Build a relationship with dealer

No. Youre looking for the one about some guy wrapping a bike chain around his leaf spring

 

No, it takes buying 20 cars to be able to leave service with your lug nuts tightened or oil plug screwed in.

Just kidding, been fairly happy with my dealer regarding services so far, minus some oil/grime smeared on headliner (and a few trim panels not snapped in place) when they replaced third brake light. Fairly happy otherwise, even got compliments on well maintained the clean the truck was from them, so kudos.

 

In general, the best I can ever expect from my local dealer's service dept. is awful. Awful servicing, awful pricing, and awful respect for my time

 

I dont see it taking 20 car purchasing from the dealership to have a relationship with them. I have bought 4 Tacomas , none of them from my local dealership but I do service them there at my local dealership . I see it as 2 differant departments, 1 being sales and 2 being service and the sales staff have nothing to do with service departments. The reason I havnt bought any of my trucks from the local dealer is there are better dealers as far as sales goes and are willing to bargin with you more, although I did try to buy from them locally 1st before moving onto another dealer either outta state or outta town. I think I have a relationship with the service department and never had an issue there. Am I just lucky? Dont think so

 

My salesman was my best soapy shower buddy for exactly 2 years when he finally figured out i wasn't trading trucks every couple years and this was a one and done sale.

Haven't heard from him since. I'm kind of disappointed. A strong dealer-customer relationship appeared so important to him... for a while.

The service department had to be convinced twice that the oil and filter service interval for the 2TR-FE was (at the time) 5K miles or 6 mos. They sell and service these, and did not know the service interval per the publication in the glove box, nor would they take my word for it or believe the book when I showed it to them. They had to call Toyota. Twice.

This does not inspire confidence in their technical ability. How does their service computer not know which engine I have and the service interval required to keep my warranty valid? It boggles the mind.

Now I get the doubletalk communications from Toyota on the frame CRC. I've not approached the dealer yet for my frame inspection, and there is absolutely no telling what bullshit story they might come up with.

It should be interesting.