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Lengthy repairs and loaner cars

ferraiolo1

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My Local Subaru dealer and gm dealer do the same thing.


Still don’t understand why it has to keep being repeated. It’s up to the individual dealership regardless of brand!


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brian42

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My BMW dealership ALWAYS had a loaner for me, and most times it was a newer better car than my own. They treated it like a sales tool. I remember dropping my 2011 328i off for an oil change one Friday morning they gave me a 2014 335i m-sport as a loaner. Service tech called me at 1pm that car was done but said "hey i know you're probably having fun in that loaner so hold onto for the weekend and ill see you Monday."
I'm just glad my dealership gave me loaners. It was usually a 4th gen quad cab Tradesman or base model V-6 Challenger. Both made me appreciate my truck just that much more when I got it back.

I did luck out once and get a loaded Wrangler Rubicon. It was fun to drive for a few days but I got tired of my shoulder rubbing the B-pillar. I'd jump to a Laramie if it was in my budget but that's about it. I'm not "premium" material and the Longhorn and Limited are just not my style ;).
 

flyinghigh89

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I owned a Lexus before this RAM and always was provided with loaner when my car came in for service. You buy a truck that costs this much I would expect the same. Marks comment about the dealers being independent is meaningless, its still your brand that suffers during a poor experience isnt it? I have been without my truck for a month and am being told I wont have it back until March, and I am expected to pay for a rental car for over 3 months?????
 

RamCares

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Thanks Rob. My wife spent less on her Mercedes and they MAKE SURE she has a loaner when she gets an oil change. Any $70,000 truck owner should be offered a rental or loaner when they have warranty work. The parent company ought to make sure of that so that we owners don't *****. AND the parent company should make sure the service managers call with status updates on vehicles under repair. My guy doesn't call at all...
Thank you for taking the time to provide your honest feedback. We will make sure to document accordingly.

Rob
Ram Cares
 

UncaBuddha

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Thank you for taking the time to provide your honest feedback. We will make sure to document accordingly.

Rob
Ram Cares

Thanks Rob. My truck has been at the dealer since Jan 18th. No end in sight, they are "still waiting on STAR to complete the review the tech sent in to FCA". I don't know what that means. I'm not a truck mechanic and have no idea whether an oil leak that includes coolant mixing with the oil means the engine needs to be fixed or changed.
 
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UncaBuddha

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Could be an oil cooler but most likely head gasket issues.
I'm not a diesel mechanic but I'd like some advice about whether the longevity of this diesel engine is compromised by this leak. When I know more of the intimate details I'll post here. Three weeks today. Not a peep from the service department. Either they don't have any new news or they are doing something I might not approve of and going to say "hey, it's fixed"... More later...
 

brian42

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Shouldn't be an issue as long as they machine the surfaces when they re-install the heads.

I had leaks on my last truck (diesel) that put coolant in the oil (failed oil cooler seal) and another one that put fuel in the coolant (failed fuel injector cups). Repaired them both with no issues.

As long as it hasn't been for a long period of time the internals should be fine. If the dealership goes for the repair then they'll inspect things when they remove the head to make sure the bottom end is fine, otherwise they'll just replace the whole thing. It's a lot cheaper to repair the engine already installed so that's probably where they'll start unless they get different marching orders from corporate.
 
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UncaBuddha

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One month today and no news. Going to send RAMCARES a note...

I recently retired and had plans for a vacation trip someplace warm IN MY TRUCK. At this point I don't have a truck.
 

UncaBuddha

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Still at the dealership. Thanks to Rob at Ramcares for starting some parts finding from the corporate side. Now that the intercooler is there, the mechanic is waiting for instruction on how to find the leak that made replacement of the intercooler necessary. So he doesn't know where the leak is. Makes me nervous...
 

Drivinfast247

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My local dealership gave he a fresh off the lot 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland L, fully loaded with the premium McIntosh Audio package. Had it for 18 days and put almost 2k miles on it.

Then I got my truck back and it wasn't even properly fixed. Lol
 

cevans6318

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Still at the dealership. Thanks to Rob at Ramcares for starting some parts finding from the corporate side. Now that the intercooler is there, the mechanic is waiting for instruction on how to find the leak that made replacement of the intercooler necessary. So he doesn't know where the leak is. Makes me nervous...
why have you not filed for lemon law?
 

