Chrysler will limit stores selling SRT Viper

[GTSGTO]

What we really need is a petition to bring Tator's back in the game!! He may not want to sell cars for the backstabbing ******** at dodge but should be granted an authorized service center for the Viper!

This is exactly what I was thinking. Let Tator sell SRTs.

 

[Coloviper]

Sorry Smog Dog and Wikkid but when laying down 100+ large for a new car, service and support is a major concern. Maybe you guys have so much money in the family kiddy that you really don't care, but for the average Joe working hard and saving up for the new car, it is important. Was a complete let down when I bought the 06 new a few years ago and then Dodge started shutting down the dealerships here with the ONLY Viper certified techs. Both your comments are about the stupidest I have heard on this forum since joining the club almost 6 years ago. Try living in a place where there is no real support or it is spotty or was here but the Manufacturer pulled it out on THEIR terms.

Sorry but as stated in the past, this is a MAJOR issue on the new car purchasing in parts of the US/Canada, etc.

 

[Bobpantax]

I agree with you Coloviper. And they have to have a way to deliver that service to people who are not near one of the Viper dealers. Not all people who can afford and want a Viper are located in a densely populated area. I wonder how Porsche does it now. Back in 1966, I happened to be at a dealer when a difficult issue was being diagnosed with a Porsche. Present was a specialist who had come in from outside. He even wore a full length white lab coat. It was quite impressive. Of course the shop was also spotless. I remember thinking it was so clean someone could have eaten food off the floor.

It will be interesting to see how SRT ultimately decides to provide service to Gen V Viper owners who are not close to an authorized Viper dealer unless they have decided that the number of potential owners in this pool is not significant and they do not have to be concerned about it.

 

[Alabaster Mamba]

Things will pan out. You have to wait and see and hope for the best. Now is not the time for all of the doom and gloom. As Bob has stated, alot of the diagnostics will be by wifi. Chrysler already has a wifi system in place when it comes to diagnostics.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...stics-and-test-fleet-monitoring-56055747.html

As Bob also stated, SRT could send a specialist out to the dealership to handle any problems that may arise after viewing the diagnostic data. And I am willing to bet that any dealership will give them full access to anything that this tech may need. Why? Because if someone up in the food chain says jump, they will jump.

 

[blu byu]

Am I the only ****** that sees 15-20% of 2400 dealers as a lot of friggin dealers? Maybe I'm out of touch with how many shops have sold previous generations, 'cuz this sure sounds like bringing additional dealerships on board.

 

[PDCjonny]

Its a friggin car guys, not brain surgery. Seriously if location has you worried, walk away....

What a stupid comment.
Spend 100K+ on a new car and come back and tell us how it doesn't matter.

 

[PDCjonny]

This is exactly what I was thinking. Let Tator sell SRTs.

At least let him service them as an authorized shop.

 

[swexlin]

"David Kelleher, chairman of the Chrysler National Dealer Council and a dealer in suburban Philadelphia, said the car's limited production run would not allow for each of the automaker's 2,400 dealerships to have one.
Chrysler has not said how many Vipers it intends to build each year. The Viper's best year was 2003, when Dodge sold 2,103 Vipers in the United States.
Kelleher added: "For the dealers that it makes sense with," Chrysler is "going to be very transparent and lay out how much it's going to cost for the whole program and what their allocation is going to be"


This guy owns David CDJ, in Glen Mills, PA, only a few miles from me. He is not my dealer, but one of his techs is a member of my local Mopar club. He's a good guy, and sells a lot of SRTs. If he is one of the new dealers,, I woudn't hesitate to use him.

 

[Smog Dog]

Sorry Smog Dog and Wikkid but when laying down 100+ large for a new car, service and support is a major concern. Maybe you guys have so much money in the family kiddy that you really don't care, but for the average Joe working hard and saving up for the new car, it is important. Was a complete let down when I bought the 06 new a few years ago and then Dodge started shutting down the dealerships here with the ONLY Viper certified techs. Both your comments are about the stupidest I have heard on this forum since joining the club almost 6 years ago. Try living in a place where there is no real support or it is spotty or was here but the Manufacturer pulled it out on THEIR terms.

Sorry but as stated in the past, this is a MAJOR issue on the new car purchasing in parts of the US/Canada, etc.

