I do not agree......

I think C6 owners get the shaft by having to go through Chevy dealers. I am going to post a spearate thread to discuss this opinion.

 

Does GM care?

Here are my thoughts. I picked up my corvette at the exact same time as Check 6. The museum delivery was a fantastic experience. I doubt if you can take a factory tour and not feel that everyone building these cars really cares. I talked to several of the workers and I WANT THESE GUYS TO BUILD MY NEXT CAR! I was hoping to have lunch with Check 6 but but my car had a problem. At first, Thomas thought I might have to stay an extra day to get it repaired. He made some calls, and the vette was sent right back to the factory for its first repair. During this time he found another vette to explain the features. The car was returned at 5:00 completely repaired.

I do not expect the car to be perfect, and to me what sets a great organization apart from the fair ones is how the unexpected is handled. The Corvette Museum and factory passed this test with flying colors.

Unlike Check 6, I was very happy with my dealer (Forum dealer Karl Tyler). Again, an unexpected problem occured and it was handled.

When my neighbors saw my car in the driveway, several came over and after complimenting me on the new car, asked where in the world I was going to get service from. There is a GM dealer about 7 miles from my house, but no one on my street will go there. I feel that all dealers will have good days and bad days, and it really takes several years to pass judgement on one. I went to this particular dealer for the last 13 years. I will not go there unless the flatbed drop my car there (like it did with my 1992 vette, several times). A service visit there simply generates more service visits. I am not going to name this dealership because my car might end up there some time.

So does GM care? I think they car about the things they have the most control over. I don't think they have enough control over the dealerships and this translates to lost sales because of spotty service.

Regardless of the service problems, I still bought the car and it has been great. As long as you expect nothing from GM service, you will not be disappointed.

 

I hate to burst your bubble but there are about 20 or more "executive assistants to the CEO" of GM to handle letters and telephone calls such as yours that GM wishes to repond to usually in a positive fashion. If in the future (god forbid and I truly mean that) your C6 is a lemon call this executve asst and see if he/she really gives a crap. It's a great PR technique for GM to have someone call or write with such a prestigious sounding title; I learned this the hard way years back dealing with Nissan and a new 300ZX Twin Turbo, I really thought I was dealing with THE exectutive asst. to the CEO and discovered there were about 10 of them and none of them were his true assistant. It is still very nice that someone called you.

Sorry and the best of luck with your new baby

 

Agree 100%.

 

Does anyone know why Auto dealers wield so much power? It seems than almost any other product can be bought through multiple sources. Why not cars?

 

At one time or another, all of us have received crappy service at a McDonalds. Does that mean the service at ALL McDonalds sucks? I hardly think so. Why? Because different people own and operate each one. Why can't people get it through their heads that GM does NOT run these dealerships ?? They are NOT all the same.

And I have received excellent service with lots of butt kissing at the 2 Chevy Dealeships I dealt with in Houston, and the one Chevy dealership I deal with in Beaumont, and 2 Ford dealerships I dealt with in the Beaumont area. I do agree it helps to be male and over the age of thirtysomething. I received mediocre (but not bad) treatment and quality of work at a Chevy dealership in Hobbs, NM. .....about an 80% sucess rate overall I would say.

Don't be a sheep and fall victim to stereotyping and preconceived notions.

 

That is certainly true...

 

Just have to ask, why do you think that Corvette owners deserve better treatment/service than everyone else? Just because someone spends more money on a car, doesn't necessarily mean that they should be treated better than someone who spent less money. Between my wife and myself, we've owned 7 new Chevys in the last 12 years (from Cavaliers to my current Camaro SS). And I expect to and do get treated the same regardless of the car being serviced. It really depends on the dealership. Just have to find the right one.

I use to buy my cars from one Chevy dealership and have them serviced at another. Just keep trying different places, you'll find one eventually that will treat you the way you want (unless you have unrealistic expectations).

 

My latest GM experience was last summer at Bloomington Gold. I had planned to look for a good, used C5, but wound up browsing through the new C5's among the various Chicago area dealers that had set up tents at the show. I saw a 2004 that I liked at the Stasek Chevrolet tent. I talked to a salesman by the name of Bob Foley who showed me the car and answered all of my questions. I dropped back later that afternoon with my wife and met with Bob again who introduced me to the owner, Bill Stasek. I liked the car but was concerned about getting it home as we live in Jacksonville, FL and had travelled up with another couple who trailered their recently restored 1962 to Bloomington for Gold judging which by the way the car received that Sunday. Bill told me that he would be glad to deliver the car to my home on his dealership's transporter. I was so impressed that I went back the next morning, and we did the deal in about ten minutes. Stasek Chevrolet delivered the car as promised the following week. Bob Foley called a week or so later to see how I liked the car and make sure I was satisfied. I've had the car for eight months now, have put 4500 miles on it and have not had the first problem with it. It was a great experience, and I will likely call Bob when I'm ready to get a C6. This is my fourth Corvette and has been the most reliable one that I have owned so far. I would recommend Bob Folely at Stasek Chevrolet to anyone interested in buying a Corvette.

 

Hmmm you think that Lexus owners have to drive around trying to find just the right dealership to service their cars in? In general someone who is forking over 50K for a car expects a higher level of service and will PAY for that higher level of service - I dont think I should have to drive an extra 30 miles because my local dealer has no clue... GM should set a minimum level of service std or yank that dealers right to sell their cars... for that matter I wish ALL car manufacturers did that - Im sure the majority of the reputable dealerships out there would love the manuf. to do so

 

Can you give me the assistant's info? I would like to let him know my car is in the shop with a defective clutch and no parts to be found. Let's see if he can help. I was told 3-4 weeks for the part while my car sits in pieces at the dealer. Maybe they want to pay my monthly too.

Ted

 

Yes, I do. I've experienced some sucky Lexus dealerships, sucky Nissan dealerships, sucky Honda dealerships, etc. Not many, but they do exist.

There are a great many Chevy dealerships, which collectively gives them great power in dealing with GM. It is a similar situation to the TV networks and their local affiliates. The networks have to bow to the affiliates, or they'll have no outlet for their programming (and the revenue it generates). Same with the Chevy dealer network. They can, and often do, dictate to GM on many matters.

The imports have far fewer dealerships. This gives the importers the upper hand. So they are far more able to enforce their will on their dealer networks.

 

 

They really do care until something goes wrong!