Chevy Dealer "Can't Install My Leveling Kit"....

overthebars · March 17, 2016

When I bought my truck and mentioned how extreme the rake seemed, my dealer brought up the fact that they could install a level kit for me. I have no clue who they bought the kit from or if a table full of elves were making them in the back room, but the fact is they offered me an option to my issue and provided great customer service while doing so.

I can definitely understand the dealer not wanting to install a kit they don't provide, but it sounds like Freshstart's dealer is overall pretty poor. Having rude employees in this competitive industry is ludicrous.

Ridersfan · March 17, 2016

How in the hell does that make me the problem. That's ignorance speaking. I am a former service advisor and understand the entire process. My point is that I choose to take my truck to a dealership that offers leveling kits and full suspension packages. I realize that it's not "their" level kit, but it was not a part I provided. It was a level kit that they offer through their parts department and install in their service department and do so every day. The fact that they actively promote and install such products makes it pretty difficult for them to say that the level kit was the cause of any warranty type problems since they sell and install them.

A dealership has every right to not sell or install them and I certainly understand why they would not. I also would not be upset if they chose not do that. So why would you say I am the problem when a dealership has 20 jacked up brand new trucks lined up front and offered to install a level kit on my brand new truck? You seriously think they are jacking up all these trucks and then voiding warranties? I have done business with them for a long time and they are great to work with. They do in fact have a "magic wand" ? Who gets to decide what is warranty and what is not? Certainly not me. I have seen dealerships go out of their way to make sure warranty covers some issues I have had and I have seen some that try to stick it to you by making false claims. My wife was told by a non GM dealer that if she didn't do a $400 30,000 mile service on her car that it would void the warranty. Just like the $8 in cabin air filters that they charge $40 for, $40 air filters, $30 wiper blades and everything else they jack up on uninformed customers. I can assure you I am informed and understand what is and is not covered!!

I read into your original post that you would have your dealership do it because then if it causes a problem, they'll cover it... and that is not the case. Adding aftermarket equipment - no matter who physically added it... may effect warranty. Whether it was done at your selling dealership or done in your driveway, aftermarket is aftermarket... and if it causes a problem, it's not GM's problem... and your dealerships service department can't just make it GM's problem. Period. There are people that think if their dealership does it that it has to be covered, and that's just wrong. That is how I interpreted your original post. If I'm wrong, and misinterpreted what you meant... I apologize. But if that's what you meant, I stand by it... that kind of attitude is what causes dealerships to refuse to do work like what's being discussed.

akirby · March 18, 2016

I am somewhere in between in that my point was not to make it there problem because they installed an aftermarket product. My point is there are just as many shady dealerships as there are people looking for a handout. Many of them are quick to deny something under warranty because you and I both know that the shop and mechanic make more money when they charge the customer for repairs than when they write it up as warranty. GM is not there standing and looking at the vehicle, so essentially the dealers ARE the ones deciding what they want to repair. My point was that i felt much safer having them install a basic two inch spacer on my truck in order to level it out just to be on the safe side. If for some reason a shock, strut or any other part of the suspension were to fail they are not going to tell me that it was due to the two inch spacer that they installed themselves!! Whereas if I did business with a dealership that is not as open minded, they are quick to deny warranty claims on anything they can find. This is from experience, not my opinion. I am not saying that it is wrong for dealerships to not accept any aftermarket products. You did not read or understand my original post and then blamed me for being "the problem". I am an extremely educated middle school principal that understands the difference between right and wrong.My post was not to say that anyone is pulling a fast one by having the dealership install aftermarket products. I think we can both agree that a dealership that actively promotes these types of lifts is going to be much more open minded when it comes to warranty claims.

I read into your original post that you would have your dealership do it because then if it causes a problem, they'll cover it... and that is not the case. Adding aftermarket equipment - no matter who physically added it... may effect warranty. Whether it was done at your selling dealership or done in your driveway, aftermarket is aftermarket... and if it causes a problem, it's not GM's problem... and your dealerships service department can't just make it GM's problem. Period. There are people that think if their dealership does it that it has to be covered, and that's just wrong. That is how I interpreted your original post. If I'm wrong, and misinterpreted what you meant... I apologize. But if that's what you meant, I stand by it... that kind of attitude is what causes dealerships to refuse to do work like what's being discussed.

