430 Dealers trained to Sell/Service '13 Viper

[redtanrt10]

From today's Automotive News;

Automotive News -- February 4, 2013 - 12:01 am ET

DETROIT -- Chrysler Group's two smallest brands -- Fiat and SRT -- have nearly filled out their dealership rosters in the United States.

Ralph Gilles, who heads the automaker's SRT brand, said 430 Chrysler Group dealerships have finished their training to sell the 2013 SRT Viper.

A Chrysler spokesman said dealers still may apply to sell the Viper, but no more dealerships will be added until production begins on 2014 models later this year.

SRT was given full brand status when Chrysler switched the Viper from Dodge to the performance brand.
To sell the Viper, dealers agreed to pay a $25,000 fee and undergo special training. Gilles said Chrysler recently finished training three waves of Viper specialists, including dealers, general managers and service personnel.

For SRT, 430 authorized dealers is slightly more than Gilles predicted would participate, given the Viper's limited annual production of about 2,000 units.

Gilles said Chrysler Group showed dealers, before they signed up to sell the Viper, their potential allocation of the 640-hp sports coupe. "We got a little more than we expected," Gilles said.



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[georgethedog]

Wow, that's $10,750,000 revenue without selling a car. Damn good business model I would say...

 

[Kratos]

I guess we just call out local dealer and see if they are on the list.....??

 

[01sapphirebob]

I guess we just call out local dealer and see if they are on the list.....??

You go to drivesrt.com and click on dealer locator.

 

[plumcrazy]

and just like for earlier models, there are about 6 dealers in the country worth going to for viper service

 

[Coloviper]

Well the worst dealer in Colorado who screwed me royally on a new 07' Jeep SRT8 with no good support despite me buying a 7 yr Maxcare Warranty. It is Pro Chrysler Jeep Dodge and they can now sell SRT and Viper. Sorry but I am very, very suspect of some on this list. Sorry but the actions now show me it will be no different than before. Technical training is only 1/2 the battle.Just very disappointed at least in Colorado. BTW the only trusted long term Viper Tech's dealership is not on the list of approved Viper authorized dealerships. So strange considering most all VCA members in CO go to the dealership.

 

[mnc2886]

Most of these dealers are wannabes jumping on the band wagon. There are several around me that are useless and are trying to charge a $20k addendum on the one they have. What a joke. By 2015, most of these places will have only sold one or none and hopefully wont try again. I seen it posted before, but if Ralph is to accomplish his service and integrity goals, he needs to have SRT dealers only. Like them or not, look how Apple sells their products. Price protection, dedicated sales teams, great customer service. Buying at Apple product is a much different experience than buying others. No Viper buyer will get that at 99% of the "approved" dealers.

 

[Boxer12]

I am guessing that the $25,000 fee was to sell all SRT products, and they prob throw in Fiat to boot...and btw, if you aren't on the SRT/Fiat dealer list then next round of Chrysler layoffs will see you losing your dealership. Maybe I'm just a skeptic..LOL...but you know what, if that's what it takes to get dealers to have a 'qualified' Viper mechanic, then I am all for it. Presently there are lots of Dodge dealers where they didn't even know how to order Viper parts (I have encountered them on the road for track events when all I wanted was some lug nuts) and that BS has to go if they want to compete with Chevrolet...the Auto Zone has been better to me that Dodge dealers in small towns.

 

[ViperSmith]

Hopefully part of the $25,000 was a placard telling them not to let junior techs use customer Vipers for lunch getters.

 

[plumcrazy]

Presently there are lots of Dodge dealers where they didn't even know how to order Viper parts (I have encountered them on the road for track events when all I wanted was some lug nuts) and that BS has to go if they want to compete with Chevrolet...the Auto Zone has been better to me that Dodge dealers in small towns.

i avoid the dodge dealers like the plague. id rather pay tator or my local mechanic to fix the stuff correctly. i dont care that it costs me more. ive done it many times. its just not worth dealing with the BS

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

Keep in mind that you as the consumer, as well as some Dealers, pushed this agenda, since Dealers were not accountable in even needing a Viper Tech to sell Snakes. Those that were doing the work, suggested a standard of excellence that first maintained the levels of training required , and demanded purchase of specified tooling to work on the SRT10/GTSs. The consumer had alot to say in this, as complaints rolled in , which is understandable when no requirements were in place. To SRTs credit they listened very well to all sides and the program set up has certain criteria that needs to be met. They are as follows;

1. Initial payment of $25,000 to participate in the sale of the new Viper -- this was thought to be a method to find who was really serious about the brand.
2. Training of sales, service, and techs -required by all Dealerships regardless of past sales or experience.
3. 4 day intensive service training , but only by Level 4 Technicians. Surprisingly some techs who had worked on Vipers in the past were denied, as they were not Level 4 certified. SRT took the high road and demanded superior trained mechanics to work on the new Serpent.
4. Continuation of fees, training , etc. in future years.

