#1 (permalink)  
Old 10-09-2006, 07:17 PM
crossfireGal's Avatar
crossfireGal
crossfireGal is offline
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Washington, DC
Age: 50
Posts: 135
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default "5-Star" Chrysler dealership service dept admits inexperience w/their own cars

Wow, today was an eye opener. I've certainly picked up on an anti-dealership tone in many threads on this forum, but even still I wasn't prepared for this. My TPMS light is on and I brought it to a 5-Star dealership for repair - presumably either there's a damaged sensor, or the monitoring xem is damaged (not reading from the sensors), or the xem needs re-setting. Not a real large universe of things that could be wrong. After about 90 minutes taking readings and driving it around, I was given a rental car and told we just need more time, the Crossfire is so unique and we just don't have much experience with these things (not sure if "these things" meant Crossfires or TPSM or both). Did they just say that?, I thought. Not exactly confidence inspiring. By the time I'd left they'd highlighted their inexperience 3 to 4 times. It's not the "more time" I mind (at all), it's the professed inexperience with one of their own vehicles. I don't like to name names (dealer) on here.

Questions --

What does a 5-star dealership mean (other than that one of their mechanics went to Xfi school)? - now that I've been to two and beenunderwhelmed by both, I wonder if that designation can be purchased out of a gumball machine.

Isn't it an age-old axiom about car dealerships (regardless of brand) - they overcharge but they're supposed to be supremely expert on the nuances of the cars they sell? -- better expertise, specialized equipment, uniquely trained mechanics, etc. What gives?

What exactly does Chrysler's "Crossfire school" for select mechanics entail? I'm beginning to think it's Crossfire identification (THIS is a Crossfire, THIS is a PT Cruiser, THIS is a Jeep, etc.) Even if you go to a dealer with one of these "Crossfire mechanics" you'd still think you'd brought them a UFO to hear them gripe.

Is it in the realm of the possible or allowable that they'll just call me and say sorry, we tried, we can't fix it?
 

Last edited by crossfireGal; 10-09-2006 at 09:51 PM.