jim Norton Toyota of Tulsa, sends out a survey after every service visit. If I don't rate everything as excellent, I get a phone call from the service manager. Don't know how well Toyota Corp moniters dealerships, but I think the most important factor is how well each dealership is managed. As for the comment by your service rep, if you will look at your warrant info, wheel alignments are not covered, so he was telling you the truth. On the other hand on a new vehicle like yours, they certainly should have repaired it and they did.

 

He's the service manager - not smart enough to wrench and not slick enough to sell - so he's angry everyday he walks into that joint.

 

Alignments are not warrantable. (within a certain grace period on brand new vehicles. Same with breaks, tires, and other wearable components.

Edit: Looked it up. Dealer is allowed to do ONE free alignment (warranty) within first 12 months or 20000km (12500 miles). Have to have a proven reason why. Eg. Pulling, improper tire wear, etc.

 

We are monitored by corporate all the time.
Someone is always looking over our shoulder.

 

HAHA, i never thought of it that way.

 

I agree, I wouldn't expect them to do an alignment for free every time I thought I had a problem ....BUT, if the truck still has a problem, it's still their problem the way I see it.

I took the survey they sent me. Will be getting a call from someone.

Nothing was for free.....

 

Everything is recorded in their computer database. The service advisors usually don't know their ass from a hole in the ground, but on rare occasions you get a few good ones. I managed to get a good one here at Roseville. Managers and Owners usually don't like bad PR, so a quick chat with them usually takes care of it.

 

Yeah, I've had my 4Runner for a little over a year and have had no problems with my service advisor at Yokem Toyota up in Shreveport. They replaced, without question, my driver's headlight because it was getting some moisture in it and one of my dash lights that went out within the first 90 days I owned the truck. It was a TCUV. Still haven't found one I like in Baton Rouge yet, between Team, Price LeBlanc, and All-Star.

Just hunt around, there are good ones out there!

 

Regardless if it's only one service alignment done for no charge, he should not have said that to OP. I think OP should have turned around and told the manager of the dealership. Not the service manager but the actual owner.

This is not the way to treat a new customer. Or ANY customer for that matter. But it looks like things should get solved with the comments made on the survey. And yes, they DO listen. They really do. Good luck and keep us posted on the outcome please.

 

No one asked, and you never said.. did you change tires, wheels or suspension or do some off roading and hit a rock? I'm only asked to figure out why the tech was so rude to you. I mean, there's not some Toyota tech on another forum going on about how some guy came in and raised Hell about the quality about his truck and berated the crap out of him is there?

Frank