About three weeks ago I took my 6000mile 05 corvette to circle Chevrolet in Shrewsberry New Jersey to have warrantee work performed on my car. I have had a service relationship with this dealer for about 15 years. I spoke to one of the service writers at the dealership about my warrantee problems and he told me he would be right back. About 20 minutes later he tells me that he spoke to the new service manager and they would not touch my car even to do warrantee work because I didn't buy the car from them. I proceeded to call the phone number in the back of my warrantee book and spoke to Emily Fleming at Chevrolet customer service, telling her about my experience at the dealership. She told me she would contact the service manager at the dealership and get right back to me. I finally got a return call today and you wouldn't believe what she told me. NO CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP IS OBLIGATED TO PERFORM WARRANTEE SERVICE ON YOUR GM CAR NOT EVEN THE SELLING DEALER. All GM dealers are independently owned and do not have to perform any service on your corvette even under the terms of GM's warrantee. I think every owner of a GM vehicle should take that into consideration before taking any long trips in your GM car as you could breakdown away from your home and find out your your beloved GM car will not be repaired because some dealer doesn't feel like it. I have been buying GM cars for forty years and currently own five GM vehicles including two corvettes all of which were bought new. As of today I will no longer consider a GM vehicle when I have the need to replace any of my cars. End of rant!!
Alan

 

She is level one customer support, it's her job to impede your progress.

Call back and ask for her supervisor, get a name and extension.

If not satisfied, call that person back and get their supervisor.

Continue until you are satisfied.



What is the reason for your warranty visit?

 

Wow, not sure what to make of that. The new vehicle repair warranty that is included with the car is a contract between GM and the buyer guaranteeing to repair the car in event that any covered item fails during the warranty period. If their position is that no "dealers" are required to perform the warranty repair work, I would have asked them how they plan to perform the repair work that they are legally required to do or be in breach of contract.

Not a lawyer, and haven't read the warranty in detail, but that certainly would be where I would start my questioning...

 

The battery went dead and wouldnt take a charge, was looking for it to be replaced.
The driver side door speaker viabrates to the point you cant listen to the radio.
The wheels have etching on them and asked if anything could be done.

None of these problems require a rocket scientist and I would have been satisfied if they only fixed the door speaker

Alan

 

This subject has come up before. This agreement applies to all auto manufactures. They cannot force an independent dealer to do warranty work. Your dealerships attitude befuddles me. They typically make more money on warranty service then they do the original sale anyway. Maybe they do not have a good Vette tech and were using that as an excuse? I don't know. I think you will find most dealers will gladly work for you.

 

Its not the fact that I cant get the car repaired under the warrantee because we all know if you look around you will find a dealer to repair yor car under warrantee, the problem is GM's response to my complaint.

Alan

 

This is a true shame. This kind of hassle is really embarassing. Sorry for your troubles.

 

Thank you for your kind words, just a little po'd right now

Alan

 

The way this has worked out before on the forum is that a bunch of us make a big stink with e-mails and phone calls to you local un-friendly GM dealer and make them wonder why they ever said such a ridiculous thing. We can make so much hay of this with them that they will feel the customer's pain. Who was that dealer again? It is true that legally they are in the right, but from a business standpoint they are obviously wrong and need to be shown the error of their ways. Its worked before!

 

This is when it would be beneficial for Corvettes to NOT be Chevy's. I love GM vehicles and always root for them to succeed. However, we are talking about their premier performance vehicle, not an Aveo. You dropped a lot of coin on this car.

This sort of thing won't happen at Lexus.

 

I bought a new Mercedes in January. During the purchase process got quotes from two dealers. When I told the second dealer I would not be purchasing the car from them their response was, please bring your car to us for service and maybe you will buy your next Mercedes from us.

Alan

 

What a bunch of BS, I would be livid. I would make it very clear to the owner of the dealership you will go out of your way to get as many people you can to buy elsewhere. I would also post the service managers full name and the dealerships name on this forum as a do not buy from dealer. Another excellent GM dealership story...

 

I recently heard from a friend that you will not service his corvette because he did not buy it from your dealership, despite it being under warrantee. I find this distastefull in the least and was wondering if you could explain this policy for the media. Your response or lack there of will be published for over one hundred thousand corvette enthusiasts to ponder. We know you are under no legal obligation to service any car but we feel this does GM a disservice and would like to make appropriate recommendations to our corvette enthusiasts about the merits of your dealership and service dept. Thank you . A. Conti MD.

This is the e-mail I just sent Circle Chevrolet. We will see what the say?

 

It is jsut this kind of crap that caused me to boycot new GM cars 40+ years ago.

So, in that period of time, I have bought a number of very nice upscale cars and GM lost out.

If they haven't changed, then maybe I should forget my thinking of getting a new ZO6 and go look at Porsches.

 

Thank you
Alan

 

You know, its funny. I can't wait to get my new vette. I bought from a forum dealer, but my local dealer said they would be happy to service it. I may buy my next from them, but a Porsche dealer would never turn away a service opp.? Would they?

 

yep, at lexus you get a loaner, they work till 10pm at night (real work, not just drop the car off). I've always said corvettes should be sold at cadillac dealerships. They could have their own little area.

 

Nicely done. I too sent a similar message. Everyone else should take the time to do the same. I bet that will get some attention ...

 

Thank you for your response, but I dont feel that after spending sixty thousand dollars on their product I should have to go up the corporate ladder to get what my warrantee book promises. Instead I will cast my vote with my pocketbook ANY CAR BUT ONE MADE BY GM.

Alan

 

As much as I love to try to buy American, and as much as I love my soon to be possesed corvette, I can't fault you for feeling that way. My friend just ended up with a lemon of a BMW 550, after 2 yrs of problems. The dealer was so acommodating that they always provided him with a loner, and finally allowed him to trade up to a new BMW 550i for only a nominal upgrade fee. He was thoroughly impressed with the whole ordeal and ended up with a better, newer car in the end. And wow, what a nice car. I drove it just yesterday. I have yet to have a problem with a Chevy dealer, but when I hear stories like yours I just cringe! Now, my friend bought his car from that dealer, but I know they treat all service jobs the same. I have dealt with them before. Why any dealer would shoot themselves in the foot, I just don't know.