1KULC7

I just finished reading most of the posts here and I can gather many of the older Corvette guys seem to have a wondering eye for other luxury cars and are like me questioning if I really want another Corvette. So I thought it would be fun to bring up some points on other topics from my perspective of a old Corvette owner, had Corvettes most of my life. I would like to discuss and bring up a couple of points of why I am looking at other cars beside the new Corvette.

Excuse me for long post, but I think many of you will relate, especially those who own a BMW, Lexus, or Audi...

Make this perfeclty clear, I LOVE CORVETTES, however, I am not sure I will buy another one, still on the fence and here is why:

Many posts seem to be stating the Chevrolet and GM don't promote their products at world car shows. Chevrolet/GM do not make a lot of profit on the Corvette Model. GM is making a killing in CHINA and the US market is better but not great. Profit has been and remains with SUVs, Trucks, and smaller cars (Malibu, Cruze etc.) and of course the line in China. When you make mistakes like the Volt, that takes away from the bottom line. Marketing suffers during tight times like we have gone through the past several years. Chevy is using the anticipation of the C7 to keep it on the Corvette Owners mind, capturing the younger folks will come once the car is released, you will see many adds, and it will be at all car shows, Chevy will then go after that market share, especially if they do produce a "Stingray" version with smaller engine etc. THAT is what will trip the sale.. I have to see the C7 to determine what I am going to do, I am a long time Corvette owner, and plan to retire in a few years. Currently I own my 63, and a 2002 Vert I bought new as NCM delivered, never cared enough to purchase the C6, change was not enough to convience me to buy a C6, and I love my C5.

Wife and I love to drive in both Corvettes, I will keep the 63 for several more years, but do I really need a second one? The 2002 I have only has 30K miles on it and its still almost brand new.

Here is another point why I might NOT buy a Corvette, several years ago I purchase a BMW335i, before that I had a Mini Cooper from the same dealer. When I had the Mini, the after purchase customer care was excellent, the BMW Dealership treated me (even though I was a Mini owner) like I own the 745i. This is the reason I bought the BMW. Not only is it a great car, but the after purchase dealer sevice is what hooked me. The dealer treated my with dignity, and LISTENED to what had to be done, and did it efficiently and effectivly.

When I take my BMW in for service, I have a loaner car waiting for me. When I wait for the car, I sit in a well furnished, CLEAN, waiting room with a 52 inch flatscreen TV with FRESH Coffee/Tea, and freshly baked muffins for the morning, and current newspapers with free WIFI. During my wait the service counsler comes into the waiting area sits with me and explains what is going on, how long it will take, and when it will be finished. I get my car back from service fully vacuumed, cleaned, and exterior polished, including the wheels. Two day later I get a personal telephone call from my service counsler asking if everything was to my liking...

The contrast is with my new Chevy Cruze, I go to the Chevy Dealer for a recall notice. Once a wait to see a Service Rep, I usually get some kid or an older guy that appears to have very limited knowledge about their products, especially the Corvette, and has to look up the recall notice on the computer, which takes about 15 mins as they still are using old IBM ATs. I try to explain to them what has to be done, the recall letter I brought explains this in detail, but normally they tell me what they are going to do, they DONT LISTEN, instead try to talk me into futher purchases of oil changes, radiator flushes, tire rotations, etc. I just want the service warrenty work done.

Then after I am finished explaining, they write it down on a work form, take my keys, put it in a clear envelope, and hang it up at their bench and tell me to take a seat in the waiting area. Then this guy says to me, if you would like you can get a cup of coffee at the 7/11 down the street about a five minute walk, you have plenty of time. I sit in a hallway with a Zenith TV, with coat hanger antenna, that is snow, can only get 2 channels, nearby are vending machines, with the typical chemical Coffee Cakes, and the Soda Machine with Pepsi and Mountain Dew, the Coffee is a drip Coffee that is always got about less then a cup, with no suguar, but chemical cream, plastic stiring rods, in that 8 ounce white styrafoam cup. I have to go see the service rep to see why my car is still in the lot after an hour has gone by, and when will they take it for service, usually have to wait until he/she is finished with a telephone call. I normally wait six hours for a simple service call, I did make it out once in 3 hours. I get the car back with the paper floor mats with grease on them, sometimes the seat sides a greasy or dirty, and car has not been cleaned at all. Last week had to take my Cruz in for service, tech left a screwdriver under front seat. I waited 5 hours for them to adjust a wiggly seat track. Once I leave I hear nothing from them at all. Usually something happens and I have to bring the car back second time to get it fixed correctly, only to have to go through the full routine again.