I think you are over estimating the degree of difficulty in working on the car. All the new cars are complicated and complex. But any time you are dealing with low production numbers, there is not going to be a dealer in remote areas with a lot of experience working on your car. If that is a problem, you are going to have to deal with it. Or if it's a major issue for you, walk away and buy a more exotic car you can have serviced in Denver, if you are more comfortable with that. If you still think you might want a Viper, wait a few years to see if SRT is able to provide the level of service which might satisfy you. Don't rush into a Viper purchase---make them earn your business. My local dealer is not where I buy my Vipers, because allocation is an issue. But the service has been fine and I am well treated and still welcome there. Maybe I'm just too easy to please. LOL

Bill

 

[ferraritoviper]

At least let him service them as an authorized shop.

I'll be going to Chuck, whether he is authorized or not.

 

[MTGTS]

I'll be going to Chuck, whether he is authorized or not.

Hopefully Chuck will at least be allowed to attend the classes on the new car.

 

[Smog Dog]

Colorado--if the service is all that's bugging you now, you've come a long way since May 12th....maybe thare's still hope! BTW, how does this rank as far as stupid posts go?

http://forums.viperclub.org/threads/653420-Finally-figured-out-what-is-bugging-me!

Bill

 

[Mopar Steve]

Todays vehicles are more complicated than in the past, including our Vipers, but as said earlier these are still cars. The basic systems are still the same. The OBD2 systems will still diagnose sensors the same as they do on all the other vehicles. A/C systems are still the same, oil changes are the same, (as are all fluids), electrical, nearly everything but suspension is the same basic systems. MAJOR service might be a different issue. Issues pertaining to the SRT-10 engine might be item specific but how many times has this been an issue?

Also like said earlier, 10%-15% of 2500 dealers is still 250 to 375 dealers.... That is still a significant number of dealers.

I do all my own service, and with the exception of a specific alignment issue, I have never had a problem with any type of service on my Viper.

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

Remote diagnostics could be a possibility for electronic issues, but what about mechanical issues? Although "a car is a car" mentality may have some merit, it is the care that a good Viper Tech insures with your car that matters to most owners. I already have a significant number of calls each month asking for diagnostic help, if this increases I will surely still be there to help, but at some point we will need compensation for our part and time wouldn't we?

Another thing is that a busy Viper tech may make good money, but the occasional one gets no real benefit because he has to spend more time doing similar work to make sure everything is done cleanly and carefully. Chrysler does not take this extra time into account when tech time for a job is calculated so many techs would rather not be involved because they can make more money "hammering out" regular work. Body shop guys will tell you the same thing, that everything Viper take so much longer to get right enough that they are loosing money because no one pays extra for the extra work.

Woodhouse is blessed with our techs interest and my own in our wonderful Viper, but they still could make more on regular cars even with the wages I can pay them.

 

[PDCjonny]

I'll be going to Chuck, whether he is authorized or not.

Really?
So if your tranny grenades (hypothetical) in your new car due to a manufacturing defect or design flaw you'll pay
Chuck out of your own pocket for something under warranty. LOL.

 

[Bobpantax]

Hi Mark. I am assuming that if SRT sets up a remote advice system that they will adjust "the book" to allow the remote tech to get reimbursed by Chrysler and/or the dealer. Mechanical problems can also be diagnosed remotely through the use of a hand held internet camera with audio. In the rare case where the physical presenec of the tech was required, it would occur. It will be interesting to see how SRT addresses this issue.

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

Hi to you to Bob, miss our chats,

It will be interesting to see, but I honestly don't see the whole internet camera etc working out at "most" dealerships. I think that it may be possible for dealers to send a tech in for SRT training classes (at a fairly substantial cost albeit) that will be required as part of the dealership criteria even if they will not have all of the other requirements to sell cars. In this case other then the treatment of the customer and vehicle (if they could teach that part it would be great!) at least they would have competent "hands on" for the work. Techs will probably need to be level 3 and 4 trained in specific areas already to qualify for the classes, so a good seasoned tech will be chosen for the training for sure.

Take care Bob

Hi Mark. I am assuming that if SRT sets up a remote advice system that they will adjust "the book" to allow the remote tech to get reimbursed by Chrysler and/or the dealer. Mechanical problems can also be diagnosed remotely through the use of a hand held internet camera with audio. In the rare case where the physical presenec of the tech was required, it would occur. It will be interesting to see how SRT addresses this issue.

