Dealership Damage - What to Expect?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 6,774
Likes: 363
From: Midland TX
Dealership Damage - What to Expect?
My car has been at the dealership now for 2-1/2 weeks for warranty work under my extended GMPP. The last thing on the list apparently involved them changing out both side mirror motor/actuators inside the mirror housings. To do this they had to remove the mirror glass from each housing, replace the actuators and then replace the mirror glass,
Here is the problem. About three years ago I replaced the mirror glass with Muth Signal Mirrors (http://www.kwmuth.com/products/kits/220-0190.htm). The dealership informed me today that they cracked one of the mirrors on the passenger side during reinstallation. They said they had ordered a GM stock replacement, but that would mean I have lost all the functionality of the upgrade. Muth does not warrant against breakage due to poor installation. I had no problem installing these myself three years ago with no breakage. I called Muth today and I purchased a replacement mirror for the passenger side ($114 - more than my service deductable!).
My question is should I expect the dealership to pay for this replacement to restore the car to the condition in which I presented it - or am I just hosed?
Here is the problem. About three years ago I replaced the mirror glass with Muth Signal Mirrors (http://www.kwmuth.com/products/kits/220-0190.htm). The dealership informed me today that they cracked one of the mirrors on the passenger side during reinstallation. They said they had ordered a GM stock replacement, but that would mean I have lost all the functionality of the upgrade. Muth does not warrant against breakage due to poor installation. I had no problem installing these myself three years ago with no breakage. I called Muth today and I purchased a replacement mirror for the passenger side ($114 - more than my service deductable!).
My question is should I expect the dealership to pay for this replacement to restore the car to the condition in which I presented it - or am I just hosed?
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 4,188
Likes: 1
From: Chino California
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
You should expect them to return the car to you in the condition you dropped it off. Any deviation is no fault of your own and the service manager should have told you they would not work on any modified parts.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 6,774
Likes: 363
From: Midland TX
Although the Muth Signal mirrors were not standard on a C5, they are standard on quite a few cars as a factory installed item. When I spoke with Muth today, they said that (since they install a lot of these at their service centers) the Muth mirrors are no more fragile than the GM factory mirrors (which the dealership is claiming). Muth said they have had just as many factory mirrors break on them as their own. Furthermore, the GM Technician today told me that the GM replacement mirror glass for one side is $360!!! - way more than the Muth Mirrors if that is true.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,058
Likes: 9,821
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
You should not have purchased the glass yourself. You should have had that discussion with the Service Writer and Manager. Probably what happened is somebody dropped the glass and they just ordered what the parts department said should be ordered. When they called you should have said to them "What about my special mirror and have you contacted Muth for a replacement".
If you can return the one you ordered try getting the dealership to pony up buying the part they broke. They are not going to buy a part from you.
Bill
If you can return the one you ordered try getting the dealership to pony up buying the part they broke. They are not going to buy a part from you.
Bill
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 6,774
Likes: 363
From: Midland TX
You should not have purchased the glass yourself. You should have had that discussion with the Service Writer and Manager. Probably what happened is somebody dropped the glass and they just ordered what the parts department said should be ordered. When they called you should have said to them "What about my special mirror and have you contacted Muth for a replacement".
If you can return the one you ordered try getting the dealership to pony up buying the part they broke. They are not going to buy a part from you.
Bill
If you can return the one you ordered try getting the dealership to pony up buying the part they broke. They are not going to buy a part from you.
Bill
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,333
Likes: 6
From: Louisville Kentucky
There's no way in hell that they would give me my car back without fixing that mirror. Or, they'd end up in small claims court for the cost of the mirror and the labor to have ANOTHER shop install them.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,496
Likes: 1
From: LEBANON PA.
Dealership Damage
HI There,
The dealer just did ordered what they thought was the correct mirror.
They had no way of knowing it was a muth unless muths name or p/n was stamped on it, but your mirror was probably was broken into a million pieces & unreadable.But they should have known as you have more wires connectors than a stock mirror correct? Bring it to the service mangers attention in a nice way.(Being pissed off never gets you any place)that they are saving $246 dollars by buying the modified mirror verses the gm mirror. Ask them to order the mirror from muth & pay for it & cover the installation.A good dealer will do this with out a hassle. After all it was their screw up.Sounds to me they don't have corvette mechanics. Just mechanics that occasionally work on a corvette.If thats the case get them to pay for the part & I would install it myself. If muth breaks them then, they would probably break it again.You must know the tricks to the installation.
When you get this resolved I would appreciate detailed instructions from you on installing this item & not the general data from muths website.
Thanks:
The best to you.
merry christmas.
robsc5vette
The dealer just did ordered what they thought was the correct mirror.
They had no way of knowing it was a muth unless muths name or p/n was stamped on it, but your mirror was probably was broken into a million pieces & unreadable.But they should have known as you have more wires connectors than a stock mirror correct? Bring it to the service mangers attention in a nice way.(Being pissed off never gets you any place)that they are saving $246 dollars by buying the modified mirror verses the gm mirror. Ask them to order the mirror from muth & pay for it & cover the installation.A good dealer will do this with out a hassle. After all it was their screw up.Sounds to me they don't have corvette mechanics. Just mechanics that occasionally work on a corvette.If thats the case get them to pay for the part & I would install it myself. If muth breaks them then, they would probably break it again.You must know the tricks to the installation.
When you get this resolved I would appreciate detailed instructions from you on installing this item & not the general data from muths website.
Thanks:
The best to you.
merry christmas.
robsc5vette
Last edited by robsc501; Dec 14, 2007 at 08:22 AM. Reason: additional info.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 17,640
Likes: 1
From: Lenoir City TN
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
Go in with the invoice and ask for the service manager and explain very nicely what you are requesting. Show him what you paid, you might get it all, half or nothing. In case of the latter write GM a letter. It has worked for me.
