Originally Posted by Turbo6TA

I can certainly understand your point ... now you just need to find someone that will change your oil that you can trust.

Good luck, my friend

Originally Posted by Hameister

I was not aware that the GT500 was more demanding than the 'vette. I've never owned one.

Let me give you another example. A few weeks ago while on an afternoon drive, in my 'vette with my wife, we stopped off at a Chevy dealership, about 60 miles North of where I live. I knew nothing about this dealer, and had never been there before.

I stopped in because I saw a line of about 8 or 9 Corvettes out front, and I just wanted to look at them. A salesman came running out almost immediately, and asked if he could help. I said no, I already own a Corvette, I was just looking around.

Then I said, yes, actually perhaps you can answer a question for me....that's my 2013 GS over there, what do you charge for an oil change? He answers..."$59.00, or $69.00 I'm not sure." I said, well, that would depend in the Corvette model, they're not all the same. He says,...."yes, I think they're all $69.00, but let me get our service guy out here, and he can tell you, he's standing right over there."

The Assistant Service Manager comes over, and tells, me it's $69.95. I said, my car is a 2013 GS, aren't you interested if it has a dry sump system, or not? Are you going to use 12 quarts of Mobil 1 for $69.00?

He says..."oh no, I didn't know that, you never told me, in that case I think it's $184.99, but I'd have to check." Then he says,..."are you sure it's got that dry sump system?" I said yes, it's a manual transmission. He says...."well that doesn't necessarily mean it's a dry sump racing oil system". I said, yes it does! Every manual gearbox comes with a dry sump system. He looked at me like I was some smart ***.

This is just the kind of thing that's making me nervous about having these guys work on my car. Like I said earlier, I'll ask around at the local Corvette clubs. I'm certain they'll have enough experience to steer me to the better dealerships.

I know there are folks that disagree, but this is why I say, it's not just another car. If I was driving an Impala 4dr sed. I would never be concerned about an oil change.

Originally Posted by Hameister

... I said, my car is a 2013 GS, aren't you interested if it has a dry sump system, or not? Are you going to use 12 quarts of Mobil 1 for $69.00?...

...I said yes, it's a manual transmission. He says...."well that doesn't necessarily mean it's a dry sump racing oil system". I said, yes it does! Every manual gearbox comes with a dry sump system. He looked at me like I was some smart ***....

...This is just the kind of thing that's making me nervous about having these guys work on my car....

Originally Posted by R&L's C6

He may have been confused between all the models. Standard body Vettes, such as mine, do not come with a dry sump with a manual transmission.

If you we lived close to each other, I would change it for you over a couple of beers..

Originally Posted by Homer3D

I don't want to get into a debate about the Corvette being "just another car" because people will have their own views. But an oil change is an oil change. Even if the service writer doesn't know the exact specs, the tech that will be working on your car will most likely look up in the computer all the specs they will need to know. How much oil to use, what kind of oil, etc. All that info is also in the manual.

But since the issue is lack of knowledge, I am going to have to educate on a few things.

The GS with the dry sump does not take 12 quarts. It take 10.5.

All manual Corvette do not come with the dry sump. Only the Z06, ZR1, 6 speed GS and the 427 Convertible. The base Corvette and convertible GS regardless of automatic or manual, does not have the dry sump system.

So if the service writer looked at you like you were "some smart ***", you earned that look.

Regardless, if you are not comfortable with having that particular dealership change your oil I am sure there are others you can choose from. I have never had my oil changed at the dealership but there are people out there that swear by it. Find a place you trust and go with it.

Originally Posted by Joni Lynn

I called the local dealer to inquire about an oil change and then decided to call another. I found a dealer 15 minutes away that knows enough about the cars and treats all the customers quite well. There were no issues with how they were going to lift the car or anything else.

Originally Posted by staw512

Could have just answered the question. The guy did not ask what trim he had. The guy asked how any cylinders the car has. However, the customer had to respond in a way to make him feel important and superior to mere SS owners.

Originally Posted by Hameister

I think if you'd read my posts a little more closely, before you made the remark "you earned that look" as you put it, you'd realize that I told him it was a 2013 GS, I also pointed to the car just a few feet away, right there in front of his nose. The only thing earned was my lack of respect for the Service Manager.

As for the Dry Sump oil capacity, thanks for straightening me out. I thought I read 11.5 Qt. in the owner's manual, that's why I said 12 qt. I stand corrected.

Originally Posted by Homer3D

I read your post quite closely but I didn't want to completely pick it apart. But if I take what you posted as true, I found it somewhat confrontational.

You say the first person to greet you was a sales guy. You ask this guy for a service quote and seem slightly annoyed when he was unable to provide you a service quote based on your Corvette model. Especially from a distance since you said "that's my 2013 GS over there".

The service manager comes out and gives you a quote and only after that you say to the service guy it is a 2013 GS. At which point the service manager corrects himself and gives you the higher quote.

The service manager then asks you to confirm it is a dry sump at which point you sound like you jumped on him exclaiming that every manual gearbox comes with a dry sump system (which is not true). As if he can somehow tell from outside the car that it is a manual and not an automatic.

So basically if I follow the course of events and assume the timeline is correct as you wrote it, it seemed to me that you came to the dealership already slightly annoyed at something, got more annoyed with the basic questions they were asking and I feel you really didn't give them the opportunity to earn your service.

