I bet Roger Penske never thought he'd live so long that a dealership with his name over it would embarrass the reputation the name Penske earned over the last 5 decades

I take my car into Penske Hyundai, though there are four other Hyundai dealerships in 20 minutes drive competing for Hyundai owners business, for oil changes because I bought it there, AND bought into their service contract.

Now, whose problem is it that I can only get over there at lunch and after work to drop my car off?

I'd say no ones, there's no reason a oil changing company open from 9 to 6 can't handle an oil change between lunch and close of business day.

Lets see what THEIR website says:
"Proper repair and maintenance is essential to getting the most out of your Hyundai, and ensuring it drives well for a very long time. Our La Mesa Hyundai repair center serves East County and the greater San Diego area, with professionally trained technicians with the necessary skills to get your car or SUV into top shape. From oil changes, and alignments, to major repairs on your engine and drive train; our technicians will take care of your Hyundai vehicle like it was their own."  https://www.penskehyundai.com/service/center.htm

Whose problem is it I didn't mention that I had bought my car there? If the answer is no one's, as I figure that you'll answer, then whose problem is it that I didn't mention I had bought a service contract there? I'll guess you'll say mine.

Why it matters that I bought the service contract there, but it doesn't matter that I bought the car there (for 20 times as much, at least) is something I don't understand. I think they are both things I don't need to bring up when RETURNING to a company I've been a repeat customer of since the spring of 2015.

It turns out that the service reps there, at Penske Hyundai of La Mesa, feel that we customers bear the responsibility of INFORMING the service reps that WE paid for a service contract.

Notice that they DO NOT feel that THEIR computer should inform them. Well, I do. THAT is what their service department computer system should inform them of, among other things. Now, do you agree? THEY ought to be informed of what's been done, what needs to be done, what's scheduled to occur at whatever upcoming mileage milestone occurs next, so as to inform the customer, and how long, or how many miles it's been since service goals have been met.

Now, it turns out that I've never been informed that it's MY job, according the people and the company I PAY for SERVICE, that I'm both a customer, a service contract holder, and so I show up and say that I'm there for a oil change.

It turns out that the service contract I paid for over three years ago had BOTH an expiration day, AND and expiration amount of mileage. What those are, I may or may not have been informed of 43 months ago.

But I was informed AFTER the oil change that I owed THEM for the oil change, as the service contract is expired. So... whose problem is it that I don't get informed that the service contract is expired.

Seems that I believe it's my problem, as I'm the one who gets nowhere when pointing out to the Penske Hyundai people that being customer service focused is what they need to get repeat business, and good reviews, and to live up to the reputation that Roger Penske

Well, I was told that they don't see any likelihood that informing customers of the service contract expiration, or even checking on customers having a service contract, will ever be a part of the service reps job.

So, why then does this dealership send me such emails like this following

and get me to think that they "want to make sure" I " Always have an exceptional service experience " with them?

Are they no different from most companies, putting out words that sounds really nice, but deliver nothing close, not even expecting us to believe this marketing and pr buzzword baloney?

Lets find out.

Oh, by the way, when I bought my car there, I met the sales manager, and handed him my business card, and had him look at the blog, this blog, and made sure he understood that I'd be blogging about my experience with this car, and his dealership.

So, it was up to them to hold themselves up to their buzzwords and phrases of customer service. Because I sure as hell am going to.

And these following photos show how I get my car back after the oil change... with oily greasy hand smudges at 5 different places on my WHITE car.

two above the door, one below the windshield

and I didn't notice, nor photograph the one above the passenger side back door. WTF? Well, they cleaned that one off before I saw it, you know, AFTER I pointed these out to the service dept manager, when I wanted to get her reaction to these, and the rest of my complaint about the lack of a  service contract notification, and lack of the service rep looking that up BEFORE the oil change get done, and charged to ME. Hey, I got no issue with paying for an oil change, it's not going to happen for free, but I can do my own damn oil changes cheaper, and have a filter and oil in my garage. I simply get upset when expecting that service contract to cover this, as it has the previous, oil changes. THAT was the only effing reason that I told the dealership to do the oil change.

