GM Warranty - does it actually work ?

[strafingmoose]

Hi,

 

So I recently bought a 2007 GM Sierra still under warranty. Until 10/2012 actually.

 

Before going ahead with the transaction, I had it inspected at the local GM dealership in the town where I bought it.

 

Brakes needed to be changed and a leaking transmission gasket ("between the engine and the transmission" they told me) but the truck could still roll around without a problem for a while.

 

No biggie, the place where I bought it offered to change the brakes and the gasket is covered by the warranty.

 

So I told the GM dealership to go ahead with the leak repair and when done, would bring it back to the seller so I can have the brakes done.

 

Turns out the GM dealership sat on his hand for 4 days complaining they did not have the part.

 

OK, crap dealership, I'll just bring the truck back to get the brakes done by the reseller and then have the leak repaired at my local GM dealership.

 

Off the lot I was heading back home.

 

Yesterday night, I brought the truck in my local GM dealership and asked them to repair the leak.

 

Nothing was done as of now. They can't even tell me if they have the needed parts since they have not even looked at it (even though my truck was on this blackboard they have in the service office, scheduled for 8AM this morning).

 

Service coordinator told me he was going to give me an update at 4PM, but the guy's shift actually ends at 4PM (Ha Ha, very funny)

 

So in short, are GM warranties crap ? Is GM paying the dealerships less hourly than what customers pay when they're out of warranty ?

 

Is this why I'm getting shitcanned, because I'm not paying out of my own pockets ? Because I have a warranty ?!

 

Maybe someone who works at a dealership can fill me up on this one. How much is GM paying the dealerships to honour the warranties ?

 

Did you guys ever had issues having your warranty serviced ?

 

EDIT: I was getting sterling service at this same dealer when I was paying out of my pocket to get my 2003 Sierra fixed.

[RyanbabZ71]

Its not GM's fault. The dealers are independently owned. Call the gm customer service 800 number if you are unhappy and not getting the proper service

[Stevens03]

No, they work, I've never had a problem myself.

 

Sounds like your dealing with a dealership that believes the customers that purchase at the dealership get preferred service. Since your truck wasn't purchased at these dealerships, there just taking there time. They can't deny you, but they can delay.

 

In my eyes, that makes for a poor dealership instead of treating everyone like no. 1.

 

Years ago dealerships use to ask "And who was your sales person" before allowing you to schedule. And if I didn't buy from that dealership, oddly they didn't have an appointment open for near a month. That dealership never got my next purchase.

 

Call GM Customer service. I'd complain to them because I don't think GM would appreciate what they are doing. Good luck.

[music]

I've had very good service under warranty. GM is pretty serious about dealer ratings, so I'm surprised. Maybe they're really that busy?

[old-chevy-dude]

techs don't get paid hourly, they get paid by the piece, the more and faster they fix stuff the more hours they can bill..

 

If the job requires 4 hours and they knock it out in 2 they still get paid for 4 because that is what the pre-determined job hour rate is..

 

 

insofar as your issue, it's the dealer, has nothing to do with GM, dealers are independently owned and operated, so if they are sitting on their ass and not doing it, it is because either they are over booked, lack the correct tech with the correct skill set to do it, or require parts or assistance from the GM tech support (GTAC) for the tech..

 

so I would be taking it up with the Service Manager, or the General Manager and if that gets you no where, call GM Warranty Customer Service, who in turn can contact the Local GM Field Reps that are supposed to be sure the dealers are following GM guidelines.

 

 

I've personally never had an issue with a GM dealer in this regard, but I have with Chrysler, and getting to the Chrysler Rep (Chrysler calls them District Managers) got my $hit squared away forthwith.

[MikeNH]

Techs do make less on warranty repairs and I'm sure the dealer does too. They all have warranty cost targets to stay under and they also have to make sure any work is documented very detailed otherwise the DPSM or whatever it is in GM land can deny reimbursement for the warranty claim to the dealer and they'll end up eating the cost.

[strafingmoose]

MikeNH

 

Yeah, that's what I think too. Went to the dealer earlier tonight, truck wasn't even moved from the spot I parked it in last night. They only went in to add this numbered card onto the rear view mirror and that's about it. Apparently, they're very busy, but the thing they don't know is this is my first taste of a GM vehicle under warranty and for sure won't ever be paying full price for service like that.

 

I don't care about them being busy, outsource tire installation to monkeys and concentrate on the real stuff.

[sonjaab]

Possibly the "heavy line" tech was booked solid or backed up on work.

If you have a leaking rear main seal thats a LOT of work so its not like a

quick in and out procedure.

[strafingmoose]

I don't care so much about it being a long procedure, but for pete's sake, they should at least assess the work needed and tell me what's up. I don't think it's the rear main seal, the leak is in the front.

[69camarorag]

I was a GM dealer service advisor for 10 years, and now with Nissan Infiniti. It should not surprise anyone that in a BUSY dealership, vehicles purchased at that dealer must get priority. Yes, warranty work is not a lucrative portion of most dealerships. From my experience, the biggest mistake people make, is trying to bully their way through the process. Picture yourself in a business where one customer wants to spend money and the other wants everything free. Naturally, you would concentrate on the customer paying you. The job you described would probably mean re and re of the trans, which would probably be around 4-6 hours labor, which would be considered a sizeable job in the big picture.

