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Praise Or Hate Your Service Dept.

Wiki

Full Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2002
Messages
2,976
Location
Columbia, SC
I just wanted to find out how everyone elses Chevrolet Service Departments treat them.

As for mine, they bend over backwards for you. I had my AV in for several diff things and each one the service manager took time to be with me one on one. Not only that but my mechanic makes sure to talk to me whenever he sees me and has even invited me to be in the pitts with him at the races (pitt crew mechanic).

Anybody else have anything good or bad to say.....nows your time to VENT...lol!
 
I'm "neutral" to "good", I guess....

They still charge a boatload for any parts. ?I kind of whined once on some oil filter lines for my Blazer - the guy says, "yeah, that is a lot, lemme give you the /whatever/ discount...". ?Cool!

The sales people I delt with really turned me off to a lot of dealerships... so I don't know how their service departments are.

I don't have a lot of experience with the mechanics or anyone else.... I do 90% of the work on my trucks. ?(excluding warranty work)
 
So far I don't know . . I too do pretty much all of my service work - so far the Av's had no problems. And (hopefully) if it stays that way my Av will follow the same history as my old S-10 Blazer - and never see the inside of a Chevy service shop.
 
OkayWiki,vent I Shall!I went to my dealer for a simple oil change and tire
rotation.When I got Home(I only live 2 miles from my dealer) I noticed
a one inch long gouge in the rear passenger door cladding! :8:I put
my Av into light speed back to the service dept. and talked to my service
advisor.To make a long story short,my dealer replaced the damaged panel
within 3 days,my hats off to them for making good,but the lack of care
and disregard for someone elses property is not acceptable!It seems
there is no middle ground when dealing with your favorite flavor of
auto maker(GM,Ford,Chrysler,etc......)they are either great or just
plain awful! :7:

Paul
 
Neutral. Mine seem on autopilot. They do their work, and that's that. I usually have to call and find out the truck is ready (um, why didn't you call me). The shuttle takes forever. They do get the work done and I've only had to give them a second try once (front bumper not lining up...body work always takes a special touch). I guess it could be worse.
 
The dealer I bought from is nearly 40 miles from here with several others in between. The closest is Pallone Chevy in Springfield, VA. I took it in for four items and here are the results:

1) No light in the ashtray
- OK, they get a gold star for fixing this right
2) An annoying, persistent squeak in the front end
- Alleged that three employees went for a ride and "no one could hear it."
Not fixed and no further offer to help on this.
3) The mirror temp is consistently off by at least 10*
- Replaced the outside sensor (or so they say) and
nothing has changed - it's still off by the same
amount.
4) Slight leak through the midgate.
- Replaced all the weather stripping and left huge
black grease marks all over the leather seats and
on the carpet, the window, the inside door panels
and armrests, and on the outside cladding on the
sail and rear panels. I spent an hour and a half
getting it all off.

I sent the Chevy satisfaction survey back today... >:D
I noted that not only am I unhappy with the service, I'm telling everyone I know about how shabby the work is. I said it was OK to send my name to the dealer and am wondering if I get a response. (This is the same dealer where I first looked at an Av and was shocked at what bozos the salesmen are. In addition, they pissed me off when, because I was there with a buddy, they insinuated that we were a 'couple'. :8: I told them not only did they offend us, but they blew a chance to sell not one but two Avs that day!)

Last weekend while visiting in Pittsburgh I wanted to drop my Av at a Cadillac dealer about the temp and the mirror. They refused to do the warranty work and recommended I see the Chevy dealer a few blocks down. Are they obligated to do any GM warranty work? Should I follow up with GM on this?
 
Funny that this thread would start today.
I spent about 5 hours at the dealership today. Now that might sound like a bad thing, but it was not.

I had a very bad experience with the person running the service desk about 2 months ago when I tried to get the oil consumption issue addressed. The guy was complete in one area, he was an ass.
I left the dealership just choked :8: Was not sure of next steps.

Couple of days later I got a call from the sales manager of the dealership. Bottom line, I told him that even if the guy was right his attitude and approach made him wrong. (details on this site proved him wrong on both counts) Sales Manager said they wanted to make things right.

Today they made a giant step in getting there. They replaced the PCV unit. Had to steal one off the lot and order a replacement. Fixed a problem with the window visor (replaced it), added the two way tape to the windsheild that should have been done when bug deflector installed, torqued down the newly installed wheels, and changed the oil.

Now it could be argued that this stuff should have been done before, but it's not that simple. 'Stuff happens'.
Bottom line, they have made great efforts to make things right. That including doing a clean up on the outside so that none of the glue from the window visor showed.

I will be writing to GM about this. Over the years I certainly have not hesitated sending in a flaming survey when deserved, so only seems fair.
 
