I have been going to the Jag/Volvo/Land Rover dealer here in SW Houston for 7 years now and have always been taken care of when dealing with sales or service. We have had three cars serviced there throughout the years and have never had a complaint...and have spent several thousand of dollars as well!

I took my '08 XKR in two weeks ago for an airbag light. I placed a service request online and stated I would need a courtesy car (side note, when I bought the Jag there they charged me a $497 Dealer convenience fee (gee thanks) that was to include free rental cars for any service).

I went to service in the morning, they checked the car in and then drove it away to the back lot. Then I'm told they can't get to the car for two weeks since they are so backed up. Would've been nice to know before they took my car away. It's been 96 degrees and sunny every day and so my car would sit baking the hot sun the entire time.
What else could I do so I said fine, just give me a loaner so I can get to work. Oh, they don't have any loaners due to their backlog but are happy to drive me to work. Well that's not very convenient so I had them take me home instead where fortunately I have another car to drive. This took close to two hours out of my morning.

they were able got to my car three days later quoting $1,000 for the passenger seat belt buckle!! I nearly puked and pushed for a discount so they knocked off $150. Not thrilled but okay go for it.

The part is continually delayed they state and end up not being able to repair for the car for 1 1/2 weeks! Again, my car sits baking in the sun. They knock another $100 off which helps.

I go on a Saturday to pick it up and suddenly the AC doesn't blow any air! No one from service is there so I have to leave the car and go home yet again empty handed.

I call Monday and they say they will get to it. No call back Monday. I call Tuesday they say they are backed up with higher priority cars....I complain saying this is a priority, they will look into they say.

Wed I get a call and they now want $1,700 and claim the motor, resistor and something else needs to be repaired but amazingly they can complete it that afternoon!

I call back saying never mind I will take the car home as-is. They say fine and charge me $160 for the diagnosis. I complain letting them know that they have seriously inconvenienced me and reminded them of the $497 'convenience fee' that guarantees me a loaner which they never provided. They got grease on the steering wheel, door, and seat. My car has sat for 2 weeks baking in the sun (Yes I'm particular about my always-garaged car and a plastic bottle in my car actually melted) Oh they are happy to knock off 10% ($14) for this! Really! $14 whole dollars for the fact my car is worse now then when I dropped it off. Not to mention that they were able to save the cost of 14 days of rental car fees (They use Enterprise for their cars)!!

When I picked up my car this evening I gave them a serious earful and let them know that I will no longer be doing business with them. I shared with them my experience and they said "sorry for the grease", and "talk with finance about the $500 you paid for the loaner cars". No need, I will never go back!

There was absolutely no compassion or "I'm sorry for your inconvenience".

I've been shopping for an F-type with one of their sales guy but now I'm going to pass. I'm not even sure I'm going to stay with Jag since all other dealerships are a bit too inconvenient to visit.

I may look into a Tesla since they have outstanding customer service and even a valet service.

I will definitely be writing a letter/email to higher ups in their corporation.

 

Dan, what a bunch of crap that dealership pulled. I would be just as pissed off. Service standards really vary with Jaguar dealerships. I too would think twice about buying a new one with negative experiences I had with one auto magnate in New England that has at least one Jaguar dealer near me. This dealership is a JLR dealer and any parts interaction or scheduling of service has been a failure. I wont post their name, but will in PM.

How much can you "tar and feather" them online? Bad Yelp review with names of people you dealt with. Perhaps a call to Jaguar North America is in line? What that dealer did sounds border line fraud.

 

Well, I agree 100%. A letter to the GM and and copy the owner is a necessity, in light of your loyalty over the years. I would add a passage in your letter stating "social media" is a powerful tool these days.
Adding this comment to a letter I wrote a couple years ago got results for me, including a late evening call from the owner of the dealership. We ended the call with a mutual agreement. You were treated so poorly!
Good luck!

 

The dealer experience is at least 50% of the ownership experience. I chose to never buy another Mercedes based on much less severe dealer servicing problems than what you described. That is why I am in a Jaguar now. So far the Jag service has been of lower quality than I had hoped as well. It really makes one wonder how much one must spend before receiving first class service.

 

If totally unsatisfied I would contact JOA and set up a meeting with a Jaguar representative and the head of the dealership. I would deal with the facts of the experience and try to keep emotion out of the discussion. Explain as discussed in the OP note and see what results you get. I would also go in with the thought that I would negotiate to get the service done with free labor and parts cost only. Also the previous costs unless it was for parts should be reimbursed.

 

JagToes is 100% right on. Bring them the "facts", laid out in an easy to follow timeline including dates/times/person you spoke with, what was said. Save the drama as that only puts people off when trying to resolve any issues. DON'T go in threatening. Give them the chance to be the hero and make things right. Do not make demands, their resolution may be something better and exceed whatever it is you may be asking. If you don't like what they offer tell them that it is simply unacceptable and they will likely come back asking "what will make you happy and what will make you come back?" Be ready for that question...

Sorry to hear about your dissatisfaction, I ran into something very similar with Rusnak Porsche in Westlake Village S. Cal a few years back that escalated rapidly culminating in my ultimately hiring a lemon law attorney who got me every penny back I spent with them. They treated me like dirt the minute my check for my new purchased cashed and every subsequent visit to service.

 

You wouldn't be referring to my ol' pal Herb would you? 😄

Tom

 

How do you know about the infamous Herb?

 

But only young people use social media and Jag owners are oOOOoooold!!!