Once we get through the oil on my car, lack of professional behavior in line with their emailed pr buzzwords and phrases, then we'll get to the fixing of the window guide that failed to, and continues to fail to, smoothly move the drivers side window up and closed. My last Veloster had the same problem.

JS Fury commented:
I owned a Hyundai Sonata for a few years which was purchased, used at my local Hyundai dealer, Miller Hyundai. I don't own it anymore, and I still get e-mails and send me service fliers in the mail for it. Something sounds terribly screwed up at Penske Hyundai. Your not at fault at all. I hope this blog rattles their cages really good Jesse.

Update, 2nd visit

So, I go back to see how busy they are today, and when I can get my car in to get the window guide fixed, and meet with the dealership GM.

They're pretty damn busy, it seems 5 dealerships in town isn't enough to keep up with warranty and repair work.

THIS IS A PROBLEM. When you decide to buy a car, new, maybe, and I RECOMMEND IT, you ask how long is the waiting list to get a car in to get fixed, for anything. If they say there is a 2 week waiting list to get an appointment? You seriously ought to see what the other manufacturers have going on, and MAYBE pick your new car based on what brand has the least waiting time for repairs... I think, and I could be wrong, that the amount of cars in for repairs is a way to measure the quality of the car parts.

Anyway, I go to see about getting the car washed (see above images of the way the mechanics treated it) and right away I can see that during lunch is simply not going to happen, the car in front of me in the service drive hasn't moved the entire time I'm there, and I actually back out of the service drive and back down around through the corner.

So, I park and go see the GM. Well, the guy at the front, where there is a GREAT BIG WELCOME sign, you know, like you'd expect from the desk or stand where someone who is there to be a receptionist would be sitting, right? He ignores me while I stand in front of it looking at him, as he does something on his phone.

I'm patient, you know? So I wait to see if it's something he'll soon finish so he can look up and ask me what I'd like to talk about. For all he knows, I'm ready to trade in and buy a new car. I shit you not, that is what I had to do, WITH HIM, 42 months ago when I got THIS CAR.

A minute goes by, nothing. Fine, "Pardon me" I says, "Are they still making Velosters? I bought mine here in 2015, and I only see one here now, and none on the dealership parking lot.... "

Well, wouldn't you start with something pleasant and work related?

Then after I get some Veloster info, as I happen to like the thing, I should, I've been driving one since Oct 2010 or 2011. I can't recall. As I was saying, after that, I ask to talk to, or make an appointment to talk to the GM. For all I know, he's at lunch, and or busy.

So he goes and gets the GM, and I bring up the oil, show him the photos, and hand him the printed copy of

with the unlined words yellow high lighter'd. I don't think he has seen this before, as he read it.

I pointed out that every customer gets this emailed to us after every servicing in the oil change and repair dept. Then I read to him the words on his website, "Proper repair and maintenance is essential to getting the most out of your Hyundai, and ensuring it drives well for a very long time. Our La Mesa Hyundai repair center serves East County and the greater San Diego area, with professionally trained technicians with the necessary skills to get your car or SUV into top shape. From oil changes, and alignments, to major repairs on your engine and drive train; our technicians will take care of your Hyundai vehicle like it was their own."  
https://www.penskehyundai.com/service/center.htm     because I want him to KNOW that his company has severely effed up in not just keeping their word, meeting their training standards, but that part about taking care of the customers car like it was their own.

I then ask him, what he'd do if his mom's car was given back to HER like mine was to me.

You know? Making it personal might be what it takes to make my point, that they decided to tell me how they would be "proper" with "professionally trained technicians"

So, he replies, what can I do for you? I'm paraphrasing, as I don't have a memory that recalls word for word the stuff that was said. Then he says, I don't fix problems, that will be dealt with, I solve problems, what can I do for you to make this better?

