Taking one's car in for service in these Covid Times

[ShokWaveRider]

I took my NEW 2020 car in today for an ECM check per the manufacturer after I received a letter.

I have never felt so unsafe in any facility post Covid as I did in this one.

No social distancing, not ONE person client or employee wore a mask. Quite frankly I feel safer in Walmart. They did have hand sanitizer. Any asymptomatic carrier could walk in and infect them.

I could have had them come and pick it up, leave me a loaner, but I feel I really do not need that level of service, and it gets me out of the house. Never again.

Anyone else had a bad experience at a car dealer?

 

[jollystomper]

I have taken our cars in to the dealer for regular maintenance, and have not had any problems. The employees are all masked. The ones who take the car from you also have gloves. I can choose a loaner, but due to the distance from my home it is easier to just wait. They increased the size and layout of the indoor customer waiting area and it is easy to social distance. They took some of their outside space, covered with a tent and added seats so that you could choose to wait outside.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I have taken our cars in to the dealer for regular maintenance, and have not had any problems. The employees are all masked. The ones who take the car from you also have gloves. I can choose a loaner, but due to the distance from my home it is easier to just wait. They increased the size and layout of the indoor customer waiting area and it is easy to social distance. They took some of their outside space, covered with a tent and added seats so that you could choose to wait outside.

That is good to hear. Wish mine did that.

 

[ABQ2015]

I recently took my car into the dealer for an oil change. My service rep was on the phone and had his mask pulled down. There are four service reps in the immediate vicinity with no barriers between them so wondered how they liked that. But the showroom and service department are one large open space with huge ceiling height and there were very few people in the building.

I waited upstairs in another large open space about 30 ft from the employee break room. Few of the employees on break wore masks but they distanced from each other and they were probably there to eat lunch. I wore my N95 talking to the service rep and a disposable mask upstairs and kept my distance. And I brought some alcohol wipes to wipe down the car after servicing.

 

[Aerides]

It probably depends on the requirements of your county/city. Here in PBC, the experience you described would be in violation of several local ordinances.

Though, on a recent visit, even with all the rules and processes in place, it seems 25% of people feel they need to pull their mask down to talk on the phone...both staff and customers.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

It probably depends on the requirements of your county/city. Here in PBC, the experience you described would be in violation of several local ordinances.

Though, on a recent visit, even with all the rules and processes in place, it seems 25% of people feel they need to pull their mask down to talk on the phone...both staff and customers.

OP Here and This is Florida, one guy was wearing one as a "Chin Diaper" (South Park ) which is useless. I did ask the Service rep why they were not more diligent in these times, and he said they are not required to.

 

[ProspectiveBum]

SWR, I haven’t seen anything like what you describe here in my neck of the woods. There was a restaurant that DW and I stopped into occasionally that made the news because the owner wasn’t enforcing mask-wearing by employees and guests. Sheriff’s deputies came in and shut him down (this was back in June, I think). I imagine other kinds of businesses would get the same treatment.

I drive old cars, and have been in for several service visits. Employees are wearing masks, and behind clear plexiglass screens.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I drive old cars, and have been in for several service visits. Employees are wearing masks, and behind clear plexiglass screens.

California seems a lot more sensible than Florida.

 

[Aerides]

OP Here and This is Florida, one guy was wearing one as a "Chin Diaper" (South Park ) which is useless. I did ask the Service rep why they were not more diligent in these times, and he said they are not required to.

I know, I'm in FL too (PBC) so a bit further south. Varies by county/city.

 

[Dtail]

Went into a dealer today for minor service. No mandatory mask signs, but all the workers were wearing masks, but not all the customers. You know the tough guy types.....

 

[Amethyst]

I took our car to the local repair place for oil change and tire rotation. (I went by myself, to avoid exposing Mr. A. unnecessarily - he's much older than I am). They have a very small waiting area between the employees and the mechanics' bays.

No employees or mechanics wore masks. A lot of local people are very anti-mask, and the smaller businesses reflect that. There was one other customer (masked) waiting. Several customers went in and out. Some masked, some not.

Later, I went to the dealer for a minor fix, as the 5-year warranty was just about to expire. The employee who checked me in wore a mask, but the other waiting customer did not. She was across the waiting room from me and wasn't talking, so it didn't bother me.

I took my NEW 2020 car in today for an ECM check per the manufacturer after I received a letter.

I have never felt so unsafe in any facility post Covid as I did in this one.

No social distancing, not ONE person client or employee wore a mask. Quite frankly I feel safer in Walmart. They did have hand sanitizer. Any asymptomatic carrier could walk in and infect them.

I could have had them come and pick it up, leave me a loaner, but I feel I really do not need that level of service, and it gets me out of the house. Never again.

Anyone else had a bad experience at a car dealer?

 

[donheff]

Sounds like it depends on how seriously your state and local governments take it. I just took my car to the local garage for an oil change and it was pretty well handled. Plexiglass at the counter, employees and customers wearing masks. But I am in DC and the vast majority of people follow the rules in the area - masks in public if people are nearby, masks mandatory for customers and staff indoors. The transmission rate and percent positive hereabouts was fairly low last time I looked so I feel pretty safe for now.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

I've had 2 recent experiences to share. I'm in rural Northwestern PA.

My Mom's Camry battery died so we took it into the local Toyota dealership for replacement. We wore masks the entire time. All the customer-facing employees were behind plexiglass panels and wore masks. A few garage employees came and went while we were there and they had masks on. Our comfort level was good.

