Noticed a build up of condensation and water inside the passenger side of taillight on hatch back door. It’s been raining and snowing recently looked inside hatch and didn’t notice anything unusual or any crack on lens. Called service number from Alfa Romeo dealer website and was forwarded to a Chrysler Jeep dealer via the phone. I wasn’t aware that the Dealership that I leased my Stelvio from didn’t service their own vehicles. Sure enough I speak to the service department and was told that I would have to leave the Stelvio, when I requested a loaner the rep at service stated that they don’t offer loaners. I was thrown back because I thought Alfa Romeo was a luxury brand, especially when I still own an Audi and never have a problem getting a loaner. The experience was horrible from the start was put on hold for 10 minutes before I even spoke to someone, eventually after debating with the rep about the brand and expectation of a luxury brand. The rep took my name,number, vin number and stated that they actually have two Guilia’s available as courtesy vehicles and would have to get back to me to see if she can secure one of them for me. That was today at noon but no call as of yet, so annoyed that I didn’t inquire about the servicing. So typical of Domestic car dealerships I never had such issues with Audi and pretty sure with other top luxury brands. I love my Stelvio but someway for Alfa Romeo to get back into the auto business in the USA. So many satisfaction surveys ! Hopefully this will be resolved by tomorrow if not I guess I’ll call Alfa Romeo customer care tomorrow.
Condensation and water inside tailight
1 - 20 of 20 Posts
Well, that's a NEW one. Also, a luxury brand that doesn't give out loaners!! Wonder how it is with Maserati service?
Hey Marco that’s crazy !!! If I don’t hear anything from the service department I wonder how the dealership and Alfa Romeo USA are going to respond. I drove an hour to the nearest Alfa dealership test drove it and leased it the same day, I didn’t need any convincing from the sales guy. I negotiated a price with the sales manager and out the door I went. I was my own sales person.
The car is still under warranty so if they take your car off the road they have to give you SOMETHING! If they give you ANY crap about a loaner tell them you will rent a car and send them the bill.
Joined
·
241 Posts
@Tomskullz: Where do you live? Is the dealer you purchased from a combined Chrysler/Alfa dealer?
I hope your bad experience is the result of a slow ramp-up of maintenance capabilities at Alfa dealers rather than an Alfa policy of no loaners. I used to get free loaners (via Enterprise rental car) for my out-of-warranty BMW and Audi servicing, and BMW and Audi loaners for in-warranty servicing. But as always, you get what you pay for- both BMW and Audi repair costs were HIGH. Their prices were high enough to absorb a $30 per day loaner.
I hope your bad experience is the result of a slow ramp-up of maintenance capabilities at Alfa dealers rather than an Alfa policy of no loaners. I used to get free loaners (via Enterprise rental car) for my out-of-warranty BMW and Audi servicing, and BMW and Audi loaners for in-warranty servicing. But as always, you get what you pay for- both BMW and Audi repair costs were HIGH. Their prices were high enough to absorb a $30 per day loaner.
Joined
·
354 Posts
The race is on..., we Alfisti get it, dealers need to...
I also hope the experience was just a failure to follow FCA customer care protocol, i.e., failure to perform locally and will be corrected, rather than a sign of what Alfa means to the FCA group and how it plans to treat its Alfa owners.
Everyone I've dealt with at our Greensboro dealership, which is not huge, has been great, and easy to work with - I had the opportunity last week to spend two hours with the lead tech, talking cars (he's also a SAAB guy), while he was installing my In Your Face red start button, and managing the shop.
That said, I do think that these types of customer care situations need to be brought up here, and addressed by ALFA USA. Working out the kinks of a super new Alfa is unavoidable, but the US dealers need to understand the marque and Alfisti; service should be a "pit stop", or an opportunity to drive another Alfa; one or the other.
