Based on two service experiences so far, Mark Jacobson Toyota on 15-501 in Durham rates three or four stars for my wife and me. I'm going to be generous and give a four (good), but I think a three (OK) is equally valid.
I'm going to break this review down into pros and cons.
Pros:
1a. They're decently fast. On an ordinary Saturday, my wife's car was logged in at 1:06pm and ready at 2:15pm. During that time, they changed the oil and oil filter, rotated the tires, performed a multi-point inspection, and replaced the cabin air filter and battery. Total was $358.21 ($112.39 labor, $220.83 parts, $24.99 tax).
1b. On another ordinary Saturday, my wife's car was logged in at 12:58pm and ready at 2:50pm. During that time, they changed the oil and oil filter, rotated the tires, performed a multi-point inspection, flushed the brake fluid, and performed an air conditioning coil and duct refresher service. Total was $472.61 ($268.07 labor, $165.99 parts, $25.57 miscellaneous charges, $20.00 customer loyalty coupon, $32.98 tax).
The miscellaneous charges were "environmental fees" "shop waiter appt." What does that mean?
2. They haven't tried to upsell anything.
3. They are open on Saturdays. I think there's value in a garage being open on a weekend day. I prefer to take my car to independent shops which are usually only open on weekdays.
4. On the second visit, my wife got a text with a link to a thorough list of service items. I liked that. The list included a 17-second "Inspection Video" of the underside of her car. It focused on the tires, axles, and joints. I thought it was helpful. I'd love to see more videos of other parts of the car, perhaps under the hood before/after they've replaced or serviced parts.
5. They are good about sending discount coupons after service visits.
Cons:
1. On the first visit, when my wife pulled into the service bay, no one came out to greet her. After waiting both inside and outside of her car, since no one showed up, she went inside the building (at some Toyota dealerships, you drop your key off inside the building). An employee told her to go back outside and that someone would be with her. I'm not sure what the issue was there, but she was eventually seen and checked in. In comparison, in general, our experience at check-in bays at various dealerships (not just Toyota) is being greeted by a service advisor almost immediately.
This did not happen on the second visit, so maybe this was just a one-off thing.
2. The amenities here aren't as great as other Toyota dealerships. For example, at the Toyota dealership in Savannah, they offer free food (e.g., chips, donuts) and drinks, including coffee, for service customers while they wait. Here, there are vending machines. Also in Savannah, they wash and vacuum my wife's car with every service, and the actual visit is just as fast. Here, they do not wash or vacuum.
I'm not saying Mark Jacobson should offer all this; I'm just pointing out that there are other Toyota dealerships out there that offer these perks at no additional cost. It's certainly nice.
So, the customer service and amenities were a bit lacking here compared to other Toyota dealerships.
3. The first visit, my wife brought her laptop to try and get some work done while waiting. Someone from the sales department approached her and made small talk. The salesman didn't try to sell her anything. My wife thought the interaction was weird.
4. Mark Jacobson Toyota wasn't as thorough as our favorite independent shop in Georgia (we split our time between North Carolina and Georgia). Unsurprisingly, we get more bang for our buck at the independent garage. Generally, it's no secret that service departments at dealerships charge more. Luckily, I think the increase in cost by going to a dealership for service is somewhat mitigated by owning a Toyota vehicle since Toyotas are some of the best cars on the market in terms of low maintenance cost. All that said, the service level and cost at Mark Jacobson were consistent with other Toyota dealerships we have experience with (Savannah, metro Atlanta).
Ultimately, we were satisfied enough with the experience here that we will probably return for future service visits.
Mark Jacobson Toyota is conveniently located close to I-40 exit 270. read more