Do Jeep dealerships do good work?
- Thread starter Mich2020
- Start date
It’s all conjecture. If you like your mechanic, you can keep him/her/it.
Besides that, most mechanics in the last twenty-odd years are technicians. They plug in the computer and it tells them what parts to start throwing at it, hoping something will stick. Most of the time it works. Find a place that stands by their work.
Its all a gamble....dealerships are also feeling the squeeze of too few technicians ....the good ones end up self employed often.
Agree with the above statements. It's hit and miss. If you can find someone you can trust, be it at the dealership or John Doe's garage, stick with them. So hard to find now-a-days.
Last year I bought a 2020 JL, it did not have the tow package so I installed the hitch and watched a couple YouTube videos on installing the 7 pin harness. It looked like it was more than I wanted to mess with so I had the dealer do it. $700 including the harness. 4 hour job turned into 2 days (no loaner but they paid for Uber) When I picked it up I had the mechanic show me where I could find the wires for the brake controller. I remember in the videos I'd watched that the fender skirt needed to be removed and new plastic rivets installed, well the rivets had not been removed so I asked him about it. He said, "When you've done as many as I have, you find short cuts"
That weekend I noticed some play in my right fender. After looking around I seen a plastic support rib busted off my fender. Back to the dealer and had them replace the whole fender. Not impressed with the short cut.
Last year I bought a 2020 JL, it did not have the tow package so I installed the hitch and watched a couple YouTube videos on installing the 7 pin harness. It looked like it was more than I wanted to mess with so I had the dealer do it. $700 including the harness. 4 hour job turned into 2 days (no loaner but they paid for Uber) When I picked it up I had the mechanic show me where I could find the wires for the brake controller. I remember in the videos I'd watched that the fender skirt needed to be removed and new plastic rivets installed, well the rivets had not been removed so I asked him about it. He said, "When you've done as many as I have, you find short cuts"
That weekend I noticed some play in my right fender. After looking around I seen a plastic support rib busted off my fender. Back to the dealer and had them replace the whole fender. Not impressed with the short cut.
I think the only real advantage to a dealership is the peace of mind that if they somehow royally F something up, you have a little more recourse. With that said, I do all the work on my TJ.
I’ve had mixed dealing with dealerships. When the computer went out on my TJ it took a month to get it fixed. They received another replacement computer in less than a week. After that they blamed it on a laptop that programs the computer. Then they thought their laptop cables were bad so they borrowed another laptop and cables from another dealership. That didn’t work either. After three weeks I was fed up and threatened to take it elsewhere. After that they hauled my Jeep 45 minutes away to another dealership not affiliated with them and they had it programmed in around 20 minutes. About 12 years ago I had a Dodge dealership use a saw to my fender liners on a dodge Dakota pickup when changing the oxygen sensor. Since the truck had a full skid plate they cut a nasty looking access hole in the fender liner to get to it rather than spending ten minutes to drill out the rivets holding the fender liner in or dropping the skid plate. My last experience with a dealership was a great one. They got it in earlier than expected and came in under the price I was quoted. I think it just depends on the dealership and which mechanic there works on your vehicle.
They don't really want you in there. They're not making much money off you. Jeeps are easy to work on. If a mechanic can't work on one, somethings seriously wrong because I ain't a mechanic and I can work on it. Find someone who is honest and knows how to work on vehicles and you'll be fine. The important thing is honesty. If you get a quote from a few shops and you have questions, just bring it to the forum. People here don't make any money. They just want to help. They can at least point out if a bid is high or reasonable.
Dealership service departments DEFINITELY want you in there, the service department provides a big percentage of the dealer's income and they depend on it.
The biggest problem I've had on them is they push unnecessary work trying to make more $$$. Their service writers are commissioned so the more work they can talk you into, the more $$$ the service writer earns.
If you can get them to limit what they do to only what you need to be taken care of you'll be better off. I'm good at saying NO! to stuff they push and I hate it when they try to make you feel like they're the only one that knows anything about your car or Jeep.
The biggest problem I've had on them is they push unnecessary work trying to make more $$$. Their service writers are commissioned so the more work they can talk you into, the more $$$ the service writer earns.
If you can get them to limit what they do to only what you need to be taken care of you'll be better off. I'm good at saying NO! to stuff they push and I hate it when they try to make you feel like they're the only one that knows anything about your car or Jeep.
Rubicon88
TJ Addict
I own a shop and I'll tell you my thoughts on this...
Your question is a tad vague but I'll try to cover with what I assume you mean. I've been in the business a long time. Dealership (front end and back end) ...my own place etc.
