Sunday, August 18, 2013

Where is my spare tire? Why doesn't my car have one?

This is a very fair question. I was a few months into leasing my 2012 Kia Soul when I was reminded of this reality. My car had no spare tire and I had a major flat! Now, let me clarify that I know they all feel major, so lets just say that there was no room for getting to the closest tire shop. It needed attention right then.
   As I sat there figuring out my pump with the can of some sort of "fix a flat" provided by the manufacturer and my manual and the other pieces parts that need to all fit together to make this thing work,  I realized that this is a common occurrence in many car models being produced today. I have been meaning to write about it since.  By the way, that can of goop that you pump into your tire, is a one time use item. That means you need to replace it after each use. It can also do damage to your tire pressure monitor sensors that are inside the tire. Those are the sensors that send a message to your car to make the light go on in your dash that tells you your tire pressure is low! This kit does not work if you have a blow out or shredded tire so keep that AAA number handy or the manufacturer roadside assistance information in the car! I do need to say that the technology of tires today does help to minimize those instances.
I will say that once I got the tire filled with this kit out of the compartment,  I was able to drive to the shop that works on my car. They pulled a bolt out of my tire that was the size of my thumb!!! I still have that bolt. They were able to fix it. They did say they could not tell if the TPMS (tire pressure monitor system)sensors were damaged. I was grateful I did not have to buy a tire. 
Another reason that you may not have a spare, is that you have run -flats on your car. This is a type of tire that can drive up to 50 miles if its punctured. This is common on BMW's and the Toyota Sienna AWD minivan has them. Run flats cannot be fixed or patched. They must be replaced and they are not cheap. I found that out when I purchased my 2011 MINI Cooper countryman. I do have a customer with a 2006 BMW 3 series who did not put run- flats on his vehicle when he replaced his tires and does not have a spare. He chooses to take his chances. He saved quite a bit on the tires... Is it worth it?   A run- flat also has more road noise and does not last as long. That statement comes from part experience and some reading of reviews.
So we wonder why this is a trend..... Well I think that the manufacturers are all competing for the best MPG! The miles per gallon. The fuel economy! Who has the best when the price of gas is creeping up, up, up? It also saves the manufacturer money to sell a car with 4 tires instead of 5.
Some people never find out they don't have a spare until they are sitting on the side of the road, need to figure out how to use that kit or call for help. Some don't care. I recently asked a mechanic about her thoughts on this trend, and she is a fan of keeping the spare. When in doubt, DO YOUR RESEARCH! Ask your mechanic,  google reviews from people who have had actual experiences and ask your sales man... Does this car have a spare tire?

I will say that I find it ironic when people do so much homework and spend so much time to find the car with the best fuel economy, then they load up their vehicle with a ton of stuff that they carry around with them all the time in the trunk of their car. All that fuel economy goes right out the window. So think about that the next time you open your trunk and there is a bunch of stuff that has been sitting in there for a long time. It is costing you money!!!

Here are 2 websites I like that may help you:
www.fueleconomy.gov
www.safercar.gov




Tuesday, August 13, 2013

What up with these surveys?

Everywhere we look now are customer service surveys. It is sometimes annoying. I get it! Companies want good ratings. AT WHAT COST? I say that because I was under the impression that surveys are to help improve customer service, see how a company or product can be better and all around help the manufacturer and the consumer. WRONG!

   Now you know that a blog is an opinion and I want to clarify this is just my view. I see it from both sides. As I work with dealers all the time for my customers. 

These surveys are misleading to me. Here is why. The dealers have these surveys that the customer is going to get after they purchase a car. If the customer does not answer everything perfect, then the dealer fails and loses money. 
Some of the manufacturers will take away all of the bonus money that a salesman has coming. 
So if you as the consumer answers with a 9 on cleanliness of the dealer (example), and it is out of 10?

FAIL! there is no room for error. This is one of the reasons that your dealer may be trying to really go over this with you. 
Here is what I find to be disappointing. This hurts  the consumers and the dealers! The dealers are forced to do it because of the manufacturers guidelines . They are requiring certain numbers on those surveys. It is a lot of pressure for a dealer. Especially when lets face it, you just can't make everybody happy. The consumer may have something to share about how they feel the dealership could improve.  The dealer can never get the real answers to help them improve and the consumer can never share their true feelings without really hurting their salesman that they may have really liked! The dealers do get a chance to reach out and make a situation right, but the damage is done! 
   Some dealers have a video session so that the customer can do a testimonial and this also coaches them to give the dealer the ratings they are looking for. This to me is such a SCAM! It basically is using a survey for all the wrong reasons.
Some of  ratings are used on a national level so that manufacturers can say that they get such high customer satisfaction. This is NOT accurate on all levels. Some customers are happy with everything, but you always have people that struggle with understanding or have expectations that are unrealistic!
On the other hand, dealers can be bullies, and dishonest and terrible with customer service. This is a way that a survey can hurt their pocketbooks! Whether it is by mail, email or on the phone, the answers that you are giving on the customer satisfaction survey are important. Just not maybe for all the right reasons!