Auto Express – July 30, 2019

SpecialIssue 51

22001199

DIDYOUKNOW?Theaverageproportionofownerswholodgedacomplaintwith

theirdealeroverthepast12monthswas12percent,upfrom11lastyear, and10.4in2017.

WHILEAlfaRomeoandJeephavefallen

since2018’sresults,Jaguarhasrisenfour

places.Leadingthischargeisapodium-

placeresultfordealerfacilities,while

courtesycarsareplentiful,andJagcentres

arereasonablyefficientatfinishingwork

ontime.Onelookatthegraphtotheright,

however,willtellyouthatJaguar’sresults

alsocontainanumberofextremesatthe

otherendofthespectrum.Ownersare

leastpleasedwiththestandardofwork

carriedout,andaren’tsoldonthevalue

formoney,either.IfJaguarcanimprovein

theseareas,andgetstafftocommunicate

betterwithcustomers,thebrandcould

beonforastellarresultin2020.

JEEPispartofthesameFiatChryslergroup

asAlfaRomeoand,likeitssisterbrand,

postsaresultmarkedlylowerthanitsfifth

placein2018.ManyofJeep’sscoresecho

Alfa’s,withfacilitiesgettingahumdrum

mark,staffcourtesybeingnobetterthan

average,andthestandardofworkbeing

carriedoutonyourRenegades,Wranglers

andCompassesbeingmiddling.The

similarresultspostedbythetwobrands

maybepartlyduetothefactdealersoften

sharethesamesite,althoughit’snotable

thatAlfaisconsideredtoofferbettervalue

thanJeep.Still,atleastJeepisexcellent

whenitcomestohavingcourtesycars;to

berankedsixthinthisareaisimpressive.

ALFAdealerstakeabigtumblecompared

withlastyear,droppingfromsixthplace.

Leadingthedeclinearefallingscoresfor

thecourtesyofstaff,andworsestandards

ofcommunication;yousayAlfadealers

giveclearbillsandpaperwork,butaren’t

soimpressivewhenitcomestokeeping

youinformedofthecostandprogressof

workbeingcarriedout.And2018sawa

similarlylowmarkawardedforthedealer

facilities,suggestingthatthefirmhasn’t

improveditsshowroomsoverthepast12

months.Therearesomedefinitepositives

tobedrawn,though:courtesycarsare

prettyeasytocomeby,whileyoualsosay

Alfafranchisesgivegoodvalueformoney.

SWANKYfacilitiescharacteriseMercedes

dealerships:sixthplacehereisimpressive.

You’reevenmorepleasedwithhoweasy

courtesycarsaretocomeby,whilestaff

communicationisabove-average.Coming

mid-waythroughthetablesmeansthere

mustbesome‘buts’,thoughand,inthe

caseofMercedes,thebiggestbutrelates

tovalue.Arock-bottomratinginthisarea

indicatesthatwhilemanyofyouwillpay

thepremiumrequiredtoownaMercedes,

you’renothappywiththeservicingand

maintenancepricesthatcomewiththis.

Thebrand’sdealerscouldalsoimprove

thetimetheytaketocompletework;

thiswasanotherlow-scoringarea.

85.27%

85.12%

85.17%

85.10%

12. Jaguar
    13. Jeep


13. AlfaRomeo


14. Mercedes

RATINGS

RATINGS

RATINGS

RATINGS

CATEGORIES

CATEGORIES

CATEGORIES

CATEGORIES

“Theygavemeatop-specJaguarXFcourtesycarforfree,and

wereevenwillingtopayforthedieselIusedwhiledrivingit.”

“Theykeptmeup-to-date,especiallywhenwaitingforpartsto

arrive,andtoldmeexactlywhentheworkwouldstartandend.”

“Theywerecompetitiveonthepriceofatimingbeltchangeand

veryhelpfulinpickingupandreturningmycaratmyhome.”

“Ipaid£750foraservicecomprisinganoilandpollen-filter

changeandanewkey-fobbattery;staffdidn’tfinishthework.”

%OFOWNERS WHOHAD APROBLEM...

%OFOWNERS WHOHAD APROBLEM...

%OFOWNERS WHOHAD APROBLEM...

%OFOWNERS WHOHAD APROBLEM...

31 1

31 1

31 1

31 1

Above-averageproportiontake

issuewithJagdealers;almosta

thirdofgripesrelatetofaultfixes

Ownersareslightlymorelikelyto

complainthanAlfadrivers;carsnot

readyontimewasbiggestgripe

Above-averageproportionhadan

issuewithdealers,andnearlyhalf

relatedtofault-tracingandfixing

Averageproportiongripedabout

dealer;aquarterofissueswere

forcarsnotbeingreadyontime

18.1%

15.2%

14.9%

12.6%

OWNER’S

VIEW

OWNER’S

VIEW

OWNER’S

VIEW

OWNER’S

VIEW

Dealer facilities

Availability of courtesycar

Staff courtesy

Communication

Standardofwork

Speed to completework

Value formoney

Dealer facilities

Availability of courtesycar

Staff courtesy

Communication

Standardofwork

Speed to completework

Value formoney

Dealer facilities

Availability of courtesycar

Staff courtesy

Communication

Standardofwork

Speed to completework

Value formoney

Dealer facilities

Availability of courtesycar

Staff courtesy

Communication

Standardofwork

Speed to completework

Value formoney

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