Lithia Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat of Bryan College Station: A Comprehensive Review Analysis
Navigating the car buying and servicing experience can be a complex journey. For potential customers of Lithia Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat of Bryan College Station, understanding the experiences of others is crucial. This article aims to provide a balanced and informative overview of customer reviews, highlighting both positive and negative feedback to offer a comprehensive perspective. A dealership's rating is based on all of their reviews, with more weight given to recent reviews.
Positive Experiences
Despite some recurring negative themes, some customers have reported positive experiences. Willie Phillips, a car salesman, is frequently mentioned for his professionalism and ability to provide an "awesome experience." Emily Chapman is also recognized for her contribution to positive customer interactions. One customer lauded Willie Phillips for making the "whole process easy and painless" when purchasing a new 2018 Jeep Cherokee. Brittany is another sales representative who received praise for her friendly and attentive service, helping customers find the perfect vehicle without feeling pressured.
Negative Experiences: A Deep Dive
However, a significant portion of the reviews reveals serious concerns about various aspects of the dealership's operations. These concerns span across service quality, customer service, and sales practices.
Service Department Issues
A recurring theme in the negative reviews is dissatisfaction with the service department. Customers have reported a range of issues, from simple inconveniences to significant damage and financial losses.
One customer recounted a particularly frustrating experience, stating that their truck was damaged by the dealership during a service appointment. The repair process took nearly five weeks, with constant excuses and delays. In a separate incident, the service department left the oil cap off, which was sitting in the engine compartment after a service.
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Another customer expressed extreme dissatisfaction, urging others to avoid the service department altogether. They claimed that Lithia provides the "lowest quality workmanship" and that their service department does not respect vehicles. According to the review, Lithia Service will cut every corner they can and not return it the way you, Mopar, or FCA left it with them. The reviewer also stated that they are aesthetically negligent, which produces battle scars on whatever they touch, but above all, they are total savages when it comes to mechanical ability. The reviewer also stated that the high cost for parts and labor is not the extent of the burden you will experience, and that you will lose confidence in your vehicle. Mopar and FCA have a huge problem with training and certifying people to service your vehicle, and it's no more grossly obvious than at Lithia.
Delays and lack of communication are also common complaints. One customer reported waiting over six hours for an oil change, despite dropping off the vehicle early in the morning. No rental cars or other options provided. No apology or attempts to make the situation better. The customer was simply told that they should have arrived earlier and waited in line.
Sales Practice Concerns
Several reviews highlight questionable sales practices and a lack of transparency. One customer contacted the dealer via cars.com to verify availability of 4wd eco diesel. There were no pictures online so I requested them. Quick response that the truck was available and ask for my cell number for pictures. No response and no pictures. After considerable time to find the truck it is pulled around for test drive. It was not detailed. I notice a hand written date on the windshield is 4 months old. I asked why it has been on the lot so long and was told the truck was in for repair. The previous owner used gas instead of diesel. Many replacement parts took a long time to come in but it would have a 100k warranty. I wasn’t interested in a rebuilt truck and declined the test drive. The sales person seemed put off that we didn’t want to drive the truck. Internet sales had wasted enough of our time.
Another customer detailed a particularly negative experience involving a vehicle advertised as available for a test drive. The customer drove two hours to the dealership after being assured by the Sales Manager, John Eagle, that the vehicle was on the lot. However, upon arrival, it was revealed that the car was being used as a loaner and had over 10,000 miles on it, despite the CARFAX report indicating lower mileage a few weeks prior. The exterior of the vehicle was disgustingly filthy, covered in dirt and splashed mud, making it impossible to assess the paint condition. Additionally, a car seat was left inside, which I pointed out to the salesman. The customer also expressed dissatisfaction with the trade-in valuation process, where the initial offer was significantly lower than estimates from KBB/CarMax and another dealer.
Customer Service Shortcomings
Poor customer service is another recurring complaint. Customers have reported difficulties in getting calls returned and issues resolved. One customer stated that Lithia does not care about the customer.
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One particularly egregious example involves a customer whose title was not processed correctly, resulting in out-of-pocket expenses for the customer's mother. Despite promises of reimbursement, the customer never received the funds. The customer also reported poor service on their fiancé's car, including defrosters being removed from the back window of his Fiat, a bad repair job, scratches to the trunk, and an expired license issued with a rental car. Lithia did not offer to pay the ticket.
Another customer recounted being given the "run around" and empty promises after purchasing a truck. They experienced significant delays in taking the truck home and had to bring it back multiple times for alignment issues. Despite assurances of reimbursement for alignment repairs, the general manager later refused to honor the agreement.
Financial Issues
Several reviews also touch on potential financial discrepancies and unethical practices. One customer stated that they got the car I wanted and at a payment I was ok with. That's screwed up and should be fraud.
Dealership Response
Lithia Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat of Bryan College Station has responded to some of the negative reviews, expressing apologies and a willingness to address the concerns. For example, in response to the detailed review from Steve, the dealership representative stated, "I want to sincerely apologize for the disappointing experience you had with us. I take these concerns very seriously and would appreciate the opportunity to speak with you directly to address them." Similarly, in response to Morgan's complaint about the service department, the dealership representative stated, "That isn’t the standard we set for our service department, and I regret that no other accommodations or options were offered to help improve the situation."
These responses indicate an awareness of the issues raised by customers and a desire to improve. However, the effectiveness of these efforts is difficult to gauge from the available reviews.
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tags: #lithia #chrysler #dodge #jeep #ram #fiat