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Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,333
Likes: 6
From: Louisville Kentucky
HI There,
The dealer just did ordered what they thought was the correct mirror.
They had no way of knowing it was a muth unless muths name or p/n was stamped on it, but your mirror was probably was broken into a million pieces & unreadable.But they should have known as you have more wires connectors than a stock mirror correct? Bring it to the service mangers attention in a nice way.(Being pissed off never gets you any place)that they are saving $246 dollars by buying the modified mirror verses the gm mirror. Ask them to order the mirror from muth & pay for it & cover the installation.A good dealer will do this with out a hassle. After all it was their screw up.Sounds to me they don't have corvette mechanics. Just mechanics that occasionally work on a corvette.If thats the case get them to pay for the part & I would install it myself. If muth breaks them then, they would probably break it again.You must know the tricks to the installation.
When you get this resolved I would appreciate detailed instructions from you on installing this item & not the general data from muths website.
Thanks:
The best to you.
merry christmas.
robsc5vette
The dealer just did ordered what they thought was the correct mirror.
They had no way of knowing it was a muth unless muths name or p/n was stamped on it, but your mirror was probably was broken into a million pieces & unreadable.But they should have known as you have more wires connectors than a stock mirror correct? Bring it to the service mangers attention in a nice way.(Being pissed off never gets you any place)that they are saving $246 dollars by buying the modified mirror verses the gm mirror. Ask them to order the mirror from muth & pay for it & cover the installation.A good dealer will do this with out a hassle. After all it was their screw up.Sounds to me they don't have corvette mechanics. Just mechanics that occasionally work on a corvette.If thats the case get them to pay for the part & I would install it myself. If muth breaks them then, they would probably break it again.You must know the tricks to the installation.
When you get this resolved I would appreciate detailed instructions from you on installing this item & not the general data from muths website.
Thanks:
The best to you.
merry christmas.
robsc5vette
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 6,774
Likes: 363
From: Midland TX
The other thing is that you have to make sure all the pins in the back are perfectly aligned
These Muth mirrors are standard on over 1 million factory vehicles in 2007 alone - so somebody is getting them on (and so did I).
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,300
Likes: 6
From: San Antonio Texas
This is great opportunity for you to become close to service mgr.
e. g., Ask for a big disc on one or two tires.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 6,774
Likes: 363
From: Midland TX
No doubt. Just like some of these little computers they have installed that basically run one set program continually costing more than a new Apple Macintosh that can run ANYTHING. They can "claim" that they are "specific" and build less - I can see that, maybe, but these "computers" do very little in the scheme of things - I would be shocked if the most expensive one actually cost $100 - technology and all.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 10,644
Likes: 15
From: Norman Oklahoma
My car has been at the dealership now for 2-1/2 weeks for warranty work under my extended GMPP. The last thing on the list apparently involved them changing out both side mirror motor/actuators inside the mirror housings. To do this they had to remove the mirror glass from each housing, replace the actuators and then replace the mirror glass,
Here is the problem. About three years ago I replaced the mirror glass with Muth Signal Mirrors (http://www.kwmuth.com/products/kits/220-0190.htm). The dealership informed me today that they cracked one of the mirrors on the passenger side during reinstallation. They said they had ordered a GM stock replacement, but that would mean I have lost all the functionality of the upgrade. Muth does not warrant against breakage due to poor installation. I had no problem installing these myself three years ago with no breakage. I called Muth today and I purchased a replacement mirror for the passenger side ($114 - more than my service deductable!).
My question is should I expect the dealership to pay for this replacement to restore the car to the condition in which I presented it - or am I just hosed?
Here is the problem. About three years ago I replaced the mirror glass with Muth Signal Mirrors (http://www.kwmuth.com/products/kits/220-0190.htm). The dealership informed me today that they cracked one of the mirrors on the passenger side during reinstallation. They said they had ordered a GM stock replacement, but that would mean I have lost all the functionality of the upgrade. Muth does not warrant against breakage due to poor installation. I had no problem installing these myself three years ago with no breakage. I called Muth today and I purchased a replacement mirror for the passenger side ($114 - more than my service deductable!).
My question is should I expect the dealership to pay for this replacement to restore the car to the condition in which I presented it - or am I just hosed?
Racer
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 359
Likes: 0
From: sunrise fla
stealoership damage
the dealer cracked breathlesss fixed head light kit and they replaced it
with out a hassel but when i bought it back to replace it they had fixed it and proceded to smack the vette up for over 4 grand and this time did not want to pay for it until the lawyers letter came good luck
with out a hassel but when i bought it back to replace it they had fixed it and proceded to smack the vette up for over 4 grand and this time did not want to pay for it until the lawyers letter came good luck
Drifting
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,515
Likes: 14
From: Gig Harbor WA
The Service Manager can be your best friend -- or worst nightmare. Put on your happy face, sit down with him, and explain your perception of what happened and what should be done. The ball is then in his court -- and he's the decision-maker in the most profitable department in the store. Next step above him is the General Manager, and above him, the owner. If necessary, diplomatically follow this chain of command. If you don't get the results you believe are due, then it's letter writing time to GM Customer Service. They've been good to me, and should be to you, too. Good luck.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,608
Likes: 7
From: the GOCC are everywhere, even back from "band camp"
The Service Manager can be your best friend -- or worst nightmare. Put on your happy face, sit down with him, and explain your perception of what happened and what should be done. The ball is then in his court -- and he's the decision-maker in the most profitable department in the store. Next step above him is the General Manager, and above him, the owner. If necessary, diplomatically follow this chain of command. If you don't get the results you believe are due, then it's letter writing time to GM Customer Service. They've been good to me, and should be to you, too. Good luck.
Bruce