Amazing Dealership Prices!
06-05-2018, 08:08 PM
#1
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Amazing Dealership Prices!
Hey guys,
Not all Corvette owners are made of money or have endless incomes... Some of us work hard and TRY to find good deals. So I contacted a Chevy Dealership (A friendly/well known one, I won't name them here) - I asked for the estimate for servicing a couple of items. I contacted them a month ago, then last week, and finally today. I have contacted them via emails and phone.
Amazing part is - each time I get a different quote for each service I inquired about. That leads me to believe there's no honesty in this business - just liars!!
Surprisingly they still have a good reputation! 
What's been your experience?
Not all Corvette owners are made of money or have endless incomes... Some of us work hard and TRY to find good deals. So I contacted a Chevy Dealership (A friendly/well known one, I won't name them here) - I asked for the estimate for servicing a couple of items. I contacted them a month ago, then last week, and finally today. I have contacted them via emails and phone.
Amazing part is - each time I get a different quote for each service I inquired about. That leads me to believe there's no honesty in this business - just liars!!
Surprisingly they still have a good reputation! What's been your experience?
Popular Reply
06-06-2018, 04:04 PM
Supporting Vendor
Member Since: Nov 2005
Location: Supporting the Corvette Community at Abel Chevrolet in Rio Vista, CA 707-374-6317 Ext.123
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St. Jude Donor '08
Hey guys,
Not all Corvette owners are made of money or have endless incomes... Some of us work hard and TRY to find good deals. So I contacted a Chevy Dealership (A friendly/well known one, I won't name them here) - I asked for the estimate for servicing a couple of items. I contacted them a month ago, then last week, and finally today. I have contacted them via emails and phone.
Amazing part is - each time I get a different quote for each service I inquired about. That leads me to believe there's no honesty in this business - just liars!! Surprisingly they still have a good reputation! What's been your experience?
Not all Corvette owners are made of money or have endless incomes... Some of us work hard and TRY to find good deals. So I contacted a Chevy Dealership (A friendly/well known one, I won't name them here) - I asked for the estimate for servicing a couple of items. I contacted them a month ago, then last week, and finally today. I have contacted them via emails and phone.
Amazing part is - each time I get a different quote for each service I inquired about. That leads me to believe there's no honesty in this business - just liars!!
Surprisingly they still have a good reputation! What's been your experience?You reached out to me via PM regarding some fluid services and I responded via PM with the pricing, plus a couple additional recommendations based on mileage and age. Due to the age and you asking about synthetic versus basic fluid, I gave you pricing based on using a couple additional quarts of synthetic fluid being ran through the system to help remove all the original 10 year old fluid.
About 30 min after we PM'd back and forth, I heard my Service Adviser quoting the same job over the phone on a similar car. I heard him say how much it was, which was within $35 of what I quoted so I let it go. The difference in his quote and mine was the 2 quarts of Amsoil trans fluid. You simply asked him what a transmission service with or without upgraded Amsoil fluid cost and he gave you the price.
If you had a similar job quoted a month ago and the pricing was slightly less, our labor rate went up by $15 per hour recently. We had to slightly raise prices to keep up with the additional services we provide, but at the same time remain less than nearly every other dealer in the area.
That is likely the reason for the difference in a month ago, but you would have known that if you'd asked me when we were quoting you for the second or third time
We're not screwing anybody or being dishonest. When you ask a more generic question regarding costs on services, you might get a slightly different answer than reaching out to me with more in depth questions based on year, mileage and maintenance history.
If you want a trained Corvette tech to provide you a service that you know will be done right, come and see us. If you're trying to save money and don't mind a part time lube guy doing it all half assed than there's plenty of dealers that might provide a similar service for a few bucks cheaper.
Feel free to start a poll on how many customers I have told they don't need something instead of over selling them. I think you'd be surprised how much I recommend people NOT do stuff to save money when not needed.
Additionally I feel that most people would ask why there might be a slight discrepancy in pricing directly to the manager or person quoting the job rather than creating a post on the forum. I hate to be blunt, but we bust our asses to provide the best possible customer service to local Corvette owners and there's literally hundreds of threads backing that up. You're now basing our legitimacy on a phone call quoting a basic service without asking follow up questions or ever being here in person to see how we operate.
If you'd like to follow up, feel free to reach out via PM, email or phone.
Rich Willhoff
Service and Parts Director
Abel Chevrolet Buick
06-05-2018, 08:16 PM
#2
Team Owner
Never have asked for a price for services. My wife and I have bought 14 vehicles from the local Chevy dealer since he took over the dealership 38 years ago. His prices for different services seemed to be reasonable, but I never really looked to see if the same service was always priced the same or not.
06-05-2018, 08:30 PM
#3
Retired & lovin' it!
Hey guys,
Not all Corvette owners are made of money or have endless incomes... Some of us work hard and TRY to find good deals. So I contacted a Chevy Dealership (A friendly/well known one, I won't name them here) - I asked for the estimate for servicing a couple of items. I contacted them a month ago, then last week, and finally today. I have contacted them via emails and phone.
