slo-twitch

from that particular dealership?

ed@4induktion.com

generally no, but cant hurt to ask.

Wild_Bill

and get a loaner, no problem at all. Bought my car out of state -- it's still under warranty and I've gotten splendid service. BTW, their new service waiting area is nicer than most people's houses -- 32" Sony flat screen, whole works.

audichrisl

free loaners are generally a sales tool. That's why you pay more for a car at one dealer then another. Always remember the lowest price is not always the best deal.

Gandalf The Silver

Most of the time that I've seen loaner cars hyped by a car dealership (not just Audi dealers), it's by the Service Dept., with no regard to where you bought the car.

I would guess that a dealer still makes a profit even if it's free scheduled maintenance work. After all, they are required to service any Audi, so they must certainly get compensated by headquarters.

I'm in Canada, so maybe it's different up here.

audichrisl

I was a service manager at an Audi only dealer for 11 years. Most of the warranty work is break even, sometimes a profit but also sometimes a loss. And thats the facts Jack.
Chris

Gandalf The Silver

Even if it's break even to the dealership as a whole, it provides enough business to pay a portion of salaries/rent etc.

I doubt that many dealerships could maintain the staffing levels and shops that they have, if they didn't have warranty business to fill the gaps between the non-warranty business.

Boasting a large service dept. never hurt any dealership's new car sales.

audichrisl

I don't know what business you're in but I always though the idea was to make money, not just pay the bills and salaries? Otherwise whats the point? It's a job not a hobby.

Gandalf The Silver

Just noticed that you were specifically referring to the free scheduled maintenance. :-p

I had service work covered by warranty, on my mind.

Nevertheless, regardless of the business, doing work at break even (i.e. enough profit to pay the labor/rent/utilities for the task) is better than having NO business. That is to say, as long as the break-even business isn't interferring with the profitable business, it's usually not a bad thing -- keeps staff busy, leads to potential future business etc.

Guess it depends on how busy a particular Service Dept. is.

audichrisl

if you didn't buy the car from the dealer. In my old service department the problem was that if the service department provided the loaner it was another cost of doing business that was charged to the department making a bad situation worse. We always had more then enough work so for the most part a person who did not buy their car from us did not get a free loaner. Just the way it is. Our dealership has a VERY good reputation and part of it is because of our general policy of honesty, not always found in a new car dealer.
chris