DM6156
12-13-2007, 08:20 AM
Let me start at the beginning of my search. After test driving a couple avengers, SXT with 2.7L V6 and R/T with 3.5L V6, I decided on the avenger R/T. In doing research on the dodge.com website looking at options and colors, I decided I wanted my avenger in marathon blue. I checked the local dealers, no one had any in stock. I decided to check into ordering one. I called a few dealers who refused to give me price quotes for ordering one over the phone. I visited a few dealers who gave me pretty much the same price quote as other dealers. Even with me telling them I could get a better price (even if it was as marginal as $200) at another dealer, they refused to budge on order pricing.
This got me back to looking at dodge.com and searching dealers around my area (I wound up looking at all dealers within about 100 mile radius. Justin Dodge's link from dodge.com didn't contain a search, only hours. So I searched and found Justin Dodge's website (I had previously heard their radio ads) and it did contain a model search but did not list the Avenger. So, I called the dealer and spoke to a sales guy who looked and found a marathon Blue Avenger R/T on the lot. I was looking for some options above the base model. Some of these options I "required" and some were "icing on the cake". The sale guy told me the car had everything I was looking for, both requirements and extras. I confirmed with him, he said said it had everything I was looking.
I scheduled a time with him to drive up to see the car (dealer is about 1 hour away from home). When I arrived, the car was pulled up front by the door. I went inside, spoke to sales guy, we looked at the vehicle and it did NOT contain all of the options i asked and confirmed with him on the phone.
In between the time I spoke to the salesman on the phone and when I arrived at the dealer to check out the vehicle, another dealer called me back and told me he searched other dealers looking for marathon blue R/T avengers and found only 1 within a 500 mile radius! Ding! ding! Ding! I had also found the only marathon blue avenger R/T within 500 miles of Atlanta Georgia.
Well, the vehicle had enough of the features I wanted to make me consider it, with one exception. It did not have heated seats. As a compromise in my price negotiations I had justin dodge write on the paperwork they would install a remote start at a discounted price with the understanding it would take a few days for the parts to arrive as it had to get shipped from the manufacturer.
Parts arrived within a couple days and I dropped the vehicle off on a wednesday for them to install it. As a loaner, they provided me with a 2007 PT cruiser. I spoke with the dealer the next day (thursday), they told me they blew the tipem (sp?) module (this is the module that controls the horn honking, lights flashing when you lock/unlock car according to the service advisor I spoke too). They would have to order one. I later found out that according to Justin Dodge that the reason the module blew was bad installation instructions. Also, the tipem module was VIN encoded and encrypted. Once the VIN was programmed in, you can not re-use the part - there was no way to reprogram it thus they could not pull a module from another car on the lot. It would be in on friday as they had it in their parts depot south of Atlanta.
Friday after work I call, the part had not arrived. They said they do get parts on saturdays and hopefully it would be in then. Saturday arrived, no part. The part did not make it to the dealer until tuesday. According to the dealer, the parts guy had issues with his key and could not get into the building. I don't know if this was the parts guy getting into the depot or the parts delivery guy getting into the dealership. Finally the part was installed but they needed the 2nd key to program it according to the dealer. with the dealer being an hour away and me having plans already, the dealer made arrangements for someone to meet me at work (before dealer opened) to pick up the key, That person never showed and never called. I work 5am-2pm and the person was supposed to stop by and pick it up on their way in. When the dealer opened i called and the office manager drove down to pick up the key, she arrived around 12:30 pm on wednesday.
I called the dealer on thursday, they could not get the remote start to work. After some complaining, they agreed to do the work for free. After failing to get it to work, they told me chrysler was pulling the remote start and would not offer it as an accessory, only from the factory. I called chrysler and was told the same thing. On friday they offered to install an aftermarket alarm. I declined and told them i would pick up my car.
In speaking to various people, I got the part number and called another dealer, Cherokee County Dodge in Canton GA (a 5 star dealer where justin dodge was not).
In speaking to Cherokee County service advisor, they did some research with parts manager and found out the part that justin dodge ordered was for the AWD Avenger R/T, not the FWD Avenger R/T. I told them my story and what had transpired with justin dodge and what chrysler told me. they assured me they could get the part and make it work.
After a little over 2 weeks waiting on the part to arrive it arrived last friday with no instructions. they received the instructions on monday night or tuesday, I dropped my car off after work on tuesday night and they had it ready with remote start working on wednesday!
The short of the story, Justin dodge didn't know what they were doing and ordered wrong parts and didn't figure out out in speaking to chrysler tech support. Cherokee County dodge ordered the parts and got it working within 24 hours of me dropping my car off (once they had instructions).