Amazing part is - each time I get a different quote for each service I inquired about. That leads me to believe there's no honesty in this business - just liars!! Surprisingly they still have a good reputation! What's been your experience?
Not all Corvette owners are made of money or have endless incomes... Some of us work hard and TRY to find good deals. So I contacted a Chevy Dealership (A friendly/well known one, I won't name them here) - I asked for the estimate for servicing a couple of items. I contacted them a month ago, then last week, and finally today. I have contacted them via emails and phone.
Amazing part is - each time I get a different quote for each service I inquired about. That leads me to believe there's no honesty in this business - just liars!!
Surprisingly they still have a good reputation! What's been your experience?
06-05-2018, 08:44 PM
#4
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Jan 2016
Location: New Mexico
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Hey guys,
...a Chevy Dealership (A friendly/well known one, I won't name them here) - I asked for the estimate for servicing a couple of items. I contacted them a month ago, then last week, and finally today. I have contacted them via emails and phone.
Amazing part is - each time I get a different quote for each service I inquired about. That leads me to believe there's no honesty in this business...
...a Chevy Dealership (A friendly/well known one, I won't name them here) - I asked for the estimate for servicing a couple of items. I contacted them a month ago, then last week, and finally today. I have contacted them via emails and phone.
Amazing part is - each time I get a different quote for each service I inquired about. That leads me to believe there's no honesty in this business...
What, specifically, do you want done?
You said it yourself, these are estimates, maybe they had a special running for some of the services you asked about. Are you talking about a $10 difference on a $199 service or $300 on an $800 estimate?
No offense, but your post is rather useless without details.
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ruxvette (06-05-2018)
06-05-2018, 08:56 PM
#5
My dealer just changed the oil in my 2013 Grand Sport.. he said it is close to the time to do a 30,000 service.. I ask what does that do? he replied " all the fluids, filters and the like. about $900. So Looked at my manual for service intervals.. 30,000 miles is just rotate the tires... well yea like that is a good idea, and check oil percentage, and clutch fluid - which I do Ranger method every 6 months or so.
I wonder if I did bring it in for a 30K service and they did all what they want to do,, then showed them the schedule in my manaul if I would be liable for the cost... I betcha I could win in small claims court.
I wonder if I did bring it in for a 30K service and they did all what they want to do,, then showed them the schedule in my manaul if I would be liable for the cost... I betcha I could win in small claims court.
06-05-2018, 08:59 PM
#6
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06-05-2018, 09:00 PM
#7
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I asked the local dealer a few years ago right after I bought my 2011 GS if the harmonic balancer would still be under warranty if it was indeed bad, "YOUR WHAT" ? oh you aren't aware that there is a fairly high percentage of them on the LS3 that are failing ?? 
It was a fruitless conversation and the warranty part
NSF
It was a fruitless conversation and the warranty part
NSF
06-05-2018, 09:31 PM
#8
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06-05-2018, 09:34 PM
#9
Burning Brakes
the service advisors can charge whatever they want as long as they maintain a certain profit margin that the service director wants them to achieve. However, some maintenance items may have a set fee.
06-05-2018, 09:35 PM
#10
My dealer just changed the oil in my 2013 Grand Sport.. he said it is close to the time to do a 30,000 service.. I ask what does that do? he replied " all the fluids, filters and the like. about $900. So Looked at my manual for service intervals.. 30,000 miles is just rotate the tires... well yea like that is a good idea, and check oil percentage, and clutch fluid - which I do Ranger method every 6 months or so.
I wonder if I did bring it in for a 30K service and they did all what they want to do,, then showed them the schedule in my manaul if I would be liable for the cost... I betcha I could win in small claims court.
I wonder if I did bring it in for a 30K service and they did all what they want to do,, then showed them the schedule in my manaul if I would be liable for the cost... I betcha I could win in small claims court.
06-05-2018, 09:54 PM
#11
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Never have asked for a price for services. My wife and I have bought 14 vehicles from the local Chevy dealer since he took over the dealership 38 years ago. His prices for different services seemed to be reasonable, but I never really looked to see if the same service was always priced the same or not.
Why not mention the dealer's name? You may be helping someone else.
What, specifically, do you want done?
You said it yourself, these are estimates, maybe they had a special running for some of the services you asked about. Are you talking about a $10 difference on a $199 service or $300 on an $800 estimate?
No offense, but your post is rather useless without details.
What, specifically, do you want done?
You said it yourself, these are estimates, maybe they had a special running for some of the services you asked about. Are you talking about a $10 difference on a $199 service or $300 on an $800 estimate?
