Mazda service concerns????

[joeca]

I may buy a new CX5 GT Reserve. There are three Mazda dealers within 30 minutes of me but two I think have the same owner (all in Metro Detroit). I've been reading some customer reviews and while the new car purchase reviews are almost all positive, the service department reviews for all three seem not so good, many alarmingly not good.

Is this common for Mazda service departments? Is anyone familiar with these dealers in the Detroit area and which one might be better than the other ? I'm hoping to be able to set my concerns aside because I do like the CX5 but have never owned a Mazda.

Thanks

 

[leeharvey418]

Oakland County?

Keep in mind that people who have to have their vehicles serviced arent usually in a good place emotionally, and it will show in their opinion of the shop. Ive had some issues with Brighton Mazdas service department, but theyve done other jobs where I thought they handled me very well.

 

[ColoradoDriver]

Oil changes are easy to do. Same with filters.

Now it doesn't matter.

 

[sm1ke]

I find that this is common for many dealerships of all brands. It's a good idea to start doing your own maintenance work (or learning how to do it if you don't know how). Lots of resources out there to learn. It's also a good idea to do the other general vehicle inspections and services a dealership should do as part of the oil change (tire rotation, lube/inspect door hinges, brakes, fluids, etc.).

If you keep track of when you did the work and the receipts for the parts used, your warranty will not be voided.

 

[davmac]

Sorry, nothing to add about the Mazda dealers in the Detroit area. Mazda dealer service is no better or worse on average compared to other brands. Easy for me to say. I DIY 99.9% of repairs and maintenance - and have an exceptional Mazda dealer service department and independent shop nearby. Remember, you can always use independent service providers with whom you may already have a good relationship for everything except recall service.
Food for thought: Dealer service is variable - depends on the dealer strategy. Most are doing a pretty good job because profit on sales alone make it hard to sustain a dealership - and it is an area you can differentiate as a business. This is especially important as fewer and fewer people are comfortable doing DIY auto repair. IMO beware of reviews because they naturally skew toward negative. What incentive do you have to write a review when your experience was satisfactory?
Also, you get a lot of good service when you are a good customer. The service writer and tech are not the customer's slaves. And, the dealer repair shop didn't break your car nor is it their goal to frustrate you. I'm always amazed at the level of effort and service I get when I treat these people as human beings trying to help me solve a problem.

 

[ralf11]

IMO beware of reviews because they skew toward positive due to fake and paid reviews being posted - there are entire companies built on the fake review "industry."

Oil changes are easy as are various filters. That leaves warranty work and major service intervals, plus diagnostics & repairs.

 

[whorne]

I may buy a new CX5 GT Reserve. There are three Mazda dealers within 30 minutes of me but two I think have the same owner (all in Metro Detroit). I've been reading some customer reviews and while the new car purchase reviews are almost all positive, the service department reviews for all three seem not so good, many alarmingly not good.

Is this common for Mazda service departments? Is anyone familiar with these dealers in the Detroit area and which one might be better than the other ? I'm hoping to be able to set my concerns aside because I do like the CX5 but have never owned a Mazda.

Thanks

I am in a similar situation. I purchased my Mazda in June from Suburban Mazda in Troy. The experience was great and plan on giving the Troy location a try on my upcoming first service.

 

[shadonoz]

Buy at the dealer who you like the best and/or gives you the best deal. Don't worry about service and other people's reviews. If you can't or don't want to change your oil, take it to them for your first change and see how it goes. If it's bad, go elsewhere next time. Wherever you go, keep your receipts.

 

[Kaps]

Mazda = Hyundai in my opinion. There are many Mazda Chevy / Mazda Hyundai partner dealerships. So their level is that of Hyundai (slightly better than Kia dealers).
You can do service et all - problem with Mazda has been that a lot things which should have been a recall are TSBs. TSBs are something you cannot DIY. Mazda wont give you the parts and its an out of pocket expense. You have to go to a dealer for those.
For example - the 2016 CX5 (last year of Gen1) - has more than 60~80 TSBs for seats sagging / brakes / Headlights etc. TSBs don't pay much to the dealer and they will not entertain you. They may not refuse but they will say - come on Tuesday, on Tuesday my technician's dog died. I have to confirm with Mazda etc. Parts are not in. After 3 or 4 attempts life moves on.
Here is my advice - the BEST service providing dealer CLOSEST to you. Get the best quote in writing, go to this dealer and ask him to match. Take whatever he offers. Usually the best service provider is also a large volume dealer and will match or almost match your best quote. Lower volume Mazda dealers are cash strapped and will be desperate to make max dollar per hour on their bays which wont be doing your TSBs.

 

[Unobtanium]

Love my service dept. Latte machine, stocked snacks, fast and properly done work with thorough explanations and no upcharge BS.

 

[joeca]

Thanks for all the great responses. I can deal with the oil changes, it's a dealers ability to resolve a problem under warranty, that I'm more concerned about, . I've had some bad experiences with other manufacture's in this regard.

It sounds like go with the best price and hope for the best with service is what to expect

 

[joeca]

I am in a similar situation. I purchased my Mazda in June from Suburban Mazda in Troy. The experience was great and plan on giving the Troy location a try on my upcoming first service.

That's one the dealerships I'm concerned about. It's the closest to me

 

[Avoidin Deer]

If nothing else, you have 3 within 30 minutes of you. So you have a choice if one of them fails you.

I have one at 30 minutes, one at an hour, and one at two hours.