They are also not naive, as they realize some Dealers will fall out once they realize the demands are ongoing and will have a cost applied. This should , over time, ensure that you, the buyer, have a very committed and accountable Dealership to service your Viper. No program is perfect, but this is a start and a big departure from recent years where the majority of Dealerships had no one with any training or expertise from sales through service. There is no doubt that SRT was surprised so many signed up, but common sense suggests that with high demands in place many will realize that they do not want the responsibility. Like anything in life, the process of time should bring a more consistent Dealer base , as paying to play necessitates those that want in the game, must participate to achieve excellence.

The complaints many have are extremely valid, but just keep in mind they are the exact reason this was put into place. SRT should be applauded for understanding the nature of the Viper owner and working to get those demands met in the near future. Thanks for listening and I hope this gives a bit more credibility to the work in progress.

 

[BlknBlu]

I agree Bill, we got what we asked for, but apparently the haters are looking for more. I have no problems here in the midwest. If you are looking for only a handful of dealers around the country, buy a Lambo.

Bruce

 

[vipernut]

Keep in mind that you as the consumer, as well as some Dealers, pushed this agenda, since Dealers were not accountable in even needing a Viper Tech to sell Snakes. Those that were doing the work, suggested a standard of excellence that first maintained the levels of training required , and demanded purchase of specified tooling to work on the SRT10/GTSs. The consumer had alot to say in this, as complaints rolled in , which is understandable when no requirements were in place. To SRTs credit they listened very well to all sides and the program set up has certain criteria that needs to be met. They are as follows;

1. Initial payment of $25,000 to participate in the sale of the new Viper -- this was thought to be a method to find who was really serious about the brand.
2. Training of sales, service, and techs -required by all Dealerships regardless of past sales or experience.
3. 4 day intensive service training , but only by Level 4 Technicians. Surprisingly some techs who had worked on Vipers in the past were denied, as they were not Level 4 certified. SRT took the high road and demanded superior trained mechanics to work on the new Serpent.
4. Continuation of fees, training , etc. in future years.

They are also not naive, as they realize some Dealers will fall out once they realize the demands are ongoing and will have a cost applied. This should , over time, ensure that you, the buyer, have a very committed and accountable Dealership to service your Viper. No program is perfect, but this is a start and a big departure from recent years where the majority of Dealerships had no one with any training or expertise from sales through service. There is no doubt that SRT was surprised so many signed up, but common sense suggests that with high demands in place many will realize that they do not want the responsibility. Like anything in life, the process of time should bring a more consistent Dealer base , as paying to play necessitates those that want in the game, must participate to achieve excellence.

The complaints many have are extremely valid, but just keep in mind they are the exact reason this was put into place. SRT should be applauded for understanding the nature of the Viper owner and working to get those demands met in the near future. Thanks for listening and I hope this gives a bit more credibility to the work in progress.

Well said Bill!...if we the buyers of this car are prepared to spend well over a hundred grand..then we should have confidence that after we own the car we'll get the same great quality from the dealers in servicing the vehicles as we did when purchasing.
Making dealers prove their worth by spending the $25000 (not that much in the great scheme of things in this day and age) ....and moreover them committing themselves to a higher standard by getting techs properly trained goes a long way (to me) to show Chrysler/SRT are worthy of our confidence..before...during and AFTER the sale.!!

 

[ViperTony]

The complaints many have are extremely valid, but just keep in mind they are the exact reason this was put into place. SRT should be applauded for understanding the nature of the Viper owner and working to get those demands met in the near future. Thanks for listening and I hope this gives a bit more credibility to the work in progress.

I agree with you Bill. This is no small accomplishement and the fact that SRT is on top of this should help ease some of the concerns out there. Until there's some experience working with these techs, however, there will be a level of uncertainty from viper owners. I hope that IF there's an issue with a dealer/tech, that SRT nips it in the bud ASAP and corrects them as the issues arise. Is there some type of dealer/tech performance monitoring/feeback system in place by SRT? If GenV Viper owners have complaints with dealers who can they contact at SRT for help? <- I believe this will be key.

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

Good points Tony, and the fact that SRT would not waiver on only allowing Level 4 Techs to come for training showed their demand for excellence. I know of two former Viper Techs who were denied admittance because they were not currently level 4 accedited -- this is a complete departure from the past. If rules are made they must be adherred to, so kudos to the new SRT in standing up for these principals.

 

[VENOM V]

I'll say this, my dealer experience so far has been nothing short of exceptional. Paul Normandin of Normandin Chrysler has made this customer feel like a VIP. Paul's also a passionate Viper owner and tracks regularly, he's owned it long before becoming a Viper dealer. He often gives me a call about anything Viper related that comes up. He negotiated with another dealer to get me my Stryker Red, even long after closing the deal with me on my originally-ordered black/gunmetal GTS. He knew I wanted it and found a way to make it happen. Very cool.

I'm not saying this because I wanted to give him a plug, but because I wanted to steer any Northern California Viper customers towards a dealer that will treat them right. Trying to find a good dealer is crucial when buying a car of this level.

Tonight I will join Paul and my fellow Norcal VCA members for our February dinner, good to be a part of this community.

