Jaguar tops dealer satisfaction survey

* Jaguar dealers are the best * Lexus and Toyota come second and third * Mazda, Fiat and Chevrolet need to improve...

Jaguar tops dealer satisfaction survey

Jaguar has come top in the 2012 JD Power Dealer Satisfaction Survey, published by What Car?.

What Car? editor-in-chief Chas Hallett said: 'The survey clearly shows that Jaguar dealers have the most friendly, helpful staff, and the best facilities and workmanship. Customer satisfaction is not just about the product, it's about the whole package, and Jaguar is delivering.'

Second in the survey is Lexus, with Toyota third, Mercedes fourth and Honda fifth.

The bottom of the table makes unhappy reading for Fiat dealers, followed by Mazda, Vauxhall, Suzuki and Mini.

'This survey shows that lots of dealers are doing a good job but some still have a lot of work to do.

'Car buyers are spending a lot of money and should have the confidence that they will get the same standards of service as the best retail outlets on the high street. These opinions, from people who have lived with their cars and experienced these dealers for some time show that this is not always the case,' said Hallett.

Rank Dealer network Score
1 Jaguar 86.1%
2Lexus83.6%
3Toyota 82.4%
4Mercedes 82.2%
5Honda 81.9%
6Skoda 80.9%
7Land Rover 80.0%
8Nissan 79.9%
9Volvo 79.5%
10Audi 79.0%
11=Kia 78.9%
11=Peugeot 78.9%
13Volkswagen 78.7%

Industry average
14Mitsubishi 78.3%
15Seat 78.0%
16=BMW 77.8%
16=Renault 77.8%
18Hyundai 77.6%
19Citroen 77.4%
20=Alfa Romeo 77.3%
20=Ford 77.3%
22Mini 77.2%
23=Suzuki 77.1%
23=Vauxhall 77.1%
25Mazda 76.9%
26Fiat 74.8%
27Chevrolet 71.5%

The analysis is based on JD Power's 2012 UK Vehicle Ownership Satisfaction Study. Out of the 17,686 respondents, nearly 15,000 customers had a service experience with their dealership within the past 12 months. These customers gave data on vehicles bought between January 2009 and December 2010. Surveys were completed between December 2011 and January 2012.

The survey focuses on a number of areas: 'service initiation', rating the ease of making the appointment and the time involved in dropping off the car; 'service adviser', evaluating staff courtesy and quality of explanation; 'service facility', rating ease of access, parking convenience and waiting area cleanliness and comfort; 'vehicle pick-up', covers the punctuality of the collection process, charging fairness, and staff helpfulness; and 'service quality', deals with the time required to do the service, the thoroughness and overall quality of work, and condition of car on return.

Car makers with fewer than 100 respondents were not included.

By Iain Reid