posted
Let me start off by saying this is not a statement for all dealership service departments (probably should be), just the one in Colorado Springs. I will tell you that the morons who worked on my car today would have been fired if I were the service manager.
I took my car in for a windshield replacement and re-diff leak. When I went to pick it up today, I noticed that they scratched my both of my T-Tops, added two big scratches to my rear bumper and bent my right front corner panel out (its now gapped between the door and the panel)
What the hell?
Why can't we take our vehicles to a repeatable dealership and in return receive back quality service. I stopped taking my Tahoe to the Wall marts and shade tree mechanic shops for oil changes because of poor service (damaged the rim on my Tahoe), now I can't seem to get good service anywhere.
Who ever wrecked my car knew they did because they tried rubbing out the scratches (first indication that he was a Moron, you can't rub out deep scratches). Then on top of that they didn't bother telling anyone about it, trying to cover it up. I say they are liars and thieves too.
Of course they offered to send it to the body shop tomorrow and fix the damages, and call in the glass guy for my T-Tops but that's another day I have to make arrangements to get off work and take my car to them.
My camaro only has 1200 freaking miles on it.
MORONS!
-------------------- #22 Tom Henry Camaro Monterey Maroon Red Posts: 122 | From: Fort Carson, CO | Registered: Aug 2003
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posted
Been there, done that. Took my car in to have some warranty paint work done. Also had them rotate the tires.
1. I showed up to pick up the car, and the paint looked like crap, had all kinds of dimples and ridges in it. Turns out they had little bits of shop rags stuck under the paint. had to re-do it.
2. 1 month later, I was cleaning my wheels. Couldnt get them loose. Buried the needle of my torque wrench at 140 ft lbs. Pushed down on on my factory-issue lugwrench, and it broke off. The lugnut torque was more than the factory wrench could handle. I finally took it off with a breakover bar and a cheater pipe. Turns out the torqe on the lugnts was over 300 ft lbs. Keep in mind that factory spec is 100 ft lbs. It took an enormous effort to get the dealership to admit wrongdoing, and to get them to check rotors, wheels, brakes, and replace lugnuts and lugstuds.
3. About the same time, I found out that they had pulled out the seals on the taillight bulbs, looking for one that was burnt out. They didnt find the one that was out (I had to replace it myself), but they did manage to get water inside the reverse-lights, and mold the plating over the plastic reflector. They had to replace my taillight assembly.
4. Took my car into the same dealership at the end of the summer, because of a minor wreck. same thing with the paint job, lots of dents, bubbles, and crap spilled on the surface before paint and between paint and clearcoat.
In all honesty, I dont trust dealerships anymore than I trust mom-and-pop shops. I dont think that it is safe to take your car to ANY repair shop, because it is too easy for them to screw up, and that puts ME at risk. Thats why I do all my own maintainance work when possible, and I supervise the warranty stuff when I do take my car in.
Posts: 686 | From: Texas: Hullabaloo, Caneck! Caneck! | Registered: Aug 2003
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When I first got my IROC I had to take it back as the air conditioning wasn't properly filled. When I went to get it I noticed a big chunk of paint taken out of the rear quarter panel. When I brough thtis to the attnetion of the Service Manager he said and I quote, " Are yo sure yo didn't bring it in here like this " ? I was so p%##ed off that I told him to repair it or face my lawyer. It took a few days but it was repaired.
I will never let the dealership touch my vehicles again. And they wonder why people buy rice burners.
posted
I feel your pain! I recently had a problem getting 3 of my 4 wheels on my GMC truck replaced.The dealer would not do anything under warranty.GM Customer Service was at no help at all either,siding with whatever the Service Manager said.Makes me wonder why GM is loosing market share!
-------------------- Current ride is: 2002 Brickyard 400 35th Anniversary LE convertible #22,SLP build# 0036,35th Anniversary Build #47 EMCC Member #234 www.emcamaro.org WCA Member #197582 MMCC Member #28 NEOCC Member #634 Posts: 5682 | From: Dearborn,Mi. | Registered: Feb 2002
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quote: ...bent my right front corner panel out (its now gapped between the door and the panel)
Patrick, That is really 'messed-up'. What is it with these dealerships anymore? You might want to check the underside of your car specifically behind the front wheel openings, where the fenders bolt to the rocker area. All too often this is where the "mechanics" place the lift support. It is even stamped, "DO NOT LIFT HERE", ...yet time and time again, ...that's where they place the lift pad. Often the result is (damage there and) the fender to door alignment being off. I am completely 'anal' (I admit it) bringing a vehicle to a dealership for service (fortunately the SS hasn't needed to go in yet). If and when I do, I am going to get the service manager (politely) and do a 'walk-around', ...see, "nothing wrong, no scratches", etc. etc., I'm not trying to be a pain in the butt, ...but I take good care of and pride in my car, ...I simply want you to do the same. When I pick it up, (before I even go to the car) I'm going to ask, WHO worked on it?, ...then I'll go get it. If there are concerns, ...I'll already know who worked on it, ...on the brighter side (hopefully) I'll know who I'm going to thank/tip. It really 'stinks' that this is what we need to do to get the job done right, but in the end hopefully everyone is happy. I would (at this point) ask for the name of the "area rep" for that dealership. Not that you will need to contact him/her (yet), ...but just so you have it (in case), ...and that they know you have it. Look your car over real good (underneath?), ...so when you bring it back you have the 'list' of what needs correcting. Get with the service manager and take it from there. ...keep us posted as to how it works out...
