Car dealerships in densely populated areas face a growing problem. The problem is that the zoning and high price for property forces them to work out of an isolated space that is not sufficient to meet the needs of product demand as brands become more popular and repairs become more complex. This leads to cramped lots that make it disastrous to pull up for service and even harder for the mechanics to make time while retaining quality.
The mechanics at congested city dealerships have effectively become lot-jockeys who fret away the majority of their day moving cars around razor tight lots. If your vehicle has complex problems, they will ask you how much money have to experiment with in order to scare you away because it is not the type of business they want. City dealerships will also sell you parts that you don’t need and make up fictitious services to pad the bill when your vehicle has any involved problems.
City dealerships are becoming worse by the day in meeting the needs of customers. These city dealerships have many obligations to their customers that are rarely met. For the most part, high-volume low-space dealerships are focused exclusively on padding their pockets with as much money as possible and doing the bare minimum to retain customers.
Their high-volume business model and the trend of auto manufacturers to build in secret destruction points (planned obsolescence) to keep consumers coming back for new cars is not to the benefit of the community at large. Over time, after years of dealing with such city dealerships or working at them, you will find that dealerships want to sell people cars and to keep selling them by ensuring that their cars fail prematurely.
They are not like the small town family owned dealerships that have an extensive interest in long-term customer satisfaction. The trend for big cities, where local reputation doesn’t mean a whole lot. Is for a dealership to retain a monopoly with other dealerships (no competition) because they all underpay their mechanics and overcharge for repairs. They do not want to tie up lifts with extensive repairs and, therefore, focus almost exclusively on changing oil and rotating tires.
Big City Dealers Exploit Automotive Trends
The manufacturers are already attempting to withhold all sorts of proprietary information that is important to efficiently and effectively fix the vehicles. They are attempting to create a monopoly on service by threatening to void the factory warranty if you take your vehicle to an independent garage. Vehicles with weaknesses in their design to make them disposable. The number of parts and cost of parts continues to climb. That’s because they over-engineer vehicle systems with meaningless functional advantages simply to require more maintenance and repairs. The overall trend is to withhold the key for keeping late-model vehicles on the roads. This is beyond the five years or so that may be covered by some type of warranty.
It is very rare for an engine to be rebuilt and for someone to continue driving the same vehicle. Especially, the number of problems that accumulate can make it cost-prohibitive. The dealerships simply have too much business the way it is to even care. They would rather cater to the customers who buy a new car whenever they face a major repair. Also, the type who perpetually lease vehicles. These city dealerships might not even care if you purchase a new vehicle from them. That’s because they have to balance congesting their lots further against slightly increased profits.
Because their business model has grown far beyond its capacity to serve customers properly. A city dealership like this you should avoid at all costs. If there are only a handful of spaces to park your car when you arrive. That make you grit your teeth. That’s because the spaces are so difficult to access. Also, you can’t expect to be treat like anything but a number. If you have to make an appointment to be treated with respect, you will probably be better off walking.
The incentive for city dealerships is to explode far beyond their functional capacity is huge. The volume pricing discounts are only possible if they flood their lots with vehicles. Does it may sound smart to keep the vehicles in another storage location? Replenish the supply when vehicles is sold, the costs of transporting and reinspecting the vehicles every time. Also, by getting them inspected they have transported strips away the slim profit margins.
Like it or love it, if you live in the big city. It is not worth it to rely on city dealerships for service. It is better to drive outside of the city and find skilled mechanics who know how to keep your vehicle going. When your warranty is up, it is worth your time to find the best regional general service shop. If they work on all makes and models to extend the life of your vehicle.
