About GM LEARNING from their dealers. You had a great experience with your dealer but, the vast majority of members on these forums probably would question if anything can be learned from a dealer. It seems the members are teaching the dealers "things". Notice how many dealers are unaware of a TSB until it is brought to their attention. And in retrospect, GM is meeting a lot of resistance in attempting to teach the dealers anything.

 

Well, I have never had a problem with my dealer.....ever. They are one of the last bastions of family owned businesses in my area, and I certainly appreciate everything they do for me.

 

That's what's nice about a family owned business, it's impossible to deal with these big outfits, they don't care about the customer beyond getting them to buy their product. A family owned business is getting harder and harder to find, so you are lucky.

 

Most of the pictures I've seen on this site show very little visible damage unless you're looking closely at the panel. Specifically, the inside corner where the bump on the door meets that lower rocker edge.

If you don't get running boards, there's just no way to fix it or redesign it unless you just get unpainted plastic parts and slap 'em on there. Which will look uglier? You can either obsess about it, whine about it, fix it, or let it go.

 

I got free running boards and paint but i had to pay the install fee oh well better then paying full price. Good luck some people get what they want and others get screwed. I am happy with my HHR now but I will NEVER buy another one.

 

sorry you feel that way. My wife just got her own wed. and I/we know of all the the little so so things that the HHR has [we all know what they are] It is still a fun/nice car for the money. we are getting boards

 

I am in the process of making GM pay for installation of running boards for my 2007 HHR because of the damage. So far they say they will pay for painting only. They say I have to pay for the running boards. Have ask them why it is covered in Canada, but not in the US. Planning on fighting this all the way. If anyone is from Ohio and has any suggestions or comments please let me know. Strength in numbers.

 

Good luck! Seems like it's an uphill battle all the way.

 

When a company does something, out of the ordinary, particularly after the manufacturing process, to appease a customer, ie; paint and install running boards, that cost is later past down to future customers in the form of higher initial cost and higher prices at the service end.
Chevy/Gm has tried to minimize the pain with an offer to paint the damaged area once, and the decision to get running boards is solely the responsibility of the owner. That sounds fair to me.
Going after GM over this is really saying that everyone who buys a GM product owes you something...
If you want boards, Buy them...just like everyone else did.
I`m not expecting a refund check from GM for my pre-installed boards, that would be ridiculous.

 

My cloth seats get dirty and stain easy so I think GM owes me free leather seats! It’s just not right! The dealer didn't warn me first so how was I to know. If GM knows about this problem and refuse to correct it they should just make leather seats standard. Just when you think this GM owes me free running boards for my daily driving damage while everyone else pays crap had went away it rears it's ugly head again. Using the same logic; seeing as how I have rock chips in my hood and bumper does that mean GM owes me a new hood and bumper? I know........Of course they do because it is both a design flaw and a paint issue so it has nothing to do with driving the vehicle. Daily driving in all conditions and weather shouldn't affect the finish of my vehicle what so ever. If it doesn't look like it did when I drove it off the lot it must be GMs fault so they should give me free stuff.