Ram Service vs Toyota service

[66Fuelie]

So I have a 21 Limited 1500, I have only taken it in for oil changes and the job they do seems to be ok but I catch myself wondering about the mechanics... I want to say I have had no problems.
Just took my wife's 2016 Camry in for service, code said small EVAP leak. I am on the road monday - friday every week. Thought I would have her take t in.
This morning I get a video from the mechanic working on the car explaining the problem, showing me the location of the part on her car (no some canned video). I had a call from the service manager 10 min later saying they would cover it under warranty, part will be in Monday morning and he will have someone stop by the house and pick up the car for my wife on Monday.
I have to say I have never experienced service like this before, it was refreshing.....
Tom

 

[mikeru82]

So I have a 21 Limited 1500, I have only taken it in for oil changes and the job they do seems to be ok but I catch myself wondering about the mechanics... I want to say I have had no problems.
Just took my wife's 2016 Camry in for service, code said small EVAP leak. I am on the road monday - friday every week. Thought I would have her take t in.
This morning I get a video from the mechanic working on the car explaining the problem, showing me the location of the part on her car (no some canned video). I had a call from the service manager 10 min later saying they would cover it under warranty, part will be in Monday morning and he will have someone stop by the house and pick up the car for my wife on Monday.
I have to say I have never experienced service like this before, it was refreshing.....
Tom

I have no experience with any Toyota dealerships. But I'm wondering how much of that was the dealership and how much has to do with Toyota? Would that dealership have the same kind of service if they were to suddenly switch to selling Honda's? I've been to several different CDJR dealerships, and if they have one thing in common it's inconsistency. One dealership offers loaners for any service my vehicle is there for. Another dealership only gives you a rental if it's going to have to stay overnight. Still another doesn't even offer loaners or rental vehicles. It sounds like that particular Toyota dealership is very customer focused. I wish more dealerships would realize how important customer service really is, especially in building customer loyalty.

 

[MikeyHo808]

I have no experience with any Toyota dealerships. But I'm wondering how much of that was the dealership and how much has to do with Toyota? Would that dealership have the same kind of service if they were to suddenly switch to selling Honda's? I've been to several different CDJR dealerships, and if they have one thing in common it's inconsistency. One dealership offers loaners for any service my vehicle is there for. Another dealership only gives you a rental if it's going to have to stay overnight. Still another doesn't even offer loaners or rental vehicles. It sounds like that particular Toyota dealership is very customer focused. I wish more dealerships would realize how important customer service really is, especially in building customer loyalty.

The level of service at that Toyota dealership is stellar, and am sure it’s all about the dealership trying to stand out from other service depts. Transparency and honest good work makes a great place to do business with.
And I Totally agree on the inconsistencies with CDJR service depts. I bought my 2015 Promaster City from a dealership closer to work, bought my 21 RAM from the dealership down the road from my house. 2 different dealerships/ owners, 2 completely different levels of service.
I get loads of aloha from dealership for my City, but pay for my oil changes, as well as courtesy shuttle, or loaner if service is extended. I get free oil changes for my 1500, but customer service lacks, no shuttle, no loaner, no waiting area for a 3 hour oil change. Free stuff is awesome, but simple customer service skills will bring me back after the free stuff runs out.

 

[wallyuwl]

That is good service. We had fuel pump replaced under recall, 2019 Highlander. They broke a trim piece. Then ordered the wrong one TWICE. And poor customer service, too (rude).

OTOH, Bergstrom CDJR has probably been the best dealership service dept I have used across 20 years and many brands.

 

[brettguercio]

So I have a 21 Limited 1500, I have only taken it in for oil changes and the job they do seems to be ok but I catch myself wondering about the mechanics... I want to say I have had no problems.
Just took my wife's 2016 Camry in for service, code said small EVAP leak. I am on the road monday - friday every week. Thought I would have her take t in.
This morning I get a video from the mechanic working on the car explaining the problem, showing me the location of the part on her car (no some canned video). I had a call from the service manager 10 min later saying they would cover it under warranty, part will be in Monday morning and he will have someone stop by the house and pick up the car for my wife on Monday.
I have to say I have never experienced service like this before, it was refreshing.....
Tom

Trust me when I say ram has the absolute worst service depts I've ever experienced

 

[SD Rebel]

It's party the dealership, but when you look at FCA dealership in national customer service surveys, they are last in last place. Which is quite a feat considering how many auto brands there are in the US. As a group, they suck.

We recently bought a new Toyota, and the service has been a complete opposite so far to my RAM experience, which is to say great. We bought a Toyota C-HR which is half the price of my Rebel, but I get far better service and treatment than I have from RAM. In fact, it's so good I actually let them oil change our Toyota whereas I DIY my RAM because I don't trust any of the 8 RAM dealerships in my city.

RAM has pretty good sales department, but their service department sucks. Lazy and inattentive. Which I think is directly linked to the high sales of new RAMs, Jeep and Dodge vehicles these last few years and the dealerships just aren't prepared to handle that type of customer volume. They turn little issues that should be quick fixes into a long process that pisses off customers.

Just one example, I on my RAM, I keep getting recall letters for the driver's side floor mat. I called 3 different local dealers to help me with it, and all the service advisors have simply not called me back to take care of it. With our Toyota, I noted to the service advisor during an oil change there were a couple of small white spots on the rear hatch glass, some issue with the factory tint. Within 10 minutes, one of their lead technicians was looking at it and and letting us know our options to fix it. Luckily my RAM has been super reliable (knock on wood), hopefully I will never have to go back to the dealership again.

