yoolykeme

how about the porter?

i mean, the guy was really nice, and they gave me a brand new $50K SUV w/ a full tank of gas to drive around for the week. and im bring it back with no gas :p

Scribesoft

Should you? = No.. I don't think there's any expectation at an automobile service dept. for tips.

Can you? = Absolutely. I think they would obviously appreciate it.. and may remember you the next time you bring your TL in for servicing (ie. they may go the extra mile for you)

R J Poseidon 6

Very true.........

A-Spec Guy

You can and maybe should offer it...but if hes any kind of man....he will pass it up and tell you he was just doing his job! He would certainly not only remember you then.....but I am sure would appreciate the gesture. Anyone likes/appreciates to be acknowledged for a good job! And if he passes it up (like he should) it cost you nothing! What a wonderful world!

mickey3c

LOL... You had a loaner to drive around for a week while that better than average car was being repaired?

That's just what we need to do is pay 80 bucks or more per hour for labor and have them expect tips to get good service. Superlative should be the standard and not what you have to pay extra for.

SouthernBoy

Basically, the rule of thumb for tipping is, was a personal service performed? Now obviously, there is leeway to this. You wouldn't tip your doctor, but he performs a personal service every time he sees you.

Good question, though, about a service "consultant". Never thought of that one before.

Laxplaya11385

i just go by this rule: If they did what they were supposed to do, did a good job, were nice/polite/etc., then i tip them. That way, the 2nd time around, they know you tip, thus almost insuring that they'll take good care of you.

yoolykeme

i mean, the guy was nice. but yea, he just took my car and gave me a loaner, like i guess he was supposed to. he kinda mentioned that he wasnt supposed to, since i didnt by my car from there, but whatever.....im sure that it was no skin off his back.

A-Spec Guy

"My philosophy is....I tip everybody!"
Steve Martin, in My Blue Heaven

ImaTLguy

A cash tip sounds a bit impersonal.

Bring him something like a large box of Godiva chocolates - or something similar.

That way, he can share it with other employees, and get the public credit/recognition that he did a such a good
job - a customer thought enough to reward him.

Personal Capital is an important element in the work place.

geminisdc

DOnt you have to bring the car back with the same amout of gas ?? If you dont they will charge you for it lol . That is why they ask for a credit card when you ask for a loaner .

scrb09

It is impersonal and can be taken offensively...if you are so happy with the guy give me something that can be share by all the employees up there.

I dont think you have to but if you want to that should be a good option.

mamboking

Just because he said that, I would not tip him.

I think Acura dealers are supposed to give a loaner when your car is in the shop whether you bought it there or not. They always try to say that so they can look good to you. They used to say the same thing to me when I had my Infiniti G35, even though it was a Nationwide Infiniti policy to give the customer a loaner.

willz822

Or perhaps if you bring your car in early in the morning, some donuts and coffee would be a nice gesture.

mickey3c

I think most of you are nuts!!! If the person does a good job then write a letter or make it known to management. Professional advancement is what most want not the idea that make sure you see dave since he is good to you if you toss him a sawbuck.

if its xmas or some other holiday, a gift might be nice... but I know a woman that constantly provides gifts and the reason being she gets stuff done for free. If she had to pay for all the crap with her car and pay for it she could not afford it.

I know acura, service people, etc. what us all to feel like one big mutual admiration society... we provide better service for more money is insane... I aready pay their salary knowing that a customer is pleased and a job was well done ought to be reward enough... If you got to grease the skids, then you are setting up a precedent that when joe customer comes in with their tl people will get tipped.

What comes to mind is ferris bueller's day off when the guy gets a finski to take extra special care of the ferrari. We all know what happened there... lol

Actually cash tips are probably bad and any self respecting dealer would be sure that it does not happen since people can play favorites with customer's etc.

03CoupeV6

Don't tip him, he most likely can't take it anyway. My objective is to give any car dealership the least amount of my money possible. All he was doing was his job, the sad thing about it is after all you've read on this board you have come to believe what he did was far and above that.

yoolykeme

noone asked for a credit card

yoolykeme

i was gonna make a thread about this.

Infiniti, when i had one, was very good about loaners. heck one time, then forgot to fix my car, and i was driving a new Q45 for 2 months in the winter!

