Car Dealer Experience: Which Brands Have the Best Dealers

Before you buy, find out which brands have the best car dealer service experience

When shopping for a new car, it’s important to research which brands have the best car dealer service experience. In other words, buying a car is not just about finding the right vehicle at the right price; it also includes interaction with the dealer service department, ease of service appointments, and after-sales support, which are all critical. Car brands have worked hard to create dealership experiences that leave a lasting positive impression, but some stand out more than others. In this article, we’ll explore which car brands have built the best car dealer experiences and what makes them exceptional.

Factors affecting car dealer service experience and ownership satisfaction

1) In 2024 car dealers are still grappling with new car supply shortages
2) Car dealers are still grappling with replacement parts shortages
3) All repair shops are grappling with a major shortage of skilled technicians

As a result:

• Appointment wait times are longer, with an average of 5.4 days to get into a dealer
• The longer wait times are driving more customers to independently owned local shops. They’re choosing local shops because they can get in faster, not necessarily because of the lower hourly rates at independent shops.

Surprising Facts From the J.D. Power Survey

1) Customers are choosing local independent service facilities because of the long delays in getting an appointment at the dealer.
2) Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) (non-Tesla) owners are the least satisfied of all car owners. They experience twice as many recalls as ICE owners, and satisfaction with the recall work is 50 points lower than comparable recalls on an ICE vehicle.
3) Toyota satisfaction has dropped significantly due to new car availability and parts shortages that continue into 2024
4) Hyundai and Kia vehicles are at or near the bottom of both dealer and customer satisfaction.
5) Ram owners are the least satisfied of all truck brands.

Car dealer experience based on the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Customer Service Index (CSI) Study

The J.D. Power Customer Service Index study looks at how satisfied customers are with the service they receive at either franchised dealerships or independent service centers. It focuses on maintenance and repair work for people who own or lease vehicles that are one to three years old. The study also ranks the top-performing car brands in the U.S. based on five key factors that shape the overall service experience. These factors, listed by importance, are:

1) The quality of the service
2) The helpfulness of the service advisor
3) The ease of vehicle pick-up
4) The condition of the service facility
5) How the service process is started.

The Brands with the Best Car Dealer Experience — Premium Brands

This J.D. Power Car Dealer Service Experience Ranking is based on a 1,000-point scale and in order of satisfaction, from 897 for Lexus down to 812 for Genesis

Lexus 8987
Porsche 8984
Cadillac 883
Infiniti 882
Acura 870
Jaquar 869
Alfa Romeo 867
BMW 862
Mercedes 858
Audi 854
Lincoln 853
Land Rover 850
Volvo 849
Genesis 812

The Brands with the Best Car Dealer Experience — Premium Brands

This J.D. Power Car Dealer Service Experience Ranking is based on a 1,000-point scale and in order of satisfaction, from 887 for Buick down to 810 for Ram

Buick 887
MINI 884
Subaru 877
Mitsubishi 875
Honda 863
Chevrolet 861
Mazda 861
Nissan 860
GMC 852
Toyota 851
Kia 838
Ford 835
Dodge 833
Chrysler 825
Hyundai 819
Volkswagen 819
Ram 810

The Brands with the Best Customer Satisfaction Scores — Mass Market Cars

This J.D. Power Overall Customer Satisfaction Ranking is based on a 1,000 scale and represents customer happiness with the vehicle they purchased, based on the first 3 years of owners. In most cases, this measurement is within the warranty period.

MINI 877
Subaru 874
Mazda 867
Chevrolet 865
Nissan 864
Honda 863
Dodge 849
Kia 847
Toyota 844
Volkswagen 839
Hyundai 829

The Brands with the Best Customer Satisfaction Scores — Mass Market SUVs and Minivans

This J.D. Power Overall Customer Satisfaction Ranking is based on a 1,000 scale and represents customer happiness with the vehicle they purchased, based on the first 3 years of owners. In most cases, this measurement is within the warranty period.

Buick 887
Mitsubishi 877
Subaru 877
Chevrolet 863
GMC 863
Honda 863
Mazda 860
Nissan 854
Toyota 854
Ford 845
Jeep 837
Kia 834
Volkswagen 817
Hyundai 814

The Brands with the Best Customer Satisfaction Scores — Trucks

Nissan 873
Chevrolet 856
Toyota 855
GMC 843
Ford 827
Ram 810

©, 2024 Rick Muscoplat