I was just curious if any of you ever experienced problems with getting your car serviced at your Acura dealer trying to get an appointment the time you want?

As a previous Saturn owner, if I needed service, I would just show up *anytime* and drop my car off, and they would give me a rental (if needed) etc. No drama, no hassle. Saturn didn't need to take appointments, and it was great dealing with that.

Now that I have owned an RL for a couple month now, my experience with the dealers here in the SF Bay Area is less than stellar. It seems that after calling three different dealers here, they all want me to bring my car in the morning, like 10am. I explained over and over that I NEED an afternoon appointment because I work nights, and rarely awake at that time. In fact, not only would they not take afternoon appointments, but also said there's nothing else they could do. I even offered to drop my car off in the late afternoon or evening, but they wouldn't do that, either.

So, what's the deal here? Since when does Acura dealerships only take morning appointments? Talk about a real pain in the ass. This is making me wonder if buying this car was such a good deal after all. I could take my car in at any time at my old Saturn dealer where no appointment is even needed in the first place.

Does anyone else have this problem?

 

I don't work nights so my appointements are always for mornings, so i can't help you there. However, I wanted to comment about your statement about showing up "anytime" with your Saturn. Did you mean that you didn't even make an appointment? I don't think my Acura dealer would do that -- except under some odd or extraordinary circumstances.

 

most have a night drop off box for your keys.......did you ask them about that?

 

As for Saturn, I have been going there for almost 10 years, and each time I just show up. You *can* make an appointment if you want, but it's optional. Most of the time they give me a rental, and if they don't have any, they will call a shuttle get me one from elsewhere.

Sunnyvale Acura, Autowest Acura, and Los Gatos Acura (all here in the south bay) won't allow for appoitments any other time than before noon. In fact, Sunnyvale flat out told me that I couldn't bring my car in any other time, even drop it off at night. I didn't even know they had such an option.

I guess I will just visit the dealer for warranty work, and have another shop do everything else since I can only bring my car in late in the day.

 

I know you live in the southbay, but FWIW, acura pleasanton has allowed me to drop off my car in the afternoon. (I'm a new owner, have just done this 2 times).

 

Heh, trying to schedule our first service appointment in our 06 LS430. The next available appointment is October 11th.

 

This is nice to know. I am about 45 minutes away from Pleasanton, but might start taking my car there is if means I get take it there in the afternoon. To me it's a lot less headache than trying to put up with these dealers down here who are too inflexible. I'll also check further up the road along the I-880 corridor to see if there are any Acura dealers up that way.

I find it rather odd that many dealers in the "non luxury" line seem to have an overall better service experience as far as getting your car in. Saturn, Ford, and even Toyota let us take our cars in anytime. No appoitment needed!

 

I have to schedule with my dealer as well, but I understand since they have a limited fleet of Acura loaners so it makes sense. They only have one or two RLs so is I want an RL, it's understandable. If you don't want a loaner, they do provide a shuttle service.

 

Yes, they do. It seems that the "de-facto" loaners at many Acura dealerships is the TL. I don't mind having a TL, but you must admit tho, once you have driven the RL, you never want to go back. It's torture.

 

Unfortunately, Acura service varies dealer to dealer. I'd have to believe that since you're in a major city your choices are wide. Try some other dealers. The dealer I bought my car in NJ from has a fabulous service center and a dealer in PA that I use occasionally in PA is very good also.

Acura of Bridgewater, NJ

Acura of Ardmore, PA