 

Not saying Strafingmoose approached the dealer in this way, just trying to shed light from the other side of the fence. Treating the Service Advisor and Service Manager with courtesy and respect goes a long way!

[wavery]

I was a GM dealer service advisor for 10 years, and now with Nissan Infiniti. It should not surprise anyone that in a BUSY dealership, vehicles purchased at that dealer must get priority. Yes, warranty work is not a lucrative portion of most dealerships. From my experience, the biggest mistake people make, is trying to bully their way through the process. Picture yourself in a business where one customer wants to spend money and the other wants everything free. Naturally, you would concentrate on the customer paying you. The job you described would probably mean re and re of the trans, which would probably be around 4-6 hours labor, which would be considered a sizeable job in the big picture.

 

Not saying Strafingmoose approached the dealer in this way, just trying to shed light from the other side of the fence. Treating the Service Advisor and Service Manager with courtesy and respect goes a long way!

 

This is correct. Although, I will throw in another wrinkle. Most Service Advisers are paid on commission. Often times, the customer paid repairs are paid a higher % commission than Warranty. This can cause the type of experience that you are having, especially if the Service Adviser knows that you won't be back for retail work. They pick-up on that stuff real quick.

 

I always paid my Service Advisers partially on commission (same for retail and Wty) and the % was based on the Service Adviser's total CSI rating.

[RyanbabZ71]

I would agree at least a courtesy call would be nice and should be expected. The local dealer here will call and update me when I was getting my truck looked at. This will keep me as a customer for sure.

[sonjaab]

I don't care so much about it being a long procedure, but for pete's sake, they should ................

 

 

ATTITUDE has a LOT to do with it !

I can see some here so maybe thats why its taking so long!

 

Anyhoo........My 07 needed a new starter (under warranty) while I was outta town and the nearest

dealer couldn't touch it for a WEEK! GM will only tow it to the nearest dealer instead of my home

dealer.

 

A bit of sweettakin' and a box of doughnuts had it at the dealer up the street from me and

DONE the NEXT DAY!

 

Again attitude BOTH with the folks at the GM customer 800 line and a few phone calls to

nearby dealers had it in the door and fixed in a day!

Yet again it was a simple fix...........................

[MaverickZ71]

 

Sounds like your dealing with a dealership that believes the customers that purchase at the dealership get preferred service. Since your truck wasn't purchased at these dealerships, there just taking there time. They can't deny you, but they can delay.

 

In my eyes, that makes for a poor dealership instead of treating everyone like no. 1.

 

Years ago dealerships use to ask "And who was your sales person" before allowing you to schedule. And if I didn't buy from that dealership, oddly they didn't have an appointment open for near a month. That dealership never got my next purchase.

 

 

Same for me. I live a block away from one of the biggest GM dealers in the state. Not to name any names, but everyone around here calls this dealer "Bozo's". Way back in '97, I had a brand-new Impala SS that needed warranty work for a leaking pinion seal, so I took it to Bozo's. Very first thing they did during this warranty visit was walk around to the back of the car and see another dealer's decal on the back and comment "OH, we didn't sell you this car!" and let me tell you, their attitudes and the service/warranty experience went all downhill from there. Had the car in there two more times and never was able to get it fixed correctly. And they put a deep scratch in the driver's side mirror when they drove it into a standing frame-type lift without folding in the mirrors, but they denied doing so and refused to fix that too. Afterwards this dealer started hounding me with customer satisfaction surveys, which I threw in the trash. Then they called and had the gall to tell me how important it was that I answered their questionnaire saying how good a job they did for me, as it would help them with Chevrolet. I told them I was doing them a big favor by not responding! Bottom line is, with some dealers, you get what you pay for. Seems to me that anywhere in the Chevrolet network should willingly perform warranty service, like the sales brochures and owners manual imply. Now I avoid Bozo's like the plague, and drive over 100 miles one way to an honest small town dealer to have my service work done (I do routine maintenance myself). Funny thing is, ol' Bozo's runs a continuing tv ad in which the millionaire owner says "thank you for your trust and confidence", but nobody I know has any for him!

[wavery]

 

 

Sounds like your dealing with a dealership that believes the customers that purchase at the dealership get preferred service. Since your truck wasn't purchased at these dealerships, there just taking there time. They can't deny you, but they can delay.

 

In my eyes, that makes for a poor dealership instead of treating everyone like no. 1.

 

Years ago dealerships use to ask "And who was your sales person" before allowing you to schedule. And if I didn't buy from that dealership, oddly they didn't have an appointment open for near a month. That dealership never got my next purchase.

 

Call GM Customer service. I'd complain to them because I don't think GM would appreciate what they are doing. Good luck.

 

I'm not sure why this attitude that "a customer that bought a car from me has priority over a customer that bought a car elsewhere" should be so strange.

 

Put the shoe on the other foot. Say you bought your car from the dealership and have it serviced at that dealership...... wouldn't you expect to get some priority out of that loyalty?

 

What other industry can you think of, has a policy that would give the same priority of repair service to a customer that bought a product from a competitor?

 

I find it odd that people are surprised when they buy a new vehicle (or any other retail product) because they get a better purchase price from dealer "A" but take the car for service at dealer "B" and expect to be treated like they bought the car at dealer "B".

 

The customer should be treated with respect no matter where the item was purchased but expecting to get the same level of service is just not realistic IMO..... life just doesn't work that way.