I am fuming with disappointment, anger, and frustration right now.

Infiniti values "total ownership experience", so far I've been experiencing far less than total, it’s more comparable to lack of ownership experience.

Since the beginning of my journey of joining the proud owners of Infiniti cars, it has been plagued with dissatisfaction. I leased my car, a 2006 black g35 coupe on March 28 of 2006. That same day, after we had negotiated a price, they told me that my car was in San Diego and that they had to drive it up and I would have to return to the dealership to receive my car. The same night, I returned to the dealership to receive my car, but during those weeks it was raining so they suggested that I bring the car back in to do a detail at a later time when the weather was nicer. Fine, so I took the car and drove it around, satisfied with the car, yet not so satisfied with having to return to the dealership so many times.

1.5 weeks ago, I called the service manager at Infiniti Tustin to schedule an appointment to get my promised detail. They tell me that they don’t open until 7am and that I would be able to get a loaner car. I work at 6am, so I had to take off work a bit to make it to the 7am appointment. My appointment is set for April 18 and I know because all events I set in my phone calendar.

Trips to dealership: 3

Today, April 18th, I go in to the Infiniti dealer at 7am. I wait 10 minutes before a service representative helps me.

Time to assistance: 10 minutes

The service representative asks me for my name, I give it, and then he proceeds to tell me that I do not have an appointment in the system. But, he says its ok and that they can do the detail. Then he asks if there is anything else he can help me with. I tell him that I need a loaner car. He tells me that there are no loaner cars available, and that he would rent me a Hertz car, but I would have to pay for it. As a long time Infiniti owner, I know that Infiniti dealers should provide loaner cars, free of charge, and if they don’t have one they should front the Hertz rental bill. So, I let him know that paying for a rental car is ridiculous and that I'm leaving. Upon hearing that he suddenly informs me that he can acquire me a loaner car. One minute he doesn't have a loaner, the next moment he suddenly has one to loan me.

Service dishonesty: yes

He then looks at my car and informs me that what he is going to give me is the 'new car detail' which is essentially a wash and then liquid wax, but he goes on to tell me that I have hard rain on my black car, and that I would require a 'full detail'. He can provide that full detail for the difference between the 'full detail' and the 'new car detail, which will cost $80, because they employ an outside party to do the detailing.

Absurdly high prices for a detail: yes
Attempting to take advantage of unknowledgeable customer: yes

My history of inconveniences brought on by my purchase/lease of an Infiniti vehicle has given me a negative impression on the ‘total ownership experience’ that Infiniti touts as their vision statement. In comparison to other competing vehicles, sometimes I regret on choosing Infiniti, friends and family of mine have owned Lexus’ and BMW’s and they don’t seem to have the same service issues that plague Infiniti. I believe that I have also been discriminated against because of my appearance. I am 24 years old, but look like I could be 18.

Perhaps Infiniti service representatives feel that they can make me wait 10 minutes for service, waste my time, attempt to make me pay for a rental car, charge me high prices for a car detail, and deprive me of my total ownership experience.

Perhaps not all Infiniti dealers are so dissatisfying. The one in question is Infiniti Tustin in California.

**Update**
After jumping through a few hoops, talking to my sales representative and playing phone tag with the service representatives, the service manager informed me that I will be recieving a full detail on my car at no extra charge, and will also provide a loaner car or rental car depending on availability also at no charge. Appointment has been set for tomorrow at 7am. We'll see how it goes tomorrow.

 

I can understand your frustration. But what I believe you should do is rite the Infiniti Corporate office and let them know in detail what you have had to deal with. Dont sound mad and upset in the email, but so let them know that this is not the "Total Ownership" experience that Infiniti boasts and that you will not do business with them if this continues. Being 24 they have to think you are a potential long term customer, so you should get a favorable reply.
On a side note, I went through Santa Barabra Infiniti (being the closest to home) and have had outstanding service since my car purchase. I did have to take my car in to get the clear bra on and they owed me a detail. But the work was excellent and the customer service was second to none.
Hopefully things will work out ofr you. I think you jbeen to a bad dealer... and your not the first one I have read about on here that are having problems with Tustin.
Good luck...

