My C7 servicing experience with Chevy vs Porsche
 

I recently took my C7 in for the GM mag ride update. I am normally a DIYer and enjoy doing any and all of my own work. I've had to take my 1st Gen Cayman S in to the dealership before. The differences in experiences are vastly different considering the original sticker prices for both vehicles are similar (~$70k). Now my C7 is a 2014 and the Cayman is a 2007. Despite the age difference, what I was expecting was not what happened.

Me: Walks in...
Chevy: Man in blue shirt looking at his phone (looked like he was on FB/sports/etc) looks up..."What are you here for?"
Porsche: Man in suit approaching me..."How may we help you out today?"

Me: I am here for XYZ...
Chevy: "I can't find you here, who did you talk to?" (Shows him confirmation phone call, luckily recalls name of person I spoke with)
Porsche: "Sure thing, let me check on that for you."

Me: How long would this take because I may need a loaner to get to work...
Chevy: "Well, these things can take all day sometime. The woman who runs enterprise may be able to get you a car, but she won't be in for another 30mins if you're lucky."
Porsche: "I'll have to check with our mechanic, but we can get you a loaner no problem. How about a new Macan?"

Finale..
Chevy: Walks me out to a Malibu covered in ice, woman scrapes the windows half assed, still can't see out the windows.
Porsche: Macan, newer than my vehicle being serviced, is driven up to the front, warm, leather, nice!

I feel like its these intangibles that get people buying cars that aren't American. Despite my "older" Cayman, the experience made me want to come back. And I normally dread having to deal with servicing my car at the dealer. The newer vehicle given to me from Porsche made me want to buy in to a newer car. Chevy's pathetic Malibu made me want to turn around and give it back. IMO, American companies need to change their mindset if they want to keep selling vehicles. Thoughts?

My thought is it depends on the dealer. My Corvette service at Van Bortel is first class and that is from the moment you drive in ending with them going over the work details with you. I should add I have previously owned 4 Porches in the past. I am very happy with the service.

That is unfortunate that you have had such an experience but I am sure that many here have had much better from the Chevy guys. One thing you didn't mention is the fact a simple oil change with the same 10 qts. of Mobile 1 and a filter costs 2.5 times more at the Porsche dealer. This is fact from someone who has four Porsches in the garage at this time. I'm comparing my Boxster recent service with what my '18 Z51 will cost for exact same service when required. Just saying my thoughts.

My Classic Chevy service dealer is exactly like your Porsche dealer... Change dealers for service, there are some great service departments and some that suck... Porsche, MB, and BMW give you the newest and best to entice you to buy a newer car, they are doing it to sell you cars not to be nice...

I have owned 7 Vettes over the last 30+ years so am a strong enthusiast, but no Chevy dealer I have taken the car to over those years have once offered up a loaner car or even has cleaned the car after the service. During that same period I have owned and serviced many foreign cars all of equivalent value, and these service supports have always been extended to me.

I think the cost of all cars these day are very expensive especially the corvette and the customer should expect this minimum service level.

I actually received great service at my first service appointment at the Chevy dealer. like devilin said, it depends on the dealership and better yet, the service rep is even more important.

I own European cars as well and admit they put more attention into the presentation side of things to give you more of a feeling of exclusivity. But that comes at a cost of 2 to 3 times more for the same service. So at the end, you are paying for it yourself.

Chevy dealers are geared towards both the Corvette and Cruze buyer so they can't really just give out nice loaners to Corvette owners while telling the Cruze owner to go ride a bike.

It's the price we Corvette owners pay for buying a sports car at a price that would cost 2-3 times more if it was European.

You're right that the experience at Chevy dealers is not up to the level of Porsche. When I take my '17 Carrera in for service, it's a luxury experience as opposed to the Chevy experience, which is more like waiting in a Pep Boys waiting room. But compare what it costs for a basic out-of-warranty service and you'll see why.

Then again a Vette costs a bunch less than a 911.

There is more to it, though the people with whom we deal directly is the start. My C5 went into the local dealer I ordered it from for minor warranty work four times. EVERY time it came back with something else messed up or damaged, once requiring that I seek out the dealership owner to get him to intervene with the nutcase ticket writer who was so full of BS it was crazy (an entire story in and of itself). Hence, it never went back and the new '18 will NEVER go there. Pitiful!

I agree with the others. Greatly depends on the individual dealership. Some take pride in service after the sale, some could care less.

Dealership culture. I'd be tempted to 86 both your aging cars and get into a 911. :yesnod: :smiliedrool:

I was going to answer with a nearly identicle response. My avatar is my C7 at delivery at Van Bortel.
I brought my previous C7 and my '67 to their service and they were great.

It's a flaw in our thinking....
 

....that we extrapolate major conclusions from a handful of anecdotal experiences; I don't judge groups by an individual and I don't judge long term (financial) commitments from a single example. I'm not raging but merely trying to say that it is flawed.

I'd lie if I wasn't tempted by the new Carrera T. I actually like my new to me C7, never thought I'd say that. Will be more interested to see if Chevy does a MR Vette for next gen.

In the other big thread on GM ride updates a St Louis native recommended I go to ELCO in Ballwin saying they were the "go to" for Vettes. So I cancelled my appointment with Weber after he said he wouldn't trust Weber with more than an oil change. I assumed I was going to the cream of the crop in St. Louis. Maybe I didn't? I'll tell you ever since we had that Macan my wife can't stop bugging me to buy her one. She could care less about the Malibu :smash:

Yes Porsche-tax is real. I understand the cost comes to the consumer. But come on, the I was the first one there at 6:30 when they opened so I could make it to work. I felt like everyone was grumpy working there. If I didn't have to pay a dealer to update my mag ride, I wouldn't have. BMW has been the same way as Porsche to me in the past too. I feel like American car companies are still behind in other ways despite the advances the Vette has made.

LOL

Your $70k Porsche is near the BOTTOM of Porsche's lineup, while a $70k Corvette is near the TOP of GM's lineup.

Do you honestly think that a Service dept that handles cars, that, on average, sell for $35k is going to be the same as a service dept that handles cars that, on average, sell for nearly $100k?????

:crazy2::crazy2:

Get back to us when Porsche adds a model line of cars that MSRP for $20k, and STILL provide their top-tier service experience to those cheap cars that all their $100K car customers enjoy.

Uh,I have had the opposite, having aloof service on my Cayman and stellar service on a Vette. Totally dependent on dealer. I remember having a rattle in my Cayman and the service advisor just shrugging his shoulder and saying it was "normal" lol

To the OP, I think mine was an 06, but it was some kind of "sound canceling weight" in the hatch cover, turned out to be a TSB I believe, did you ever have an issue with that? Randomly clunking or rattling in the hatch cover? It was literally a metal weight suspended on a rubber grommet, super hokey..... great car though.

My thoughts are that when you pay over $100k for a P-car they should kiss your ass.

You bought a Chevy.

Do I need to continue?

You do not have to go outside of GM for that. My 2016 C7 msrp'd for 80K. My 2016 CTS4 msrp'd for 58K. The only warranty issue I've had to date with the many new cars over the years was the oil pan gasket on my 07 C6. Yes, it went to the Cadillac dealer for the replacement - not Chevy. It's all about what "image" corporate wants in their business model. It's not tied to the price point of the product.

Top, bottom, who cares? Oh wait we are talking cars.

You missed my point with BMW too that sells cars with MSRPs of cars in 30k.

Yes, this post and experience is purely ancedoctal...was never meant to be anything otherwise!

I'd throw Lexus service as a top notch alternative for medium priced cars, but why are we comparing again?