The importance of the status symbol aspect of vehicle ownership.

[giant_mtb]

I love those license plate frames that proclaim for example "Lexus Priority Customer".  Do people really think the rest of us give a shit that they probably overpaid for their vehicle?

I don't understand why anybody leaves any extraneous (dealership) badging or plate frames on their vehicles.  Bro, you just gave them like $30,000...you don't need to be a walking (driving?) billboard for them.  Most dealership badges have pretty shitty longevity to them as well, though they've gotten better the last few years. 

[Soup DeVille]

I don't understand why anybody leaves any extraneous (dealership) badging or plate frames on their vehicles.  Bro, you just gave them like $30,000...you don't need to be a walking (driving?) billboard for them.  Most dealership badges have pretty shitty longevity to them as well, though they've gotten better the last few years. 

At least they're just glued on now; lots of classic cars were defaced with dealership badges that required holes to be punched in the sheet metal.

[shp4man]

Some of the advantages of driving an old heap? No worries about parking lot dings and "Go ahead and hit me, you idiot, it'll hurt you way more than it will me".

[12,000 RPM]

I don't understand why anybody leaves any extraneous (dealership) badging or plate frames on their vehicles.  Bro, you just gave them like $30,000...you don't need to be a walking (driving?) billboard for them.  Most dealership badges have pretty shitty longevity to them as well, though they've gotten better the last few years.

I have a badge on my car and the front plate is an ad for the dealer. Thanks for reminding me.....

[Rupert]

Yeah, like the dozen or so regular carspin posters I offered my opinion and responded when challenged about it.  Real hard?   

Pretty hard. 

[Raza]

What happened?

Someone smashed my windshield with a massive rock and left it on my hood, and my door panel was kicked in. I still haven't had a chance to get it fixed (of course the windshield was fixed, but the hood hasn't been yet).

[Laconian]

Still makes me mad to hear about that.

[JWC]

I don't understand why anybody leaves any extraneous (dealership) badging or plate frames on their vehicles.  Bro, you just gave them like $30,000...you don't need to be a walking (driving?) billboard for them.  Most dealership badges have pretty shitty longevity to them as well, though they've gotten better the last few years. 

It wasn't always about letting others know you had overpaid for a vehicle.  Badges and plates used to tells us in service if you bought your car from us. Cars with intact dealership frames, plates, and badges, got into service first. At one dealership, leaving the badge on was worth a 10-15% discount on service.

At the Caddy dealership I used to work at, the dealership installed front plates with their logo and name, Brown & Wood. A veteran salesman at the dealership, first name Wade, had custom plates made that imitated the dealership plate, but said, Brown & Wade. If you left his plate on your car, he'd personally pick it up and deliver it to the service department. The dealership's owners were often seen removing Wade's custom plates and replacing it with their original plate. About ten minutes later, you'd see Wade retrieve his plate from the trash, and reinstall it. It was an ongoing battle, one which the owners finally gave up on and surrendered. I can't even guess how many times I've seen a car or truck with "Brown & Wade" on the front drive by on the local news when there was a on-the-spot report.

[Rupert]

I will leave the dealer badges on when they pay me a monthly advertising fee.

[veeman]

On my Beetle which I bought on the internet, I called the dealer and asked them to remove any sticker or badge on the car which hadn't come with the car from the factory.  I said I wanted it to look "clean".  On the certified Infiniti I have, I've kept the dealer badge on the rear of the car.  The dealer gave  me free oil changes for a year so I thought having the badge on might expedite service but I have no idea if it actually does.  This particular badge I don't mind so much for reasons I can't really explain so I might just leave it on anyways after the year. 

[SJ_GTI]

It wasn't always about letting others know you had overpaid for a vehicle.  Badges and plates used to tells us in service if you bought your car from us. Cars with intact dealership frames, plates, and badges, got into service first. At one dealership, leaving the badge on was worth a 10-15% discount on service.