Two weeks ago, I traded in my Ford F-150 for a Ram 1500 at a dealership in New Castle, PA. My sales rep wore a mask, but it was mostly around his neck. He would pull it up now and then, but it was the type of mask that just wouldn't stay up. He mostly gave up on it. There was no plexiglass shielding anywhere. So I had to sit in his cubicle about 4 feet from him. Most of the other employees in the showroom were not even attempting to wear masks. The few other customers who were in the showroom were wearing masks. I wasn't pleased with that aspect of it. But I liked the deal I was getting so I guess that's the good part of it. In the finance office, the man was masked and behind plexiglass. So that was good. Not sure why the same didn't apply to the sales reps. Anyway, So far, no symptoms for me, so I'm probably fine. Oh... I was able to do a test drive, but the sales rep didn't go with me in the vehicle. I have no idea if it was sanitized or not. If it was, they didn't tell me. I would score the dealership low on any COVID survey.

 

[jazz4cash]

I haven’t been in for auto service. We had two family members in town for a funeral and they both remarked how different it was here in MD wrt the percentage of people wearing masks. It’s a state mandate but I think the point is people comply. Another ex colleague who is still working told me that despite a city mandate she gats dirty looks for wearing a mask in certain neighborhoods and dirty looks for not wearing one in others. She had the virus and got very sick and recovered but was never hospitalized.

 

[Bamaman]

We recently bought a truck. Had to have an appointment just to get into the showroom. Everyone was with masks and distancing.

Dealers have spent time in the past going over all the workings of the car--electronics, etc. Not this time. They have also shown buyers the service department and let you meet service advisors, etc. Not this time.

If you need service, they have a mobile service van that can come to your house and do oil changes and such. They also will deliver vehicles to your home on a new sale keeping thing as distanced as possible.

The dealership we purchased the truck from is an old, established and very successful operation. But even they can change with the times.

 

[MRG]

Took DW'S Wrangler to Durango for a little warranty work. Everyone was wearing mask, and social distancing. I needed a rental and the manager rode with me to Enterprise and took my vehicle back. When he got in he asked if I wanted him to sit in the back seat.

Guess it depends on where you live.

 

[GravitySucks]

Had my car inspected even though NY State is letting the requirement slide for awhile*.
Shop owner/service writer and techs were masked, signs all over saying customers must wear masks but one did not. A waiting area was made comfortable out doors which I used to stay away from the inconsiderate unmasked customer. Car was wiped down before being returned.
I felt safe.

*NY was letting inspections slide, but not license renewals. DMV is not open for renewals so had to do it online with an eye test at the local pharmacy for an extra $10. Guess the state's ok with the shop going without $ but not willing to delay it's own income.

 

[gromit]

I actually had a great experience getting a flat tire repaired. Very new tires, but I ran over a nail. The Tire place offers contact free service. I gave them all the info via phone and stayed in my car in the parking lot. When they were ready to do the repair, they called my cell phone and had me drive the car into the bay and stay in the car. They aren't allowed to use the lift racks with people in the cars, so they just used one of those long rolling jacks. They jacked the one corner of the car up 6 inches, took the tire off, repaired it and put it back on. I popped the trunk from inside the car, they tossed the receipt in and I was ready to go. If that wasn't good enough, a number of tire places in my area now repair flats for free, so there was no charge.

 

[Zathras]

When taking our car in for service, they have a zero contact procedure.

We drive up, respond to a text to let them know we are there.
We are then provided a keycode to a loaner which is parked nearby.

The cars are locked or unlocked remotely.

 

[FIREd]

I took my car for service in July. I dropped the car outside the dealership. The dealership had arrows drawn on the floor to direct foot traffic so that everyone moved in the same direction (entering on one side of the building and exiting on the other side). The employees I interacted with wore a mask and stood behind a plexiglass screen. Hand sanitizer was available at each station. I decided to walk home while my car was being serviced and not linger in the waiting room (all customers waiting there wore a mask but the room seemed a bit small to me). My car was sanitized before and after service. Overall, it felt like a pretty safe experience.

 

[harllee]

I just had my Lexus serviced. I made an appointment for the dealership to pick it up at my house. The person who picked it up was masked. They left me a loaner but I did not drive it. When they returned my car they said it had been sanitized but I sanitized it too just to be safe. I hope the continue the pick up method going forward--so easy and safe.

 

[Retch The Grate]

Took my civic in to the dealer to be serviced yesterday, took a moment for the guy who checks in the vehicles to recognize me because my hair is mostly brown rather than the normal neon yellow. Everybody was masked, they had plexiglass barriers in the service advisor offices and the main desk/waiting area. I didn't feel safe being indoors so I waited outside, not because they were doing anything wrong. When I did go inside to pay it felt fine, there was contactless card reading, they had clean pens for me to use to sign my bill, etc. Car had plastic film on the steering wheel and gear shift to reduce the high touch surface risk, but I still wiped everything with alcohol hand sanitizer once I got in, and drove for a while with the windows open to flush any airborne particles out.

I feel pretty safe about the experience, but it is all relative.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Thanks for all your responses. I am glad my dealer seems to be an anomaly. I will not go back there.

 

[Mr. Tightwad]

Tesla comes to your residence to do any repairs that they can do there. They have come to my house for replacing air filters and tires. No need to visit the repair center.

One time they emailed me saying they needed to change a part where the charger gets plugged into the car. Did that at my house as well.

 

[ProspectiveBum]

Tesla comes to your residence to do any repairs that they can do there. They have come to my house for replacing air filters and tires. No need to visit the repair center.

One time they emailed me saying they needed to change a part where the charger gets plugged into the car. Did that at my house as well.

I can’t recall ever seeing a mobile tire mounting machine. They took the old tires off your vehicle at your house, and mounted new ones?