Reason for Visit: Service
I recommend this dealer: No
My Review of Tenafly Chrysler Jeep:
My major problems relate to service, although #1 may be important to some people too.
1. I bought 2 new Jeeps from this dealership in 2 years. Both were 3-4 weeks late compared to the timeline they gave me, yet never once in the 2 years of ordering 2 new cars from the same salesman did he ever call me. Delays happen, but give honest time frames and keep your word (the salesman told me he would call me so often I'd get sick of hearing from him). Let your customers know that their order still exists and may arrive someday!
2. Immediately there was a problem with the car's transmission (manual). I first brought it in at about 2000 miles. Their service policy is that if they cannot duplicate the problem, they won't look at your car. The problem happened randomly. I told them repeatedly to drive it around more than their standard route, but they wouldn't. Despite my pleadings, they would not change their service policy for this problem by driving farther or to open it up and take a look. Long story short: about 8 months later the car completely breaks down, wheels locked, clutch gone and there are only 7000 miles on the car. I began lemon law proceedings. I got the car back with the damage repaired, but the transmission problem still existed. They just settled my lemon law suit with me for everything I wanted. I am also going to a new dealership (which I have been doing since the owner of Tenafly Chrysler called and berated me; see below).
3. They lied more than once. For example, the man at the service desk told me I don't qualify for the lemon law since they didn't actually try to repair my car on any of the 3 service visits to date at that time. If that were true, no dealer would ever work on a new car that has a problem. That way they would never have to be accountable for a defective car. Not true and illogical. They told me this on more than one occasion.
4. The manufacturer in Michigan was very helpful throughout these problems. When my car was taken away on a flatbed (at 7000 miles- still a pretty new car), the dealer refused to get me a rental car even though they had no loaners. They left me abandoned and told me I had to get a rental car approved through the manufacturer if I wanted one. I managed to get home on my own and then I did. The manufacturer approved it. I never should have had to be the one to do this. It was another poor move on their part regarding customer service and taking care of a customer. Why risk losing my business?
5. I sent a letter of complaint to the manufacturer about this dealer and a copy to the owner of the dealership. I was clear that I did not hold the dealer accountable for the car's defect since these things happen and they have no control over it. This is what the lemon law was designed for. I was complaining about their customer service. The regional manager for my area called about the letter and was terrific about it. He even had me convinced to give the dealer another chance. Then the owner of the dealership called me. He was furious (I only complained to Chrysler; I didn't even complain to the better business bureau, which I should have) and berated me, accusing both me and the person at their manufacturer in Michigan of lying about the claims that his service people lied. This was despite the service man being caught in one while on the phone with (and was documented by) the Chrysler customer care person in Michigan.
P.S. I looked up the 3 closest dealerships by me with the better business bureau. 2 were satisfactory while Tenafly Chrysler was unsatisfactory, one of the reasons being that they did not respond to the better business bureau about a complaint they received.
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