I am not defending this dealership because I know nothing of them. I am only going by what you wrote.

Originally Posted by JoesC5

Seems some things never change. back in 1965 I special ordered a new 1965 bench seat Impala with the 396/4 speed. I was in the Air force and stationed in Wichita, KS. In 1966, I mustered out and returned to my hometown of Little Rock, AR. I needed some warranty work done, so I took the car to Bale Chevrolet in Little Rock.

The service writer(in his 60's; I was 25) refused to do the warranty work as he said my car was modified since it had a 4 speed transmission thus the warranty was void, because only the Impala SS with bucket seats and a center console came with a 4-speed. I told him it was stock and the 4-speed was installed at the factory. He still refused to work on my car. I had to go home, get the original window sticker and my original sales papers and return to prove to him that came with a 4-speed. He was pissed, because a young 25 YO punk showed him to be not as informed about the cars he serviced as he thought he was. He did then write the work order to fix the car, but his jaws were torqued the entire time he was writing it.

Originally Posted by Hameister

Ok, I'll except that's your understanding. Perhaps I could have been more clear in my explanation. But, no, I had no chip on my shoulder, and yes, he knew it was a 2013 GS, with a manual box, when he still wasn't sure if it was a dry sump or not.

But, hey that's ok, it's just one example. There are so many instances where dealers leave much to be desired. Like I said, I'll just have to do a little research in my area.

I met one guy about a month ago who tells me he takes his 'vette to a Corvette specialty shop in Ft. Lauderdale, which is about an hour and 15 minutes south of here with no traffic. When I said, geeeze, a two and a half hour round trip for service, he said that he couldn't find any local dealers that knew what the heck they were doing, and this dealer in Ft. Lauderdale is fantastic. Who knows? I'll look around some more before I make a trip like that for an oil change.

Originally Posted by Hameister

Sorry, I can't agree....when a person brings his/her car, into a dealership for service/repairs, they generally think of that service writer, (many call him the "service manager"), as a knowledgeable person. He/she, is the one that is asked all the questions, and is literally the face of that dealership's service department.

You say they "don't care enough, or have time for details". Imo, they should certainly care, and make the time. The ZL1 is literally the flagship of the Chevy fleet, and the most expensive car they sell, with the exception of the Corvette. It seems to me, it would be reasonable for the service writer to have at least a fundamental familiarity with the products his dealer sells.

Asking if a ZL1 is a 6 or an 8 cyl. demonstrates a total ignorance of the product.Thank you all for your responses...

Originally Posted by FiremanC6

A service writer is not a mechanic, but they should have a working knowledge of the models they encounter.

Originally Posted by Homer3D

I hate to generalize (and I hope I don't offend anyone that works at a dealership), but unfortunately, most people that do work at dealerships don't know much about the cars they sell. This is true for sales people but I see it as well with the service writers. I can only hope the people that do the actual service know more. I know for sales, there is such a high turn over rate that by the time they "learn" the cars they are off to another dealership. My wife's parents owned dealership and now her dad (retired) teaches new sales people. It is a 2 day class he gives and unless you already know about cars, I don't see anyone becoming an expert in 2 days.

As owners, we expect dealers to know as much about our cars as we do and that just isn't the case. Odds are the service writer you had is just that. He is there to greet you and write up the work order for service. The computer he uses will tell him all the specs needed to complete the service but needs the basic information to enter into that computer to pull up those specs. He can't rely on his own knowledge because he doesn't have it. Not that he is stupid or anything like that, he just doesn't possess the information.

So I can definitely see where people's perception of dealerships come from and their decision to avoid them like the plague (I am guilty of this as well). You just have to find that one person at that one dealership that is a true car guy that knows how to service your car and have that piece of mind that your car will be done correctly. Even if that means driving an hour away.

Good luck on your search.

(FYI the chevy dealerships closest to me aren't all that great either)

Originally Posted by Homer3D

I hate to generalize (and I hope I don't offend anyone that works at a dealership), but unfortunately, most people that do work at dealerships don't know much about the cars they sell. This is true for sales people but I see it as well with the service writers. I can only hope the people that do the actual service know more. I know for sales, there is such a high turn over rate that by the time they "learn" the cars they are off to another dealership. My wife's parents owned dealership and now her dad (retired) teaches new sales people. It is a 2 day class he gives and unless you already know about cars, I don't see anyone becoming an expert in 2 days.

As owners, we expect dealers to know as much about our cars as we do and that just isn't the case. Odds are the service writer you had is just that. He is there to greet you and write up the work order for service. The computer he uses will tell him all the specs needed to complete the service but needs the basic information to enter into that computer to pull up those specs. He can't rely on his own knowledge because he doesn't have it. Not that he is stupid or anything like that, he just doesn't possess the information.

So I can definitely see where people's perception of dealerships come from and their decision to avoid them like the plague (I am guilty of this as well). You just have to find that one person at that one dealership that is a true car guy that knows how to service your car and have that piece of mind that your car will be done correctly. Even if that means driving an hour away.

Good luck on your search.

(FYI the chevy dealerships closest to me aren't all that great either)

Originally Posted by Homer3D

... unfortunately, most people that do work at dealerships don't know much about the cars they sell...