Ridersfan · March 18, 2016

I am somewhere in between in that my point was not to make it there problem because they installed an aftermarket product. My point is there are just as many shady dealerships as there are people looking for a handout. Many of them are quick to deny something under warranty because you and I both know that the shop and mechanic make more money when they charge the customer for repairs than when they write it up as warranty. GM is not there standing and looking at the vehicle, so essentially the dealers ARE the ones deciding what they want to repair. My point was that i felt much safer having them install a basic two inch spacer on my truck in order to level it out just to be on the safe side. If for some reason a shock, strut or any other part of the suspension were to fail they are not going to tell me that it was due to the two inch spacer that they installed themselves!! Whereas if I did business with a dealership that is not as open minded, they are quick to deny warranty claims on anything they can find. This is from experience, not my opinion. I am not saying that it is wrong for dealerships to not accept any aftermarket products. You did not read or understand my original post and then blamed me for being "the problem". I am an extremely educated middle school principal that understands the difference between right and wrong.My post was not to say that anyone is pulling a fast one by having the dealership install aftermarket products. I think we can both agree that a dealership that actively promotes these types of lifts is going to be much more open minded when it comes to warranty claims.

A dealership doesn't "deny" a warranty claim, GM is the one who denies a warranty claim. So, if you think that a dealership is setting out to try and get retail money instead of warranty money... you are mistaken. A dealership will pass on doing something iffy because if GM refuses to pay the claim after the work is done and the customer has their vehicle back, it's darn tough to get the customer to come back in and foot the bill... leaving the dealership to eat it all. A dealership may decide not to attempt a claim for warranty if there is a reasonable chance that it will be denied so that they aren't left doing free work with nobody paying the bill. When it's cut & dry that GM will foot the bill, it is most definitely put through under warranty. I will agree that a dealership that actively promotes such things is more receptive to doing warranty work on a vehicle modified by aftermarket components than a dealership that does not.

But since you call me ignorant, think yourself to be "extremely educated", think that dealers are shady... I have my own opinion of you as well... without the name calling, and leave it at that.

akirby · March 18, 2016

You just keep pulling inserts out of my posts and re-delivering them the way you see fit. I said there are just as many shady dealerships as there people looking for a handout. Yet again you make a generalization that "dealers are shady" from a post of mine, yet I talk about how wonderful my current dealership has been to work with. You insinuated from my original post that I was the problem because I was trying to pull one over on the dealerships. Ignorance stems from being unaware, unfamiliar, or lack of information all of which describes what you posted when you stated I was the problem. I have first have knowledge of working at a dealership, being raked over the coals at a dealership and having a fantastic relationship with a dealership. I would consider myself educated with the process and my original post, which simply stated my opinion on why I felt comfortable putting a 2" leveling kit on a brand new truck at the dealership instead of my driveway.

Calling someone the "problem" is no different than being ignorant with a reply

A dealership doesn't "deny" a warranty claim, GM is the one who denies a warranty claim. So, if you think that a dealership is setting out to try and get retail money instead of warranty money... you are mistaken. A dealership will pass on doing something iffy because if GM refuses to pay the claim after the work is done and the customer has their vehicle back, it's darn tough to get the customer to come back in and foot the bill... leaving the dealership to eat it all. A dealership may decide not to attempt a claim for warranty if there is a reasonable chance that it will be denied so that they aren't left doing free work with nobody paying the bill. When it's cut & dry that GM will foot the bill, it is most definitely put through under warranty. I will agree that a dealership that actively promotes such things is more receptive to doing warranty work on a vehicle modified by aftermarket components than a dealership that does not.

But since you call me ignorant, think yourself to be "extremely educated", think that dealers are shady... I have my own opinion of you as well... without the name calling, and leave it at that.

Ridersfan · March 18, 2016

You just keep pulling inserts out of my posts and re-delivering them the way you see fit. I said there are just as many shady dealerships as there people looking for a handout. Yet again you make a generalization that "dealers are shady" from a post of mine, yet I talk about how wonderful my current dealership has been to work with. You insinuated from my original post that I was the problem because I was trying to pull one over on the dealerships. Ignorance stems from being unaware, unfamiliar, or lack of information all of which describes what you posted when you stated I was the problem. I have first have knowledge of working at a dealership, being raked over the coals at a dealership and having a fantastic relationship with a dealership. I would consider myself educated with the process and my original post, which simply stated my opinion on why I felt comfortable putting a 2" leveling kit on a brand new truck at the dealership instead of my driveway.

Calling someone the "problem" is no different than being ignorant with a reply

Ignorance-defined as a state of not knowing. I quit this thread, it's going nowhere and I don't have any respect for you now and will end up saying something that will get me booted from this forum. Let's call it you won. There, feel better?