Get the point... Sure the car is the main part of it, but a lot of it to me is the customer service AFTER you buy the car. BMW as always treated me with dignity, and as a customer they want to keep. Chevrolet has treated me, like I need them more than they need me.

Comparing a BMW M3 to a Corvette is like comparing a rectangle to a wedge, TWO ENTIRELY DIFFERENT cars. When you really think about it the Corvette in many ways stand alone, as the Corvette is just plainly unique. European Sports Coupes/Sudens are produced for families but have the performance of a sport car. Corvettes are sports cars.

Finally, What am I going to do when the C7 finally is release. I know this, I will not buy the first or even second year. I will let them get the bugs out first. If I like what I will see then I will have a hard choice, as I will be downsizing, and thinking if I DON'T like the new Corvette, well I just might sell my BMW 335i and my 2002 Corvette and purchase another BMW, maybe the X5, remember I will be retiring and would love to travel. I will buy the BMW because of two things, I think their product is excellent, and the after purchase support is the best I have experienced.

Chevy is losing on many fronts, and the biggest in my book are the dealers who support their products after the sale, they just don't have a clue. They just don't promote custom loyalty by treating the customer as a customer they value.

jb_va2001

You are hitting on a substantial sales and marketing challenge for Corvette.

Chevy's bread and butter must be high volume, lower margin cars under $35K. The Corvette is priced at $45K to $130K.

The person spending $80K+ for a car has a lot of alternatives in today's market, some alternatives at companies that cater to buyers spending $65K+ on average. Even within the Corvette line, the buyer of the $80K+ Corvette may have a very different set of expectations from the buyer of a base Corvette at $45K.

FWIW, I was in BG recently and surprised I did not see any base Corvettes on the line.

Cheers,
JB

Varcix

I've owned a new under warranty BMW as well and can agree that the customer service interactions at my local Chevy dealer is not up to par; however my dealer does offer fresh coffee, muffins and an LCD TV in the cold clean waiting room...so that's a shame yours doesn't offer atleast the muffins/donuts and a coffee pot. It can't cost them too much more!?!?

All that being said, I've always LOVED driving, every car I've had over the years has allowed me to enjoy it more and more including my BMW. But after I got my C6, the "LOVE" of driving, taking the top down increased greater than any other car, greater than I ever expected!! To me that is more important than customer service issues...because if they do something wrong with the car, ultimately it's going to be them that needs to fix it and worry about it, this isn't some local mechanic..

I applaud the corvette line, and can only hope the mark is not missed on the C7 as I definitely plan on getting one!

roundlight lover

All the more reason that Corvette should be spun off into a seperate entity not unlike Saturn was.
Chevy dealers have been getting spoiled. They've had plenty of customers, so the good coffee and baked goods are gone.
Correction... Saturn was cheap too. Forget I said it. GM is cheap across the board. Too many bean counters evidently. But then this is America. Cheap labor for any help below the level of Master Tech. Too many retirees helping all over the lots, and alot of clueless folks. It all costs money, and the money is hoarded at the top. Buyer beware, or as the future unfolds.... where are the buyers.

DarkKnight Z

The performance, looks, and driving experience of the Corvette always made me look passed the old decrepit Chevy dealership and service department. However, if Corvette was my daily driver then I could see it being a bit frustrating.

Slynky

The OP may just be lucky...(with the service and service environment).

I don't have freshly-baked muffins waiting on me in the waiting room, but I have everything else you mentioned in "my" Nissan waiting area (and I might add that this is a dealership about 50 miles south of Atlanta in the boonies--Griffin, Georgia).

