I have always been a believer of tipping for good service and usually tipped the service manager at my last dealership (non-Acura). Trouble was, I always tipped when I picked up the car in hopes of the next time I might be treated better. This usually never worked out as there would be a new service guy or they would just forget me.

I will be making my first trip in for some nuisance rattles and XM problems this week. My question to all of you is.................do you tip the service manager? When? How much?

Thanks for your help.

 

I dont tip them. I just give them a kick in the ass for not completeing the work properly...

 

I don't tip either. The SM didn't do the work. If I get exceptional service I write their boss a letter.

 

there's a thread in off-topic about tipping. it might help you out. but i personally, would not tip them.

 

Ummm... it's there job to perform proper service on the vehicle. Not to mention, I'm sure they make more than minumum wage and definitely more than a waiter/waitress.

Stop tipping them. Want better service every time you go back? Write their management or Acura corporate about what better they could do.

My $0.02

 

I personally wouldn't tip the SM, but I have and may continue to tip my service advisor. I was really friendly with the guy when my old CL had a couple of issues. The guy worked really hard to get the problems fixed and always got me really nice rental cars. One day, we were talking about the fact that we both drink too much. Next visit I put a case of beer in the trunk and told him I left a gift back there. When I picked up my car, the beer was gone and he was happy.

Basically, the moral of the story is that this guy went the extra mile for me multiple times, so I found various ways to thank him (the beer thing, a couple of neck ties- I was working at Kenneth Cole corporate at the time, and a gift card for he and his wife to have dinner once). It kept him motivated to help me out, and it kept my car in good shape and kept me in really nice rentals. We both won.

 

I don't see a problem taking care of someone who takes care of you, but tipping just sets a bad precedence. If you have a good relationship with your SM, take him for a beer or a round of golf or something. SMs make pretty good money and unless he is giving you some money off of your service, you are just being a sucker.

 

If someone at the service dept goes above and beyond, I'd send them a bottle of wine or liquor or something along those lines. Handing someone money just doesnt feel right in that situation to me. It also can be insulting or make them feel uncomfortable like they just delivered you a pepperoni pizza

 

I always tip my service advisor when he goes above and beyond for me. I just slip him a folded up $10 or $20 when I shake his hand. I do it because the guy works hard, and I appreciate the service. It makes me feel good to show my appreciation.

Tipping is almost never a bad thing. Unless you're staying at a top resort where they don't allow tipping. Like when my wife and I got married in Fiji at this insanely luxurious resort (Namale) where everything was included. They made a point of asking us not to tip. I'm getting off the subject, but Fiji was so warm, so beautiful, the food was incredible, the scuba diving, and there was this one waterfall....

 

:thefinger

I need a vacation..

 

Thanks everyone who responded. I think this time around I will not tip so freely. If I get exceptional service, I certainly will but if they just do their job and nothing more, I guess I won't.

 

I know what you're saying.

I've been getting my cars serviced at the same Acura dealership for at least 6-7 years and it seems like they rotate the service managers every so often, so tipping doesn't seem like a good "invetment" to me.

Do you guys realize that the service managers get a commission on all the service they do? So its in their best interest (i.e. pocketbook) to talk you into more (and more expensive) service. There guys are also pretty well compensated when you factor in base + commissions.

That said, if I felt that a service manager did me a favor and saved me some serious cash I would probably take care of them with a gift nice of some sort. So far this has never happened, but luckily my Acuras have been pretty much trouble free.

 

When it comes to tipping, I always ask myself, "What would George Castanza do?"

 

HAHAHAHAHA...in that case, you'd never tip anybody

 

If you watched the Sapranos last night , you saw what kind of trouble tipping can get you into.