Service Dept. Conflict of Interest?

This is common practice, hence the vehicle owner should be on guard regarding service recommendations from an individual who has a personal interest in maximizing service $s spent.

 

Commission? I don't believe that, unless they are different from any dealer I've done business with. The sales people are probably on a form of commission, but I seriously doubt the mechanics/techs are.

 

Why do you go to dealers, anyway? Except for the key fob, anybody, including DIY can do basic service. For warranty items, YES, anything else? NO.

 

techs are paid flat rate, aka straight commission. that's nothing new. usually writers are paid a base rate plus commission.

it sucks when there's no work to do and you're standing around all day for free. the economy has really dealt a blow to the automotive service industry. i hope this year's "busy season" (pre-thanksgiving till new year) isn't a total bust like last year, a substantial percent of the year's income comes from those 2-3 months. jan-march are always dead, but you need the busy season to stock enough away to get through the dead season.

we got pretty hosed this time last year thanks to the economy shift.

 

also- another comment- flat rate time protects you from a tech who has no idea what he's doing and takes 12 hours to change a timing belt or something. you're charged book time, not actual time it took the guy. it favors techs who get things done quickly, but it's hard on the new guys who are just learning. keeps techs from putzing around when they're motivated to finish this job so they can get the next one started- this drives up profit per service bay, which is what the dealer wants to see.

but like all systems it has its flaws to the customer- upselling unnecessary work, shortcuts to save time, etc. and to the tech- diagnostic work doesn't pay unless you replace something, returning problems don't pay much if anything, you make less money per hour if you spend the time to do the job right.

 

hahahaha

guess what

soon you will have no reason to go to the dealer according to your post. effective january 1st 2009, in california, any licensed locksmith will be able to set prius fobs!