Hi, im new here and trying to keep my calm. I am an ASE GM Master Certified Technician at a local dealership. I cannot believe how many people on this forum trash their dealership and General Motors as if they are bad, an enemy, want to make your life hell. Customer Satisfaction is very important to us and with out YOU our customers, we are out of a job. Im going to tell it to you like this. A dealership has (should have) the most professional technicians and more resources than any other auto repair facility to fix your vehicle right. What gets me is how you people think that we should automatically be able to diagnose and repair an intermittent
problem with out being able to duplicate it as if we have unthinkable powers!We strive to prevent unnecessary part replacement, and customer comeback. Your vehicles are complex in more ways then you can imagine, multiple modules, very complex connections. Diag is more critical then ever and sometimes takes time to insure the problem is found and properly repaired.
We are people too. We too have families to support and bills to pay. We are not out to rip customers off, say "no problem found, o well?" or do hack repairs, if this were the case we would not be employess at a General Motors Dealership. You should have trust in a dealership. A dealership would never, NEVER send your family in a car that was unsafe for the road unless the customer insisted. It is AGAINST the law! If your advisor insists that its ok to drive then it damn sure better be safe to drive otherwise hes putting his job and the dealer at risk. If you have issues with any of that I would not be complaining to GM of a vehicle problem instead of a dealership problem. If you have issues with the dealer your at now then leave them and go elsewhere, there are many dealers out there that will be more than willing to service your needs.

Bottom line is guys, you have to trust your dealer, we are not just some sh*t shop dirty garage trying make a buck. If you dont trust a dealer leave..thats all I can say. It just really hurts me to see so many people on this forum upset with gm and or their dealership because of one pesky problem that is trying to be resolved!

This comment really bit my bubble!

So you think that, for an example removing one trim piece, folding back carpet, making one PROPER wiring repair (which should last the life time of the vehicle) will cause more problems than removing your entire interior, your dashboard, and replacing a very expensive wiring harness with multiple connections that you now have disturbed which needs to be routed as originally from the factory, your car which could have been repaired in.....I dont know, an hour or two depending on the actual wiring repair now has taken one full day or more. Now you complain that there is a rattle that was not present prior to the repair which leads to yet another interior trim tear down which means your vehicle is down more time, you are now yelling at the service manager, making your advisor and technician feel like they have failed which results in a huge inconvenience for everyone because you wanted the entire harness replaced and not just a simple wiring repair!!! RJJ, YOU DIDNT APPROVE OF THE REPAIR!? WHO IS THE PROFESSIONAL? WHY DIDNT YOU DIAGNOSE AT MAKE THE REPAIR YOURSELF?

Sorry if I come off a little harsh, but come one people!! Give us a break. The vehicles that I see come in with a weird problems that has take time to figure out, car has been down a couple of days to insure it doesnt leave with the problem etc....the customers that listen to there advisor, are courteous and cooporative and try to understand what there advisor is telling them always come out on top. We appericate those customers. We love servicing their vehicles. Offer free oil changes, discounts etc...... Then you have the customers that demand, demand, complain complain, so yea..........the demanding and complaining is getting what you want because we dont want to lose a customer because thats our job, but do you really think that we want to service those customers? Do you really think we care if we lose you as a customer..my boss would say yes, because one person is a thousand words which could branch off on other potential customers, but honestly? No one really cares if the complaining, demanding, and never happy no matter what you do customer returns!


Im done venting, I have to be at work tommorow at 7:30am ET, unlock my tool box and service my customers vehicles to the best of my ability! Good night.

 

to the site!! Glad you got your venting out!! We all need that from time to time. The truth is there are good dealerships and there are bad dealerships. If you would search through all the posts you will find positive comments from people on their service and their dealership. You would hope every GM employee thought like you but not all do. And that goes for all Manufacturers. My last car, a 2004 Chrysler Crossfire, came with a Premiere Customer Service Package that was suppose to give you a free loaner for any kind of service done on it. This was one of the reasons why we picked this particular car over others because time is valuable. After moving from one city to another the new dealership we were going to have it serviced at said they would not honor this. Well, let me just say 2 months later we know longer owned this car! If you can't make the customer happy they will go elsewhere.

 

Well hey there Mr Technician
I must tell you that you must not take everything to Heart. We the owners of the HHr and I am only speaking about HHr's are getting a bad Rap. So here is my Question to you as a Professional, Why is it that the HHr has so many problem with the Brakes and Rotors. I am very lucky, My good friends at Shepard Chevrolet in Lake Forest Illinois is a very good Dealership and like you they are also Professionals, They have repaired my Brakes and Rotors 3 - 4 time in one year. I put on over 38,000 miles a year and it seems the one of the biggest problems with the HHr's are the Brakes and Rotors. I have never been given a problem when I have taken my HHr in for Service, Now just to let you know the Dealership were I purchased my vehicles is OK but not as Great as my friends in Lake Forrest.

So Mr Technician what is your Professional Opinon on the Brakes & Rotors

awaiting reply and welcome to the Site

Rudy (Z-Man) aka LLB

 

Your Dealership must be wonderful to work for. NOT all Dealerships are great to visit.