;DHave nothing but KUDO's, i think is the word.
Musson Patout in New Iberia LA.
Service manager is BoJack Walker, He runs a drag strip in Eunice LA. on his days off. This guy has bent over backwards to make sure the work is done right. He only has one mechanic in the shop that touches my truck. Andy Armentor. Andy has written a few TSB's and sent them in and were used by GM. These guys really care about their work. Andy will call you back into the service area and explain what he is going to do. They tell you about TSB's before you get a letter on it. I have recommended many friends and none of them have come away with anything bad to say about them except how much of a help and that they saved money.
Sent one guy with a cadilac STS that the cadilac place told him that the heads would have to be changed,,
HE SPARK PLUG WIRES NEEDED CHANGING.. repair cost reduced from 1800 to about 400 with the other work he had done...................KKKKKKUDDDDDOOOOSS
I sometimes buy else where if his sales staff is not right on the price, but like he says "i don't make anything off of new car sales, Just service work" Quote.........
Zeeya.............Phone number 337-365-3411 ask for BoJack or Andy if not available, call back later >:D
 
This is gonna be a BIG can of worms... At least we aren't commenting on the "5-star" DC "Service" Dept...

Maybe I've been very lucky having bought only late model GM Vehicles. Once I graduate them to Syn Oil, I only take them back to GM for warranty stuff which is to say, so far, NONE have been back ;D. Any routine maintenance or out of warranty work is done by private (ex GM... ;D) mechanics. Around here, they do a better job for about 60% of Goodwrench Price. Of course, you don't get the shuttle or the free coffee ;D .
 
Team Chevrolet in Scottsbluff, NE gets my thumbs up!

Went in with three minor complaints:

1. Bad gas milage

They did a fuel consumption test (I think it was 15.04) and gave me the keys with a full tank of gas in it! (It was on half when I brought it in!)

2. Cargo light didn't always work

They put in a new switch

3. 3rd box panel sagged

They replaced it, no arguement.

All free of charge, no return visits to redo anything!
 
Results from my dealer visits:

Mushy brake feel and hard to stop
- Dealer road tested my Av and said stopping power was well within parameters and felt like other Avs on his lot. Mushy feel is a characteristic on some Avs. I have found the brakes to be inadequate, unless very very large pedal force is applied. Dealer said live with it or write Chevy a letter and maybe they will issue a TSB fix. End result is I AM VERY DISSATISFIED! :8: Anyone know if a TSB ever came out on this?

Driver side has inadequate heat flow
- This pertains mostly to the floor, but also is evident in the top vents. Dealer told me that Suburbans and Avs have a fresh air vent that operates continuously. It is located in an area that makes the driver experience cold feet sensation in cold weather, as the heater unit cannot compensate for this. I told him to compare the airflow between the passenger side and driver side. He claims it is the same, but it is markedly less on the driver side. I've had other people check this, just to make sure I wasn't imagining things (as was alluded to by the service manager). Dealer's recommendation is "just live with it" as it is a known characteristic. End result is I AM VERY DISSATISFIED! :8: Anyone know if a TSB ever came out on this?

Tailgate getting stuck shut
- I was unable to open the tailgate a number of times. The release handle had no effect. On one occasion, I had to put the midgate down, climb in the bed and beat and kick the tailgate from the inside, while someone pulled from the outside, to free it. Dealer reseated last bed panel and recommended a more firm slam of the tailgate to correct problem. I slam the panel much harder and have not had a problem since doing this. End result is that it works and I'M SATISFIED. :)
 
Generally the service is great at Edmonton Motors. Easy to book a time, wait for an oil change service, friendly staff, quick turnaround.

The only problem that I can mention is that the service people tend to know less about the Av than and fan club member does. They tend to give pat answers to questions such as why the flapping noise with the bug guard: "All Chevy trucks have that problem. To get rid of it you have to remove the bug guard." They were receptive to the fan club fix when they were told.
 
Huffines in Lewisville Texas is the worst place to be if you have any modifications.......They keep your truck all day and blame whatever problem on the mod. I was basically kicked out of the service bay by one of the service managers as he told me "There is nothing we can do for your vehicle". I called Chevy and got a call back from the boss, but I haven't been back!!! Still looking for a place that treats me right in the DFW area.
 
