[NDion80]

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

Bro, The province of Quebec is tiny in relation to the whole country. Point proven by you assuming/thinking that Alfa Romeo dealers are stand alone in the country. If you ventured just a bit south, to Ottawa you would have seen that the dealer there is a Maserati/AR dealer and further north in Quebec it's a Fiat/Alfa dealer. Seems like your Idea of "Canada" is Montreal....

 

[GottWhat]

I made the drive from cleveland out to Genesis in Macomb MI and do not regret it. I know @chaadster you mentioned that the drive was not worth it? I'm not very familiar with MI but I would definitely vouch for that dealer, the experience was great, excellent customer service from sales and finance, and even though I won't be servicing there I took a look around service and atleast superficially everything looked very nice.

In my opinion here in Northeast Ohio we are lucky to have our pick of quite a few dealers within a reasonable distance (say <2 hours) (strongsville, Bedford, youngstown, akron, columbus, dayton, erie pa) all of which are either dedicated alfa or alfa/Fiat. That said my car has 500 miles and I couldn't speak to the experience at any of those stores...

I purchased my Giulia from Genesis of Macomb in March 2020 and have had a positive experience with my only service appointment.

 

[Chipshot]

I purchased my Giulia from Genesis of Macomb in March 2020 and have had a positive experience with my only service appointment.

May I ask what service was needed before the one-year anniversary?

I will probably take my Spider there for its one-year service. What was your service advisor’s name?

 

[GottWhat]

May I ask what service was needed before the one-year anniversary?

I will probably take my Spider there for its one-year service. What was your service advisor’s name?

It needed an oil/filter change and brake fluid flush, I bought mine used (2018 MY). I brought it in on a Saturday morning, and they had everything completed plus a software update shortly after lunch (had my wife pick me up so I wouldn't have to wait). Total price was $238.05 with tax. The service advisor I made appointment with was Lindsay - she wasn't working that Saturday but the other service advisor was very nice and helpful.

I also have a small seam split on the right rear seat back where the leather meets the carpet - can only see it when the seats are folded down. She ordered the part and said they will get me a nice loaner if needed - either an Alfa from the dealership or a luxury car from Enterprise. Still waiting but it's only been a few weeks and not a big concern for me.

 

[learner.seeker]

Bro, The province of Quebec is tiny in relation to the whole country. Point proven by you assuming/thinking that Alfa Romeo dealers are stand alone in the country. If you ventured just a bit south, to Ottawa you would have seen that the dealer there is a Maserati/AR dealer and further north in Quebec it's a Fiat/Alfa dealer. Seems like your Idea of "Canada" is Montreal....

I stand corrected. However, lets be honest. Torontonians assume that they are Canada. Montrealers just assume that smooth roads and good weather is a fantasy dreamed up by some tinker bell fairy in lala land...

 

[NDion80]

I stand corrected. However, lets be honest. Torontonians assume that they are Canada. Montrealers just assume that smooth roads and good weather is a fantasy dreamed up by some tinker bell fairy in lala land...

I will give you that. Living in BC and originally from Ottawa I'm very familiar with both sentiments.

 

[learner.seeker]

I will give you that. Living in BC and originally from Ottawa I'm very familiar with both sentiments.

BC.... I gotta get out there some day. It is beautiful.

 

[Doug4Alfas]

I share your pain, but it isn't limited to Alfa Romeo. I ended up selling my 911 Porsche because both dealers nearest me were lousy. My car was under factory warranty $122K new and yet the dealer service department treated me like a Kia owner, even insulted me at one point. I sold my beloved 911. People think German cars are rock solid they aren't.

 

[GottWhat]

People think German cars are rock solid they aren't.

German over-engineering leading to premature and expensive repairs is my German car owning experience.

 

[Vic13]

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.

I have to agree STRONGLY with you here. My local dealership is Alfa Romeo of Santa Monica. I have had multiple horrendous experiences with this dealership, to the point where I ask my friend who works on re-styling Porsche's and Ferrari's to help me service my car etc.