No offense, but your post is rather useless without details.
well - I wont try it -- but I wonder how many owners out there get tagged with maintenance costs that are really not necessary.. cuz they dont know any better. about 30 yr ago a shop fixed my wife's Fiat, all kinds of stuff done , spark plugs , wires , new cam shaft, valve grind.. and the bill was - remember 30 yr ago - $1200 , I told them I would not pay it because it was in for an oil change. they took me to court, I had a friend that was a lawyer , we showed up, case was tried by a nice lady judge, she found in our favor, and awarded us $3000 for fraudulent business, and he had to pay our attorney cost and court cost.
Few months back, dropped my VW Jette at the dealership for some warranty work (replace a button or something and change oil). They did the 30K "maintenance", which I didn't ask for, and hit me with a $600 bill. They wouldn't give me the key or access to the car till I paid, after a looong argument.
06-05-2018, 10:01 PM
#12
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Like I said, some of us TRY to find a good deal and aren't made of money, which is a myth that most people think guys who own Corvettes have a LOT of money...
Can't name the dealer, for the same reason you can't bash anyone here on an open forum. You want details? PM me... That's how the Forum works - you've been here long enough to know that.
Few months back, dropped my VW Jette at the dealership for some warranty work (replace a button or something and change oil). They did the 30K "maintenance", which I didn't ask for, and hit me with a $600 bill. They wouldn't give me the key or access to the car till I paid, after a looong argument.
Can't name the dealer, for the same reason you can't bash anyone here on an open forum. You want details? PM me... That's how the Forum works - you've been here long enough to know that.
Few months back, dropped my VW Jette at the dealership for some warranty work (replace a button or something and change oil). They did the 30K "maintenance", which I didn't ask for, and hit me with a $600 bill. They wouldn't give me the key or access to the car till I paid, after a looong argument. 
don't know how that is legally possible...……..at least in MI no work can be performed UNLESS IT IS AUTHORIZED FIRST by the OWNER of the VEHICLE...……….. usually a social security number given if the authorization made over the phone, or some other relevant personal information documentation that would show the repair facility did indeed speak to the owner for authorization...….
06-05-2018, 10:09 PM
#13
L
Few months back, dropped my VW Jette at the dealership for some warranty work (replace a button or something and change oil). They did the 30K "maintenance", which I didn't ask for, and hit me with a $600 bill. They wouldn't give me the key or access to the car till I paid, after a looong argument.
Few months back, dropped my VW Jette at the dealership for some warranty work (replace a button or something and change oil). They did the 30K "maintenance", which I didn't ask for, and hit me with a $600 bill. They wouldn't give me the key or access to the car till I paid, after a looong argument.
06-05-2018, 11:35 PM
#14
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All dealerships do it - I took my wife's '16 Wrangler Unlimited in for an oil change (because we had 4 free) and every time we get the computerized printout of all the other items that need serviced - "30k mile service" is the popular one. Same with our '16 Mitsubishi Outlander, she just took it in for an oil change (coupon for $39.99 & it takes full synthetic - so it's worth it). It has 32k miles on it & of course needs the "30k mile service" of oil change, air filter change, cabin filter change & tire rotation for $199, then the transmission fluid flush & fluid change for another $250 & then some other b.s. service bringing the total up to $599. The car has a K&N filter (same price as OEM & doesn't need replaced), yet they try to tell her it needs replaced. I rotate the tires myself, and nowhere in the entire Outlander owner's manual or maintenance schedule does it ever say to flush the transmission fluid - it's literally never listed. So when I asked the service manager to show me in the manual where it says my car needs all these services, his response was that Mitsubishi doesn't list all the required services to save space in the manual, but that they provide the list of required services directly to the dealerships 
They also all keep putting the stupid oil change sticker on the windshield with a 3 month/3k mile interval to bring it back, which I peel off and hand back to them before I leave. They've tried telling me it will void my warranty if I go past that interval, and again, I politely ask them to show me where it states that in my owner's manual when in fact the oil change intervals are specifically spelled out at 7,500 miles or when the oil life monitor signals it needs to be changed. They prey on those that don't read their manuals and don't have any basic automobile maintenance knowledge whatsoever.
They also all keep putting the stupid oil change sticker on the windshield with a 3 month/3k mile interval to bring it back, which I peel off and hand back to them before I leave. They've tried telling me it will void my warranty if I go past that interval, and again, I politely ask them to show me where it states that in my owner's manual when in fact the oil change intervals are specifically spelled out at 7,500 miles or when the oil life monitor signals it needs to be changed. They prey on those that don't read their manuals and don't have any basic automobile maintenance knowledge whatsoever.
06-06-2018, 12:28 AM
#16
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What's a tape recorder?
06-06-2018, 01:32 AM
#18
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Well, I just wanted to share the fact that a well-known, very active with our CF members, and a recommended dealership by many, do business this way. They're known for better pricing than other dealers and service.
I was hoping they'd have better customer service and pricing than most dealers - guess I was wrong, because they can't even match their OWN price...Lol. I will be calling other dealers to find the price difference.
I was hoping they'd have better customer service and pricing than most dealers - guess I was wrong, because they can't even match their OWN price...Lol. I will be calling other dealers to find the price difference.
06-06-2018, 06:49 AM
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