1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

New Hampshire Toyota Service

Discussion in 'Dealers & Pricing' started by slowmachine, Apr 4, 2010.

  1. slowmachine

    slowmachine Member

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2010
    69
    69
    0
    Location:
    Alton, NH
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I'm a newbie to the Prius and to New Hampshire. I am not satisfied by the pre-delivery service from the selling dealer (Rockingham Toyota in Salem, NH) and am looking for recommendations for a Southern NH dealer with a good service department.

    For those who will ask, the dealer could/should have done the following:
    1. Center the steering wheel so it is vertical when driving in a straight line.
    2. Install the radio antenna.
    3. Install (or explain why not) two plastic plugs which appear to belong in holes in the underbody but were left in the glovebox with the radio antenna.
    4. Inflate the tires to the proper pressure (approx. 5 PSI low all around) and program the TPMS accordingly.

    This is my 4th Toyota. My son works at a SoCal Toyota dealer. I have been spoiled by excellent service and don't want to give it up.
     
  2. hobbit

    hobbit Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2005
    4,089
    468
    0
    Location:
    Bahstahn
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Tire pressure you can do yourself; once you've got them where
    you want them [a bicycle hand pump works fine, btw] you can
    reset the TPMS with the button under the steering column. The
    dealer probably won't do that because they're too afraid of
    lawyers.
    .
    You can probably also pop in the hole-plugs yourself; that's
    supposed to be part of dealer pre-delivery and they should have
    done it before giving you the car.
    .
    The other stuff .. you can hopefully get done under warranty
    or them missing new-car prep items; steering wheel alignment
    probably wants to be backed up by an all-round alignment check
    too.
    .
    _H*
     
  3. slowmachine

    slowmachine Member

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2010
    69
    69
    0
    Location:
    Alton, NH
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Sure, I can do these things myself, but I bought a brand new car so I don't have to do them myself. The lack of attention to detail, and word of mouth from friends and family, makes me wary of this dealer. I'm shopping for a service department.

    The Prius is not my only car. I have an unhealthy relationship with two old VW vans that consumes all of my wrench time.
     
  4. djg12

    djg12 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2007
    41
    6
    0
    Location:
    N.H.
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius


    I live in 'southern' NH. I mostly go to Ira Toyota in Manchester because they are the closest. I have taken the Prius to Grappone Toyota in Concord NH and in the past, with a 4 Runner and RAV4 used Nashua Toyota.
    They all seem pretty equivalent.
    I bought my Prius at Ira and the pre-delivery work seemed fine.
    If I ask them to do something they do it and everyone there seems pleasant enough.
    Just a few months ago I had occasion to go to Rockingham Toyota to look at a used car they had there that I thought I might be interested in. It was a VW newbeetle convertible. I was going to trade my VW cabrio for this 'newer' convertible. They were kinda bad when we started talking price. They had the car advertised at $8998 and all of a sudden they tried some trick stuff telling me the car had been advertised incorrectly and that the price was really $9400. This happened after I told them I wanted more for my trade.
    Anyhow, I did not buy anything from them. That's what happens when a woman walks into a car dealership alone. It's not fun.
    I think these dealerships might be a drive for you from the Salem area. But that is the scoop.
    Good luck.
     
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    give them a shot at service, you're not going to need anything for a long while anyway. i'm in mass and if you find a service dept. that listens to you, does only what you want, knows all the facts and charges what the estimate, let me know. i'd drive as far as octavia.
     
  6. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2006
    7,028
    1,116
    0
    Location:
    South Jersey
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    So, are they getting a crappy customer satisfaction survey?
     
  7. slowmachine

    slowmachine Member

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2010
    69
    69
    0
    Location:
    Alton, NH
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I already related my dissatisfaction to the salesman during his followup call. I will give them the opportunity to make it right before giving up completely, but I am still looking for an alternative. I'll probably try in Manchester.
     
  8. essaunders

    essaunders Member

    Joined:
    May 29, 2007
    195
    17
    0
    Location:
    NH
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    no problems to report with Toyota of Nashua: they haven't overfilled oil after changes and will leave tires where you want (if you ask and have them note on the paper -- forget to do that and all bets are off). Manchester is probably more convenient thought
     
  9. gmartinsen

    gmartinsen Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2008
    9
    0
    0
    Location:
    New Hampshire
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    GREAT service/sales etc with Grappone Toyota. Have purchased 3 Prius's so far. Management goes out of their way to deliver service, parts and sales.

    (HEY WHAT IS THE PLURAL OF PRIUS?
     
  10. nolo contendre

    nolo contendre Hybrid Noob

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2010
    11
    3
    0
    Location:
    Montgomery, TX
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    According to Toyota the plural of Prius is Prius (like sheep), but common usage says Prii and Priuses. I believe Latin rules would give us Priores, not that Prius is necessarily Latin. If someone were REALLY concerned about avoiding a faux pas, one could say "Prius cars"

    I think whichever makes you happy works. Just say it with enough authority that listeners assume you MUST know what you're talking about. :)

    Nolo
     
  11. jcgee88

    jcgee88 Member

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2010
    181
    23
    0
    Location:
    Maryland Heights, MO
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Even if you never plan to use this dealer again, if I were
    you, I would write them a polite letter which describes
    your dis-satisfaction. Include the specifics you describe.
    Finish with a suggested action they could do to resolve
    your dis-satisfaction. This should be addressed to the
    dealership owner, with a copy to the sales manager
    (your salesman's boss).

    No company wants dis-satisfied customers. No company
    can endure and prosper by creating unhappy customers.
    But, if the right person isn't even aware that you are not
    satisfied, then nothing will get done. Your informing the
    sales rep was the proper first step, but obviously he
    either didn't care or was not empowered to do anything
    about it. Having been in sales (computers) myself for
    twenty years, I know that a "professional" sales rep
    will take care of his customers, because he wants
    them to come back and buy again. An "amateur" rep
    will take the deal and move onto the next sale - not
    caring much about you after you bought but also not
    realizing that you will never buy from him again. The
    amateurs don't last long, but unfortunately they are
    around.

    On the other hand, maybe it's just that in New England
    they believe customers are hardy and self-reliance, vs
    West Coasters who like to be waited on hand and foot. ;-)
     
  12. slowmachine

    slowmachine Member

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2010
    69
    69
    0
    Location:
    Alton, NH
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    To follow-up on this, I had the 5000 mile service performed at Grappone Toyota in Concord, NH this morning. In addition to the standard items, they checked and adjusted the front wheel toe due to slight front tire feathering which I pointed out to them. Fixing the alignment also fixed the steering wheel direction. There was no extra charge for this; they stated that they are allowed to do one alignment under the warranty. FWIW, they are still recommending oil changes at 5k mile intervals. They did have the correct 0W-20 oil on hand.

    Thankfully, I received the reception and service that I am accustomed to from previous Toyota dealers. They took my car without an appointment and performed the service in about 2 hours, while I waited in the customer lounge. I'll be returning there for the next service.

    Rockingham Toyota, the selling dealer, is too far (1.5 hrs) from my new house to make it worth the drive for service, even thought they would have done it at no cost. I have no intention of ever returning there.