I leased my first Alfa from AR of Santa Monica in 2017. The experience was meh, but I drove off with my Giulia. Came in for the first service and they took forever and gave me the car "washed", it was the absolute worst wash I've ever seen on a car and it was still all wet.

I had to do a recall in 2018, the dealership didn't want to give a the pink card CADMV required because they "didn't carry that paper stock anymore...", two months later they gave me this piece of cardboard after countless calls and several visits so that CADMV would finally register my car.

Came back 2018 for a software update upon receiving a letter from FCA. Dropped off my Giulia, they finished the same day. Came back to pick it up. My car had a cracked windshield! I pointed that out to the service rep., his response was "are you sure your windshield wasn't cracked already...". I wanted to kill this guy I swear.

1 month later, they finally had my windshield in the parts department so I came back to get it installed. They did another software update which then turn a CEL and also I notice the underside of my front bumper was all scratched, meaning that they don't know how to drive their own cars through their shit parking lot that has a a huge dip!

9 months later I'm driving with my father, smoke comes out the front of the car. I stopped immediately and opened it up to find out that my turbo was leaking oil and combusting it. Apparently this was an issue with some 2017 Giulia's. I called Alfa of Santa Monica and they said to drop it off.

2 weeks later they finally said the car was ready to be picked up and that they changed the turbo hoses. The service rep. told me "it'll smoke a little while it's burning off any excess oil that spilled...". I had my well stablished distrust for them, so after my car had smoke coming out the front for 8 minutes straight--I avoided the freeway on purpose for cautionary reasons--I stopped and opened the hood. My engine bay was on fire! Where do you ask? At the turbo where the dealership had replaced the hoses!

It doesn't end here!

I had to get my car towed back to the dealership for lack of options. They gave me a Jeep Cherokee rental car and went on to "investigate" the incident...for 2 months! You read that correctly. At the end they repaired the damage which even included a burnt hood and other parts.

I'm going to end it here because this just makes me angry. Nothing to do with the car, literally it's all the neglect of Alfa Romeo of Santa Monica.

 

[MDLBC]

I have to agree STRONGLY with you here. My local dealership is Alfa Romeo of Santa Monica. I have had multiple horrendous experiences with this dealership, to the point where I ask my friend who works on re-styling Porsche's and Ferrari's to help me service my car etc.

I leased my first Alfa from AR of Santa Monica in 2017. The experience was meh, but I drove off with my Giulia. Came in for the first service and they took forever and gave me the car "washed", it was the absolute worst wash I've ever seen on a car and it was still all wet.

I had to do a recall in 2018, the dealership didn't want to give a the pink card CADMV required because they "didn't carry that paper stock anymore...", two months later they gave me this piece of cardboard after countless calls and several visits so that CADMV would finally register my car.

Came back 2018 for a software update upon receiving a letter from FCA. Dropped off my Giulia, they finished the same day. Came back to pick it up. My car had a cracked windshield! I pointed that out to the service rep., his response was "are you sure your windshield wasn't cracked already...". I wanted to kill this guy I swear.

1 month later, they finally had my windshield in the parts department so I came back to get it installed. They did another software update which then turn a CEL and also I notice the underside of my front bumper was all scratched, meaning that they don't know how to drive their own cars through their shit parking lot that has a a huge dip!

9 months later I'm driving with my father, smoke comes out the front of the car. I stopped immediately and opened it up to find out that my turbo was leaking oil and combusting it. Apparently this was an issue with some 2017 Giulia's. I called Alfa of Santa Monica and they said to drop it off.

2 weeks later they finally said the car was ready to be picked up and that they changed the turbo hoses. The service rep. told me "it'll smoke a little while it's burning off any excess oil that spilled...". I had my well stablished distrust for them, so after my car had smoke coming out the front for 8 minutes straight--I avoided the freeway on purpose for cautionary reasons--I stopped and opened the hood. My engine bay was on fire! Where do you ask? At the turbo where the dealership had replaced the hoses!

