Dealership Service Bashing

Pauleo · Post by **Pauleo** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 6:20 pm

I have had my Crew in the shop 3 times since I last posted about the thump/clunk noise in my front end. Each time the dealership replaced different parts and called the job done. I guess they never test drove it after they worked on it because the noise was and is still there. The last time it was in, they discovered a tranny mount was bad. They replaced that and made a note on my paperwork that said, "Slight noise from lower ball joints. They are not factory. Not covered by warranty. Customer refused replacement."

I was VERY mad! Every time I went to them, I told them that the noise sounded like the same noise I had right before they replaced the ball joints a little over a year ago! Apparently, they never checked them until now! The "service advisor" told me that they didn't appear to be factory and wanted to know if I changed them when I did my lift!!!

I said, "It's a BODY LIFT! I only lifted the body off of the frame!!! It has nothing to do with the ball joints! They APPEAR to not be factory because you guys replaced them once already!"

MAN! What idiots!

I now have an appointment for Monday to get both lower ball joints replaced.

AMEN!!!

chumley · Post by **chumley** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 12:58 am

And they wonder why people go postal...

Pauleo · Post by **Pauleo** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 6:11 am

Yeah! I love this dealership. Really. All the departments are VERY good to me & treat customers fairly. But I absolutely HATE the service dept.. The only reason I go there is because my extended warranty is from them. If I go any place else to have warranty work done, I have to pay a $100 deductable. I guess I just have to grin and bear it!

barch97 · Post by **barch97** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 12:37 pm

I've paid more than a hundred bucks for a little satisfaction a time or two

Pauleo · Post by **Pauleo** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 12:53 pm

barch97 wrote:I've paid more than a hundred bucks for a little satisfaction a time or two

Barch, I don't even think I wanna know what you're talking about!!

chumley · Post by **chumley** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 2:38 am

Dealerships are scumbags! My wife bought a FULLY loaded Yukon-'02. Had it for several months, winter rolls around, defroster doesn't work (kinda important in winter, no?) Service mgr treats her like a dumb woman, gives her a hard time while she's at work- he calls her and gives her crap b/c she hasn't scheduled oil changes/ maintenance with them, and proceeds to tell her the car probably needs to warm up 5-10 min. She says I let it run for 15min, still nothing. He continues to give her a hard time. She's a Pharmacist, filling people's prescriptions while this Jackass is giving her the whats up on the phone. NICE! Wife calls me, I pay Mr Service Mgr a visit after work and inform him that I realize they were happy accepting our $45k for the vehicle but if she tells you something needs to be looked at I expect you to respect her wishes and make an appt to check it out. Wife + 2 kids in it , winter and NO defroster? I tell him it DOES NOT WORK, not just her imagination and the next time he calls my wife at work and says ANYTHING except Mrs Chumley your car is done I will drag you across the counter, outside, etc, etc. The defroster was fixed- A bad head unit or something, and Mr service mgr has been very helpful to my wife ever since.

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 3:28 am

killian96ss wrote:
Pauleo wrote:I have had my Crew in the shop 3 times since I last posted about the thump/clunk noise in my front end. Each time the dealership replaced different parts and called the job done.
Check your front upper control arm bushings. I've had 3 replaced under warranty that made a similar noise. Overall I was having the same exact issues with my dealer as you are having with yours. They would replace something and say here you go. I wouldn't even get to the end of the street before it started making the same thump/clunk noise again. Here is everything that was done before the noise finally went away, (torsion bar mount bushings, shimmed torsion bar mounts, readjusted torsion bar crank, and 3 front upper control arm busings). Hopefully the ball joints will cure your problem, but if not then try some of these items as well. The dealer is only guessing at what's wrong that's why they just replace something, give you your truck back and they don't see you again.

Steve

Mine had a poping sound when turning sharp right into a parking space. I know the dealer never would have found the problem...it may have gone away with an alignment. The tie rod ends were not lined up, I loosened one of the clamps and turned the wheel lock to lock, tightened the clamp and never had the pop again.