Kevin
PS: On a recent vist to a Dodge dealer (my other 'car' is a Dodge RAM 4x4) when I brought the truck in, ...the service manager walked around my truck (his initiative), took note and commented, "This thing is clean, ...we'll take good care of it", ...and they did. I was super impressed by them, from start to finish.
-------------------- Kevin Kolvenbach, 2002 Sunset Orange SS (#3455), Convertible, Black top, Ebony leather, Bilstein, ASR, 6SP w/Hurst, 345HP Dual-Dual Posts: 1046 | From: Pine Bush, NY USA | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
I sympathise with everyone. There are just too many horror stories out there with dealership service departments, especially large dealerships. So my motto is to avoid all these LARGE dealerships like the plague!Over the years my experience has been that small dealerships in small rural towns (generally out in the boonies as they say)have better service people with longer time in service, fewer cars to service, and because they are in small towns....they have more to loose if the "locals" don't buy cars from them. So they go out of their way to make sure the work is done right. It may be inconvenient to have to drive out of your way to get to these dealerships, but not having shoddy work or having to return to get screw ups fixed more than compensates for the inconvenience. Just my .02 after 35+ years of driving cars. Posts: 502 | From: Fort Mill, South Carolina....Charlotte | Registered: Aug 2003
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posted
My service problems have been with the GM Canada Corporate and the dealer's Service Manager. The dealer's Service Rep. (he's into old trucks) and the service tech's who have worked on my SS have been great, e.g. I had to leave my SS over night to get a new instrument cluster. The Service Rep. parked the SS in their showroom to ensure it would be untouched over night.
The bad news is Service management. Most of these guys have been beat down over the years by dealing with customer complaints, and have lost sight of what real customer service is. Unfortunately they pass this bad attitude onto their service organization, right down to their Tech's who take a "My boss doesn't care, so why should I?" attitude.
posted
I agree! I took my SS into Phelan chevrolet in Lyons Illinois, to have rear diff (Auburn) changed. They installed synthetic oil when the book specs are "Do not use syn oil, only dino oil", after an arguement they changed it back, and then i had them check ticking noise in motor, they told me I needed a new engine but they could not due repair as they are "Over allowed warranty work allowance". Took the car back to my selling dealer they looked it over and the service manager said "Sorry we were busy the week you wanted to bring it in", he then said we are going to change rear diff oil and make sure the procedure is done right", and lastly they checked "Ticking", and 6 techs (Yes 6), were by my car and called me over and compared standard injector size to the ls1 which is high output type, and let me listen closely the ticking is injectors. The service manager told me at Rizza Chevrolet in Bridgeview he would be happy to install a new engine, as the shop is kind of slow but my engine is in great condition, and if the boneheads at Phelan would of installed a new engine they most likely would of screwed up the whole car! Lastly the car was well taken care of no scratches the lift was done properly, I bought A CASE OF White Castle burgers for the whole service Dept>
Posts: 184 | From: Chicago,IL. | Registered: Apr 2003
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quote:Originally posted by 2002 SLP SS: I bought A CASE OF White Castle burgers for the whole service Dept>
UGH! I would think that if you had LIKED the service you got from them, you would have got them something GOOD!! But White Castle?? ICK! JMO!
I feel your pain dealing with the dealerships. I used to work at one, and I think I was the only guy out there that cared at all about the cars!
I wish GM would make some sort of arrangement with their dealerships to make them more responsible/responsive to GM so they could have more control and quality, or they could yank the franchise.
posted
Ugh, it's painful to see and hear about the stupid stuff that dealerships do to cars. It's not that hard to take care of a customer and treat their car properly. Thank goodness we own a service shop....I wouldn't trust anyone else except Steve to work on any of my cars.
posted
Being a service manager at my local chevy dealership and also an SS owner, I feel the same way when it comes to my SS or my wifes Jeep. i have had bad experience's with other dealerships with my Jeep (watching a tech do a burnout in my wifes jeep oddly enough, he didnt see me in the parking lot looking for it to get my cell phone out of it). ALL of us are not "morons". Its called respect. Fortunatly, I have a great group that appreciates cars as well as the customers. If you are in the So. Ill, So. IN or W. KY area, drop me a line, I assure you I will take care of your car like it it my own, and take care of you like you are family. It is aweful that some business forget "WE ARE THE CUSTOMER" and it seems at times, we have to remind them.
Jeremy
[ 30. October 2003, 01:12 PM: Message edited by: SS 891 ]
posted
I also have a 96 Toyota 4runner, I recently took to shop to have brake work done, the dealer gave me a good price,truck was washed by hand,no grease or scratches GM needs to seriously check there dealer network! If they expect to keep customers service must be #1
Posts: 184 | From: Chicago,IL. | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
The people at my dealership's service department are great. On those occasions when I have to leave the SS, they park her indoors overnight and she never comes back to me with so much as a stray fingerprint on her.
The mechanic Rex has built and races a 3rd gen. camaro and owns and shows a Jeff Gordon edition Monte Carlo SS and completely understands the addiction.
[ 31. October 2003, 09:51 PM: Message edited by: gauSSian ]
Posts: 106 | From: St. Augustine, FL. | Registered: Aug 2003
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quote:Originally posted by 2002 SLP SS: I also have a 96 Toyota 4runner, I recently took to shop to have brake work done, the dealer gave me a good price,truck was washed by hand,no grease or scratches GM needs to seriously check there dealer network! If they expect to keep customers service must be #1
GM won't do anything. I wote a letter to Chevrolet and the response I received was that dealerships are independent of the GM organization and they cannot do anything about it.
Goes to show why American car companies are losing market share to rice burners. Posts: 2841 | From: Westland, MI | Registered: Apr 2003
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