View attachment 106893 View attachment 106894

It doesn't end here!

I had to get my car towed back to the dealership for lack of options. They gave me a Jeep Cherokee rental car and went on to "investigate" the incident...for 2 months! You read that correctly. At the end they repaired the damage which even included a burnt hood and other parts.

I'm going to end it here because this just makes me angry. Nothing to do with the car, literally it's all the neglect of Alfa Romeo of Santa Monica.

Wow. That is rough. I bought my car at Santa Monica as well but never had it serviced there.

Not sure where you are exactly but I have been using Alfa Romeo Newport Beach which has been great so far.

 

[Catweazle NZ]

I have to agree STRONGLY with you here. My local dealership is Alfa Romeo of Santa Monica. I have had multiple horrendous experiences with this dealership, to the point where I ask my friend who works on re-styling Porsche's and Ferrari's to help me service my car etc.

I leased my first Alfa from AR of Santa Monica in 2017. The experience was meh, but I drove off with my Giulia. Came in for the first service and they took forever and gave me the car "washed", it was the absolute worst wash I've ever seen on a car and it was still all wet.

I had to do a recall in 2018, the dealership didn't want to give a the pink card CADMV required because they "didn't carry that paper stock anymore...", two months later they gave me this piece of cardboard after countless calls and several visits so that CADMV would finally register my car.

Came back 2018 for a software update upon receiving a letter from FCA. Dropped off my Giulia, they finished the same day. Came back to pick it up. My car had a cracked windshield! I pointed that out to the service rep., his response was "are you sure your windshield wasn't cracked already...". I wanted to kill this guy I swear.

1 month later, they finally had my windshield in the parts department so I came back to get it installed. They did another software update which then turn a CEL and also I notice the underside of my front bumper was all scratched, meaning that they don't know how to drive their own cars through their shit parking lot that has a a huge dip!

9 months later I'm driving with my father, smoke comes out the front of the car. I stopped immediately and opened it up to find out that my turbo was leaking oil and combusting it. Apparently this was an issue with some 2017 Giulia's. I called Alfa of Santa Monica and they said to drop it off.

2 weeks later they finally said the car was ready to be picked up and that they changed the turbo hoses. The service rep. told me "it'll smoke a little while it's burning off any excess oil that spilled...". I had my well stablished distrust for them, so after my car had smoke coming out the front for 8 minutes straight--I avoided the freeway on purpose for cautionary reasons--I stopped and opened the hood. My engine bay was on fire! Where do you ask? At the turbo where the dealership had replaced the hoses!

View attachment 106893 View attachment 106894

It doesn't end here!

I had to get my car towed back to the dealership for lack of options. They gave me a Jeep Cherokee rental car and went on to "investigate" the incident...for 2 months! You read that correctly. At the end they repaired the damage which even included a burnt hood and other parts.

I'm going to end it here because this just makes me angry. Nothing to do with the car, literally it's all the neglect of Alfa Romeo of Santa Monica.

I think this is mostly a People problem. Poorly trained mechanics who do not have a passion for Alfas. There is a serious gap in their Process if they think they can impound a car for two months. There is also a serious Process gap up the line that Alfa Romeo either allows this to happen or they simply have no process in place to find out about it that it has happened. Every car in for warranty claims should be checked into an Alfa Romeo system and checked out again when it is complete (with all the warranty work recorded). That would allow Alfa to find out where the really bad warranty service experiences are and do something about it.

I pick up my QV in February. My dealer will be 318 miles (512 km) away - they had better be on their toes.