A flagship dealer will have some advantages if working on newer machines like JL's/JT's. They immediately have the latest software with their electronic tools (diagnostic computers...You might call them scan tools...whatever) versus a place like mine might not be available for 6 months...maybe even a year....or until Jeep sells their info to Snap On/All Data, Matco, etc... now that said it's only an issue on a change over year...
Example being when JK switched to JL...the very first year there might be some new features on the JL I can't access from JK software but it's really minute.
Second thing...factory warranty. Again though this applies to a new(er) vehicle.
A dealership will have different levels of technicians.
There are those on the lube line. It's exactly as described. They lube, oil, filter all day on customer's vehicles and ones that will be going to the used lot.
Then middle of the road people who will do tires/brakes/exhausts...basically anything not engine nor transmission or differential related.
Then they have what's called a Master Tech.
These are the ones who've taken classes and now certified to replace engines and transmissions under warranty.
Speaking about TJ's none of the above apply. The last one ever made is now 16 years old and the first one made is 26 years old.
No new software there. Nothing under warranty any longer. Hell some dealerships might not even have a tech that's worked on a TJ. I know that might be hard to believe but dealerships have a fair amount of employee turnover.
Your best bet is to find an independent shop that is reputable. Using mine as example we have really good mechanics. They've cut their teeth working on all brands, problems, modifications, etc.
Independent shops (not all) but most will go above and beyond trying to build loyalty.
We don't get people by default for warranty work nor work on commission. (Midas/Monroe/pep boys)
We don't have deep advertising pockets for the television or billboards.
Our advertising is performance.
Good luck
I would trust a dealer over most repair shops. They will no the correct parts and how to install.
A good example is my old F150: I paid around $7K for a new engine. Ran it for about a year. A third party shop replaced a pulley and then found out that wasn't what fixed *that* issue. A month later, the pulley ripped off and tore a whole in the engine block. Of course, they wouldn't admit they over torqued it. The repair cost + other stuff the truck needed was too much. So I traded it in and lost a ton of cash.
I would think the dealer would've either replaced the correct part, or used the correct amount of torque.
A good example is my old F150: I paid around $7K for a new engine. Ran it for about a year. A third party shop replaced a pulley and then found out that wasn't what fixed *that* issue. A month later, the pulley ripped off and tore a whole in the engine block. Of course, they wouldn't admit they over torqued it. The repair cost + other stuff the truck needed was too much. So I traded it in and lost a ton of cash.
I would think the dealer would've either replaced the correct part, or used the correct amount of torque.
I’m lucky I have 3 local independent shops that I use depending on what needs to be done. The owners rely on local repeat customers and know they will make consistent money from you in the long run. Most dealers and chain shops only want to make as much money from you in one visit aa they can and move on to the next sucker. They really don’t care if they see you again. Good shops never have to advertise they rely on repeat business and referrals from happy customers.
As an independent business man myself I always support my local business owners.
As an independent business man myself I always support my local business owners.
Rubicon88
TJ Addict
Because I am leasing an EV, I take it to the dealership for its scheduled maintenance which in the case of the 15k service involved only a wheel rotation. As the service order was being prepared, I was asked if I wanted their premium service which also involved a "COVID cleaning" as well as "professional wiper blade replacement". I politely declined that nonsense and only had them do what was required in the manual. So, $20 for a rotation and inspection.
As far as my wrangler is concerned, I have a shop that I've used once for a repair of a rear pinion seal but otherwise I try to do most things myself.
As far as my wrangler is concerned, I have a shop that I've used once for a repair of a rear pinion seal but otherwise I try to do most things myself.
I was a Toyota/Lexus dealer tech for about a decade. Dealership techs, now more than ever, are there primarily to satisfy warranty concerns, technical service bulletins, and recalls. I would bet money that very few dealership mechanics have much experience with TJs at this point, it’s just not the typical thing that comes through the door. If you’re looking for general maintenance I’m sure it’d be fine, but for anything more involved I think you’re better off with an off-road shop who’s techs see more of our older TJs. Just my opinion.
Couldn't agree with this more. I have 2 dealerships within 30 minutes of me. The one I preferred offers install of offroading parts & accessories (lifts, bumpers, etc.) and seemed to be a good place to go when I needed to hand off a task.
Well, last time I went there the 'free check' they gave over the Jeep WK while replacing a seat belt latch turned up $3k+ of repairs. What really got me was the recommendation to replace the brakes - get it home and there is EASILY 1/8" of pad left. I haven't been back since.
I have been a big fan of using dealerships for any vehicle when I need to hand off a task. Mostly because of the idea that there's a corporate backup to reach out to if something goes wrong.
Anymore, I'm searching around for a good local shop.