I don't know if they had free WiFi--I figure if I have enough money to own the car I do, my iPad and iPhone have data plans... (so I didn't even check).

I like it that they have a big long plate-glass window with about 6 "bar stools" along a counter under the window that one can sit and and watch the entire maintenance area.

Before I took my car there, I stopped by and talked to a sales person telling them that I was looking for a place to get my Z serviced. She took me to her department manager. Then, he took me to the service manager. The service manager walked me through the receiving area and through the maintenance area and gave me his card afterwards. It was a nice touch.

I've had my Z just over 2 and a half years and only have been there twice (for oil changes) as nothing has ever needed repair but the whole visit is about as nice as it could be. And that's just plain ole Nissan. Not their "upper class" car.

BUT, I get what you're saying. For me, though, after-purchase care is a consideration but ultimately, the vehicle is what I bought. It's where I'll spend more time (hopefully instead of at a dealer).

I could add in my Acura service story. Yep, a loaner every time something needed to be fixed (that was an Acura fault). So, I had a loaner for a TSB repair. I had one when they installed custom parts on it (that were part of the purchase price). Then they screwed up the wing and I had to go back. Yep, another loaner, though. Then I had free oil changes as part of the purchase and they damaged the car. So it had to be sent to the body shop. Yep, I got another loaner.

And they had a nice waiting area with free drinks, nice TV, and wrappered muffins, danish, candy bars, etc. They had two PCs for use beside the waiting area.

But, their actual service sucked to high hell !

Anyway...just sayin...it just might be the dealership and how well each one does its job and not actually who the manufacturer is.

PS: I'll see your long post and raise you one back.

NSC5

Variance in dealership experience is certainly a major issue. I remember years ago one of my profs in the doctoral program comparing Dairy Queen and McDonalds-no matter where you go McDonalds is very similar but DQ could range from a near luxury experience down to catching a disease just from just pausing too long in the parking lot I would be happy if Chevrolet provided a McDonald's minimal but consistent level of service at all locations. Of course that probably would result in them asking if you want to add an air filter to every order or supersize your Corvette to a Suburban.

I came very close to buying a 335I in 2008 but bought a CTS instead largely because of past good experience with my Cadillac/GMC dealer and a dislike of the hyper-aggressive sales staff at the BMW franchise. My Cadillac dealership does have cable, a nice waiting room, and competent staff. The same family owns the Chevrolet franchise in an adjoining town and if I like the looks of the C7 I will order one in a year as my first Corvette and a pre-retirement gift for myself.

Slynky

Congrats on the upcoming day.

That is how I got my Z a couple of years back. I now retire next May (of next year) and am here following the progress of the C7 (wondering if I will be able to swing one if they looking enticing).

ChattanoogaJSB

*I can definitely appreciate your preference for good service*

I have a little different spin on it, I thought I'd submit...in my mind, the car always trumps the service department. With a new car under warranty (the only time I'll be visiting any dealer) I expect the service visits to be few and far between compared to seat time in the car.

I'm afraid I've experienced the best and worst of BMW sales and service. E90 3-series bought in NC the dealer was great. Back in Chattanooga after our move home, the service and sales was deplorable (in every single instance), both with the 3 series and when we went X5 shopping. At 33, my physician wife must have seemed too young to pay cash for a new X5- older customers seem to love the dealer. This disconnect is one I deplore in all situations, why should anyone be treated differently? Maybe it's a smaller-town phenomenon.

We went to Roswell, outside Atlanta, got prompt service over the phone, internet, and in person and made an attractive deal, picked up the X5 a couple of months ago at the factory in Greer (a phenomenal experience). I could not be happier. My theory is that urban areas see people of all types buying their cars every day.

Do I want to avoid my local BMW dealer and use Roswell for service when I can? ABSOLUTELY! But I didn't let the dealership deter me from owning the car that suited us best.

The same thing goes for the Corvette- the dealership may not have the best amenities, but I'll take a fraction of my life at a dealer that could improve their service and amenities to drive a car I like the other 99.99% of life.