BADs Crew · Post by **BADs Crew** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 3:59 am

A service managers job is simple common sense. Is it under warranty? Is it broke? Did the customer damage it? The rite answers to the questions gives you the outcome. I am a service manager and if the problem is reported even up to 30 days past the warranty period we fix it. If you had to show this guy that the defroster didn't work then they need a new service manager. You should have never had to go there. A fried of mine took his new Camaro to the dealer for its first oil change. They never put the plug back in the pan. His wife picks up the car, starts it to leave and locks up the engine. Then they want to rebuild it telling him that its their call. Well after he chases the service manager through the show room to kick his a$$ they gave him a "New Car" I'm with ya Chumley

Pauleo · Post by **Pauleo** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 9:27 am

I realize that EVERY business is out to make money. If they found something else wrong with my truck while they were looking for the problem I brought it in for, good for them. They deserve a pat on the back. They were just being thorough. But test drive the vehicle and make sure that the customer's complaint has been addressed. Don't assume that a bad idler arm was the culprit, (which was one of the things they fixed) change it out and hand me the keys. For crying out loud, CHECK IT!!!

What makes my story so bad is that I told them every time that I brought it in that it was making the same darned noise it was making just before they changed the ball joints last time!

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 10:33 am

I am entirely on your side but, sometimes the old "Could not duplicate customer's complaint" is valid.

I had a noise, similar to yours, that the dealer, from which I bought "said 2002 Chevrolet 4.3L S-10 Crew Cab Pick up truck" (where is Qamar, anyway?) and they couldn't fix it

Well, that was when I was battling GM so, I made darn sure it was happening on a consistent basis and I would be da_ned, when I made an appointment with my new dealer and when I had him in the truck I could not repeat it for them

I drove off in my loaner thinking that I'd failed and I would be called to come and get it with some incorrect part replaced and the problem unsolved.

They called and were able to duplicate the noise and fixed it right the very first time

They just have to want to help you and the way the economy is going, alot of these smart a__ "service managers" will be flipping burgers if, they do not get their "Head and A_s wired together!"

Pauleo · Post by **Pauleo** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 12:07 pm

f9k9 wrote:I am entirely on your side but, sometimes the old "Could not duplicate customer's complaint" is valid....

If'n they "Couldn't Duplicate Customer's Complaint" on this issue, then they are even dumber than I originally thought! When you pull out of their driveway, it's a slight drop. So the truck makes the noise as soon as the front tires go off of it. Then, across the street, there are some train tracks. If you were gonna test drive a vehicle for a front end noise when going over bumps, wouldn't ya think that you could pull out of the driveway & drive across the street with the darned truck at the very LEAST???

Sorry to sound so upset. But guess what? I'M UPSET!!!!
Wonderful dealership service. They are a bunch of Donny Dumb D--k's if you ask me!

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 1:11 pm

sorry if I was comparing apples to oranges. I was just explaining a problem I had and was sure that it was consistent enough to show them and Murphy and his law reared his ugly head....

Blaze One · Post by **Blaze One** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 4:38 pm

I have had a similar experience with the dealership i bought my truck from , I brought it in because the 4wd light came on , so they said it was a $110 acuator . then it ran fine after that . but 2 months later the light came on again. The dealership said that when they tested the truck it was working fine . so i took my truck back and was on my way . 2months after that . it came on again . So i bring it in and they said that the computer is screwed up and that they have reset it to make the 4wd work right , but if it comes on again i would need a new computer ( $1500) . So I was wondering , since this problem was intermitant , how could they have known that the acuator was the problem to begin with , and not the computer all along . Then it hit me , the truck was still under warranty when they said it was the actuator . So basically they waited , and kept reseting the computer , until my truck was not under warrenty so they would not have to pay for the new computer . Bastards ! . THEN after i get the computer installed( no choice since the truck was locked in 4lo ) I get the truck back and it has a vibration/shaking when i turn . So back it went . They had it for 4 days and still could not tell me what was causing it so they just gave it back and said " we can't help you " . 4 months later the tranny blew ! . that is what the vibration was I guess . OH and before i bought the truck they said it went through a 140 point inspection and that the only thing that need replaceing was the brake pads . So that meant that it qualified for there certified program( extra warrenty) . But when it was in for a new tranny they said that the motor mounts were shot and that it had been like that for a while .
A salesman/dealership will Sc**w his own mother for a dollar ! (not all but atleast this one )

So after $5000 in repairs , atleast its still shiny !