I have only been there once in 9 months (about 6 months ago) for them to install the roof rack they forgot to install.....they did not have the tool for those goofy nuts....so they did not install.....they were great

That is the way I want it too .... I hope I never see them again either >:D
 
Ok here goes..I hate to blast someone trying to do their job, but in this case I feel I have not been treated adequately. Took my Av in for the leak in the midgate(soaking the hell out of my carpet), and a fog light that had condensation build up. Fixed the Fog light first time, no problems after. As for the midgate, I was supposedly the first person with the problem that they had seen. First time, fixed it...still leaked. 2nd time..fixed it again...still leaked. Both times they claim they had found leaks in the roof rack mounting holes and near the bottom of the midgate. Even though I had told them exactly where the leak was coming from. 3rd time..Water Doctors came in. "Leak Professionals". (whatever). Made an appointment...parts didn't come in. Made another..again...parts weren't there. This even after they said they would wait until they had all the parts to call me for an appointment. This happened 3 times. In the mean time someone else's Av got fixed..(I was the first remember). FINALLY the parts came in, and I told them to put my damn name on them because someone else keeps getting them. Go in the 3rd or 4th (lost track) and the Water Doc fixes it half-way. says they need yet another part. In the meantime, he leaves grease and grime all over the back of my truck. :8: Schedule another appointment... Take it in..water docs work on it again, and finish the job. I take the truck home, take out the back window once and notice that they had scratched the crap out of the plastic molding inside the truck and it appears as though they had dropped the crossbar on the ground, because some of the plastic on it was cracked and flattened. I can post some pics to show you all. Not only that, but they stuck some cheap a$$ looking 3M seal tape around the outside of the rear window which makes it fit tighter in the groove and harder to get out.

So, now that the rear half of my truck looks like crap IT STILL LEAKS! :8:

I called Chevrolet, whom I've been in contact with the whole time, and told them that I want a replacement.
Screw this.. 37,000 is too much to pay for something that leaks like a siv.

Looking for an 02 Camaro SS
 
Sorry about that last (venting) post. It was a hot day.
Truth is, my service department has done me well. That doesn't change the fact that my midgate still leaks. I have sat down and talked to the service manager and he has set me straight on some things that I wasn't quite aware of. It appears that GM is expecting it's dealers to handle the midgate leak on thier own. So fixing this leak is an uphill battle for the service dept. here. The guy they had fix my truck (Waterdoctors) isn't off the hook though. He did scratch the hell out of my truck. That is yet to be addressed..but not until after the bigger problem is remedied. I HOPE THE ENGINEERS AT GM HEAR ME....CUZ I STILL EXPECT GM TO HAVE A PERMANENT FIX FOR THIS. You can't expect the little guy to do your work for you.
 
We took our 2500 in for it's first check-up. One issue we wanted to have checked was as rattle that happens somewhere in the headliner above the driver. The rattle only happens when you're driving.

When we picked up the Av, the service manager said this is to be expected with the sunroof models -- they all do it. The only question I had for him was how they could be sure ours had the same issue when the odometer had the same mileage when we left the Av with them and when we picked it up. ???
 
Congelado said:
We took our 2500 in for it's first check-up. ?One issue we wanted to have checked was as rattle that happens somewhere in the headliner above the driver. ?The rattle only happens when you're driving.

When we picked up the Av, the service manager said this is to be expected with the sunroof models -- they all do it. ?The only question I had for him was how they could be sure ours had the same issue when the odometer had the same mileage when we left the Av with them and when we picked it up. ????
This is the first vehicle I have had with a sunroof. I am glad I got it. Mine has no shakes or rattles at any speed. I think a chat with the service manager at your dealership may be in order.
 
I have had only 1 dealing with my service dept so far. I went to them to get the 4157 DRL's and he just gave them to me free of charge. I thought that was pretty nice of them. He said he would just do a warrenty claims adjustment on it when I brought it in for my 1st service which is also free. I have personaly known the service dept mgr now for about 8-10 yrs so I know he will treat me right and do anything in his power to keep me happy.
 
victory_red said:
I have personaly known the service dept mgr now for about 8-10 yrs so I know he will treat me right and do anything in his power to keep me happy.

That's the thing though...You shouldn't have to know the service manager personally for them to do a good job. They could be bending someone else over and giving you special treatment. That doesn't make them a good service dept.
 
Brado said:
That's the thing though...You shouldn't have to know the service manager personally for them to do a good job. ?They could be bending someone else over and giving you special treatment. ?That doesn't make them a good service dept. ?

It does feel good though to have someone like Kieth V. treat you good because he knows you on a "one on one" bassis. He told me you two talked. Hope they get your water leak fixed. If not the new H2's are in....hehe!!
 
Yeah Keith was good to talk to, and I should point out that I wasn't necessarily talking from personal experience. But it is fairly obvious that knowing them personally does have its perks. I'm not saying it's unfair or anything.. more power to you for knowing them. If I knew a service manager or other employee personally I would be taking my vehicle to him. But, like a lot of car owners, I don't have that benefit.

Question for you Wiki: I assume the waterdoctors put the weatherstrip tape around the outside of your rear window...Is it starting to peel(smear) off on yours. Mine has started to smear off and leaving that gooey junk behind which sticks to dirt. Doesn't look pretty. I'd really like to see how they did yours.
 
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