 

[Rototerrier]

Hate to say it, but other than ram and jeep maybe, look at the ghetto crap cars Chrysler produces and the clientele that purchase them. Very low end vehicles and customers so what can you really expect.

I'll admit I'm a car snob and it pains me to have to get service from ram and have to deal with such poor service when I have and have had such excellent service from higher end dealers. Audi, bmw, even Honda. It's night and day the differences in both the dealers and, unfortunately, the riff raff you have to mix with in the waiting rooms when it comes to that.

I know, very snobbish but it's the truth.

 

[afphinfan]

In our area, the Toyota dealer is no way near as good as the one the OP describes nor is either of the Ram dealers as bad. I think some dealerships are just managed much better than others regardless of brand.

 

[1awesomelaw]

So I have a 21 Limited 1500, I have only taken it in for oil changes and the job they do seems to be ok but I catch myself wondering about the mechanics... I want to say I have had no problems.
Just took my wife's 2016 Camry in for service, code said small EVAP leak. I am on the road monday - friday every week. Thought I would have her take t in.
This morning I get a video from the mechanic working on the car explaining the problem, showing me the location of the part on her car (no some canned video). I had a call from the service manager 10 min later saying they would cover it under warranty, part will be in Monday morning and he will have someone stop by the house and pick up the car for my wife on Monday.
I have to say I have never experienced service like this before, it was refreshing.....
Tom

You'll never experience that on a Ram, That's why my wife drives a Toyota.

 

[Mchurch52]

I have to say my local Ram dealer has a great service department. At least on the instances I have taken my truck in, they did a very thorough job trouble shooting the problem (ABS light on, ended up having to chase wires). I was offered a free loaner for as long as I needed it ('21 Bighorn) and received regular updates. I can't say I have much faith in the high school kids working the Express Lube, but can schedule an oil change with a real mechanic if I want to go that route. They are right next door to the local Toyota delaership and from my experience the service is pretty similar.

 

[1awesomelaw]

I have to say my local Ram dealer has a great service department. At least on the instances I have taken my truck in, they did a very thorough job trouble shooting the problem (ABS light on, ended up having to chase wires). I was offered a free loaner for as long as I needed it ('21 Bighorn) and received regular updates. I can't say I have much faith in the high school kids working the Express Lube, but can schedule an oil change with a real mechanic if I want to go that route. They are right next door to the local Toyota delaership and from my experience the service is pretty similar.

I sure hope Artioli Dodge in Enfield, CT. is as good as people say it is as my son ordered his truck through them.

 

[grimreefer]

Toyota has service departments? I've been assured by many comments sections that all Toyotas are problem free.

 

[SD Rebel]

Toyota has service departments? I've been assured by many comments sections that all Toyotas are problem free.

Regular service, it's free for the first two years

 

[Quint]

Maybe I can take my Ram to the Toyota service department whenever it has its first problem.

 

[Fatherof3]

Toyota has service departments? I've been assured by many comments sections that all Toyotas are problem free.

The mechanics there must be like the Maytag repairman ads . lol

 

[shrubs2000]

It's party the dealership, but when you look at FCA dealership in national customer service surveys, they are last in last place. Which is quite a feat considering how many auto brands there are in the US. As a group, they suck.

This was one factor in selling my RAM to Autonation and buying a Yukon. During the 23 months of RAM ownership I went to 3 dealers for service and all three were beyond terrible. Even when I tried to talk with the service managers, they were never "in" and their phones were always on voice mail. RAM needs some tremendous improvement in this area for sure. I was just plain tired of dealing with all this and I didn't want to go though more on the HVAC issues that needed the TSB.

With my Yukon, the local dealer (I didn't purchase it from them) has been nothing but polite, courteous and keeping be informed of all issues. Plus they wash (though I don't let them since it's ceramic coated) and vacuum the inside; even on a routine oil change.

At least for me, customer service and customer treatment go a long way in getting and keeping my business.

 

[Hasti17]

That is good service. We had fuel pump replaced under recall, 2019 Highlander. They broke a trim piece. Then ordered the wrong one TWICE. And poor customer service, too (rude).

OTOH, Bergstrom CDJR has probably been the best dealership service dept I have used across 20 years and many brands.

my wifes 19' rav4 had a groaning noise since new, brought it back to the dealer over and over for18 Months. they could never find an issue. we found ourselves scanning service bullitens couple months ago because it had become unbearable. THEY HAD ONE. for Exactly what we described as the issue. best part? it was issued 6 months before we picked up the car. they then tried to tell me wife she couldn't have a loaner untill she got the GM involved (took 2 Weeks to fix). definitely varies based on the dealer.

 

[habu987]

Prior to getting my DT, I had a couple of Toyotas and took them to two different Toyota dealerships here in Northern Virginia. Neither was anything special and from my perspective the service level has been pretty much the exact same as the Ram dealership I take my truck to. I haven't had any issues with any of them, service has all been acceptable. None have offered loaners or rentals and service has all been impersonal, but competent enough to pass the sniff check.

 

[WXman]

The cool thing about Toyota vehicles is that they are always so outdated that it takes me back to when I was a boy when I get into one. It's like a trip down memory lane.

 

[SD Rebel]

The cool thing about Toyota vehicles is that they are always so outdated that it takes me back to when I was a boy when I get into one. It's like a trip down memory lane.

That applies mainly to their trucks and truck based SUVs, they are ancient for sure, but seems to be what those customers want. Their new Tundra looks to be very modern however and so is their cars.