FWIW I love the 335i, a straight shift sedan was a very close second behind the Corvette when I was shopping for mine and it could have gone either way. The C6 is excellent and beautiful but I will not buy another modern Corvette, C2 next time around...it has been an icon of my childhood for too long!

Paulchristian

I always buy used private party and never bought a corvette still under factory coverage. Therefore I have never seen any reason to bring my car to the dealer.

That being said, from what I have seen at my local chevy dealerships, I would never EVER go to chevy dealers for repairs. Instead, I find an independent mechanic that I can trust. Develop a long term relationship with an independent mechanic...you will be far better off. I would not trust the "certified" mechanics at my local dealership if God himself certified them.

Larry/car

I must be lucky, my Chevrolet dealer has a super waiting area with the all important pastries, has provided a loaner, (not a Corvette) and their maintenance department is good. They would get a great rating if they allowed you to cruise though the shop while your car is being worked on, there are some that still do. They accomplished the top recall with no problems and a excellent paint match/job.

1KULC7

Thanks for your post. I guess what you stated is my point, if Nissan can offer their customers a better service, and environment, than why can't Chevrolet? A person who worked for Chevrolet Customer Relations told me that he use to work for Mercedes; the difference between GM and the European Car Makers is GM gives their dealerships much more liberty, and leeway, while the European's are much more involved with their dealerships, to a point they undergo many more monthly inspection, and have specific guidelines for their dealerships. GM does not.

Muffins, coffee, tea etc., is nice, but what is better is the personal attention that I received when I go to my BMW dealer, as I stated, just the fact I have somebody who LISTENS to me, and asks questions, instead of somebody who hears nothing and either says nothing or tells me I am wrong.

I still beleive the after purchase service should mean alot when you are purchasing a $65K+ car. I agree that CORVETTE should go under its own Marque, but I hope GM would see the need for better after purchase service. I don't know too much about how the Cadillac Dealships are, but would like to know others experience as they are the flagship for GM. Is it a better experience with Caddy?

Bottom line: If Nissan can provide this service, what is wrong with Chevrolet?

1KULC7

FYI, I live in Northern Virgina, and know of about a dozen Chevy Dealerships. Been to most of them one time or another, and they are all the same, poor customer service. About 30 years ago JKJ Chevrolet was the place to purchase a car, they had a deli (pay as you go), barber shop (pay for haircut), Chevrolet Shop, and Accessory Shop, with an EXCELLENT waiting area, with several TVs. Today, all of that is gone.

Of all the dealerships most of them are dirty, drip stains on all the ceiling tiles, dirty rubber matted flooring, old vinyl couches with old TV , some do have newer flatscreens and some have cable, but they ALL lack in customer service and having a person who, at least at the time, appears to be concerned and wants you to be happy about the results. In other words, seems like Chevy lacks the PRIDE in its after purchase service.

Sure I am in a Metro area, and have several BMW dealerships in the immediate area, but, I know you get treated the same from all the Audi, Mercedes, Lexus, Accra, and Infinity dealships.

When I decide Corvette or not, like others here, it will be a pre-retirement gift to myself, so do I want to put up the the bull you get from a Chevy Dealer after the purchase, or do I just want to purchase a luxury car, and know how I will be treated is acceptable, as the say, getting to old for the BS.

Sure nice to have a Corvette, but to me it even better when you have a dependable, clean dealership that understand the price you paid for this car demands the service to match it. Not like you are doing the dealership a favor when you bring the car back for repair or service.

I just want a decent after purchase dealership experience, with my car getting fix correct the first time. That's all I want....

Slynky

Once again, it just may be different from place to place. (but I haven't been in an American showroom/dealership for decades).

I'm going to offer up another problem (possibly) with selling a car ranging from $49K - $100+K when the rest of your sales inventory is averaging $30K--you don't want to alienate the majority (98% ?) of your customers by treating your Covette owners like royalty and them like common folk. Well, I'm probably being overly dramatic but what I'm trying to say is there is some merit in suggesting GM "separate" the Corvette from the "rest of the crowd".

