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Either I'm the luckiest guy alive OR something is rotten in Denmark (Stealer story)
So, this is a followup of sorts to another post where the ending is that I turned sour on a dealer (Boardwalk Redwood City) whom I've been defending despite mixed reviews.
For a little background, the story started three weeks ago, when I was pretty happy with my '17 racing yellow C7 GS 3LT A8 I bought 15 months before from Boardwalk, but I was also starting to miss the feeling of a Manual.
The wise here know how the next part goes... Don't go near any Stealership if you've got any car itch to scratch (ha)... On an impulse, I ended up trading my garage queen (7800 miles) C7GS in for a same model year, same color, almost new (500 miles) C7Z 1LZ with carbon ceramic brakes and PDR. Last i posted, the story ended there, except a CF member suggested that I should try to ask the Stealer for the splitter and side skirts, which I had left out in my haste.
[Another moral to the story is if I hadn't been in such a rush to buy, I would have harvested my old splitter and skirts for the new car.]
Now for this story, a relevant old detail is that the manager himself Dean came out to inspect the car and found zero issues (even said, wow no Xpel or Bra and no paint chips??). Once I got home with the new purchase, I followed up with him by text on the splitter/skirts issue. He texted back: "hold off on buying anything. I'll circle back in 5-7 days. I might be able to find some from another customer." Twelve days go by, so I text back:" "Any update on skirt splitters? thanks."
Only then do I get a VM and text from him to the effect that they sold my old GS to someone at cost because there was some issue i didn't tell him with the wheels and "massive shaking at 75 mph" reportedly with the new buyer after that "guy took the car home and complained."
Now, I was a tiny bit nervous b4 about the A8 failure with all the anecdotes here, but I never personally had any problems with driving my GS or issues with the driver-side wheels beside one flat ZP tire (on the opposite side from the one they are alleging). Note this was a stock (except for K&N filter) highly loved garage queen with 7800 miles, driven two days per week, at up to 140mph, though never got around to be tracked, and bought new from the same Stealer, who also did my two oil changes on schedule.
So, basically, i'm skeptical that I just happened to luck out as the post title says and dodge imminent A8 failure (or some major mechanical like that). I told the manager that next time, he can just say he can't deliver the splitter/skirts rather than making up some BS...That's me, but I'm open to other members' interpretations!:
You are only a king at a dealers until you sign the contract and drive off the lot. "So sorry couldn't get the skirts/spltter" would have sufficed. But for a dealer (with complete access to service records, employees to test drive a trade in, a complete service dept to review every detail of the car via experienced techs AND electronically by GM test instruments) to accuse you, a repeat customer, of pulling a fast one on them, goes beyond the pale. Thank you for alerting us to this dealer who peddles his leftovers on this forum's dealer inventory. Definitely a dealer I will pass by.
Sadly this dealership used to be a forum resource for west coast buyers but everything has changed since TIM Boone left and his wife Monica has not made up for the less than transparent business dealings by management including Dean and little Benjie as I call him.Joe Cabral in service is no help either .All concerned were duplicitous in totally replacing a new engine last fall/ winter and selling the vehicle as new only to have that owner find the fact out from Abel Chev when the dry sump started rattling.we havnt heard boo about that since Jan.probably because of litigation. There are other examples known and probably unreported including my own issues which were stone walled and unaddressed.I guess all of us need to do due dilligence purchasing vehicles regardless of the source but some dealers are much more above board than others The business practices at this dealer are highly suspect and a high level of caution with them is my suggestion.I don’t do social media reviews but the forum is different.I don’t understand this issue however. All Zs are ordered with stage one skirts and splitter installed on arrival at dealer.was this a demo which was sold as new? It should have these items.For Dean to respond like that is not surprising.Somehow they were lost or used elsewhere and it’s the dealer and not GM that is ultimately footing the bill hence Deans response.Trust but verify with this crowd.Ask for vehicle VIS even a new vehicle when dealing with them and look any vehicle over VERY carefully beforesigning.If I have other options my next car will not be from them and I’ve bought three from Boardwalk.
The dealer didn't give you back a part that was on a car that was trading in, that is what you are upset about?
I didn't think the op was upset about anything. I took his story to mean that something sneaky happened which cannot really be verified or dismissed, which makes it even more sneaky. His trade in car, which he knew to be problem free, supposedly suddenly had some sort of failure that ended up costing the dealer some amount of money; subsequently, the dealer used this purported issue as an excuse for not following up on the possibility of reclaiming the side skirts from his old car. So really what is most likely to have happened is that the dealer just made some bs up about his trade in so they didn't have to follow through with the side skirts. That's how I understood it. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.