Regards

Catweazle NZ

 

[Chipshot]

I think this is mostly a People problem. Poorly trained mechanics who do not have a passion for Alfas. There is a serious gap in their Process if they think they can impound a car for two months. There is also a serious Process gap up the line that Alfa Romeo either allows this to happen or they simply have no process in place to find out about it that it has happened. Every car in for warranty claims should be checked into an Alfa Romeo system and checked out again when it is complete (with all the warranty work recorded). That would allow Alfa to find out where the really bad warranty service experiences are and do something about it.

I pick up my QV in February. My dealer will be 318 miles (512 km) away - they had better be on their toes.

Regards

Catweazle NZ

I hope all your trips to the dealer are routine. If the roads between you and it are like the roads I enjoyed when I visited New Zealand, the drive there and back home should be a pleasure (except maybe Auckland's traffic, if it's included).

 

[Polewop]

I hope all your trips to the dealer are routine. If the roads between you and it are like the roads I enjoyed when I visited New Zealand, the drive there and back home should be a pleasure (except maybe Auckland's traffic, if it's included).

Definitely a beautiful country from the pictures & movies I've seen. Another place I need to include on my bucket list to visit, along with Australia...

 

[Catweazle NZ]

I hope all your trips to the dealer are routine. If the roads between you and it are like the roads I enjoyed when I visited New Zealand, the drive there and back home should be a pleasure (except maybe Auckland's traffic, if it's included).

I live in a small country town and am out of town on the highway one minute after leaving home. About seven hours to the dealership who sold the car but I have three other options one, two and a half and four hours away. I retire on 12th March so will have plenty of time to take my car in for servicing and warranty issues.

Cheers

Catweazle NZ

 

[Catweazle NZ]

Definitely a beautiful country from the pictures & movies I've seen. Another place I need to include on my bucket list to visit, along with Australia...

Beyond the scenery and great driving roads, COVID-19 has made us the luckiest country in the world (hopefully it continues). I retire on 12th March and will be hittng the road in my QV. I get a three year, 150,000 km warranty - that is a target - use it all up revisiting every place in the country and finding just a few that I have never visited before.

Regards

Catweazle NZ

 

[Chipshot]

@Catweazle NZ, what are some of your favorite New Zealand roads?

Our too-brief visit (which was before I got my first Giulia) included Bay of Islands, Rotorua, Queenstown, Franz Josef Glacier, the TranzAlpine train, and Christchurch. I want to return and see much, much more. I saw a lot of interesting cars including some older Alfa Romeos. Are there more Alfa dealers now than five years ago?

 

[Polewop]

I get a three year, 150,000 km warranty

Wow, did your dealer include that with the purchase or did you have to pay extra for it?

 

[chaadster]

I think this is mostly a People problem. Poorly trained mechanics who do not have a passion for Alfas. There is a serious gap in their Process if they think they can impound a car for two months. There is also a serious Process gap up the line that Alfa Romeo either allows this to happen or they simply have no process in place to find out about it that it has happened. Every car in for warranty claims should be checked into an Alfa Romeo system and checked out again when it is complete (with all the warranty work recorded). That would allow Alfa to find out where the really bad warranty service experiences are and do something about it.

I pick up my QV in February. My dealer will be 318 miles (512 km) away - they had better be on their toes.

Regards

Catweazle NZ

It’s always a people problem, but I think it’s wrong to lay the blame at the feet of the service techs, people who pursued their vocation. That is the definition of passion, IMO. Rather, I blame the FCA execs, most of whom, I bet, have a generic MBA, and could be working at an appliance manufacturer or medical supply company or any other kind of bullshit business which would pay them. Of course some are passionate car guys, but most are not, and almost none are passionate about customer service.

 

[Herwawan]

Wow. That is rough. I bought my car at Santa Monica as well but never had it serviced there.

Not sure where you are exactly but I have been using Alfa Romeo Newport Beach which has been great so far.

Same. Great people, I drive 90 minutes to get there but totally worth it.

Re: SM dealer - the exact reason why I don’t go there. I heard Glendale is a tad better but I didn’t get a great experience when I went to check one of the QV they had.