Car service centre.
Today I received an email from the lease company that finances my car. If I would please fill out a simple questionnaire.
Which I did, because I am cool like that.
The lease company has a number of their own service centres to take care of the cars in their fleet, and they want, of course, as many people there. Their questionnaire was about people considering using those facilities.
Until now I always take my car to the local Toyota dealer, as that is literally on the way to or from work. For a service I drop it off, pick up the loaner, and repeat that trick the next day.
A lease service centre is about 30km away from home, and about (at this moment) 40km from where I work. Their service goes so far, that they will send someone over to me with a loaner car, who then picks up my car. I can use the loaner until my own car is returned to me, after which their driver takes their car back to the centre. Isn't that a fantastic service? And I don't even have to pay for the use of the loaner, that is all free!
I don't use their service. I probably never will, unless perhaps they open up shop next door.
Look at it: someone drives 30km (20 miles) to bring me a car. They drive those 30km back. And the next day another 30 in mine, and 30 in theirs. Provided they swap at my home. Otherwise it would be 4x40km. That is 120km to 160km of driving, of fuel, of exhaust, and of environment pollution for which I have to do absolutely nothing. No, thanks. I'll gladly pay for the loaner car and save the world at least 120km of driving exhaust. I'll gladly support a smaller local business to keep their shop open, where I know the people and am treated as almost a friend. And if that costs me some extra money - fine.
Which I did, because I am cool like that.
The lease company has a number of their own service centres to take care of the cars in their fleet, and they want, of course, as many people there. Their questionnaire was about people considering using those facilities.
Until now I always take my car to the local Toyota dealer, as that is literally on the way to or from work. For a service I drop it off, pick up the loaner, and repeat that trick the next day.
A lease service centre is about 30km away from home, and about (at this moment) 40km from where I work. Their service goes so far, that they will send someone over to me with a loaner car, who then picks up my car. I can use the loaner until my own car is returned to me, after which their driver takes their car back to the centre. Isn't that a fantastic service? And I don't even have to pay for the use of the loaner, that is all free!
I don't use their service. I probably never will, unless perhaps they open up shop next door.
Look at it: someone drives 30km (20 miles) to bring me a car. They drive those 30km back. And the next day another 30 in mine, and 30 in theirs. Provided they swap at my home. Otherwise it would be 4x40km. That is 120km to 160km of driving, of fuel, of exhaust, and of environment pollution for which I have to do absolutely nothing. No, thanks. I'll gladly pay for the loaner car and save the world at least 120km of driving exhaust. I'll gladly support a smaller local business to keep their shop open, where I know the people and am treated as almost a friend. And if that costs me some extra money - fine.