The only thing left is for me to follow up with with Justin dodge, let them know I am (still) displeased with their lack of knowledge, troubleshooting and customer service. And gloat that a 5 star dealer was able to order the right part and make it work in one day where they had over a week and could not make it work.
What are the odds of them reimbursing me for the cost of the installation?
I think that's pretty much it! I hope noone else has to go though anything remotely similar to this.
- Dan M
This got me back to looking at dodge.com and searching dealers around my area (I wound up looking at all dealers within about 100 mile radius. Justin Dodge's link from dodge.com didn't contain a search, only hours. So I searched and found Justin Dodge's website (I had previously heard their radio ads) and it did contain a model search but did not list the Avenger. So, I called the dealer and spoke to a sales guy who looked and found a marathon Blue Avenger R/T on the lot. I was looking for some options above the base model. Some of these options I "required" and some were "icing on the cake". The sale guy told me the car had everything I was looking for, both requirements and extras. I confirmed with him, he said said it had everything I was looking.
I scheduled a time with him to drive up to see the car (dealer is about 1 hour away from home). When I arrived, the car was pulled up front by the door. I went inside, spoke to sales guy, we looked at the vehicle and it did NOT contain all of the options i asked and confirmed with him on the phone.
In between the time I spoke to the salesman on the phone and when I arrived at the dealer to check out the vehicle, another dealer called me back and told me he searched other dealers looking for marathon blue R/T avengers and found only 1 within a 500 mile radius! Ding! ding! Ding! I had also found the only marathon blue avenger R/T within 500 miles of Atlanta Georgia.
Well, the vehicle had enough of the features I wanted to make me consider it, with one exception. It did not have heated seats. As a compromise in my price negotiations I had justin dodge write on the paperwork they would install a remote start at a discounted price with the understanding it would take a few days for the parts to arrive as it had to get shipped from the manufacturer.
Parts arrived within a couple days and I dropped the vehicle off on a wednesday for them to install it. As a loaner, they provided me with a 2007 PT cruiser. I spoke with the dealer the next day (thursday), they told me they blew the tipem (sp?) module (this is the module that controls the horn honking, lights flashing when you lock/unlock car according to the service advisor I spoke too). They would have to order one. I later found out that according to Justin Dodge that the reason the module blew was bad installation instructions. Also, the tipem module was VIN encoded and encrypted. Once the VIN was programmed in, you can not re-use the part - there was no way to reprogram it thus they could not pull a module from another car on the lot. It would be in on friday as they had it in their parts depot south of Atlanta.
Friday after work I call, the part had not arrived. They said they do get parts on saturdays and hopefully it would be in then. Saturday arrived, no part. The part did not make it to the dealer until tuesday. According to the dealer, the parts guy had issues with his key and could not get into the building. I don't know if this was the parts guy getting into the depot or the parts delivery guy getting into the dealership. Finally the part was installed but they needed the 2nd key to program it according to the dealer. with the dealer being an hour away and me having plans already, the dealer made arrangements for someone to meet me at work (before dealer opened) to pick up the key, That person never showed and never called. I work 5am-2pm and the person was supposed to stop by and pick it up on their way in. When the dealer opened i called and the office manager drove down to pick up the key, she arrived around 12:30 pm on wednesday.
I called the dealer on thursday, they could not get the remote start to work. After some complaining, they agreed to do the work for free. After failing to get it to work, they told me chrysler was pulling the remote start and would not offer it as an accessory, only from the factory. I called chrysler and was told the same thing. On friday they offered to install an aftermarket alarm. I declined and told them i would pick up my car.
In speaking to various people, I got the part number and called another dealer, Cherokee County Dodge in Canton GA (a 5 star dealer where justin dodge was not).
In speaking to Cherokee County service advisor, they did some research with parts manager and found out the part that justin dodge ordered was for the AWD Avenger R/T, not the FWD Avenger R/T. I told them my story and what had transpired with justin dodge and what chrysler told me. they assured me they could get the part and make it work.
After a little over 2 weeks waiting on the part to arrive it arrived last friday with no instructions. they received the instructions on monday night or tuesday, I dropped my car off after work on tuesday night and they had it ready with remote start working on wednesday!
The short of the story, Justin dodge didn't know what they were doing and ordered wrong parts and didn't figure out out in speaking to chrysler tech support. Cherokee County dodge ordered the parts and got it working within 24 hours of me dropping my car off (once they had instructions).
The only thing left is for me to follow up with with Justin dodge, let them know I am (still) displeased with their lack of knowledge, troubleshooting and customer service. And gloat that a 5 star dealer was able to order the right part and make it work in one day where they had over a week and could not make it work.
What are the odds of them reimbursing me for the cost of the installation?
I think that's pretty much it! I hope noone else has to go though anything remotely similar to this.
- Dan M