Dealership issue
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 309
Likes: 28
From: Chicago il
Dealership issue
I had to have my 14 Stingray towed into Rapid City Chevy in South Dakota on Saturday and leave for service on Monday after engine shut down. The dealership said they could not loan me a car until Monday and made me go to airport to rent one. Anyone know how I can contact GM about this dealership I found this treatment very poor and expect more from GM.
thanks for any advice
thanks for any advice
Last edited by tansor; Jul 16, 2017 at 12:37 PM. Reason: Missing info
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 10,461
Likes: 1,149
From: Wayne Township WI
Owner's Manual has an 800# for customer assistance, that'd be a start.
However maybe a sit-down w/ dealer's GM, calmly explaining your POV might garner the same result, and, be quicker.
I agree though, some dealers simply do not get-it, no clue WTH constitutes "customer service". Worse yet, care.
Only thing I'd suggest in your case is to do neither until your car's been repaired to your satisfaction.
Any outfit who struggles w/ the concept of CS probably would have no qualms screwing-up a car out of sheer spite.
S'pose it's one more sign of the times.
Fortunately knowing their MO makes it rather easy outsmarting the dolts.
G/L
However maybe a sit-down w/ dealer's GM, calmly explaining your POV might garner the same result, and, be quicker.
I agree though, some dealers simply do not get-it, no clue WTH constitutes "customer service". Worse yet, care.
Only thing I'd suggest in your case is to do neither until your car's been repaired to your satisfaction.
Any outfit who struggles w/ the concept of CS probably would have no qualms screwing-up a car out of sheer spite.
S'pose it's one more sign of the times.
Fortunately knowing their MO makes it rather easy outsmarting the dolts.
G/L
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 8,729
Likes: 1,508
From: Redmond WA
Today is Sunday, their service department likely isn't even open on the weekend. What's the big deal, you got a rental the same day with a little extra hassle? How far is to the airport in Rapid City, four minutes?
Why, when I was your age and my C4 broke all I got was a ride home in a dirty Astro van 2 weeks from next Wednesday. If you're getting a rental against your Vette the same day on a weekend, I think you're doing pretty well. It's a Chevy, after all.
Not saying they couldn't improve, just that they already have...
Why, when I was your age and my C4 broke all I got was a ride home in a dirty Astro van 2 weeks from next Wednesday. If you're getting a rental against your Vette the same day on a weekend, I think you're doing pretty well. It's a Chevy, after all.
Not saying they couldn't improve, just that they already have...
Last edited by davepl; Jul 16, 2017 at 12:55 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 2,761
Likes: 1,016
From: MOUNTAIN HOME Arkansas
Just guessing, but typically the service dept is closed & all management types are off Sat/Sun, just salesman, & they sure wouldn't/couldn't authorize loaner. As Divilin said, I doubt dealers must provide loaners. I do understand being frustrated by car breakdown & then having to get to place to rent car, etc.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 8,729
Likes: 1,508
From: Redmond WA
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 49
Likes: 23
When I took my Mercedes in for anything, even just an oil change or a check engine light, I was ALWAYS greeted promptly by name, given a loaner car immediately, and the facility was luxurious.
I have taken '14 C7, which cost more than the Mercedes, to five different dealers searching for a halfway decent experience. Only 2 of the 5 were willing to give me a loaner car. 2 of the 5 weren't even willing to give me access to a courtesy shuttle to be dropped off nearby. None would provide a loaner car for something simple like an oil change.
IMO, the worst aspect of owning a corvette is that you goto the Chevy service center. On the flip side, the benefit of owning a vette over another sports car (e.g., p car), is that the maintenance and replacement parts are much cheaper.
It is what it is. We can't have it both ways (a high end, luxurious service center AND relatively inexpensive maintenance).
After the service, you'll likely receive a survey. Filling it out honestly is probably all you can do.
I have taken '14 C7, which cost more than the Mercedes, to five different dealers searching for a halfway decent experience. Only 2 of the 5 were willing to give me a loaner car. 2 of the 5 weren't even willing to give me access to a courtesy shuttle to be dropped off nearby. None would provide a loaner car for something simple like an oil change.
IMO, the worst aspect of owning a corvette is that you goto the Chevy service center. On the flip side, the benefit of owning a vette over another sports car (e.g., p car), is that the maintenance and replacement parts are much cheaper.
It is what it is. We can't have it both ways (a high end, luxurious service center AND relatively inexpensive maintenance).
After the service, you'll likely receive a survey. Filling it out honestly is probably all you can do.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 5,363
Likes: 4,108
From: New England
When I took my Mercedes in for anything, even just an oil change or a check engine light, I was ALWAYS greeted promptly by name, given a loaner car immediately, and the facility was luxurious.
I have taken '14 C7, which cost more than the Mercedes, to five different dealers searching for a halfway decent experience. Only 2 of the 5 were willing to give me a loaner car. 2 of the 5 weren't even willing to give me access to a courtesy shuttle to be dropped off nearby. None would provide a loaner car for something simple like an oil change.
IMO, the worst aspect of owning a corvette is that you goto the Chevy service center. On the flip side, the benefit of owning a vette over another sports car (e.g., p car), is that the maintenance and replacement parts are much cheaper.
