..or at least write letters praising them if they give you good service.

My service department at Harper Infiniti in Knoxville has been tops since I started using them about 4 years ago. They've always gone above and beyond the call of service and taken care of little things for me without charge, even out of warranty.

So, after I graduated in May, I thought I'd be leaving Knoxville for good. Since they'd done so much for me, I thought I'd write Infiniti Corporate, the GM of the dealership, and the service manager a letter praising the service team for everything they'd done. Shortly thereafter I got a call from Infiniti, I presume confirming that I'd written the letter. Afterward, I needed another service visit and went in. They were very appreciative of the letter and again went out of their way to make sure everything was above and beyond my satisfaction.

Fast forward 1.5-2 months now and I've discovered I'll be returning to Knoxville for law school. I'm in the process of buying a house and the family flew in from Cali to take a look at the new place. We pile into the car (Nashville) and head the 3 hours east.

About 50 miles away from the destination I start getting a loud humming noise, a wonky brake pedal, vague steering, and a vibration I don't like. I pull over, check that the lugnuts are tight, and get back on the road. The brake felt like it had felt before when I brought it in and they told me the wheel bearing was loose. They of course tightened it up and cleaned it up free of charge and sent me on my way. Well, it felt like that again, so I called up the dealership in Knoxville and told them what was up. They told me to bring it in if I could and they'd take a look.

Thankfully I made it to Knoxville and went straight to the dealer. They had it on the lift in no time and the findings weren't good. The bearing was shot and it had ultimately destroyed the hub. And considering all that was going to take 3.5 hrs and I'd gotten there at 4:30 on July 3rd, there was no way it was going to get done that evening. No worries, they give me a G35 loaner and tell me to do what I need to do. They volunteer that they'll keep the car inside overnight (and over the holiday) and inform me that they'll try to help out a little on the parts prices as it would likely be about a $600 job. Grateful, I thank them and head on back to Nashville.

So fast forward again to today, Wednesday, July 5, and I call and find out the car is fixed. I drive back out to Knoxville and get ready to pay the price. With somewhat of a sly grin my service advisor has me sign a couple sheets and then the final sheet that I haven't signed before... it says "Goodwill" at the top.

Come to find out, he was able to get Infiniti to cover the parts (new wheel bearing and hub assembly) and the labor to fix everything as part of a goodwill/warranty repair - at 95,000 miles! Needless to say I was blown away. I couldn't thank them enough, and as he told me, he can do a little of that every now and then and was just glad that he could help me out.

So yes, for those too lazy to read the novel (Cliffs):

-Build good relationship with dealer service
-Make sure good service is recognized and rewarded
-95,000 miles a $600 repair is free

While I don't doubt that the letter I wrote certainly helped my situation, I also know that they would have been quick to help me out no matter what, just as they always have. Even pre-letter.

I was just thankful that they were able to prevent me from being stranded, and then take care of me financially as well.

So, remember to hug your service advisor if they're doing a good job, or at the very least write a letter or make a phone call...


EDIT: To name names, Jeff, Tom, and Samantha are the best service folks at Harper Infiniti!

 

that's awesome. with so many internet businesses and the want for consumers to find the cheapest route for everything, businesses are really beginning to value customer loyalty. i think your dealer valued that and your letter was just the cherry on the top. congrats!

i personally wouldn't go to a dealer to get my car serviced just because they cost so much. however i am loyal to my mechanic which i've been going to for about 7 years now.

 

.....Infiniti service has bene really great for my family as well. Which I can't say about BMW though.....

 

There's a reason why 3 of the 4 people in my family drive Infinitis.

Though the 4th drives a Nissan...

 

Thats an amazing story, I sure as heck dont get that kind of service at my local pontiac dealership.

Good luck with law school BTW

 

LOL..and to think when I got my I35 I really was dead-set on a brand new WS6..

Thanks for the well wishes, btw.

 

The stealership did something for free? Wow, they do deserve praise.

 

Excellent story! Glad everything worked out for you like it did. The great service is the reason that I will only buy Infiniti products from Nissan in the future. It makes a real difference when the places you patronize act like they really care about keeping your business.

 

DIY the simple maintenance stuff like oil change...etc. Only take it to the dealer for BIG things

 

How often do I30's need the transmission fluid changed?

 

Like any other car, 30,000 miles or 3 years. Instructions on how to DIY is in the Fluids section of this forum.

 

Since its out of warranty you can go just about anywhere. Follow the maintenance intervals in your auto manual and you should be straight. You may be able to download a copy of the manual from infinitiusa.com. It will have all of your maintenance intervals in there for oil changes, transmission fluid changes, etc.