I Hate Car Dealerships

My Passat was due for a service; I called and they were booking 3 weeks in advance (you think there's a health crisis in Canada? Looks like it's easier to get an MRI than to get an oil change). My appointment at Northland Village Volkswagen was yesterday. To get there, you have to take the LRT to the Brentwood Station, then the Northland shuttle driver will pick you up and take you to the dealership. Their posted pickup hours are 3 PM to 6 PM.

The LRT broke down at the University Station, one station shy of Brentwood. The doors got stuck, so they ushered us off the train, with one track blocked. It was 5:40, so I called the Northland shuttle driver, and told him I would not get to Brentwood until 5:50 or 5:55. He refused to pick me up, saying the last pick up was 5:45. I asked if he would come to get me at the University station right then; sorry, no, they only pick up from Brentwood. So when I stepped off the train at Brentwood at 5:55, I had to walk the 20 minutes to get to Northland.

It's asinine customer service policies like the shuttle driver's that make me hate car dealerships. This is not the first time I have had difficulties with car dealership shuttles; the one for Valentine Volvo was a nightmare, and the Mini Crowfoot one was also very poor (though they have changed their policies to make it a bit better recently).

So I am changing dealerships until I find someone to get it right. And if you are a Calgary based reader of my blog, and you are considering dealing with Northland Village Volkswagen, understand this is the last straw in a series that means I personally will never do business with them again. Be forewarned.