[Z06] Well it happened to me...
08-10-2010, 12:57 AM
#1
Race Director
Thread Starter
Well it happened to me...
I've been around long enough and read enough posts to know what can happen when a Z06 is brought into a dealership for warranty work. I have had a issue with my air conditioning on my 08 and needed the system evacuated and refilled (long story). My options were to have the Chevy dealership direcly across the street from my office, Bay Bridge Auto in Oakland do the work, take it to Abel Chevrolet (a forum dealer and one with a great reputation in the Bay Area) in Rio Vista to have it done, or to pay a a/c shop to do the work. I talked to Richie on Friday and discussed taking it to his dealership which is approximately 1 1/2 hour away but for convenience sake, I decided to take it to Bay Bridge Auto, after all, how could they screw up an a/c evac and recharge? I picked up my car after work at 5:45 pm today and this is what I saw when they drove the car up...
Obviously I was not happy and let the service writer know. She was apologetic and I for the most part held my cool. The manager had gone home and it would not have done any good to go off the the writer. She took pictures of the area and I will deal with this in the morning. The clear bra took most of the hit, but the still the scuff is well into the paint. The moral of the story is; if you know of a good dealership or a garage with a good reputation, drive, tow, take the day off, or whatever, go out of your way no matter how far and let that organization take care of your car. It can save a lot of grief in the long run. Richie, I'll call you in the morning. Willie
Obviously I was not happy and let the service writer know. She was apologetic and I for the most part held my cool. The manager had gone home and it would not have done any good to go off the the writer. She took pictures of the area and I will deal with this in the morning. The clear bra took most of the hit, but the still the scuff is well into the paint. The moral of the story is; if you know of a good dealership or a garage with a good reputation, drive, tow, take the day off, or whatever, go out of your way no matter how far and let that organization take care of your car. It can save a lot of grief in the long run. Richie, I'll call you in the morning. Willie
08-10-2010, 01:05 AM
#3
Race Director
I've been around long enough and read enough posts to know what can happen when a Z06 is brought into a dealership for warranty work. I have had a issue with my air conditioning on my 08 and needed the system evacuated and refilled (long story). My options were to have the Chevy dealership direcly across the street from my office, Bay Bridge Auto in Oakland do the work, take it to Abel Chevrolet (a forum dealer and one with a great reputation in the Bay Area) in Rio Vista to have it done, or to pay a a/c shop to do the work. I talked to Richie on Friday and discussed taking it to his dealership which is approximately 1 1/2 hour away but for convenience sake, I decided to take it to Bay Bridge Auto, after all, how could they screw up an a/c evac and recharge? I picked up my car after work at 5:45 pm today and this is what I saw when they drove the car up...
Obviously I was not happy and let the service writer know. She was apologetic and I for the most part held my cool. The manager had gone home and it would not have done any good to go off the the writer. She took pictures of the area and I will deal with this in the morning. The clear bra took most of the hit, but the still the scuff is well into the paint. The moral of the story is; if you know of a good dealership or a garage with a good reputation, drive, tow, take the day off, or whatever, go out of your way no matter how far and let that organization take care of your car. It can save a lot of grief in the long run. Richie, I'll call you in the morning. Willie
Obviously I was not happy and let the service writer know. She was apologetic and I for the most part held my cool. The manager had gone home and it would not have done any good to go off the the writer. She took pictures of the area and I will deal with this in the morning. The clear bra took most of the hit, but the still the scuff is well into the paint. The moral of the story is; if you know of a good dealership or a garage with a good reputation, drive, tow, take the day off, or whatever, go out of your way no matter how far and let that organization take care of your car. It can save a lot of grief in the long run. Richie, I'll call you in the morning. Willie
08-10-2010, 01:16 AM
#4
Race Director
Thread Starter
Hey Les, the gal told me I could take it to their body shop around the corner. I said that is the last place I would go. If they couldn't get the a/c thing right, what would their bodywork look like? I will take it to the place Rich and other members have recommended in Fairfield. It's an hour away, but I have learned my lesson. Oh, and this dealership is going to pay for it and a new clear bra. Willie
me too....I don't know why I'm thinking like that ? 
08-10-2010, 01:36 AM
#6
Race Director
Thread Starter
08-10-2010, 04:18 AM
#8
Safety Car
Member Since: May 2006
Location: Providence Forge, VA
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St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12
As with all of these, it is not so much the damage that torques me off (although that definitely would) but rather the type of person who would do it and not be man enough to own up and report it to management and to you. I just can't get my head around that.
08-10-2010, 07:22 AM
#9
Safety Car
I atribute it to our lax-society. A swift kick in the arss anytime someone doesn't own up or do something stupid used to remediate alot.
