Gotta see how this dealership- fail plays out...

[Scalded Dog]

On Monday, I took my just- washed/ spotless/ immaculate 2011 1LT to Mark Christopher Chevrolet in Ontario, CA for an oil change.

I'd been there once before, had no problems... and "had no problems" makes them superior in the biz.

A few minutes after turning the keys over, the service manager came into the waiting area to inform me that "two of my lug studs were broken." Well, they weren't broken when I drove IN there, I can assure you... but howya gonna prove it? Whatever the case, two are now broken... and the dealership cited a great price of $310 (+/- a couple of bucks) to fix them, all I need to do is make an appointment.

Finally, it was announced that the car was done... I went and paid. They told me to go wait, and my car would be brought out to me.

I went out and waited. And I waited. I waited a little longer, then I waited some more. After that, I waited longer, then waited some more. Finally, my car arrived. Point being: I was impatient, ready to get the hell out of Dodge (I mean, Chevy, I guess), so I just got in, gunned it and got gone.

However, a few minutes later it dawned on me that I'd best have a look at the car... make sure nothing else beyond my broken studs was amiss. I got out of the car, and just about crapped my pants. Maybe I did, but just a little. Anyway, it looked like a paintball war using greaseballs had taken place, with my car as the preferred cover. It was smeared here, and smeared there. Mostly on the wheels, but all over the body, too... one bigass smear even looked like a dent, although it did wash off, to my great relief.

Then I noticed my driver door sill... the painted area. I can tell you that no piece of footwear has even touched that in my 2- 1/2 years of ownership... it also gets regularly cleaned, so it IS spotless. But, not today... somebody with a greasy damn boot, which had to have also been plastered with sand and gravel, had stood on the sill, and done the Watusi, grinding scratches DEEP into the paint. The grease washed off, with a little work... the scratches are deep, ugly, and clearly intentional.

Did they wash the car? Sure... the car was hosed down (remember, it was perfectly spotless before?), and parts of it were clearly swiped with a dirty towel. Water spots, and smears. Windows and mirrors a mess. The entire passenger side of the car still wet, untouched by towel. Why the need to wash a spotless car... oh, yeah, the greasegun war. Damn you, "service" guys.

The whole experience was sort of like getting the food you ordered from Quickie Burger World, and finding that the burger guy spit in your burger, threw a roach into your shake, and instead of a large order of fries, gave you an old balled up (but deep- fried!) sock in the little cup. And, like at the burger place, you damn sure don't want to send it back to the kitchen... it'll come out worse than ever. You KNOW the burger will get credit- card- swiped through somebody's butt crack.

I emailed the dealership. I'm not asking for anything, because they damn sure won't give me anything. "Your studs were already broken!" "Those scratches were already there!" Besides, I am not going back in there, ever again. No way. No. Freakin.' Way.

So far, I've gotten a few emails telling me that some dude is going to call me. So far, some dude has not called me.

(In case you were worried and biting your nails over my broken lug stud issue: I already got another shop to fix them: Grand total, parts and labor: Slightly under $50)

[Realist]

I have a theory I feel pretty confident about as I have recently experienced first hand. Before the bailouts, I had great service and could get an appointment promptly for years at my local Chevy dealer. After the bailouts and the many forced dealership closing, there are now less GM service centers. This has resulted in scheduling a week in advance and service quality drop in the rush to keep up with the increased demand. Twice I called to schedule an oil change only for the phone to ring and ring in service.

[KMPrenger]

Wow I'd be PO'd. Best of luck.

[toesuf94]

Next time you go to ANY dealer, before you sign for the authorization to service, write: DO NOT WASH and DO NOT DRIVE WITHOUT OWNER PRESENT on the worksheet...THEN sign it. Only then do I let them service my cars. Most dealerships have the steel bristled auto car washes on premises. Ugh. Sorry about your car.

[VeeGeeTea]

You should actually move to an Asian neighbourhood, your service will be awesome because no Asians would drive American. They would either go Japanese (lower to middle class) [Honda, Toyota, Infiniti, Lexus...] or European (upper middle to upper class) [BMW, Audi...].

[DarkneSS]

If you must, use a Caddy dealer. They always treat the car better.

[Chevrolet Customer Svc]

Originally Posted by Scalded Dog

On Monday, I took my just- washed/ spotless/ immaculate 2011 1LT to Mark Christopher Chevrolet in Ontario, CA for an oil change.

I'd been there once before, had no problems... and "had no problems" makes them superior in the biz.

A few minutes after turning the keys over, the service manager came into the waiting area to inform me that "two of my lug studs were broken." Well, they weren't broken when I drove IN there, I can assure you... but howya gonna prove it? Whatever the case, two are now broken... and the dealership cited a great price of $310 (+/- a couple of bucks) to fix them, all I need to do is make an appointment.

Finally, it was announced that the car was done... I went and paid. They told me to go wait, and my car would be brought out to me.

I went out and waited. And I waited. I waited a little longer, then I waited some more. After that, I waited longer, then waited some more. Finally, my car arrived. Point being: I was impatient, ready to get the hell out of Dodge (I mean, Chevy, I guess), so I just got in, gunned it and got gone.

