Dealership Employees Learning to Drive Stick with Customer's Car

[PizzaTime]

Originally Posted by Bach415

If a certain person in that job does not know how to drive manual, it is their duty to find someone that can rather than getting taught on the spot with a customer's car.

^This

Originally Posted by Leonardo

OP, I understand your frustration. I think a very diplomatic and calm approach, with the head manager, would be the best way to go about getting some sort of compensation.

The "con" goes like this:
Complement them for taking the time to hear you. Use their name and look them in the eyes. Acknowledge they have the power.

Now the tricky part. Guide them to the conclusion that helping you is actually easier than not helping you. This works.

Also, have realistic expectations of what you will get. They are not going to give a pile of cash. Maybe a free car wash, IDK. It doesn't hurt to ask. And, if things go well, you might be pleasantly surprised what they offer.

My dad always said: "The squeaky wheel gets the grease!"


Good luck!

I mean I'm not trying to "get" anything out of this, other than an on-record acknowledgment that it occurred and ideally some reinforced training for the parties involved so that it doesn't happen to another customer. Definitely not looking for another car wash from them, but I could see that being an appropriate level of apology if I wasn't averse to the idea.

Originally Posted by Tcoat

OH for f's sake this is rich! What a fucking waste of everybody's time.

Yep, such a big waste of time that you felt the need to waste even more time responding. That seems like an intelligent reaction.


Again, thank you all for the opinions/advice...and for the laughs, of course.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by PizzaTime

Yep, such a big waste of time that you felt the need to waste even more time responding. That seems like an intelligent reaction.

I was referring to taking it to the press. Figured that was pretty clear from the fact I bolded that very section.
Guess not though.

[PizzaTime]

I suppose coupled with this:

Originally Posted by Tcoat

...and they will come here and make a thread about how the mean man learned on their car and they are asscared it will blow up..

it seemed more directed at the thread in general.

I guess next time I read something you wrote, I'll pretend to forget everything else you've written prior. Wut r an context?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by PizzaTime

I suppose coupled with this:



it seemed more directed at the thread in general.

I guess next time I read something you wrote, I'll pretend to forget everything else you've written prior. Wut r an context?

Oh that one was but it wasn't the one you quoted to complain about.

[Bach415]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

LOLOLOLOLOLOL


BREAKING NEWS
Man finds out a person that didn't know how to drive MT stalled his car! NEXT UP
Tech drips oil on manifold and is drawn and quartered by angry internet mob.


OH for f's sake this is rich! What a fucking waste of everybody's time.

More along the lines of


BREAKING NEWS
Customers find out that their cars are now being used for driver's training at dealerships!

NEXT UP
Does chocolate milk really come from brown cows?


Lmao. Press will respond to almost anything nowadays.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Bach415

More along the lines of


BREAKING NEWS
Customers find out that their cars are now being used for driver's training at dealerships!

NEXT UP
Does chocolate milk really come from brown cows?


Lmao. Press will respond to almost anything nowadays.

And THAT was what I meant by a waste of time. Their time for reporting it and my time for having to listen to it.
Some people obviously just get angry really easily.

[SuperTom]

well the clutch engagement is a bit different on these cars. I stalled mine a few times when I first got it, compared to the heavier more normal clutch engagement on my C5

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by SuperTom

well the clutch engagement is a bit different on these cars. I stalled mine a few times when I first got it, compared to the heavier more normal clutch engagement on my C5

Is it ruined? Harmed in any fashion?

[SuperTom]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Is it ruined? Harmed in any fashion?

no but I did piss off the mom in the minivan behind me who was in rush to get home and eat bon bons

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by SuperTom

no but I did piss off the mom in the minivan behind me who was in rush to get home and eat bon bons

Then she passed you and smoked you at the next lights?

[SuperTom]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Then she passed you and smoked you at the next lights?

the torque in those V6 caravans are no joke!

[winstonscifi]

After I retired from the US Postal Service, I got a part time job at a Lexus dealership as a valet. We would take the car from the customer, and bring it to the Service Manager who told us to bring it to the assigned Service Technician. We didn't see many manual transmission cars, as you would probably expect. But when we did, it was a fight to see who could drive that customer's car - most of the valets knew how to drive a stick. The ones that didn't, just called out and another valet would take over. I find it astonishing that someone working at a Toyota-Scion dealership doesn't know how to drive a stick. I'm sure that the percentage of manuals to automatics is many times higher in that type of dealership. As has been said before - show the dash cam footage to the Service Manager. He will make things right - it's in his best interest to keep you as a customer. If he doesn't , put it up on the book of Faces.

[winstonscifi]

Oh, and by the way, every clutch is different - someone who does not know the clutch is going to not drive it perfectly. There is going to be some slippage, and maybe a lug or two, perhaps even a kill. That valet will never live it down!

[Mr.ac]

My two cent:
I'll be mad that the employee couldn't drive a stick. I'll let management I didn't like that.
What would I want as compensation? Nothing. Since really there is no damage in those failed attempts.

If I get in my car and it smells like burnt clutch, yeah then we got a problem. If not, maybe a free oil change.
Then again that's always the issue when you let other people work on your car.