But my bottom line is pretty much the same. If I like a car a lot, then I'll live with whatever service I may wind up with. If it's good service, then and if it's bad service I'll travel further to a different dealer (like I do now with my Z) or just live with it.

You certainly address a problem that exists and one that is important to you and for that, I can empathize.

1KULC7

I certainly see and understand your point of treating all owners the same, but as you stated Nissan does it, and besides, I am just asking for a cleaner place to wait, and be treated with dignity when you talk to the service folks.

I have stated for years Corvette should not be under Chevrolet to begin with, as it really has nothing to do with what Chevy is, family oriented. Corvette should be under its on Marque, as well as the XLR, and bring back the SKY, and have GM Performance Division.....

Slynky

I work in (somewhat of) a customer service environment. Our boss routinely talks about customer service and has read about a dozen books on it. In our meetings, he highlights stories of particular interest. There are lessons in there by successful businesses who go way beyond what the average person expects and the customer loyalty they gain as a result of it (not to mention the word of mouth "advertising") is worth far more than the expense of providing outstanding service. I guess people have just looked around at cost-cutting measures during these economic times, and personal attention to detail and service are among the first to go.

Slynky

The range of prices in Nissan sales are much closer (if we throw out the GT-R ). So, it's easier to treat people the same. Buying the 370Z with everything on it is around $45K MSRP. But you can easily spend in the $30's for an Altima or a Maxima.

BUT, really, what you speak of is just shameful. What you're talking about is just plain basic principles of servie--provide competent service with respect in a clean environment. That should be available anywhere...even if you sell used cars (CarMax does it).

I used to live in that area (when I worked in the military intelligence field--at a place just outside Warrenton, VA--Vint Hill Farms Station-- and inside the metro area--Arlington Hall Station). I guess that area has gone downhill since my time there. Maybe that winner of a mayor (Marion Berry) set the standard for success too low.

RonnieC6Z

I am on my 10th Vette since 1991 (2010 GS Vert) and never had a problem with Chevy service. My dealership, Silver Star Chevrolet in
Westlake Village, CA has top notch service writers and mechanics. If I have to drop my car off, they provide an no cost to me a rental-car. Their clean and well-lit waiting room has water, fresh coffee, couches, a nice large flat screen, magazines and desks with PC's. Furthermore, I do not eat muffins! The best part is that when ever I am in for service, they treat me like a customer should be treated. I have owned Porsches and Ferrari's, and the service at Silver Star Chevrolet is far superior in every way.

Snobike Mike

Doing that would ensure that just like Saturn, Corvette's would die a slow and painful death.......

DarkKnight Z

Slynky, I've been to two seperate Nissan dealership service departments, each with the worst level of service and care I've ever seen. And I was a GT-R owner. You would think they would have given me at least "normal" service. No, instead they made me wait for a good 45 minutes before even talking to me. Then when it was finally time to go home and I asked for the loaner, I was told that they didn't have any. I told them the contract for all GT-R's specifically says I am owed a loaner. Well they put me in a salesmans car, brought me to a car rental facility, and gave me a rental. Best part is that they billed me for the rental! The other service place was just as bad with the service manager laughing at my GT-R saying "hope you don't race it, otherwise we are voiding your warranty on the spot."

But there was another Nissan dealership that was also selling Jaguar (strange mix, eh?) and they treated me like a gentleman. So I have had some of the worst experiences with Nissan. Worse than Chevy by far.

Mercedes has always been great to me too. They have given me nice loaners. Even an ML truck once as a loaner when there was a snow storm forecasted. Also they give the bagels and what-not.

BMW was in between. I was not too found of them since my M5 blew up 2 SMG transmissions under warranty but they were breaking ***** about giving me a loaner car on the 2nd time...which is completely ridiculous.

All that said, I still get the car I want. Nissan's service was horrendous, yet I loved the GT-R. Chevy's service department was half-dead, yet I was in love with my Z06. BMW service wasn't bad, but the car's transmission was made of glass. Mercedes service was wonderful...and I don't see myself in any Mercedes again anytime soon.

Get the car YOU want and if service is that crappy, go to a tuner shop or something where they know more about the Corvette than the GM mechanics anyway.