That sounds like a place I would avoid like the plague. 

[Lebowski]

Someone smashed my windshield with a massive rock and left it on my hood, and my door panel was kicked in. I still haven't had a chance to get it fixed (of course the windshield was fixed, but the hood hasn't been yet).

That sucks man, I don't remember hearing about that.  Was the door kick in a separate event?

It's anyone's guess what incites people to do these kind of trashy things. It could be that it was a nice car, but who knows. Could be a million other things, from retaliation for some perceived slight or road rage incident (i.e. thought you cut him off in traffic or something, parked in "his" parking spot etc.)  I've found the only real protection from this garbage is to park in a secure private garage, which isn't always an option for everyone. 

[Raza]

That sucks man, I don't remember hearing about that.  Was the door kick in a separate event?

It's anyone's guess what incites people to do these kind of trashy things. It could be that it was a nice car, but who knows. Could be a million other things, from retaliation for some perceived slight or road rage incident (i.e. thought you cut him off in traffic or something, parked in "his" parking spot etc.)  I've found the only real protection from this garbage is to park in a secure private garage, which isn't always an option for everyone.

Yeah, it was two separate incidents, both while parked overnight across the street from my house.

It's got to be someone who lives over there (the "old" neighborhood, built in the 60s or 70s, lower income families), because it only happens when I park on that side of the street--and every time I park on that side of the street. Nothing happens when I park on my side. If my side is full, now I just go around the back of the house and park behind the garage. Things can get a little tight if my roommate and I are both parked back there, but that's rare now that he spends 13 out of 14 nights at his girlfriend's, and the neighbors are all aware of what's been happening to my car, and we sent them an email, so they know what's up (garages open to a common "driveway" that goes behind all the houses on our block).


I am very careful about how I drive near my house for that reason--the car is very recognizable. I think it's someone there drawing a line that the "rich" people on my side of the street aren't allowed over there. Don't know why my car has been singled out and the other BMWs and Benzes haven't been (I was parked next to a TT roadster when the windshield thing happened), but again, I think that comes down to my car being the most recognizable.

[Lebowski]

That's weird indeed.  But yeah, marking territory sounds like the most likely explanation.

[veeman]

Don't fix the hood if it's just cosmetic.  Wait till you eventually move out and get better security parking.  Otherwise you're going to be throwing your money away as a dent free luxury car is just asking to be dented if you street park in Philadelphia.

[JWC]

That sounds like a place I would avoid like the plague. 

It's true at every dealership I've worked....and it isn't something customers actually know.

We were in the middle of an oil change at the Chrysler dealership and had to push the car off the rack (literally in the middle of it) to make room for a car bought at the dealership.

At the Caddy place, the owner used to walk down the line with the service manager to ask why any cars not bought at the dealership were on the lifts---and why his customers were not.

At the Ford place the owner took us in the office and said: My cars come first, then cars bought here---if they weren't bought here, I don't give a shit when you work on them.

[Raza]

Don't fix the hood if it's just cosmetic.  Wait till you eventually move out and get better security parking.  Otherwise you're going to be throwing your money away as a dent free luxury car is just asking to be dented if you street park in Philadelphia.

I'd rather have a fixed car and keep getting it fixed. My car has been hit (by my neighbor's mom), but other than that and the vandalism, it's been untouched parking on the street.

I want it fixed because fuck those people who vandalized it.

[12,000 RPM]

It's true at every dealership I've worked....and it isn't something customers actually know.

We were in the middle of an oil change at the Chrysler dealership and had to push the car off the rack (literally in the middle of it) to make room for a car bought at the dealership.

At the Caddy place, the owner used to walk down the line with the service manager to ask why any cars not bought at the dealership were on the lifts---and why his customers were not.

At the Ford place the owner took us in the office and said: My cars come first, then cars bought here---if they weren't bought here, I don't give a shit when you work on them.