It is what it is. We can't have it both ways (a high end, luxurious service center AND relatively inexpensive maintenance).
After the service, you'll likely receive a survey. Filling it out honestly is probably all you can do.
I have taken '14 C7, which cost more than the Mercedes, to five different dealers searching for a halfway decent experience. Only 2 of the 5 were willing to give me a loaner car. 2 of the 5 weren't even willing to give me access to a courtesy shuttle to be dropped off nearby. None would provide a loaner car for something simple like an oil change.
IMO, the worst aspect of owning a corvette is that you goto the Chevy service center. On the flip side, the benefit of owning a vette over another sports car (e.g., p car), is that the maintenance and replacement parts are much cheaper.
It is what it is. We can't have it both ways (a high end, luxurious service center AND relatively inexpensive maintenance).
After the service, you'll likely receive a survey. Filling it out honestly is probably all you can do.
There is no such thing as a guaranteed loaner car outside of the high end brands. Be it Honda, Chevy, Ford, Subaru,etc. This is dealership specific.
I just don't see why the OP is so upset.
Last edited by thill444; Jul 16, 2017 at 09:32 PM.
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 49
Likes: 23
Well and your Corvette is on a whole different performance level than a sub $80K Mercedes.
There is no such thing as a guaranteed loaner car outside of the high end brands. Be it Honda, Chevy, Ford, Subaru,etc. This is dealership specific.
I just don't see why the OP is so upset.
There is no such thing as a guaranteed loaner car outside of the high end brands. Be it Honda, Chevy, Ford, Subaru,etc. This is dealership specific.
I just don't see why the OP is so upset.
I think once you get used to a certain level of service, it's hard to go back. But even at a high end dealership, if the service adviser told me that he was sorry and that all of the loaner cars were already spoken for that day, I'd understand.
I also appreciate that if my vette's engine shut down, then I'd be pretty upset and may go off on small annoyances.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 25,583
Likes: 16,942
So here's the deal . . .
Chevrolet and Ford each sold more than 2,000,000 vehicles in the US in 2016. BMW and Mercedes sold 300K each. Chevrolet sells almost that many every month.
http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2017/01...-rankings.html
Clearly, there are many more Chevy and Ford dealers, some very small, and with such a large sales volume, it would logistically be very difficult to guarantee a loaner like BMW and Mercedes dealerships do. Moreover, they'd have to offer the service to Fiesta and Sonic owners too. I've never seen a "small" BMW or Mercedes dealership.
One of the arguments for moving Corvette to Cadillac dealers is to solve the "customer service expectation" problem. When my wife had an ATS, she received a current model ATS as a loaner during routine service visits. While I'm sure that's not the case at all Caddy dealers, they do have a better customer service image than Chevrolet. They only sold 170K cars in 2016 and could use the service volume.
Chevrolet and Ford each sold more than 2,000,000 vehicles in the US in 2016. BMW and Mercedes sold 300K each. Chevrolet sells almost that many every month.
http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2017/01...-rankings.html
Clearly, there are many more Chevy and Ford dealers, some very small, and with such a large sales volume, it would logistically be very difficult to guarantee a loaner like BMW and Mercedes dealerships do. Moreover, they'd have to offer the service to Fiesta and Sonic owners too. I've never seen a "small" BMW or Mercedes dealership.
One of the arguments for moving Corvette to Cadillac dealers is to solve the "customer service expectation" problem. When my wife had an ATS, she received a current model ATS as a loaner during routine service visits. While I'm sure that's not the case at all Caddy dealers, they do have a better customer service image than Chevrolet. They only sold 170K cars in 2016 and could use the service volume.
Last edited by Foosh; Jul 17, 2017 at 08:16 AM.
Cruising
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 14
Likes: 2
I also have had some fantastic dealer service experiences at my Mercedes dealership. Those experiences however were not "free". My dealership charged close to $400 for an oil change and vehicle inspection. (Mercedes calls it their Schedule A and Schedule B service but it was basically an oil change, vehicle and fluid inspection). I did that once and changed my own oil after that.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 5,363
Likes: 4,108
From: New England
Yes good point. Porsche is the same, can you imagine what would happen on the forums if Chevy charged $400 for oil changes on their vehicles? The internet would explode.
And that is just an oil change. Wait till you need more major maintenance done.
And that is just an oil change. Wait till you need more major maintenance done.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 807
Likes: 313
From: New Jersey
I also have had some fantastic dealer service experiences at my Mercedes dealership. Those experiences however were not "free". My dealership charged close to $400 for an oil change and vehicle inspection. (Mercedes calls it their Schedule A and Schedule B service but it was basically an oil change, vehicle and fluid inspection). I did that once and changed my own oil after that.
I couldn't believe they wanted my car all day with an appointment thank you to mount and balance tires on a new set of wheels! For that I went elsewhere.
Last edited by Silver C7; Jul 17, 2017 at 08:54 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 2,873
Likes: 2,505
What a ridiculous expectation. Since the OP lists Chicago as his home, one could wonder if this dealer even sold him the vehicle to begin with. I have two late model Mercedes and would easily understand if I couldn't get a loaner on the weekend at a small town dealer in the middle of no where! Much less expect a loaner for one of the Corvettes.