Pauleo · Post by **Pauleo** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 7:47 pm

f9k9 wrote:sorry if I was comparing apples to oranges. I was just explaining a problem I had and was sure that it was consistent enough to show them and Murphy and his law reared his ugly head....

Oh, you have nothing to be sorry about, buddy. I know how those things work too. I have a fuel pump that is "extra noisy." (The service advisor's words.) Every time it was making the noise, I tried to drive it to the dealership & it wouldn't make the noise. Unable to duplicate. Then ABRACADABRA! I finally caught it & drove it to them in time. That was when they finally told me that, although they admit it was much louder than usual, it wouldn't be covered under warranty. It has to actually FAIL! But if I wanted it taken care, they woud gladly make me an appointment. At MY expense that is! So I guess I better not drive too far from home, huh?

Oh well, I guess

Pauleo · Post by **Pauleo** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 7:50 pm

WOW! I just realized that I kinda turned poor HJ's "Balljoint Failure" thread into a "Dealership Service Bashing" thread!

Sorry, Brule!

Blaze One · Post by **Blaze One** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 8:08 pm

lol , yeah but everyone has to vent .
we'll try and keep it on topic now .

Pauleo · Post by **Pauleo** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 8:12 pm

Yep. The key word there was "TRY!"

Post by **HenryJ** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 8:48 pm

Pauleo wrote:WOW! I just realized that I kinda turned poor HJ's "Balljoint Failure" thread into a "Dealership Service Bashing" thread!

Sorry, Brule!

No problem I split the topic

Blaze One · Post by **Blaze One** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 8:52 pm

someone needs to forward this to the person incharge of making sure that GM dealerships are giving GM a good reputation .

killian96ss · Post by **killian96ss** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 10:49 pm

Pauleo wrote:But test drive the vehicle and make sure that the customer's complaint has been addressed. Don't assume that a bad idler arm was the culprit, (which was one of the things they fixed) change it out and hand me the keys. For crying out loud, CHECK IT!!!

This would be my main complaint also which has now happened at 2 different GM dealerships. I realize that they are truly trying to find the problem, but at least verify that the part you just replaced actually fixed the customers complaint. If they would have simply done this in the first place then they could have fixed my truck in 1 visit versus 4.

Steve

Pauleo · Post by **Pauleo** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 8:38 pm

killian96ss wrote:
Pauleo wrote:But test drive the vehicle and make sure that the customer's complaint has been addressed. Don't assume that a bad idler arm was the culprit, (which was one of the things they fixed) change it out and hand me the keys. For crying out loud, CHECK IT!!!
This would be my main complaint also which has now happened at 2 different GM dealerships. I realize that they are truly trying to find the problem, but at least verify that the part you just replaced actually fixed the customers complaint. If they would have simply done this in the first place then they could have fixed my truck in 1 visit versus 4.

Steve

Yep! I take the truck back to them AGAIN tomorrow morning. I CAN'T WAIT to see if they actually fix it this time.

snocat1 · Post by **snocat1** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 5:45 pm

Have you guys taken the service tech with on a test drive and point the noise out when you are driving? Just a

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 6:19 pm

I did and it made me out a liar

killian96ss · Post by **killian96ss** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 6:59 pm

f9k9 wrote:I did and it made me out a liar

I've felt the same way before when the problem seems to hide while the tech is with you.

It's almost as if the truck can sense them.

Sometimes you get lucky, and sometimes you don't.

Steve

RocK · Post by **RocK** » Sun Nov 06, 2005 10:47 am

Do yall know that dealerships get paid for doing warranty work... It would seem to me that having work to do is way better than going broke waiting for that non warranty work to come in. LMAO thats pretty much the reason that I quit working at a dealership in IL. Mid winter there is no work, or at least very little. Watching people fight over jobs paying as little as 15 min book time is a sad sight. But then again I really hate the dealer mentality charge way too much and consider everyone an idiot until bodily harm is a factor. lol. My .02