 

[ViperTony]

There's certainly something going on in terms of jockeying for Viper Techs. Scott from Warnock Dodge moved down to Texas and is now a Viper Tech for Tomball. Scotty, next to Tator, was the only other Viper Tech up here in the Northeast that most folks would allow to work on their Viper. Now we have Chuck and his crew which is not a dealer, unfortunately, and cannot perform warranty work on Vipers. To add a little more salt to the wound, headhunters are calling Chucks' shop to recruit his team to work for other Dodge dealerships. It seems that the dealers who will be able to sell the Viper are competing over the few qualified/experienced techs we have left. On the Northeast, if Chrysler would simply allow Tator's Garage to operate as an authorized service center for SRT vehicles, it would be very beneficial to Viper owners around these parts and help the GenV sales.

 

[ferraritoviper]

Really?
So if your tranny grenades (hypothetical) in your new car due to a manufacturing defect or design flaw you'll pay
Chuck out of your own pocket for something under warranty. LOL.

Huh? Let's get practical here. The second post in this thread was yours, in which your referenced SERVICE, as were most of the following posts... not warranty work. Obviously my post refers to service...various work that any other dealer would charge you for. As for warranty work, depending on the scope, I'd probably still go to Chuck, as I like him, trust him, and live almost around the corner from him....and he appreciates all of our work. For a blown trans or engine under warranty, I'd check out what dealer closest to me does it...or I may just ship it back to Woodhouse, or maybe even keep it with Chuck. You should know better Jon, as you are from the metro region too, where people do business with there friends. Spending $150k+ for a toy, I'm not going to be sweating the little stuff

 

[99t1]

in life there are "wants" and "needs"...I think SRT along with everybody in a 300 mile radius of NYC NEEDS Chuck back for this new program! Is there any way we can make it happen?...have beers together at the Whitehouse?

 

[46hemi]

Cant see that happening. He has no cappuccino machine and I think he has vinyl tiles on the floor and some might actually be chipped or cracked. His shop is dusty, not climate controlled and without a big leather waiting room couch. Most of his tools do not have an Ethernet adapter and he still hand writes his receipts.

If you think service is not important ask all of the guys who had the 998/999 recall screwed up.

I have a feeling this "new breed" of customer they are courting might not appreciate his brand of dealership. The thought of driving their cars onto a bumpy grassy meadow in South Salem and being greeted by a grown man in a wizard costume would likely repulse them....damn those barbeque's were fun

 

[PDCjonny]

Huh? Let's get practical here. The second post in this thread was yours, in which your referenced SERVICE, as were most of the following posts... not warranty work. Obviously my post refers to service...various work that any other dealer would charge you for. As for warranty work, depending on the scope, I'd probably still go to Chuck, as I like him, trust him, and live almost around the corner from him....and he appreciates all of our work. For a blown trans or engine under warranty, I'd check out what dealer closest to me does it...or I may just ship it back to Woodhouse, or maybe even keep it with Chuck. You should know better Jon, as you are from the metro region too, where people do business with there friends. Spending $150k+ for a toy, I'm not going to be sweating the little stuff

This entire thread has been discussing how and where a Viper owner with a warranty would get their car serviced.
Obviously I didn't ask if SRT would pay to have my car transported to a dealer for service if there was no warranty..thats silly...

 

[Coloviper]

Bill;

I am not getting pulled into a "Bill pulled Sally's pig tails in the school yard" crap. There are things I do not like about the new car and some things I do. I voiced them in that early post which was not a horrible thing. Seeing the 2013 in person helped to remove some of those concerns. Talking with SRT and the future ability to "accomidate a lot of what I expressed in that other post" helped as well.

Your comment on service and support not mattering on a $100k+ new vehicle and if you are not lucky enough to have SRT support locally, then tough find something else is absolutely ridiculous. I mean if you are living in Casper, Wyoming, then okay it is expected to not really have that support for the one car every three years they might sell but Denver is a major center with over 2,000,000 people on the front range alone. It is a big problem SRT has right now in this neck of the woods.

I do not think there was anything stupid expressed in my previous post from the past. You were and are clearly on a mission to jump on any posts that might have suggestions or comments to the contrary in a polarizing effect to get your one sided point across. Your post here is no different.

As I said, I am not going to get into a he said, she said situation, I have said my piece and that is that. There is nothing more for me to say on the subject. I would just ask that you and Wikkid be a little respective of other people's situations. There are plenty of hard working Viper owners out there that deserve to be able to own and appreciate the car. The fact they live in an area maybe a little less densely populated should not affect their ability to own and enjoy the car one bit. To say just because someone lives somewhere not in a major center, well I have already said it.

