Servicing your corvette
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 861
Likes: 79
From: Clifton VA
Servicing your corvette
Seems lots of C8s are bought from certain dealerships that specialize in corvettes. Is there any issue with buying from a remote dealership and then taking the car to a local service department? If you're paying then I would assume the servicing dealership doesn't care, but my concern would be warranty work. Are they inclined to take better care of you if you bought the car from them?
I believe most if not all dealership service departments are very separate from the sales folks so they probably don't care where you bought the car.
Thanks,
Don
I believe most if not all dealership service departments are very separate from the sales folks so they probably don't care where you bought the car.
Thanks,
Don
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 10,709
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From: Fulshear, TX
The only time anything like this has been an issue for me was when my wife's Jeep broke down in rural BFE Texas and the nearest dealership had zero interest on working on/warranty repairing anything that wasn't a diesel dually. We ended up towing it back home with my Jeep and our typical dealer was shocked and just besides themself for how we were treated elsewhere (again, did not buy either Jeep from this servicing dealer).
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 4,305
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From: Oro Valley Arizona
Different Strokes
Years ago, a good friend was the service manager at a huge Ford dealership. Typical of the industry, there were 4 separate and autonomous departments. Sales, service, parts, and body shop. Each manager got a year end bonus based on the performance of his group. As such, my friend welcomed any and all to his service drive. He cared less where you bought the car. He cared greedily where you had it serviced. There was a time when this might not have been true. When dinosaurs ruled the Earth. In the mid 80s, the reputation of many foreign car brands was exclusivity. I had a friend who bought an Alfa Romeo out of town. The local dealer refused to service it. My friend escalated the 'yes you will' to the Alfa national level. An Alfa mucky muck in New Jersey told the dealer he had to service all comers. And his first available service appointment for my friend? 6 months out. Moral of the story, buying an Alfa Romeo was his existential error in judgement. But today, at any big time auto house, it is a dog fight for customers and the service guy will cut the sales guy off at the knees if necessary.
Last edited by papillion; Oct 19, 2022 at 11:57 AM.
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Some dealerships will take the “you didn’t buy it here so tough luck attitude” but thankfully those dealerships are in the minority. The way things are today, any work that can bring in cash to a dealership should be welcomed.
Safety Car
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From: Wantagh,L.I. New York
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2016
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From: Garden Valley CA
Dealerships like this erode the value of the dealership system. When someone purchases a vehicle they expect to be able to bring it to any authorized dealer for service. If you're on a road trip, moved, your dealership goes out of business, etc. you shouldn't have to worry about whether or not an authorized dealer will service your car. And the first thing GM customer service will tell you is if you are not happy with your dealer then go to another dealer. If is acceptable to GM for dealers to refuse service if you didn't purchase from them then GM customer service should maintain a list of which dealers will service your vehicle if it wasn't purchased from them.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 979
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From: El Paso Texas
No, my experience is that the service and sales are two separate businesses in the dealership and the service manager and service writer don't care where you bought the car. In fact they look at it as a win since they get business that the sales guys did not sell.
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MOST dealerships will happily service (and charge for it) any car no matter where you bought it. But there have been some reports here about dealers that refused to do warranty service on cars bought elsewhere, and I seem to recall at least a couple of posts that said a dealer wouldn't do any service on Corvettes not purchased there.
If you want to be sure, it might pay to ask the service manager up front, before you purchase.
If you want to be sure, it might pay to ask the service manager up front, before you purchase.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 1,676
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From: Corrales NM
I don't have a problem with my smaller out of the way dealer serving my C8. It is not where I bought the car. I most definitely have a problem with them servicing it correctly and actually fixing the root cause of the problem. They try but they do not have the bandwidth or the expertise to be competent with C8. I question whether I will even take it to them for an oil change.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2022
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From: Northern VA
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I took mine to a local dealer to get inspected and they both didn't ask where I bought it nor did they charge me for the inspection ($20). That service manager wants my business, he clearly doesn't care about the sales side of the house.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 254
Likes: 205
From: Endicott NY
I had the same experience. Dealer did not ask where I bought the car and assured me they would be happy to service the car for me. They are a well respected dealer and clearly want to build the best relationship possible regardless of where the car was purchased.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2021
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From: DFW
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 197
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From: Back woods Michigan
Nothing to do with a car dealer but thought it was interesting-
Went to a lawn shop the other day, they sell Stihl, Husqvarna and Gravely lawn equipment, chainsaws, movers etc. I stopped in to get some bar oil, spark plugs a few other tune up items but this isn't the shop I usually go to. They had a sign at the service desk that read "Service work on items not purchased here are subject to an additional $60 admin fee".
I thought wow, guess I'll never shop there again even if it's just for off the self parts.
Wouldn't surprise me if dealership service departments started to adopt this idea.
Went to a lawn shop the other day, they sell Stihl, Husqvarna and Gravely lawn equipment, chainsaws, movers etc. I stopped in to get some bar oil, spark plugs a few other tune up items but this isn't the shop I usually go to. They had a sign at the service desk that read "Service work on items not purchased here are subject to an additional $60 admin fee".
I thought wow, guess I'll never shop there again even if it's just for off the self parts.
Wouldn't surprise me if dealership service departments started to adopt this idea.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 229
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From: FL
I recently have dealt with this myself. There is a chance you could have issues. So if I were you I would start calling around now. Like someone else mentioned GM doesnt seem to care if the dealer refuses work. Luckily I dont think you will have a hard time finding a dealership to do the work.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 2,322
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From: Oregon
I bought my C6 in the midwest, and took it to a dealer here in Oregon for warranty work, no questions asked. That's how it should be.
If I bought the car there, I would expect over the top service to make sure you were a happy customer.
I will be taking my C8 to a Chev dealer 30 miles from here because they are the biggest Corvette dealer in the state. There are 4 dealers closer, but I would rather go to the one with the most experience.
BTW, they do not do courtesy deliveries because they are not happy with the GM allocation method. They could be selling 4X if they could get the cars.
So buying from them was not an option.
If a dealer cannot get a car for you, and they are so short sighted they cannot see that providing excellent service attracts customers, I would rather go somewhere else.
If I bought the car there, I would expect over the top service to make sure you were a happy customer.
I will be taking my C8 to a Chev dealer 30 miles from here because they are the biggest Corvette dealer in the state. There are 4 dealers closer, but I would rather go to the one with the most experience.
BTW, they do not do courtesy deliveries because they are not happy with the GM allocation method. They could be selling 4X if they could get the cars.
So buying from them was not an option.
If a dealer cannot get a car for you, and they are so short sighted they cannot see that providing excellent service attracts customers, I would rather go somewhere else.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2017
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From: Deshler Nebraska
Hello, Thought I would just catch you this way. Doing Spring Mt. today and tommorrow. A lot to learn and get it right on the track. Good people and enjoyable. Time to hop. Nelag