03CoupeV6

and I thought I was lucky when I had an 05 Acura RL for two weeks!

chill_dog

No.

Jesstzn

I have had 2 different service consultants / shops that have been great to me .. both I dropped off a dozen beer .. for a "cool " one after work . You can't just walk to the counter with it .. What I did was tell the advisor I needed to show him something .. then took him to the car .. opened the trunk .. then suggested he drive the car in the shop to examine it .. Wink Wink .. and hopefully the problem will go away .. and told him to thank the shop staff for the good work.

AMIC

I wish we could stop the practice of having to tip everyone. If companies would pay their employees, then everyone wouldn't have to rely on tips. It's gotten out of hand in this country. I just returned from 3 weeks in Australia where you don't tip anyone except wait staff in a restaurant. And even then it's only 10%. Cab drivers, bartenders, people in hotels are paid for their jobs and don't need to live off tips.

I agree about writing a letter praising the good work of someone. I think that will go a much longer way in helping them advance than a couple bucks in their pocket. This way his/her boss knows that one of their employees is doing a good job and could result in a raise/promotion in the future.

Brewmaster

A tip should be recognition of service above what you had expected. that being said, the service advisor isn't the one who did the job. That's like tipping the cashier at the grocery store because the steaks were fresh.

That being said, if you feel they did a good job for you, show some appreciation, some good ideas were donuts, candy (although Godiva makes me think you ought bring them in with flowers and a g-string and I don't think anyone in there or on here for that matter wants to see that ) I don't really agree with the beer, but it would be your call ... but bring in something for the guys in the back 'cause they did a good job!

tzakiel

If you ever wonder if you should tip with cash, the answer is no. It is more uncomfortable than anything for some people, and often the RULES at the place of work state no tips for employees allowed.

triggle

I would take him a bottle of ICE wine or Glenlivit scotch or Cuban rum. Not too large a bottle.

Can't get cuban rum in the US ? You don't know what you are missing !

HEK

Well amigos, one day I had an early appointment like 8am and since I had made it over the phone , this Service Rep had squeezed me in, and having dealt with him numerous times, I thought to bring in a couple of dozen donuts and IMHO was better than tiping any "one" guy, since why not tip the guy that actually works on the car, the cashier..etc etc..., I saw the rest of the guys that work in the back have at least one on me and you know next time I called he remembered me...lol next time if I happen to have an appointment close to lunch, is sheet pizza time...

KC04TL

One thing I heard as a good way to tip the service dept, is to bring them Doughnuts. Free food goes a long way.

mickey3c

bring free food and booze night already add to the service writer problem with alcohol and cholesterol. lol.

TBone2004

No tips.

PS. Many times I have read on this board about people saying they were "lucky" to get a loaner from the dealer cause they did not buy it from that dealer. That has nothing to do with it. We get a loaner as part of the warranty. So please do not think anyone is doing you a favor by getting you a loaner. I don't take my car for repairs to the place where I bought it cause they proved themselves to be less qualified than a squirrel at making repairs. So I take it to another place - never ever a question about getting a loaner.

mamboking

I bring it with me from Cancun every year. Customs has not stopped me yet

meathead

that's for sure.

if you can fly to cuba from Canada, i suggest you sample havana hookers too.

bags_RENAMED

if a guy gave me a box of chocolates for ANYTHING, i would promptly tell him that i'm not g a y, & thanks anyway.

if you don't want this wrench luggin gservice guy to think you're g a y, give him cash or booze like others have suggested. donuts are probably ok, but may still be questionable.

if you are g a y and you are hitting on him... chocolates would be perfect. and that's cool too, if that's what you are going for

fast-tl

I think this is the best approach. Cash is for valets. I mean, I don't tip my NETWORK consultant; what makes this service consultant any different? As for the loaner, the DEALERSHIP put you in it, not the service consultant. I'm sure that's the dealerhsip's policy; after all, they own the loaner fleet unless they use Enterpirse or something like that.

meathead

I just palm everyone 100.00 bills like sharon stone in casino.

bell hops, valets, car wash guys. i don't care.

jcondon

Yeah I think chocolates is a bit too personal for a guy to give to a guy.

Also doesn't sound like they went above and beyond in the service so I wouldn't tip them.

If they found some problem that I didn't complain about that was a safty issue and fixed it I might. But, even then Acura is paying them for all warrenty work so...