[Herwawan]

I drive 1:30 hour to get my QV to my dealership. I’ve tried a couple of them closer to me. One kept my car for over a week before calling me to take it back because no one had even looked at it although the mileage increase by 15 miles in between. I guess they had no idea what else to do with the car.

I’m used to drive far to find competent technicians and good customer service. My indy shop for my M3 e46 was 45 minutes away and I was passing literally 5 BMW dealership on my way there. I figured over the years that if you have some sort of specialty car, you’d better find a shop that knows how to take care of it, and create a good relationship with them regardless of the distance. The time invested has always paid off over the years (finding issues quicker, more thorough in their research, peace of mind that the job is done right and always willing to keep a customer if anything goes wrong).

 

[chaadster]

I drive 1:30 hour to get to my QV to my dealership. I’ve tried a couple of them closer to me. One kept my car for over a week before calling me to take it back because no one had even looked at it although the mileage increase by 15 miles in between. I guess they had no idea what else to do with the car.

I’m used to drive far to find competent technicians and good customer service. My indy shop for my M3 e46 was 45 minutes away and I was passing literally 5 BMW dealership on my way there. I figured over the years that if you have some sort of specialty car, you’d better find a shop that knows how to take care of it, and create a good relationship with them regardless of the distance. The time invested has always paid off over the years (finding issues quicker, more thorough in their research, peace of mind that the job is done right and always willing to keep a customer if anything goes wrong).

Man, that’s a sad story. Someone lives nearby the good dealerships, but why can’t it be us?!

 

[zvezdah1]

Uncertainty regarding future service availability is the single biggest factor holding me back from purchasing my vehicle off lease. My purchasing dealer in Albany went under and I think my local dealer in Rochester is likely to follow suit.

I'm right there with you on that. I keep going back and forth to buy at the end of lease or not. I love the car, but the alfa dealer ups and downs are a problem. My dealer is 150 miles away. The atlanta dealer is 100 miles away.

 

[DJM]

Sorry if I was unclear, but my point was that me being inconvenienced by a 45 minute drive is not remedied by driving even further.

As I referred to in the OP, I drove down to Ganley in Bedford to get the car I have now, and I enjoyed the experience there. I have no idea how they do service so I won’t vouch for them in that regard.

Hey Op

Yes you were clear, that point definitively came through. 🤣

My only thought was that maybe to some of us a 20% longer driver is worth a 100% better dealership experience? Sounds like you're not one of those people.

Regardless I really hope you figure out a situation for service that is as convenient and pleasing as you and this marvelous car deserve .. its a terrible situation and we feel for you!

 

[Dave80gtsi]

Hey there Chad - Any experiences yet with the dealer down in Strongsville Ohio?

They are a sponsor here, I believe, and based upon their inventory levels alone they seem to be the biggest dealership that is anywhere close to the either of us!

Cheers - DM

P.S. - One year or so later, your old exhaust is still alive and well, and I've received a number of unsolicited compliments from folks who like the sound of my DIY mods.

 

[learner.seeker]

No they're not. Maybe in your tiny part of the country they are but they definitely are not all over the country and here in particular. And they offer quite a terrible experience at that.

Bro, the province of Quebec is not tiny!!!

 

[Chipshot]

Man, that’s a sad story. Someone lives nearby the good dealerships, but why can’t it be us?!

It really should be everyone, no?

Bro, the province of Quebec is not tiny!!!

Isn't Quebec the largest province?

 

[learner.seeker]

Isn't Quebec the largest province?

Largest in terms of landmass and second in population. That is why I found it funny he referred to it as "tiny"... You can fit like 2-3 Texas in Quebec lol

 

[wingler]

Largest in terms of landmass and second in population. That is why I found it funny he referred to it as "tiny"... You can fit like 2-3 Texas in Quebec lol

If you‘d take just one Texas it would make a lot of people happy 😃

(just a joke Texans, put your guns away!)

 

[learner.seeker]

If you‘d take just one Texas it would make a lot of people happy 😃

No thanks, we already have our fill with Alberta!!

 

[Chipshot]

No thanks, we already have our fill with Alberta!!

Is Alberta the Texas of Canada? I love the Rockies.

 

[learner.seeker]

Is Alberta the Texas of Canada? I love the Rockies.

Yes, it is.

The Rockies on its western border are its most redeeming qualities.

 

[beaups]

If you‘d take just one Texas it would make a lot of people happy 😃

(just a joke Texans, put your guns away!)

But then where would all the big engineering companies that are fleeing/escaping California go? Canada?

 

[Alfa Nut]

Hey! Steady on, Nickelback are from Alberta... After BNL, the greatest band from Canada IMHO 🇨🇦...

 

[MDLBC]

Hey! Steady on, Nickelback are from Alberta... After BNL, the greatest band from Canada IMHO ...

I guess I’m old but it would be Rush. Final answer Alex (who happens to be another Canadian!)

 

[MDLBC]

But then where would all the big engineering companies that are fleeing/escaping California go? Canada?

Yep. A whole lot of oil and natural gas in Alberta.

 

[learner.seeker]

But then where would all the big engineering companies that are fleeing/escaping California go? Canada?

Yes!

 

[Polewop]

My wife and I love visiting Canada, great places and great people too. We hope to be able to come back up there after this whole pandemic mess is over with (in my Giulia of course!). I'd love to take it up into the Canadian Rockies...

A far as my favorite musical act from up north, that would be Gordon Lightfoot. I have a large collection of his music and I never get tired of listening to any of it. In my opinion he's one of Canada's national treasures.

 

[Polewop]

Well, not all service depths are inept crooks.

Agreed. I think most inept crooks are politicians.... 😆

 

[Catweazle NZ]

The problems recounted in this thread will continue for as long as dealers, importers, Alfa Romeo and FCA (let us call the lot of them “Alfa”) think they are selling cars. People who want cars to get from A to B buy Toyotas and Hondas. The field of marketing tells us that to sell anything you just need four P things - Premises (dealerships), good Product, a fair Price and Promotion (you cannot sell anything if you don’t promote it) – and Alfa does quite well there.

But when we buy Alfa Romeos we pay extra dollars for something a bit special - we want and wish to buy a unique motoring experience. For experiences you need to look at the field of services marketing to understand the additional necessary parts (three extra Ps) of the sales and support experience. First there is People, well trained, courteous people in the dealerships and service departments who understand and respect your ongoing need for a great motoring experience. You need a Process – for servicing you want to be able to easily book a service, drop it off, maybe get a free coffee (or a free Alfa cap), be surprised by the fact that they washed and vacuumed your car, get an itemised receipt, pay a fair amount and get any necessary explanations by the service staff. The last service experience in this world that you want is for your car to be impounded for four weeks while parts are ordered from Italy (please, please, Alfa - sort this out). And finally there is Physical evidence – is the dealership and service department clean and tidy, are all the service technician’s Alfa training certificates mounted on the wall in the service reception area, are the technicians all wearing clean Alfa overalls, are their public toilets clean, etc. If the physical evidence is bad then they don’t care and it is OK to assume that your service experience will be bad.

Alfa do well at the four Ps for selling “cars” – all be it there are not enough dealerships. But the commentary in this thread says that Alfa has no understanding of the unique motoring (service) experience that their customers expect and long for (because they fail badly at the three extra Ps). Because of Alfa's failing, threads like this are created on forums and social media and there is never a shortage of contributors. It is time for Alfa to sort out their after sales service offering so we can enjoy driving their cars, love them to bits and tell all our friends. Word of mouth is one of the most effective marketing tools - but threads like this are helping to send the wrong message and undermining Alfa's long term reputation and sales success.