Patricia Hays

Review of Crown Honda of Southpoint

Short version: EVEN THOUGH I HAD AN APPOINTMENT, ...

Short version: EVEN THOUGH I HAD AN APPOINTMENT, I waited NEARLY THREE HOURS for an oil change, with car wash and vacuum as a perc. I hope the wait time will improve, because I have purchased bumper to bumper care for 60K miles.

Long version: According to my cell phone log, I called the service dept at 1:12pm. I made an appointment for an oil change at 2:15pm. I was happy to get an appointment on such short notice. I arrived 30 minutes early at 1:45pm. I pulled up to the service bay, but since it was my first time there, I had no idea what to do. There were about 10 staff members inside, working on their computers. No one made eye contact, no one approached my car. The only sign telling me what to do was 40 feet outside the bay entrance, and it said "pull forward." I was not sure whether I should drive inside, or whether I was already "forward" when at the threshold. I waited five full minutes, and then another customer pulled her car inside the next bay and was approached immediately and service provided. Of course I drove inside at that point, got out of my car, totally puzzled. (Was I invisible?) Still no one made eye contact for several more minutes until a gentleman who appeared to be a manager approached me and asked whether I had been helped. I said, "No, in fact I was waiting for five minutes at the door, and then this customer (gesturing to the lady being helped) was served before me. This is my first time here. I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

At that point, a customer service associate approached me and took my keys. He said I would be taken care of right away. I explained I had an appointment at 2:15 and was a little early. I was shown to a waiting room. At 3pm, the customer service fellow told me they were running behind, very busy, it would be another half an hour. At 4pm, he entered again and said they were nearly finished. At 4:30, I packed up my belongings and went looking for the gentleman, when he suddenly arrived at the door of the waiting room. I told him that it was my husband's birthday and we had plans, and I was no longer concerned about whether the car was finished, that I had to leave.

He said they were finished, and would bring the car around front.

Nearly 3 hours for an oil change. They did wash and vacuum the car, which was nice, and did a 20-something-point inspection. As far as I know, the work was done properly. Everyone was very courteous except for the first seven minutes or so when they did not acknowledge my presence.

If they had told me when I made the appointment that I might have to wait so long, I would have chosen a different day.