Ok, so I point out that if he'd have a word with his employees, as HE hired them, to TREAT THE CUSTOMERS CARS LIKE THEY WERE THERE OWN doesn't mean put dirty oily hands on them, you know?

And, I'd like to know if the dealership would entertain the idea of being proactive on letting customers know that their service contract is about to expire, like, in 6 months and or 6,000 miles.

After all, they DO get proactive on calling and emailing about trading in, and up, to a new car. SO there IS proactive measures that THIS dealership takes to make customers come in... and if that same effort was made to make customers know that the service/maintenance contract was soon ending, THAT might make us customers for life, with the feeling that this dealership not only wants us to be happy, but wants us to know that the dealership is looking out FOR us.

THAT is good customer service, and THAT results in return customers buying from the same place over and over. IF that is what the dealership wants.... and I ask about when customers show up, and see a service rep, and check in for an oil change, WHY doesn't that result in the computer informing the service rep that the contract is expired, or still good, etc. Why did I have to find out the hard way?

So, he tells me, it's software. I says, yeah, and? Software gets written, revised, and upgraded all the time, just think about that Apple phone nonsense. It's not carved in stone. It's merely an upgrade away to get improvements made. So, he replies, it's Hyundai, not dealership software.

I point out, you know the guy that works for you, selling the contract, like the one I bought, right here, on the other side of the wall, when I bought the car here? Yeah. Well, his fingers ain't broken, he can make a database of the contracts, expiration dates, and THAT can be looked at once a month, or miles (based on customers coming in for oil changes) and THAT can be used to let them know 6 months or 6 thousand miles early that their service/maintenance contract is ending.

"We don't have the bandwidth" was his reply.

Now, I'm no genius, I only have an IQ of 127. A genius has at least 140. But I do understand that bandwidth AIN'T got shit to do with a data base, nor shit to do with emailing customers (remember, this is what this dealerhip does to get you to trade in and trade up, when your vehicle finally is paid down to the market value, so they can take it off your hands, sell it on the used car lot, and get you to buy a new car, and start 6 or 7 more years of payments, without carrying over any debt from the old car) like they do.

"Do you have paper and a pencil?" I reply. "If you have the desire to make customers happy, you can have anyone go through the paperwork, and write down the dates and info, and make a chart, etc, and simply use that"

"It would fill a filing cabinet" he says. "So does all the other paperwork this dealership does" I reply.

Fine, whatever, if he doesn't think it's an idea which would be an improvement, and make customers happier, to be advised (service advisers IS A FUCKING JOB DESCRIPTION at his dealership) that their contact they paid for is ending soon, and that they ought to get their car in for some oil change, tire rotation, brake pad inspection, or what ever else that contract paid for, then I've at least done what HIS DEALERSHIP ASKED ME to do.

https://www.penskehyundai.com/service/center.htm

So... I will go back and talk to the "finance dept" guy, and ask some questions next time I'm there, and learn some stuff, and get the window guide repaired too. Oh, and the squeaks from the engine... something is getting to the end (54k miles) of it's little bearing lifespan, like the idler puller, water pump, alternator, airconditioning pulley... and all that stuff is under warranty.

By the way, I like this GM. He's not as open minded to the ideas I shared about improving his dealerships customer service... but I like him. We both appreciate the customer shuttle driver Tim.... Tim is the gold standard for customer service at that dealership, in my opinion, and I told the GM that... he ought to have Tim train the service advisors, and the service dept manager. Did I mention that she replied to me that based on the way she's been treated at some place she takes her car, that she approaches the way she runs her department? That's just wrong. We all owe it to our customers to improve the process and the experience, for THEM. That IS why we get a paycheck.

Oh, yeah.... and their flag is tattered, torn, faded, and ragged.

Update, this dealership was immediately closed on Dec 6th, 2019