I didn't think the op was upset about anything. I took his story to mean that something sneaky happened which cannot really be verified or dismissed, which makes it even more sneaky. His trade in car, which he knew to be problem free, supposedly suddenly had some sort of failure that ended up costing the dealer some amount of money; subsequently, the dealer used this purported issue as an excuse for not following up on the possibility of reclaiming the side skirts from his old car. So really what is most likely to have happened is that the dealer just made some bs up about his trade in so they didn't have to follow through with the side skirts. That's how I understood it. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.
I approached Boardwalk when I was shopping for my C7. They told me they didn't allow test drives because the local Corvette club wouldn't let them (?!?!). I had my C7 a day later, but from a different dealer. As for service, Abel is the only place in Nor Cal for vettes.
Who cares if it had a shake. It's under warranty (I assume with those miles). They didn't sell it off at cost because it had a warranty claim they would have made money off of
Who cares if it had a shake. It's under warranty (I assume with those miles). They didn't sell it off at cost because it had a warranty claim they would have made money off of
I agree. The dealer comment seems to be suspect. A low mileage 17 is still under full warranty and no sane dealer will sell it off at cost. Something is rotten in Denmark.
I understand trading for a M7. A manual is just more fun to drive.
But shouldn't his Z have come standard with side skirts and splitter anyway? They've got to be somewhere, right?
natural question.
here’s the story I pieced together from Boardwalk, the supposed previous owner for 500 miles, and carfax.
Carfax: the car was originally at a dealer in Wisconsin (correction not Washington) in 2017 with 6 miles on it. At some point in late ‘17 they sold it to Boardwalk. In April ‘18, Boardwalk leased it to someone. In August, it came back to Boardwalk for sale with 500 miles on it. No salvage, accidents, or major service.
Boardwalk: The car was obtained from the WI dealer under unclear circumstances. At the time, he was vague on the status of the splitter-sideskirts. He says now that at that point the car did not have the splitter-sideskirts. The car was leased to an employee, a manager at another dealer in the Boardwalk family biz @Nissan down the road from Boardwalk. The circumstances were the guy was crazy abt the car, which was track spec’ed and yellow, but then broke his left foot so he couldn’t drive a manual anymore. Hence, so the story goes, the guy gave the car back to Boardwalk to put up for sale. I insisted on meeting him before I signed the deal.
Previous owner: When I met the guy, he was friendly, wearing a managers name tag at Nissan, and sporting a soft cast/splint on his right foot. His story seemed consistent with the Boardwalk, but I raised an eyebrow when he wasn’t that familiar with the car’s options and the history on the splitter side skirts. Too conveniently, the Nissan finance office is where they were closing all the Boardwalk deals that day. Because I’m a terrible human being, I wondered what would happen if I surprised this guy the following week on my way home... would he still have a cast and a limp?
I have a call into the WI dealer. I’m not upset because I still love the car and it was an ok deal, accounting for missing splitter-skirts, but just curious if there is more to the story. I don’t regret trading for a manual at all!
But shouldn't his Z have come standard with side skirts and splitter anyway? They've got to be somewhere, right?
Yeah, they're probably on SOMONE ELSE's car.
When I bought my GS new from the dealership, I pointed out to them that the side skirts were missing. I told them I'm not taking delivery unless they address two things: 1. The missing side-skirt and 2: 4 brand new tires since what's on the car at the moment were cracked. Had them put into writing that those will be installed before I take delivery.
When I picked it up, they installed side skirts from a Z06 on the GS. Not that I'm complaining, but SOMEONE buying one of the Z06 on the lot is going to be missing their side skirt, since they were installed on my car.
I suspect, since each car came to the dealership sans the skirts, a lot of times they just take delivery without them, or the skirts get installed on the wrong car. When I bought mine, they didn't even have my side skirts in the dealership service/parts department, they had to either special order it or find another set of skirts in their off-site warehouse.
Last edited by The HACK; 09-18-2018 at 12:46 PM.
Reason: grammar
WADR why are you so surprised? You must not recall/have read the other story months ago (maybe even a year or more) of the sae dealer and its salesperson---her behavior was far less than stellar. Only a management supports that type of behavior, and this is the manager, or one of them.
BTW I'm confused as to where this car originally came from. In Post 13, you cite Washington once and Wisconsin twice. Which is it, WI or WA?
Originally Posted by Parcival
So, this is a followup of sorts to another post where the ending is that I turned sour on a dealer (Boardwalk Redwood City) whom I've been defending despite mixed reviews.