 

That sucks man. I got the same youth curse as you, I'm 24 but actually only look like I'm 16. The security at a casino in Windsor didn't believe my ID was real even though I knew all the info and I had about 10 other people all way over the legal age of 19. But thats a whole new thread.

But anyways I'm thinking its just your dealership, because I took my car in yesterday because my splash guars were loose. The first rep I made an appointment with offered me a rental. I left work early hoping that I could just get it fixed without that hassle. Even though they were busy the service guy at the desk looked at my car and tried to fix it himself, tie and everything getting dirty. He was all under the car trying to see why things were loose. He admitted it was going to take a little more effort then he initially thought, so he was starting to get the paperwork for the rental ready. After that the service manager walks in just to chit chat and the front desk guy told him about my car. The service manager said no prob and said he had an empty bay and took it himself and fixed the problem for me.

That being said they didn't offer me a detail like I thought they were supposed too. Even though they did offer one to another guy that got there the sametime as me. They offered it to him right in front of my face and didn't think about me. Not that big a deal really because I just ended up going home and detailing it myself, way more satisfying by the way. Plus I'm hesitant to let a dealership wash it anyways with all the stories I've heard, so maybe you actually lucked out there.

 

Maybe it's just me but 10 mins to wait for something is not EARTH shattering.

The detail diff seems real fair $80- is nothing if done wright.

As for the confussion on the loaner..so what..it happens all day and
every day to all types of people. It's called human error.

Relax...life is too short to worry/stress about lil inconveniences.


My $.02 beans

 

as much as i love my car... i hate infiniti.

i think it will be my last.

 

Yea, that's not right. Definitely complain, you don't want that to continue.
On another note, I too look under twenty, and actually gonna be 27 in few months.

 

Contact the Infiniti Corporate office by phone and let them know right away... I've heard lots of problems from that dealership on this forum.

 

Well at least I'm not the only one discriminated against I guess. I was 24 when I purchased my 2003 brand new, I showed up to the dealership prepared to outright buy a coupe in CASH and they wouldn't even let me test drive it because I was wearing a short sleeved shirt and I'm tattooed down to my hands/fingers. I ended up throwing a complete sh!tstorm and getting the guy fired, but seriously, what a douche. Every time I've ever dealt with a Infiniti dealership it's been nothing but attitude. I always take my car to get serviced at the Nissan dealership next to the Infiniti one. I find on average it costs about 25-30% less and everyone there seems to be a lot more lax.

 

That's an exceptionally bad dealership...a lot of people have been complaining about that one.

 

++1

 

Sounds to me like you are having problems with one particular dealership, not Infiniti ownership...

 

i've had problems at mission viejo, tustin, and raleigh (nc).

(i even had a problem with grubbs)

idiots... all of them.

 

i dont mind not getting a detail done, i do mind when i buy my car used and the car doesnt have a navi disk... my sales rep told me he would get one shipped to me in a week or two, its been 3 months and they are supposobly on "back order".

i just ended up burning a copy off of a friends, but i still call and hassle them every week

 

Been there, done that. At least you're a guy.

I own my own business and am in sales. Rule number One: Don't B$ a B$-er.

Try a twerpy salesman giving you "lines" about the plate holes in the front bumper and how the paint will never match if they repair it. Hello! What if the car was in an accident? He also didn't notice thier loaner cars lined up next to him w/no front bumper plates.

Anyway...for your problem:

1. Call the General Manager, not immediate management.
2. Threaten corporate. If you go to corporate, it jeapordizes thier star rating which in turn changes the way they are given certian cars. Most of the time just threatening will solve it. Let them know you know this

grace

 

Dealerships love to compete for your work. They get paid by corporate to do warranty work and if one dealer doesnt want free money there are plenty of others.