Guys, I have to vent since I have no one else to vent to who may understand. So about 2 weeks ago, my 21 Ram 3500 Laramie night edition HO wouldn't start. I haven't even had the truck for a year yet. 10k miles. Had to keep getting it jumped and eventually, it would start.
I had an appointment with a local dealer on the 7th but the truck kept leaving me stranded so I took it in on the 4th. The dealer was upset that I brought it in early but I told him it's not like I'm demanding an oil change or something, my truck won't start! Told me it would be a few hours. Came back and told me it was the starter and the part is on national back order with no ETA. They alleged they had no loaner car for me to use. Had to miss work and some other side business I use with my truck.
I called ram customer cares who said they would upgrade the status and offer me $45 a day to pay for a rental.. We'll, good luck finding one and if I did, it was 150 a day for a small car, and of course for an undetermined amount of time I would have to use it. Ram customer care has not returned any call at the time I'm typing this.
Tuesday, the 5th, got a ride from a coworker to work. I'm tell her about my truck and she tells me she happened to have an uncle and cousin who own a Ram dealership out of state. I spoke to them and they told me according to my VIN, the truck had NOT been "V. O.R'ED", which means vehicle off road due to not having the part. He tells me there are 106 dealers in the country with this part and there are 83 starters in the "pipeline" which dealers could get parts or something from and only 2 of the 83 had a Vin attached to it and neither were mine. He said he had a starter he'd sell to the dealer who had my truck.
I call the dealer and tell them this and they were immediately defensive saying they are doing everything they can. I ask them to buy the starter from the dealership. He tells me they don't want to pay the freight. I told him I would pay the freaking freight! Magically, the adviser got an email saying the part would arrive on the 7th. 7th came and went no part. Called on the 9th. My adviser was off. The guy I was talking to said he checked my advisers desk and saw the starter sitting on his desk and it should be done today the 11TH. I confirmed what he said.
I waited until 10 before I called, hoping I would hear something. I call, no answer, so I leave a message. My adviser called me back about an hour later saying there must be some miscommunication and he never had the part. The guy I talked to of course, wasn't there.
I get a call from another local dealer who told me they just got a starter but can't get the truck in for another week. I call the dealer my truck is at back and spoke to the service manager, who was a jerk! Like this is all my fault. Basically said the other dealer won't sell them the starter. I called the dealer who said they have the part and they said they would sell them the part, no problem and would call them. At this point, Im wait for a call back. I again called ram customer care. No response.
I'm sorry but this has been an absolute nightmare and the worst experience I've ever had with a dealer or brand! This is my 3rd brand new Ram and the way I feel now based on how I've been treated, this will be my last. It seems like they don't want to do anything.
My neighbor bought a Ford expedition at a dealer near me. He had an airbag recall and the parts were on backorder for 2 months. They said they didn't want him driving his car because it was unsafe so he showed up with a brand new f150 they loaned him. He drove that thing for 2 months! I guess I won't get customer service like that!
Am I over reacting to this? It just seems I'm losing money from a loss of work and the dealer or ram do not seem to care. This is just the short part of it. 
I had an appointment with a local dealer on the 7th but the truck kept leaving me stranded so I took it in on the 4th. The dealer was upset that I brought it in early but I told him it's not like I'm demanding an oil change or something, my truck won't start! Told me it would be a few hours. Came back and told me it was the starter and the part is on national back order with no ETA. They alleged they had no loaner car for me to use. Had to miss work and some other side business I use with my truck.
I called ram customer cares who said they would upgrade the status and offer me $45 a day to pay for a rental.. We'll, good luck finding one and if I did, it was 150 a day for a small car, and of course for an undetermined amount of time I would have to use it. Ram customer care has not returned any call at the time I'm typing this.
Tuesday, the 5th, got a ride from a coworker to work. I'm tell her about my truck and she tells me she happened to have an uncle and cousin who own a Ram dealership out of state. I spoke to them and they told me according to my VIN, the truck had NOT been "V. O.R'ED", which means vehicle off road due to not having the part. He tells me there are 106 dealers in the country with this part and there are 83 starters in the "pipeline" which dealers could get parts or something from and only 2 of the 83 had a Vin attached to it and neither were mine. He said he had a starter he'd sell to the dealer who had my truck.
I call the dealer and tell them this and they were immediately defensive saying they are doing everything they can. I ask them to buy the starter from the dealership. He tells me they don't want to pay the freight. I told him I would pay the freaking freight! Magically, the adviser got an email saying the part would arrive on the 7th. 7th came and went no part. Called on the 9th. My adviser was off. The guy I was talking to said he checked my advisers desk and saw the starter sitting on his desk and it should be done today the 11TH. I confirmed what he said.
I waited until 10 before I called, hoping I would hear something. I call, no answer, so I leave a message. My adviser called me back about an hour later saying there must be some miscommunication and he never had the part. The guy I talked to of course, wasn't there.
I get a call from another local dealer who told me they just got a starter but can't get the truck in for another week. I call the dealer my truck is at back and spoke to the service manager, who was a jerk! Like this is all my fault. Basically said the other dealer won't sell them the starter. I called the dealer who said they have the part and they said they would sell them the part, no problem and would call them. At this point, Im wait for a call back. I again called ram customer care. No response.
I'm sorry but this has been an absolute nightmare and the worst experience I've ever had with a dealer or brand! This is my 3rd brand new Ram and the way I feel now based on how I've been treated, this will be my last. It seems like they don't want to do anything.
My neighbor bought a Ford expedition at a dealer near me. He had an airbag recall and the parts were on backorder for 2 months. They said they didn't want him driving his car because it was unsafe so he showed up with a brand new f150 they loaned him. He drove that thing for 2 months! I guess I won't get customer service like that!
Am I over reacting to this? It just seems I'm losing money from a loss of work and the dealer or ram do not seem to care. This is just the short part of it.
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