aTm2004 said:
Duck Patrol said:
Just talked to the service guy. They "finally" heard the noise, and it's the lifters. I confirmed it's under warranty.
I've never had to deal with this before...will my rental car be covered as well? Has anybody ever done this?
You own a Chrysler product...no.
If you don't own one of the luxury brands (MB, BMW, Lexus, etc) then you're on your own for a rental. The only American brand that I'm aware of that gives loaners for warranty work is Cadillac. My mom even gets them when she gets her oil changed.
THIS.
Forgive the long ass post....
I'm a little surprised why folks demand/expect a loaner car.
Here's my understanding of the loaner car system in most dealers for
high end (Cadillac, BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, Infiniti, Acura, Lincoln, Jaguar, LR, etc):
1. While under warranty, 'courtesy transportation' is provided by the dealer, and most of the time reimbursable by the manufacturer, the manufacturer will lease cars to the dealer on the cheap (your IS250 G25, C250 with no sunroof, no nav etc and ends up on Carmax and TDA lots later) , and/or the dealer buys cars off lease out for loaner fleet.
2. Out of warranty and customer pay, the dealer will 'eat' the cost of the loaner in order to get the business and keep customer satisfaction High.
Most typical high end owners mindset "I don't have time to drop it off at XYZ repair shop and get an uber/rental car...I lease a G37, I don't want to drive a Nissan Versa while my car is in the shop....the infiniti dealer has Infiniti loaner cars...."
When I had my LS460L, the dealer put a barcode on the glass. When I pulled in the service drive, a writer met me outside and addressed me by name and asked me what I was in for, and if I planned to wait or if I needed a loaner. While I only went in when it was for warranty service, it was nice to have the convenience. Which is partly why Lexus and Infiniti really stole a lot of business away from BMW and Mercedes when they entered the market in the 1990s, the service experience. Before, BMW and Mercedes didnt offer Loaner cars, nice waiting rooms, shuttles etc.
For most
'regular' brands, most manufacturer's new car warranties do not cover any kind of alternate transportation. Dealerships themselves may offer a shuttle service to your home/office/nearby shopping areas.
There are certain special situations where the manufacturer WILL pay for a rental. If it's a recall where the repair will take more than half a day, they'll reimburse the dealer for a loaner for the customer.
Extended warranties, whether from the manufacturer, sold from the F&I guy at the dealer, or purchased elsewhere, typically cover, or will offer at extra cost, rental reimbursement or loaner coverage. Ford even offers a warranty for "First Day Rental" so you don't have to wait to see if its a covered claim before getting a rental/loaner.
Some dealers do offer loaner cars but they're at a cost to the dealer, and generally NOT reimbursable by the manufacturer. These cars are usually provided to try to entice customers to buy from them instead of a competing dealer. Beck and Masten GMC, Hub Hyundai, John Eagle Honda are a few in Houston have tons of loaner vehicles running around Houston, and they advertise the heck out of them (big decals in the rear window). While these cars in the long run probably pay for themselves, it costs the dealers a lot to own and maintain a fleet of cars. Usually there's paperwork you sign saying that the car must be returned within 24 hours of the work being complete, additional fees may apply etc. This is why often times you see Enterprise or Hertz Local Edition inside dealerships.