The race is always on for an Alfa owner...:devil
Ciao
I also hope the experience was just a failure to follow FCA customer care protocol, i.e., failure to perform locally and will be corrected, rather than a sign of what Alfa means to the FCA group and how it plans to treat its Alfa owners.
Everyone I've dealt with at our Greensboro dealership, which is not huge, has been great, and easy to work with - I had the opportunity last week to spend two hours with the lead tech, talking cars (he's also a SAAB guy), while he was installing my In Your Face red start button, and managing the shop.
That said, I do think that these types of customer care situations need to be brought up here, and addressed by ALFA USA. Working out the kinks of a super new Alfa is unavoidable, but the US dealers need to understand the marque and Alfisti; service should be a "pit stop", or an opportunity to drive another Alfa; one or the other.
The race is always on for an Alfa owner...:devil
Ciao
I'm in NJ. Not too many dealers in Northern NJ, just Ramsey and Morris County - both of those say they have service departments. I hope they aren't lying to me :eek
Are you thinking of Central NJ (Fullerton?)
Joined
·
354 Posts
I think there may be a bit of luck, locally, in the people part of the equation - as I've mentioned names already, Ken, the sales person I worked with, use to be a Ferrari guy and gets Alfisti, and Sandy, the lead tech, is a seasoned Saab/Fiat et al. marque veteran that you can see loves taking care of these vehicles, and Amis, the service lead is more than accommodating and helpful, so at least here in Greensboro, the team is getting it right, all the way up to the point where we get to unknowns...:|
I called to follow up and was told that they’re waiting for a loaner to be available, I gues one of the two Giulia’s they have. But they have hundreds of cars on there lot. Sorry for the upside down pics they were uploaded correctly ����*♂
Attachments
So you do NOT recommend? I am dealing with Alfa of Morris County. They sounded confident in their service department :smile.
Haven't done more than test drive and try to get answers, visited twice. After my last dealership experience horror the first questions I ask are about the dealership, service and loaners LOL.
They are a Maserati and Ferrari dealer too and own the Lexus dealership next door. They assured me I will always get a loaner and if they do not have an Alfa for a loaner I will get minimally a Lexus (no dirty smelly Enterprise rental for me LOL been there, never again) I will not purchase a luxury car from a dealer that does not provide loaners, its standard for all the luxury dealers in my area. Even some non luxury dealerships in my area offer loaners
I guess is just Ramsey they don’t have an in house service department and there cars are serviced at Ramsey Chrysler. Spoke to Danbury Alfa in Connecticut and they have an in house service department and provide loaners. The sales team at Ramsey are excellent guys that made the leasing process super easy, I just failed to inquire about the service department.
Had I not been through my horror I wouldn't have thought to ask many questions about the dealership/service department. Prior to my bad experience I was never in service departments with 5 other vehicles I've owned other than basic maintenance and some simple fixes. I now know to make sure all is good in that area should a problem arise - I HAVE to have a car (have child with special health needs and am extremely dependent upon transportation at all times no exceptions) Pretty much all of the luxury brands in my area offer loaners. I also will now make sure the dealership is overall honest and the service department is skilled. I only want someone who knows what they are doing touching my car. I've learned the hard way that if something goes wrong (which can certainly happen with a first year model) you will want the support of a trustworthy dealership and a skilled service department.
I'm shocked a dealership in Ramsey would not be equipped with a service department with loaners. They should be delivering your car to the other dealership service for you then giving you a loaner from their location for your convenience. They should be taking care of you and providing that. I believe Alfa of Morris County even said they do pickup and delivery at your home or business of all maintenance and service for you leaving a loaner - but within a certain mile range which I just fall out of. That's OK, I don't want some tech or car jockey joyriding in my Stelvio anyway...
(one or two) Loaners are available at Miller Motorcars, but they only keep them at the Stamford location, so if you want to go to another property for service it'll take additional scheduling to get the loaner.
