A few years ago, I was in a nasty car accident that left my trusty Subaru hobbled, even after repair. To make matters worse, it all came at a very difficult time in my life. The one upside to this period was the news that I was going to get tenure (yeah!). So, to remedy the string of bad luck and to celebrate my promotion, I decided to trade in my car and get something a bit nicer.
I had always dreamed of a SAAB 9-3, but this dream went away after SAAB was purchased by GM (wah!). So, I started to mull over other auto options and decided upon the Audi A4 Quattro. Given that I was not a wealthy man, I decided to buy a pre-certified vehicle which brought down the price considerably. Well, I have driven the car over 10,000 miles and I am still very happy with my choice. Of course, the car (in auto years) is still an early adolescent, so I have not had too many problems.
On Friday, I brought my car into the dealership for its annual oil change and tire rotation. I also had a rear brake light that went out, needed to fix my windshield spray nozzle (it was misaligned), and recently learned that there was a fuel pump recall on the make/model. In short, it was good timing. Because I needed to get the fuel pump replaced, it was recommended that there should be less than a quarter tank of gas in the car. I left the car overnight.
On Saturday, I picked up my washed/vacuumed car. All the repairs and tune-up had been made and I was happy to have my vehicle back. Plus, I only had to pay $20 (for the tire rotation). The oil changes and rear brake light were covered by warranty, as was the fuel pump replacement. It was a gorgeous day to boot. Sunroof and windows open, I set off onto the highway to run errands and enjoy the sunny day.
As I settled into highway driving, I looked down at my gas guage, having remembered that my fuel was low. Wait...I did a double take because the guage indicated a full tank of gas! Huh? It was then that I realized the dealership had filled up my gas tank after they replaced the fuel pump. $35+ in gas for free! I could not believe it. This made me even happier.
So, I paid $20 to get an oil change, tire rotation, car wash/vacuum, a fuel pump replacement, and $35+ in gas. What a steal (of sorts). Of course, I realize that I paid a handsome penny to purchase the car in the first place, but I was still pleased. To me, I considered it to be amazing service in a day and age where you feel like you are getting gouged for even the basic necessities.
Having worked in my parents' dry cleaning business for many years, I have really come to value good service. In my parents' store, we never charged more than our competitors, but we always made sure to provide better service. If a button on a shirt was missing, we replaced it without charge. If a stain didn't come out after a first washing, we spotted and washed it again. If a dress shirt was too small for the automated pressing machine and we had to hand iron it, we still charged the lower price. These were important lessons for me in how to treat customers and to win business.
I'm glad to see the Audi dealership believes in this same value of service... But I also realize that it's a privilege that comes with wealth.
Posted by richlee at April 24, 2006 09:14 AMThey're nice because they know that you are going to be in for many more visits. Audis begin to have reliability problem as they get older. Alternatively, they continue to run well provided you dump a lot of money into them - on expensive parts from Germany. I had an Audi once upon a time. Do yourself a favor, get rid of it before it hits five years old. They go downhill fast.
Posted by: kdsam at April 24, 2006 05:00 PMyes, i know about Audi's notorious reliability problems. i've already begun to think about the future (alas). but i am still happy with my car. Consumer Reports still rates my 2003 Audi as a reliable car. could change by 2008 though. fortunately, i have another 5 years of warranty left.
that said, regardless of the type of vehicle, i think the service received was still impressive -- more so than other dealerships, domestic or import. also better than the other Audi dealership in town.
thanks for the comment!
Posted by: rich at April 24, 2006 05:11 PMMy parents had a cleaning business so I know what you mean.... I actually learned a lot from it.
Posted by: Jason at March 29, 2007 01:57 PM