For a little background, the story started three weeks ago, when I was pretty happy with my '17 racing yellow C7 GS 3LT A8 I bought 15 months before from Boardwalk, but I was also starting to miss the feeling of a Manual.
The wise here know how the next part goes... Don't go near any Stealership if you've got any car itch to scratch (ha)... On an impulse, I ended up trading my garage queen (7800 miles) C7GS in for a same model year, same color, almost new (500 miles) C7Z 1LZ with carbon ceramic brakes and PDR. Last i posted, the story ended there, except a CF member suggested that I should try to ask the Stealer for the splitter and side skirts, which I had left out in my haste.
[Another moral to the story is if I hadn't been in such a rush to buy, I would have harvested my old splitter and skirts for the new car.]
Now for this story, a relevant old detail is that the manager himself Dean came out to inspect the car and found zero issues (even said, wow no Xpel or Bra and no paint chips??). Once I got home with the new purchase, I followed up with him by text on the splitter/skirts issue. He texted back: "hold off on buying anything. I'll circle back in 5-7 days. I might be able to find some from another customer." Twelve days go by, so I text back:" "Any update on skirt splitters? thanks."
Only then do I get a VM and text from him to the effect that they sold my old GS to someone at cost because there was some issue i didn't tell him with the wheels and "massive shaking at 75 mph" reportedly with the new buyer after that "guy took the car home and complained."
Now, I was a tiny bit nervous b4 about the A8 failure with all the anecdotes here, but I never personally had any problems with driving my GS or issues with the driver-side wheels beside one flat ZP tire (on the opposite side from the one they are alleging). Note this was a stock (except for K&N filter) highly loved garage queen with 7800 miles, driven two days per week, at up to 140mph, though never got around to be tracked, and bought new from the same Stealer, who also did my two oil changes on schedule.
So, basically, i'm skeptical that I just happened to luck out as the post title says and dodge imminent A8 failure (or some major mechanical like that). I told the manager that next time, he can just say he can't deliver the splitter/skirts rather than making up some BS...That's me, but I'm open to other members' interpretations!:
WADR why are you so surprised? You must not recall/have read the other story months ago (maybe even a year or more) of the sae dealer and its salesperson---her behavior was far less than stellar. Only a management supports that type of behaivor, and this is the manager, or one of them.
I believe I did read it (Monica "the Corvette Goddess" Bellofiore?).
Hear ya, I agree that management is at the end of the day accountable. I guess I'm an optimist because of my line of work (I invest in startups) and a lot of risk is underwritable at the right price and conditions (One man's trash -> treasure, so to speak).
Originally Posted by AORoads
i'm confused as to where this car originally came from. In Post 13, you cite Washington once and Wisconsin twice. Which is it, WI or WA?
Oops moron me from CA and NY originally- mixed up my W states because they're so similar... it's Wisconsin, duh! thanks for the correction.
When I bought my GS new from the dealership, I pointed out to them that the side skirts were missing. I told them I'm not taking delivery unless they address two things: 1. The missing side-skirt and 2: 4 brand new tires since what's on the car at the moment were cracked. Had them put into writing that those will be installed before I take delivery.
When I picked it up, they installed side skirts from a Z06 on the GS. Not that I'm complaining, but SOMEONE buying one of the Z06 on the lot is going to be missing their side skirt, since they were installed on my car.
I suspect, since each car came to the dealership sans the skirts, a lot of times they just take delivery without them, or the skirts get installed on the wrong car. When I bought mine, they didn't even have my side skirts in the dealership service/parts department, they had to either special order it or find another set of skirts in their off-site warehouse.
Or they mysteriously get put into one of the Tech's trunks, and end up being sold on Ebay. Oops, there's the pessimist in me coming out.
Last edited by Rebel Yell; 09-18-2018 at 04:43 PM.
To be fair, yesterday I’m getting conveniently positive messages:
” you misunderstood me. I was just trying to get to the bottom of things. I’m still working on your problem.”
”good news. Got you brand new parts. Installation no cost to you.”
To be fair, yesterday I’m getting conveniently positive messages:
” you misunderstood me. I was just trying to get to the bottom of things. I’m still working on your problem.”
”good news. Got you brand new parts. Installation no cost to you.”
will report back back if it happens or not.
Overall, when it's all done, plz don't forget what happened, only to repeat this type of poor performance from the manager who can't seem to communicate clearly. Really, it's not difficult to do. I'd just as soon not read another thread like this and you'd rather not have it happen again, I'd bet.
09-17-2018, 07:04 PM
Either I'm the luckiest guy alive OR something is rotten in Denmark (Stealer story)
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