Car owners say Lexus tops in dealer service
Bloomberg News Service
AGOURA HILLS, Calif. — Toyota Motor Corp.'s Lexus division ranked first in dealer service after record industrywide auto sales in the United States made it harder for dealerships to provide fast repairs and keep customers, a study found.
Lexus led all major automakers in customer satisfaction for a fifth straight year with fast appointment scheduling and repairs, marketing research firm J.D. Power and Associates said. General Motors Corp.'s Saturn division placed second and its Cadillac unit was ranked third.
U.S. sales of cars and light trucks reached a record 17.4 million last year, up from 16.9 million in 1999. The added service requirements for new cars has resulted in full service bays and longer lines at dealerships that may push customers to car-repair shops, the report found.
"Because of limits to dealer accessibility, customers get the impression early in the ownership experience that dealers do not need their business," said Joe Ivers, a J.D. Power partner. "This sets the stage for increased future defection of customers."
The study, based on responses from more than 56,000 new-vehicle owners, focuses on customers' dealer-service experiences in the first three years of ownership. The firm's reports are watched closely in the industry and often cited in advertising.
Saturn finished second behind Lexus, mainly because it makes service "relatively painless" scheduling and fast repairs, said John Harbicht, J.D. Power senior manager of service satisfaction research.
Cadillac moved up four places from the 2000 study to third this year, displacing Bayerische Motoren Werke AG. Nissan Motor Co.'s Infiniti luxury division was fourth this year followed by Honda Motor Co.'s Acura luxury division. Last year, Daewoo Motor Sales Corp. was fourth ahead of Ford Motor Co.'s Volvo division.
Van Bussmann, who retired in February as DaimlerChrysler AG's chief economist, has joined Agoura Hills, Calif.-based J.D. Power's office in Troy, Mich., as senior vice president of global forecasting, the company said.