Parts that take over three weeks, wrong part ordered, problems not fixed well because they do not know what has caused it. Water leaks that come only when it rains, and yet the car goes back to the same Dealer, for the same reason, to be told Okay it is fixed now, till the next rain, and the process starts all over again.

There are good Dealers and there are bad ones.
Let me give you mine:

I went in knowing what I wanted. The found one 300 miles away, but the interior was grey, Okay. The next day I rec a call, sorry can not get that one. So the lookwas on again, The next day they had located another one. So they go to get it, well the Dealers son liked the wheels and took them off and put 15 on the HHR. Would not replace the wheels. So did not get this one. Then they found another one on the east coast, went to get it.
The next day it can in, I was so happy, went to see the HHR.

The detailer was working on it in front of the show room, took out a knife and cut to the bare metal a quarter size area where the other dealer had their sticker. I watched in horror as this happened. So now my new car needed to be painted not just the area but a lot more according to the owner of the Dealership. In addition, the HHR had damage on the right panel above the wheel area, where the pieces go together, it was bowed out and bright orange pait was plainly seen, so of course the hood was not on straight. This was noted in paper at that time as were other minor problems.

I brought the HHR back in to have the paint work done,I thought that the wheel area was to be fixed as well. Car was ready 4 days later and 150 miles later. The body shop was on the dealers lot. Now the front bumber has paint missing and the wheel area was not fixed, I inquired about this. I was told that I had hit something and was trying to pull a fast one on them but they were to smart. WRONG THING TO SAY!

Three weeks later and a different Dealer took care of the problem.

The Dealer were it came from was the one pulling a fast one, I drove over to the East Coast to find out info. Talked to the owner and with research, yes they did do some repairs there, in fact the Owner was quite mad cause it was done in this way.

A new Dealer has been found, even thu they would prefer that the HHR would go to the Dealer I bought it from for all of the warranty work. I WILL NEVER GO THERE again

This the kind of bad stuff that does go on, at least in other than your Dealership.

Question for you, how can the wheels be rotated when they have locks on them and I have the key in my purse? This has also happened to me a the New Dealer I am not looking for an honest Dealer.

 

Welcome ASE GM Master Certified Technician. I am sure that most Technicians as very, very compentent and honest and hope my local Technicians are as truthful as you are.

But, IMO, it is not from the Technician where the issues come from. It is often from the Service Advisors and/or the Service Manager, in most cases, that we, customers, get the most problems from. I have been lied to, treated very poorly, and left stranded by a particular service dealership. This was from the same dealership I bought the HHR from. In fact, between the Sales dept and Service dept, is the difference between black and white. And you are correct. The answer is to go somewhere else that really wants your business.

But another point I would like to make. Yes, I agree that you, as a Technician are the professional. But, we as customers, are in the vehicle day and night, and are the best source of understanding what is wrong with the vehicle. But most Technicians do not get the opportunity to get to talk to the customers. Occasionally, the Service Manager will come out, and that is usually after he and the Advisor had talked.

But anyway, OK, I have vented, and I am still looking for another dealer ship to service my HHR. I only know that I will never go back to the where it was bought. They burned me twice already. But I am still happy with the HHR!!!!

 

I've gotta say, I'm batting .500.

The dealer I bought my HHR from, the service manager was horrible!(Feld Chevrolet)

The dealer I bought my wife's HHR, Weber Chevrolet, is the best!!

I think it starts at the top. Owners and upper managers determine the tone of the dealership. Regardless of how well trained and professional the techs may be, and to be honest, all of them are not very professional, its the service manager and the advisors who make or break the customer service experience.

 

F'n awesome post Technician.

 

Well, I am about 50/50 with my local dealer. The replaced my rear drums fine no question, replaced my rotors at 8,000 miles, with no problem. BUT THEY WILL DO NOTHING about my grinding going into and out of third. This only happens in really COLD weather. I first thought I didn't have the clutch pushed in far enough. They told me to let my HHR warm up for 15-20 minutes before I drive it, and it will be fine. They then tell me that they can not reproduce the symptoms, but I took the service manager on a road trip, and physically showed him, and he agreed it was not correct.... but they will do NOTHING to further check the problem. Their response it to let it warm up... for in my opinion longer than I should have to.

 

So what you are saying is, when we get bad service, we should just accept the screwing we are getting, accept poor service and workmanship, and never complain? Just take our business elsewhere? What the hell is that? Whatever happened to customer service. Where are the "Can Do Attitudes" that we (your customers) deserve. When I read something like that post, I get the feeling that you think we should be thankful for poor service. I think you have it all wrong! You (the dealership) MUST earn the right to call us your customer! NUF SAID!

 

I agree with the Technician also.
ALL veh. have problems at some time. We, on this forum, just have a venue to voice our grievances and it makes it appear to be an isolated/major issue.
Try to remember that this is (mid scale at best) not the finest, top of the line veh. that GM produces. Trading up is always a possibility.
And those cars have problems too.