I am sure the clear bra helped more than u think. Hopefully a light mist of color and some clear should fix it.
I am sure the clear bra helped more than u think. Hopefully a light mist of color and some clear should fix it.
08-10-2010, 08:26 AM
#10
Racer
Member Since: Nov 2005
Location: GATOR NATION Tampa, Florida
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I can't help but laugh a little. Not because it's funny but because the EXACT same thing recently happened to me. I took my car into Ferman Chevrolet for the steering wheel sensor recall (getting that taken care of is a whole other story). They call me and say it's ready. I go to pick it up and I approach the car from the rear and I see two huge gouges in the back and my license plate is bent in half. . . I was like wtf!!!
So, I too held my cool and just told them to fix it and I left. Well, two weeks go by and I don't hear anything. So, I drive down there and the service manager tells me it will be ready later that day or first thing in the morning. I tell him I want to see it and he's like "Oh $h!t", I find my car sitting in the exact same place and it hadn't been touched.
Now, I'm fuming. Long story short and a much cleaner version, I had my car towed to a reputable, high end bodyshop to be shipped. $700 later, she's done. I'm going in today to be reimbursed and that will be the last time I ever step foot in a Chevrolet dealership.
So, I definitely feel your pain man!!
So, I too held my cool and just told them to fix it and I left. Well, two weeks go by and I don't hear anything. So, I drive down there and the service manager tells me it will be ready later that day or first thing in the morning. I tell him I want to see it and he's like "Oh $h!t", I find my car sitting in the exact same place and it hadn't been touched.
Now, I'm fuming. Long story short and a much cleaner version, I had my car towed to a reputable, high end bodyshop to be shipped. $700 later, she's done. I'm going in today to be reimbursed and that will be the last time I ever step foot in a Chevrolet dealership.
So, I definitely feel your pain man!!
08-10-2010, 09:26 AM
#11
Le Mans Master
The first and only time I took my car to the dealer for an oil change, some young kid scraped the crap out of the underside of the rockers because he couldn't drive it on the lift correctly. That, and the lift they chose was slightly too high. I'm beginning to wonder if the previous owner lowered it slightly.
But subsequent trips have been favorable to get the A/C looked at. Naturally I used a different dealer from the one who scraped it up. And no one other than a Corvette specialty shop will ever change the oil again.
Two local dealers to me are on my sh** list because they've screwed me in one form or another. Now I drive an extra 30 minutes to take it somewhere I know will treat my right.
But subsequent trips have been favorable to get the A/C looked at. Naturally I used a different dealer from the one who scraped it up. And no one other than a Corvette specialty shop will ever change the oil again.
Two local dealers to me are on my sh** list because they've screwed me in one form or another. Now I drive an extra 30 minutes to take it somewhere I know will treat my right.
08-10-2010, 09:41 AM
#12
Race Director
These bad dealer stories are coming up more and more, and they always have a I guess. It;s sad that the dealers should be the place that is best suited to handle the car and the most knowledgable about it, but with GM in most cases you are way better off going to a local shop and you'll get treated better. Dealers are like an assembly line, they could care less.
OP- man that sucks I am really sorry to see this. I had a similar experience back when I had my 99Z28, but it was on the rocker panel toward rear of the car. I picked the car up at night when it was dark and did not see the damage until next morning I called and of course they denied it until I went in person and raised holy hell with them.
Good thing to keep your cool, that always helps, that will make them want to work with you more, even though they really have no choice since it's their fault.
Good luck with the fix
OP- man that sucks I am really sorry to see this. I had a similar experience back when I had my 99Z28, but it was on the rocker panel toward rear of the car. I picked the car up at night when it was dark and did not see the damage until next morning I called and of course they denied it until I went in person and raised holy hell with them.
Good thing to keep your cool, that always helps, that will make them want to work with you more, even though they really have no choice since it's their fault.
Good luck with the fix
08-10-2010, 09:43 AM
#13
Race Director
08-10-2010, 11:33 AM
#15
I like to take my Z to smaller shops for work where I'm allowed in the shop with the mechanic to watch them work on the car. (brakes, oil changes, AC.....) If a shop won't let me be back with the car I will take it somewhere else.
If I have to leave the car over night, I will take a 360 degree video of the car before I leave it.
...least it wasn't a valve.
If I have to leave the car over night, I will take a 360 degree video of the car before I leave it.
...least it wasn't a valve.
08-10-2010, 12:46 PM
#17
Race Director
Thread Starter
I'm going back in a few hours when I have time. I know this isn't a major deal and it'll get resolved, but what irks me is that whoever was driving my car was getting paid by the hour. It would have taken 5 seconds to stop the car if he was getting close to a pillar or whatever, put it in reverse and go forward. Why risk possible damage when he is getting paid anyway? Arggguhh!