JF19Longhorn

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Ford always gave me a loaner, RAM acted like I had three heads when I asked.. and this was PreCovid when their lot was overflowing.

My mom's Ford is in for repairs and has been waiting on parts for 3 wks now. She's had a loaner the entire time.

This will definitely be considered when I make my next truck purchase.
 

cevans6318

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Ford always gave me a loaner, RAM acted like I had three heads when I asked.. and this was PreCovid when their lot was overflowing.

My mom's Ford is in for repairs and has been waiting on parts for 3 wks now. She's had a loaner the entire time.

This will definitely be considered when I make my next truck purchase.
just cause the dealer gave your mom a loaner doesn't mean ford is any better. Plenty of people here has received loaners with their repairs. it all comes back to the dealer. The dealer I work at has cut their loaner inventory so sometimes people don't get a loaner. Doesn't mean ram sucks.
 

TNRamGuy

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I have always done a few things with great results.
1. When I book an appointment at my dealership I ask how many people are going to be working
2. On my way there I grab doughnuts or McDonald's for everyone ($25 worth of burgers buys a week of rental)
3. I never mentioned a rental, first trip for an inspection! Since I didn't buy from them, just said "I will be hanging out here until your done, you mind if I make some fresh coffee (nearly empty pot was sitting on the counter)
4.Now I have only been there 4 times in 18 months, but it sounds like Norm walking into Cheers.
Lesson learned is....doughnut =bacon =free stuff =love=great reviews
 

JF19Longhorn

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just cause the dealer gave your mom a loaner doesn't mean ford is any better. Plenty of people here has received loaners with their repairs. it all comes back to the dealer. The dealer I work at has cut their loaner inventory so sometimes people don't get a loaner. Doesn't mean ram sucks.

No, but I've had over a dozen Fords, through 5 different dealerships, and got a loaner whenever there was any warranty repair being performed. Now I might have had to insist, but I always got one. Two different RAM dealerships in our area both said no, even when pushed. One of which is a sister dealership (same owner) to a Ford dealership I have gotten loaners through.

Not saying either is better, but for my next purchase.. the local dealer network is what I'll have to be dealing with as much as the manufacturer... so, like I said, This will definitely be considered when I make my next truck purchase.

**again, pre-COVID. I -knock on wood- haven't had anything I'm going to waste my time or deal with the stress of taking it in since early 2020.
 
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ferraiolo1

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They are still independently ran. Same guy owns my Subaru and Chevy dealer. Subaru dealer always gives a car no questions asked. The Chevy dealer it’s like pulling tears.

I know a local ford dealer near me who doesn’t give out loaners also.

So let’s say it slowly…. It’s. Up. Too. The. Individual. Dealership.


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JF19Longhorn

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They are still independently ran. Same guy owns my Subaru and Chevy dealer. Subaru dealer always gives a car no questions asked. The Chevy dealer it’s like pulling tears.

I know a local ford dealer near me who doesn’t give out loaners also.

So let’s say it slowly…. It’s. Up. Too. The. Individual. Dealership.


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Came out harsher than I meant it to. "the local dealer network is what I'll have to be dealing with as much as the manufacturer... so, like I said, This will definitely be considered when I make my next truck purchase."
 

cevans6318

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No, but I've had over a dozen Fords, through 5 different dealerships, and got a loaner whenever there was any warranty repair being performed. Now I might have had to insist, but I always got one. Two different RAM dealerships in our area both said no, even when pushed. One of which is a sister dealership (same owner) to a Ford dealership I have gotten loaners through.

Not saying either is better, but for my next purchase.. the local dealer network is what I'll have to be dealing with as much as the manufacturer... so, like I said, This will definitely be considered when I make my next truck purchase.

**again, pre-COVID. I -knock on wood- haven't had anything I'm going to waste my time or deal with the stress of taking it in since early 2020.
again, you getting a loaner has nothing to do with the manufacture. It directly falls back with the dealer. I would bet you can go over to the ford forums and you will find the same amount of pissed off owners who have complaints with the dealers and ford over tons of issues and there will be someone saying " When I had a ram, I never had this issue, I will Definitely consider them for my next purchase".
 

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