This is retarded. Even if the thinking is to reward people who bought the cars there, wouldn't a dealer want to grow his base, getting customers who didn't buy their cars there to consider it next time with good service?

[AutobahnSHO]

This is retarded. Even if the thinking is to reward people who bought the cars there, wouldn't a dealer want to grow his base, getting customers who didn't buy their cars there to consider it next time with good service?

It's not like they TELL the non-"bought there" people they are getting second-class service....

[Byteme]

It's not like they TELL the non-"bought there" people they are getting second-class service....

Personally I've gotten both crappy and decent service at dealerships where I bought the car being serviced and decent service and crappy service at dealerships where I didn't buy the car.

It's a mixed bag, IMO. 

[SJ_GTI]

It's true at every dealership I've worked....and it isn't something customers actually know.

We were in the middle of an oil change at the Chrysler dealership and had to push the car off the rack (literally in the middle of it) to make room for a car bought at the dealership.

At the Caddy place, the owner used to walk down the line with the service manager to ask why any cars not bought at the dealership were on the lifts---and why his customers were not.

At the Ford place the owner took us in the office and said: My cars come first, then cars bought here---if they weren't bought here, I don't give a shit when you work on them.

If you say so. When I go to the dealer I call ahead an have an appointment (and almost always get a loaner anyway). Maybe you are right they are secretly taking longer on my car (while I am off driving around in their loaner). 

[JWC]

If you say so. When I go to the dealer I call ahead an have an appointment (and almost always get a loaner anyway). Maybe you are right they are secretly taking longer on my car (while I am off driving around in their loaner). 

They get reimbursed for the "loaner" and then they get a big discount on it from the manufacturer and sell it...so yeah, they make money there too.

[JWC]

Personally I've gotten both crappy and decent service at dealerships where I bought the car being serviced and decent service and crappy service at dealerships where I didn't buy the car.

It's a mixed bag, IMO. 

Things that affect a customer's experience: If the customer has an attitude, or had one in the past. Or if it is a customer who only gets warranty work and uses someone else to service the vehicle. Those records are just a few keystrokes away and SDs will tell you to put "good" customer before warranty only.

Dealerships managers are very particular about the new and used car customers. It took years for me to finally realize I was let go from a Honda dealer because I bought a Samurai (when they were new and difficult to get) instead of buying a car from my dealership. My dealership didn't carry them, couldn't have gotten one, but that was beside the point. They provided for me by giving me a job, I was expected to return the favor. At the Pontiac dealership, a tech was fired because his wife, with her money, bought a new VW Jetta. The owner asked who belonged to the new Jetta. The tech said his wife had bought it and he was going to service it. The owner said: "You like giving Pecheles your money so much, pack your shit and go work for him". He wasn't even allowed to finish the car he was working on.

Raza probably remembers me being stressed out when I was at the dealership. Why do you guys think I've looked everywhere but a dealership for a job. Yes, they pay really well, but you have to sell your soul.

[shp4man]

I work at a Ford store and drive a Dodge. But I did pick it off the back fence before they wholesaled it.

[Soup DeVille]

All this just enforces my belief that the dealership system as it is today is outdated and should be done away with.

[JWC]

I work at a Ford store and drive a Dodge. But I did pick it off the back fence before they wholesaled it.

Yep. My VW and my Volvo came from the wholesale line.

[BimmerM3]

All this just enforces my belief that the dealership system as it is today is outdated and should be done away with.

+1. I should be able to order a new car the same way I order a new computer.

[Lebowski]

Things that affect a customer's experience: If the customer has an attitude, or had one in the past. Or if it is a customer who only gets warranty work and uses someone else to service the vehicle. Those records are just a few keystrokes away and SDs will tell you to put "good" customer before warranty only.