I can tell you there are a number of owners and potential owners here in Denver looking at the new 2013 Viper. The lack of a SRT Certified Tech, past dealership history with SRT here in Colorado and lack of a supportive dealership is a huge concern keeping some of the pre-orders and ultimate orders down. Having been bit once, it is something that has to be addressed before I will step back in the ring. Ultimate cost of the 2013 and factory customization are other reasons.

Look I have nothing against you or Wikkid, but I felt your response was very disrespectful to others in that very situation.

 

[swexlin]

Todays vehicles are more complicated than in the past, including our Vipers, but as said earlier these are still cars. The basic systems are still the same. The OBD2 systems will still diagnose sensors the same as they do on all the other vehicles. A/C systems are still the same, oil changes are the same, (as are all fluids), electrical, nearly everything but suspension is the same basic systems. MAJOR service might be a different issue. Issues pertaining to the SRT-10 engine might be item specific but how many times has this been an issue?

Also like said earlier, 10%-15% of 2500 dealers is still 250 to 375 dealers.... That is still a significant number of dealers.

I do all my own service, and with the exception of a specific alignment issue, I have never had a problem with any type of service on my Viper.

And I'm lucky to have Steve for a friend, and he lives nearby!!

 

[Smog Dog]

Colorado--There was plenty of stupid stuff in your post that I linked. By Mid May when you made your post, the car had been revealed and most of the tooling built. To talk about redesigning the hood as a hybrid of the GTS and GTSR and saying the roof needs to be changed "to get rid of the hard angular part to the humps" and make it like the Gen 2 GTS certainly qualifies as stupid. The car is going into production in October 2012, and your wishing for something like that as a condition to make you want to buy the car, is stupid. Ralph has said SRT is going to be selective on who sells and services these cars. In this thread Mark Jorgensen has said it's happening. I stick by what I said---this is not Obamacare---you don't have to buy it.

Bill

 

[Joe Dozzo]

Colorado--There was plenty of stupid stuff in your post that I linked. By Mid May when you made your post, the car had been revealed and most of the tooling built. To talk about redesigning the hood as a hybrid of the GTS and GTSR and saying the roof needs to be changed "to get rid of the hard angular part to the humps" and make it like the Gen 2 GTS certainly qualifies as stupid. The car is going into production in October 2012, and your wishing for something like that as a condition to make you want to buy the car, is stupid. Ralph has said SRT is going to be selective on who sells and services these cars. In this thread Mark Jorgensen has said it's happening. I stick by what I said---this is not Obamacare---you don't have to buy it.

Bill

Harsh, but true... I don't have to buy one.

I don't think I've met Colorado but I am one of those from Colorado who has had several issues with Denver local dealers ranging from a tech joyride seriously sideswiping a curb in my 98 to a seat that was wrong and took over 18 months to get sorted in my 2008. And now that I'm in Anchorage nearly full time, no way I'll be executing the purchase (my deposit went to one of the big dealers over a year ago) if the local dealer here isn't SRT certified.

 

[mnc2886]

The good news is that Ralph has actually acknowledged that for the Viper to succeed, a special dealership experience is needed. They may be asking $100k+, but they did that with the last Gen and didn't care to hold the dealerships to a higher standard. They are making that change this time. However, I can tell by some people's reactions that SRT needs to walk the walk before they ask for the green.

 

[VIPER 93]

I have yet to find a tech at any dodge dealer
in the Los Angeles area. The last time I went to my
local dealer they almost broke the key trying to
start it. This is a big concern for me if I decide to go
with a 2013.


2008 VVO

 

[fastmd]

Remote diagnostics could be a possibility for electronic issues, but what about mechanical issues? Although "a car is a car" mentality may have some merit, it is the care that a good Viper Tech insures with your car that matters to most owners. I already have a significant number of calls each month asking for diagnostic help, if this increases I will surely still be there to help, but at some point we will need compensation for our part and time wouldn't we?

Another thing is that a busy Viper tech may make good money, but the occasional one gets no real benefit because he has to spend more time doing similar work to make sure everything is done cleanly and carefully. Chrysler does not take this extra time into account when tech time for a job is calculated so many techs would rather not be involved because they can make more money "hammering out" regular work. Body shop guys will tell you the same thing, that everything Viper take so much longer to get right enough that they are loosing money because no one pays extra for the extra work.

Woodhouse is blessed with our techs interest and my own in our wonderful Viper, but they still could make more on regular cars even with the wages I can pay them.

If Mark thinks its unlikely, doesn't look good for fairy tale remote fixes.....

 

[Bobpantax]

True. But let's wait and see.