What he said!

 

I have no reason to lie about these particular dealerships. I've even made it clear that its these particular dealerships that I've had this experience with. Additionally, I noted that it was one dealership that did not know what a TSB was...the other just refused to honor them.
I simply don't have the luxury of that amount of time. I went to dealer prior to my appointment to talk about the problems I had been having (all during the period which I was off from work). I'm not the type to complain about something that isn't a big deal. I don't know how to replicate a problem I shouldn't have to. I should be able to recognize an abnormal or new noise, tell you about it and you fix it. If it were as easy as dropping into a dealership next time I heard the growl, I would do it. To suggest that I haven't tried is almost insulting. What it says to me as a customer is that my opinion is not valid or even important. Customer complains--->is it a known problem?--->is there a fix?------done.

Additionally, If this noise is indeed "normal", I need to decide whether or not I want to live with it. This is not a "airbag-crease" sort of problem.

???? A TSB for a normal thing?


Rediculous. If you feel as though a car that you have owned for less than a year, driven less that 5 miles a day in an area with very little snowfall (Wash, DC)should have sandblasted and paint chipped fenders, be my guest. Its not a total body paint defect, its just the two quarter panels damaged because I don't have running boards (I intend to take the offered repainting of the quarter panels and eat the cost of having boards installed). Why would there be a TSB if there was no problem. Out of the three problems that I presented, this one should have most definately been addressed. THe problem is right in front of them and PASSED OFF as normal damage. Not that there was none, but that it was normal. Sandblasted and chipped on both sides. FAR MORE chips and damage than the front end of the car where I'd expect to see the most damage. Its textured and a different color for crying out loud. That's normal?


I don't hate GM or Chevy. Im upset that I bought a new product with known problems that my area dealerships won't address. Im upset that I have to go to higher ups, make several trips to the dealer and basically be beligerent to get them to service documented problems. I'm accusing these dealerships of not backing their products. I'm a one car-working-stiff family. I bought new to avoid the drama. I expect maintenance issues; but if I take the time to get a consultation (I presented them with this info and my problems before my formal appointment) schedule and appointment and use my valuable time off, I expect you to do something. This situation is turning into something other than I intended, so I contemplate walking away from it. Its turning into a fight or flight situation where I may be easier for me to leave.


This is genius. Why didn't I think of that? The only problem is that the remote start doesn't always fail. I'd say it shuts off 2 out 10 times that I use it. But I guess I need to wait until it doesn't work at all and I have to FIND the time to go to the dealer. Why would I take my time off from work to go to a dealer with documentation about a problem that I'm not really having? Why would I want them to fix something non-existent? Just because others are having it? This is so frustrating. I didn't make this stuff up to go and spend my day at the dealership. Its like the dancing frog on the warner bros. cartoons that only dancers for one guy, but acts like a normal frog in front of other people. If I was really crazy and it never happened, there would not be a TSB.

THis isn't an attack or flame at you, but your reply is really condescending. Long story short: I don't feel that as a new car owner I should have to jump through a bunch of hoops to get repairs on documented problems. I'm not going to waste my time if I really wan't have issues. THat sad part is that I have to wait for something to completely fail before I can get it fixed and for me, that would cause a ripple effect of problems. I'm not a car-hypochonodriac(sp) who makes up stuff to get service managers to pay attention to me.

Cheers-

 

Teech- I feel your pain. I've been at a dealership demonstrating the problem and they claimed not to be able to replicate. After a while it makes you question your sanity. Always remember that sanity is not a numbers a thing. If these things bother you then they are real problems. I've had lousy dealership experiences with GM brands and I've had wonderful experiences with GM brands. What some here are forgetting is that perceived quality IS quality (i.e. perception = reality). The service department is where an auto company can lose a customer forever.

Keep up the fight Teech - I hope you keep the HHR mostly because I enjoy your posts but I'd completely understand if you bailed for a brand that is better supported in your area.

PS- RickH is either a dealership employee/principal or a GM operative that monitors boards to give 'balance' - you've given more than enough time to his dissertation on vehicle repair procedure.

 

Teech, sucks , keep on fighting dont give up your HHR may be defective.

 

Its cool, really. Even if the HHR goes, I'll still poke my head in around here. I don't want people to get the perception that this was a "talk me into my HHR" post, or a "Im leaving and never coming back" rant. I was just sharing my experience and thought process. I felt comfortable enough to do that here.

 

I've had similar problems trying to problems addressed. I make it a point to show the tech the problem instead of letting them try to replicate it.

It seemed like everytime I had a problem I could make it happen but the tech's couldn't. I began to think that "we couldn't replicate the problem" was just a way for them to get out of doing any work. If the tech can pretend to spend an hour trying to make a problem happen and then he tells his boss that he didn't see a problem he gets paid for doing almost nothing, but if he actually has a problem to fix then he actually has to do some work.

These are just my thoughts, I don't know if they are true or not and I can't be sure that what I am saying is false.

I sucks having problems and I feel everyones pain becuase we've all been there.

Oh and Teech, we all have little things that really bug us for some reason, for you it seems to be this noise and for me it's that airbag discoloration. If its something that we can notice on an everyday basis it's a problem, no matter how big or small. You fight to get your noise fixed and I'll fight to get my dash fixed .

 

I hope you didn't take my comment as a dis. It was just the first thing I could think up in which people responded like it was nothing. I totally can relate to a pet peave.

 

Yeah, I understand. I'm the kind of person your really gets ticked at the smallest little imperfections. For some reason big problems don't really bother me as much as little problems (seems as though I'm a little messed up)

 

Only advise I can offer is to say don't leave the dealership until you have an answer you can live with. If you turn it in and they don't fix it to your satisfaction, take it to the next level of management. I had a similiar problem on a new 03 Mazda I bought for my wife. In the end, the problem was fixed, and people were fired because of it. Yes, it takes time. You have to be willing to devote time to it. But if you let them walk all over you, you are the only one to blame. Make sure their comments are documented on the work orders, not verbal. Granted, your issues may or may not be repaired. I can't see them or hear them so I don't know your issues. I know the paint problem for those without the boards seem to be handled differently from dealership to dealership. What's the deciding factor? Not for me to call. But a TSB is not a Recall. Recalls are manadatory, no if's an's or butt's. TSB's are worded (usually) to say it "may" have to do this. Not that it "will" do this.

Just don't give up yet.

 

touche'.

Thanks for the info and the reply. I hear what you are saying. Its too bad that TSBs leave room for discretion. It just gives someone the opportunity to make judgement calls, even at the cost of the customer.

At the end of the day, I understand that this is the way of dealerships and of the world. Its probably unfair of me to expect more from people or even the customer service that I would give. We live in a reactive society where people will only be proactive when you step on their neck. Its just not my nature and I have a hard time making sense of it.