Dealerships managers are very particular about the new and used car customers. It took years for me to finally realize I was let go from a Honda dealer because I bought a Samurai (when they were new and difficult to get) instead of buying a car from my dealership. My dealership didn't carry them, couldn't have gotten one, but that was beside the point. They provided for me by giving me a job, I was expected to return the favor. At the Pontiac dealership, a tech was fired because his wife, with her money, bought a new VW Jetta. The owner asked who belonged to the new Jetta. The tech said his wife had bought it and he was going to service it. The owner said: "You like giving Pecheles your money so much, pack your shit and go work for him". He wasn't even allowed to finish the car he was working on.

Raza probably remembers me being stressed out when I was at the dealership. Why do you guys think I've looked everywhere but a dealership for a job. Yes, they pay really well, but you have to sell your soul.

To some extent this happens everywhere, if you're a regular, big, it profitable customer you get better service.  It's true of restaurants/bars/coffee shops, airlines (and no it's not sport jacket dependent ), to some extent hotels etc. I don't really have a problem with it and it's good business to give top notch service to your best customers.


Firing an employee over it is going too far IMO. It would be one thing if you went to a competing dealer of the same make to save 500 bucks, but for a completely non competing product like a samurai or a spouse's car, that's absurd.

[Byteme]

Things that affect a customer's experience: If the customer has an attitude, or had one in the past. Or if it is a customer who only gets warranty work and uses someone else to service the vehicle. Those records are just a few keystrokes away and SDs will tell you to put "good" customer before warranty only.

Dealerships managers are very particular about the new and used car customers. It took years for me to finally realize I was let go from a Honda dealer because I bought a Samurai (when they were new and difficult to get) instead of buying a car from my dealership. My dealership didn't carry them, couldn't have gotten one, but that was beside the point. They provided for me by giving me a job, I was expected to return the favor. At the Pontiac dealership, a tech was fired because his wife, with her money, bought a new VW Jetta. The owner asked who belonged to the new Jetta. The tech said his wife had bought it and he was going to service it. The owner said: "You like giving Pecheles your money so much, pack your shit and go work for him". He wasn't even allowed to finish the car he was working on.

Raza probably remembers me being stressed out when I was at the dealership. Why do you guys think I've looked everywhere but a dealership for a job. Yes, they pay really well, but you have to sell your soul.

In about 1968 I knew a guy who worked at the Chrysler Assembly plant just outside St. Louis.  He bolted fenders on pickups.  He told me it was really frowned upon to drive a foreign car to work.  Domestics were acceptable but foreign cars were likely to get vandalized.

I thought that dealer loyalty crap ended years ago.  I guess I shouldn't  be surprised it still goes on though.  So someone who moves to a new town is crapped on by local dealer because he bought the car somewhere else.  Wonderful business model.

[JWC]

In about 1968 I knew a guy who worked at the Chrysler Assembly plant just outside St. Louis.  He bolted fenders on pickups.  He told me it was really frowned upon to drive a foreign car to work.  Domestics were acceptable but foreign cars were likely to get vandalized.

I thought that dealer loyalty crap ended years ago.  I guess I shouldn't  be surprised it still goes on though.  So someone who moves to a new town is crapped on by local dealer because he bought the car somewhere else.  Wonderful business model.

No..someone who is new to the neighborhood is treated as a potential new car buyer. It is when they are proven to be "taking advantage of what we offer our loyal customers" that you get served last. Now, if you are a service customer who comes in and says they bought their car at XYZ, but it is too far to travel for an oil change...you're SOL. If you bought your car from XYZ, but you're dissatisfied with their service department, you may not be first, but you won't be last.

Why do you think we're trained to ask questions? We were supposed to learn your motives for being there; your likes and dislikes; where you worked and who you knew. It is what made me good---I loved learning about people, but it also served the dealership. If the owner asked me about a customer, I pretty much knew their life history.

If we found you worked for a huge employer, you were probably treated a little better than average---because you'd talk about how great we were to your co-workers and they'd come buy a car. Heck, the Pontiac-GMC-Cadillac dealer gave customers fifty bucks for referrals that resulted in a sell.