I had already started a post about taking my car in to the dealer last Friday when it was due for a ‘heavy’ 30,000 km service and then I discovered I had written this pretty much comprehensive post about my Mitsubishi Adventure SUV back in July, 2007.   So I have put on 15,000 km in a little less than 2 years.  Not very much driving by US standards, but I’m still very happy that I bought this car and I wouldn’t be without a car … 50 plus years of car ownership is a habit that dies hard.

Update: that’s 30,000 plus kilometers in a bit over three years now, still happy.  And still the same folks at the dealer, year after year.  That tells you something about working conditions, employee benefits and the general work environment there, I think.

I use only what is commonly called “casa” maintenance here.   I go back to the dealer for all service.   I’m sure I could do some things cheaper, but I’m very happy to go someplace where someone else gets their hands dirty and where there is a well-trained workforce.  We do not have the selection of car service options here in the Philippines that you have back in the US .. no Quicklube places and such.  Except in large cities, the concept of decent looking, fully equipped independent service establishments if pretty much unknown here.

There are name brand gas stations on major roads where I guess i would feel confident in getting something like a burst radiator hose replaced, but in general the word ‘shade tree’ mechanic, when applied to the majority of independent shops I have seen, would be an insult to the tree.   This is another reason I do not recommend dabbling in the used car market here at all.  I know a thing or three about car mechanicing and I looked at a number of used cars before I decided to buy new from a franchised dealer, and now after two three an a half years I am still fully confident I made the right choice.

CarWorld Showroom

I also can’t say enough about the dealer I used, CarWorld, Marilao. Thanks Romel, Bing, Orly and all the rest of the staff there.  I’ve bought my share of new cars in the US over the years and most of the dealers I have dealt with there are places I would never go back to.  But I’d buy another car or truck from these folks at CarWorld tomorrow, no hesitation.   The dealer is part of a parent company called the Laus Group which is the exclusive sales agent for Mitsubishi Philippines and also has franchises for a number of other makes.

They epitomize what a Philippine business ought to be (hint, they even have toilet paper in the rest rooms) and are proof that the average ‘penny pinching’ way so many businesses here have adopted are not at all necessary.  It’s a very profitable company, it’s too bad they don’t set up a business training college to teach others that treating customers decently, and having things in stock, etc. is a better way to run a business.

This is an actual picture of the showroom/customer lounge area as it looked on Friday … note the space the lack of mess on people’s desk and the fact that their cleaning routines are more than running an already black with dirt mop over a gray floor that used to be white … pwede na (that will do) is the downfall of so many businesses here in the Philippines.

Oh, and did I mention they have added free WiFi Internet access in the customer area since I was there last … next time I go in for service I can bring my laptop and blog real time.  Recommended.

You know while the US car market has a sales loss of over 40% in the past 12 months, Philippine new car sales are up 6% in the same time period. You don’t suppose there is any kind of correlation between the kind of value and service these guys offer and out-performing the US by 46%, is there? Nah.  True blue Americans know car sales come from no money down schemes, zero percent financing come-ons and government handouts.  The recession may indeed come but it sure isn’t here at the moment.

Last Thursday my car was due for its first 5,000km service. It is a 2006 Mitsubishi Adventure that we bought new at the end of November, 2006.  So far all my experiences have been good ones. The sales process was about as un-hurried and honest as any I’ve ever experienced.  The new car process works a bit different in the Philippines, as you might imagine … at least for Philippine-made cars like this Mits. The sales cycle doesn’t revolve around a “new model year” rollout in September or October as it does in the US.  The manufacturer’s produce the number of cars they think will sell and the dealers sell them until they are gone.  Thus the 2006 model when, in fact, we “should” have been getting a 2007.  We paid the same price as this model had been going for all year, less a special dealer promo discount and (what made my wife particularly happy) a free Toshiba laptop.  No matter what we paid for a car there’s always someone out there who could have got it cheaper, but let’s just say this … it’s not our first car and we feel we got a good price.

The other thing that may seem a bit different to folks is the way many dealers are part of very large corporations.  Our dealer, CarWorld Marilao is owned by a large corporation known as the Laus Group which has investments in television stations, restaurant chains and I’m not sure what al else.  The advantage of this arrangement is that there’s a lot of money behind the dealership and the parent company is not afraid to spend on training and the small touches of customer service that so many of us Westerners seem to find lacking.  At CarWorld you’re treated well, from the security guard guiding you to a parking space and writing down your mileage for you so yo don’t have to, the service advisor being in place for years (they know me, I know them) to the sales manager coming out up and greeting me personally, making me a coffee and seeing that I’m comfortable in the modern spacious waiting area.  All the while they know I’m not likely to be buying anything again for quite some time, but I did buy, and because I did I am part of the ‘club’ do-to-speak.

But the part of the day which really made me feel people were looking out for me was how they handled my only warrantee issue so far.  The car had developed a slight exhaust rattle noise when backing up into my driveway.  It really didn’t sound like anything of consequence … probably some loose tin heat shield or perhaps the parking brake cable hitting the exhaust pipe I thought.

When the car was ready (in less than 60 minutes) my service advisor took me back in the service area to show me what they had done.  On the floor next to the car was the entire exhaust system, from engine manifold connection to the chrome tailpipe extension beneath the rear bumper.  The exhaust pipe itself had a small crack develop where it went up over the rear axle, accounting for the noise.

“We don’t do “piece part’ exhaust replacements” the mechanic advised.  “Too many parts to come loose”.

Total, end to end replacement, when for all I knew they could have just patched something up and told me they tightened a loose clamp.  My cost? Nothing, nada, not one centavo.

Will I buy another car from CarWorld?  In a heartbeat.  Is it possible to get excellent value and customer service in the Philippines … to Western (or better than Western) standards.  yep, it is.

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