 

[BlknBlu]

Any news if SRT will have regional reps like with the other brands? If not sign me up.....lol

Bruce

 

[PDCjonny]

I'll say this, my dealer experience so far has been nothing short of exceptional. Paul Normandin of Normandin Chrysler has made this customer feel like a VIP. Paul's also a passionate Viper owner and tracks regularly, he's owned it long before becoming a Viper dealer. He often gives me a call about anything Viper related that comes up. He negotiated with another dealer to get me my Stryker Red, even long after closing the deal with me on my originally-ordered black/gunmetal GTS. He knew I wanted it and found a way to make it happen. Very cool.

I'm not saying this because I wanted to give him a plug, but because I wanted to steer any Northern California Viper customers towards a dealer that will treat them right. Trying to find a good dealer is crucial when buying a car of this level.

Tonight I will join Paul and my fellow Norcal VCA members for our February dinner, good to be a part of this community.

You mean they treated you right SELLING you the car?
Who'd of thought of that concept.

 

[VENOM V]

You mean they treated you right SELLING you the car?
Who'd of thought of that concept.

Hey listen, the other SRT dealer right down the street took an entire week to get back to me, when I inquired on purchasing a Viper. In contrast, Paul has been doing what he can AFTER SELLING me the car. That's what I'm looking for. Give credit where credit is due.

 

[Coloviper]

I realize my comments in Colorado are negative but the experience cost me a lot of time and money on a new vehicle. Glad there is a highest technical level requirement. My point is I doubt a bunch of them here could pass an ethics and integrity test. If someone buys from one of these and they get weeded out, how does that help the guy who bought there? This " clean slate' initiative was to **** out beforehand, not let it settle out afterwards. Sorry but it was asked to fix the network now, not put in place to self fix. Just what I see based about some names on this list here.

 

[shine]

Interesting... my local dealer here in town is not on the drivesrt.com SRT dealer list. I was by there a few months ago and they told me they had done the certification and were allocated a '13 Viper. I guess not... heh. Fine by me. I took my Viper there once and never will again because of the unbelievable charges they inflated because of the car.

 

[ViperSmith]

Well, I have a few to choose from for service...

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[ViperSmith]

Hey listen, the other SRT dealer right down the street took an entire week to get back to me, when I inquired on purchasing a Viper. In contrast, Paul has been doing what he can AFTER SELLING me the car. That's what I'm looking for. Give credit where credit is due.

I stopped at two dealerships in the area... Left my name for orders once they were announced and never heard a word back...

 

[doctorbob]

Great post Bill........and SRT doing it right. However, I think the VAST majority of those that signed up will be shortly out of servicing the Viper since so many of us know the dealerships that do it right....and that is really a small number.

 

[ViperGeorge]

Too me the biggest issue with finding a good dealer to service your car comes down to finding a dealer that will take proper care of it and you. Hopefully dealers spent a good deal of time going over this point in training. You know, don't let some parking lot jockey drive the car, only let the Viper tech drive it, don't let other customers sit on it or in it, keep it inside and secure, no "test" drives other than what is required to validate repair, don't wash it unless the owner says "ok", do a walk around to note pre-existing conditions, put in seat cover plastic before getting in it, etc.

Other than that the car really is not any harder to work on than any other modern car.

 

[doctorbob]

I would never have a newly trained Viper tech ,who has never worked on a Viper before ,have my car to be their first Viper repair/ mechanical experience. If a dealer sells one or two vipers a year, do you think their tech is going to maintain his skills? NOT.

 

[ViperGeorge]

I would never have a newly trained Viper tech ,who has never worked on a Viper before ,have my car to be their first Viper repair/ mechanical experience. If a dealer sells one or two vipers a year, do you think their tech is going to maintain his skills? NOT.

Having done a bunch of work to my Gen 3s and 4s over the years, the cars aren't hard to work on. Easier than most actually, most good techs would have no problem fixing it. My real concern is having a tech that takes care of the car and doesn't abuse it.

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

Having done a bunch of work to my Gen 3s and 4s over the years, the cars aren't hard to work on. Easier than most actually, most good techs would have no problem fixing it. My real concern is having a tech that takes care of the car and doesn't abuse it.

Too me the biggest issue with finding a good dealer to service your car comes down to finding a dealer that will take proper care of it and you. Hopefully dealers spent a good deal of time going over this point in training. You know, don't let some parking lot jockey drive the car, only let the Viper tech drive it, don't let other customers sit on it or in it, keep it inside and secure, no "test" drives other than what is required to validate repair, don't wash it unless the owner says "ok", do a walk around to note pre-existing conditions, put in seat cover plastic before getting in it, etc.

Other than that the car really is not any harder to work on than any other modern car.

Exactly, these things come from the commitment to and the "heart" for the Viper owners. Not an easy thing for most to permanently ingrain in after sales personnel, especially if there is turn over at the dealer. BUT that is not to say that some new SRT dealers will try their best to step up and be proud to represent the new SRT brand.

 

[plumcrazy]

finding a good, reliable mechanic at a dealership is hard to find. obviously woodhouse has them but that leaves about 5 in the country worth dealing with