However, a few minutes later it dawned on me that I'd best have a look at the car... make sure nothing else beyond my broken studs was amiss. I got out of the car, and just about crapped my pants. Maybe I did, but just a little. Anyway, it looked like a paintball war using greaseballs had taken place, with my car as the preferred cover. It was smeared here, and smeared there. Mostly on the wheels, but all over the body, too... one bigass smear even looked like a dent, although it did wash off, to my great relief.

Then I noticed my driver door sill... the painted area. I can tell you that no piece of footwear has even touched that in my 2- 1/2 years of ownership... it also gets regularly cleaned, so it IS spotless. But, not today... somebody with a greasy damn boot, which had to have also been plastered with sand and gravel, had stood on the sill, and done the Watusi, grinding scratches DEEP into the paint. The grease washed off, with a little work... the scratches are deep, ugly, and clearly intentional.

Did they wash the car? Sure... the car was hosed down (remember, it was perfectly spotless before?), and parts of it were clearly swiped with a dirty towel. Water spots, and smears. Windows and mirrors a mess. The entire passenger side of the car still wet, untouched by towel. Why the need to wash a spotless car... oh, yeah, the greasegun war. Damn you, "service" guys.

The whole experience was sort of like getting the food you ordered from Quickie Burger World, and finding that the burger guy spit in your burger, threw a roach into your shake, and instead of a large order of fries, gave you an old balled up (but deep- fried!) sock in the little cup. And, like at the burger place, you damn sure don't want to send it back to the kitchen... it'll come out worse than ever. You KNOW the burger will get credit- card- swiped through somebody's butt crack.

I emailed the dealership. I'm not asking for anything, because they damn sure won't give me anything. "Your studs were already broken!" "Those scratches were already there!" Besides, I am not going back in there, ever again. No way. No. Freakin.' Way.

So far, I've gotten a few emails telling me that some dude is going to call me. So far, some dude has not called me.

(In case you were worried and biting your nails over my broken lug stud issue: I already got another shop to fix them: Grand total, parts and labor: Slightly under $50)

Oh no!

I'm terribly sorry to read about your dealership experience. Please feel free to contact me privately and I'll provide a department for you to contact to communicate your concerns.

Kindly,

William R.
Chevrolet Customer Care

[angryv6]

Just wow!

[Thrillz]

Originally Posted by Realist

I have a theory I feel pretty confident about as I have recently experienced first hand. Before the bailouts, I had great service and could get an appointment promptly for years at my local Chevy dealer. After the bailouts and the many forced dealership closing, there are now less GM service centers. This has resulted in scheduling a week in advance and service quality drop in the rush to keep up with the increased demand. Twice I called to schedule an oil change only for the phone to ring and ring in service.

This is why i never use a dealership to do any type of work including the most basic service a oil change. Go find an honest independent who is out for your best interest there are tons of them out there you just need to find them then form a relationship with them. You go to a dealership to buy a car the relationship ends after that. Does it have to be that way sure doesn't. Its a dam shame as they have the best equipment and knowledge to access your vehicle. Now i know some of our members have have some luck with there dealers i applaud those few but for the rest us smucks who have been taken advantage of in the past call them stealerships for a reason.

[Scalded Dog]

Just an update, because I have no doubt that many of you have been unable to sleep, fretting over how this was being handled.

As William R. suggested in a previous post, to contact him, I did... he provided me with contact information for GM... Thank- you, William!

I have done so.

So far, no respose from "some guy" at the dealership, and no response from GM.

Hey, I like GM cars, I really do... but maybe they are just too busy with other things to deal with things like this. Fine... duly noted.

[captain2slow]

I rarely ever have an issue with the line techs..but the lube techs..what the French is going on with these guys? Why can't they treat vehicles with the same respect as the line techs?
My dealership has lost all privileges with vehicle servicing..the line techs are no problem so far..

[Mcarltonjr]

You wont hear a response. They say that all the time when you call in. I had issues when i bought my car and took it in for warranty and they dented my camaro so bad it needed to be repainted. Gm did nothing so I handled it my way and the car got repainted.

[MEDISIN]

Sorry OP, most of us have had something of this sort happen and it's a gut wrenching feeling, especially when you are the type that takes such careful care of your car.

I keep a sign (printed page) in my glovebox that says DO NOT WASH and put in on the dash whenever I have to have a vehicle serviced. After spending many, many hours to remove swirl marks from the paint and seeing how they hire a bum to stand behind the dealership with a bucket of gravel water and a broom wash cars, I don't think I'm being overzealous. And this is the Cadillac and Land Rover dealerships mind you.

Also helps to make friends with the service adviser. Case of beer, letter of praise to his manager, whatever it takes to keep him happy and concerned about my car.

[jrhagen]

Find the sales guy that has been at the dealership the longest. He/she knows all the techs. Get recommendations from the sales guy on who to demand works on your car. Go around back and meet the techs personally. Stay with the same people, they won't screw you. A little tip here and there doesn't hurt.