As for Alfa's policy, I spoke with Alfa Care USA about this issue and they said specifically that every dealer is required to have loaners, and if the loaners are all spoken for / unavailable, they are to order a rental car from Enterprise Rent A Car which Alfa will pay for up to $45/day.
When I spoke with the service manager at the dealer I purchased from (Miller Motorcars in Westport), they said they didn't know they were required to have a loaner, and that loaners were issued by Alfa. I suspect in this case the discrepancy is due to the fact they have more than one location, and the loaners were assigned to Miller as a company, but the company decided to house them in Stamford because it has a much larger service bay there (and I could just go to Stamford for service too, but I am in Westport several times a week, and Stamford much less frequently, despite the fact I live equidistant between them).
As for Alfa's policy, I spoke with Alfa Care USA about this issue and they said specifically that every dealer is required to have loaners, and if the loaners are all spoken for / unavailable, they are to order a rental car from Enterprise Rent A Car which Alfa will pay for up to $45/day.
When I spoke with the service manager at the dealer I purchased from (Miller Motorcars in Westport), they said they didn't know they were required to have a loaner, and that loaners were issued by Alfa. I suspect in this case the discrepancy is due to the fact they have more than one location, and the loaners were assigned to Miller as a company, but the company decided to house them in Stamford because it has a much larger service bay there (and I could just go to Stamford for service too, but I am in Westport several times a week, and Stamford much less frequently, despite the fact I live equidistant between them).
My issues about no loaners is the fact that if you have a big problem (I'm coming off a car over 100 days in service in the first 14 months of ownership
) is you are paying for a luxury car and in my case a loaded luxury car with all features. You still have to a make that lease or finance payment every month. Then you end up driving around an old Enterprise rental or a base loaner model with nothing for weeks or months in my case and you are paying for a car you don't actually get to drive. Its like paying for a Porsche every month and driving around in Hyundai (well maybe not that extreme but you probably get the point). Again had this not happened to me it would not have been a thought, so now I make sure I pick a reputable dealer with loaners just in case there is issue :smile
Joined
·
151 Posts
I purchased my stelvio at auto nation of stevens creek in san jose california and they have told me that Alfa Romeo does not authorize loaner vehicles with so many limited stelvios at the dealers. They said they could provide me with a rental if needed.
I thought this was kind of funny because this dealership is primarily a Mercedes dealer and I am sure Mercedes customers would get a Mercedes loaner if their vehicle was in the shop. It seems that dealers are going out of their way in the bay area to make the alfa experience as bad as possible.
Note: The service manager told me that Alfa Romeo Stelvio's are not luxury vehicles because they are not 70+ thousand dollars vehicles.
I thought this was kind of funny because this dealership is primarily a Mercedes dealer and I am sure Mercedes customers would get a Mercedes loaner if their vehicle was in the shop. It seems that dealers are going out of their way in the bay area to make the alfa experience as bad as possible.
Note: The service manager told me that Alfa Romeo Stelvio's are not luxury vehicles because they are not 70+ thousand dollars vehicles.
Huh? LOL. So if your Mercedes does not cost 70k+ then its not a luxury brand? So at that dealer you will be treated like Hyundai unless your sticker is $70K+, you aren't looked like a luxury buyer if your car cost $69? That's funny. Wonder how they came up with that "criteria"
I think I would run from this dealer. Again so much conflicting info as Alfa USA says loaners...
Do your homework with dealers...
But sorry @Tomskullz to take topic off subject - Is there any new news on the condensation in your tail lights? I've see that before. I use an air compressor to blow the water that collects in my rear tail lights so its doesn't short out like some of my fellow drivers cars I see... Looks like they need to check some seals...
Haven’t heard anything yet ... next step is calling AlfaRomeoUSA customer care. I even emailed the sales manager at the dealership and like expected no response. The condensation issue bothers me but the customer service infuriates me the most, I get all the bull “ I call you right back” and nothing!
I hear ya!
1 - 20 of 20 Posts
Join the discussion
Join now to ask and comment!