Problems with Dealership - Gus Brown Port Perry Buick GMC

"MooseKnuckles" (andyschenk)
10/11/2014 at 14:18 • Filed to: stealership

I bought a 2012 Silverado Crew-cab LTZ from a GM dealership at the beginning of September.

I had to do the entire sale via email due to my extensive work hours, unable to make 15-20-30 minute phone calls during business hours, and the dealership was about 3 hours away so I only managed to make it their once for the original test drive.
The entire time I felt like I was chasing them down to get email replies, weird for an easy $35k sale where they could literally reply to my emails while taking a shit.

Anyways, I bought the truck, I asked that before I take delivery that all semi-annual maintenance would be done since it was going to be due within a few weeks of me taking ownership. I was told all items needing attention would be taken care of. I was also told if I wanted it to come with more and 1/4 tank of gas that it would cost $130 on top of sticker to get a fill up, I questioned this and was told they were only making $700 on the sale so they couldn't deliver it full. What? lol...But that's besides the point now.

I got the truck 2.5hrs late on a Thursday night, I get up at 4am they didn't leave until 11:30pm. We originally set up a delivery time of 8:00pm, though I made it clear if they weren't here by 9:00 that it could wait until the weekend. Whatever, I had the truck.

That Saturday, so one day after taking ownership. I was cleaning the interior since the dealership did a shit job. I noticed on the rear bench seat, on the seat back, the bracket the holds the seat back to the bulkhead was broken causing the seat back to move back and forth about 1/2" and was quite noisy. I noticed it immediately when wiping the leather down, there is no way both the dealership's "detailer" and also mechanic who performed the GM 150 Point Inspection could have missed this.
I had asked about 6 times prior to sale, and now 4 times after, to get a copy of the 150pnt inspection report, I still haven't seen it (does it exist???).

I emailed the dealership a handful of times over a 10 day period with zero reply. I called GM directly and reported my issue to customer care (lucky they take calls after regular business hours). GM said they would call the dealer.
The following day I get an email from my sales person I had been dealing with saying they didn't get any of my emails, they didn't know anything, it wasn't their fault, yadda yadda.
I informed them my local dealership would be doing the repairs and they (the dealership who i bought from) would be covering the bill.
Over the course of a few days as we are discussing the problem, I get an email from their service department telling me I due for semi-annual service. Weird, those items were supposed to be completed prior to sale.
I bring that up and tell them that my local GM dealer would be doing all items needed for it's semi-annual and they could cover that cost too.

It's been a month since sale, I'm still talking with the dealership I bought from about getting the things covered which they told me prior to sale would be completed, plus getting the seat fixed, and really, I think a inspection should be done again, or maybe for the first time since they still can't provided me a copy of the one they supposedly did.

I don't feel comfortable putting someone in that seat *just in case*.

The dealership I bought from is being very unhelpful, and tiptoeing around what they will cover. I'm not taking it in to be serviced until we've reached an agreement on what they are willing to cover.

Prior to sale they told me the semi-annual would be done, and GM and it's dealership network very clearly advertise the thoroughness of their 150 point inspection. I think I deserve those items. And without a doubt the seat fixed.

I don't even want to talk to these people anymore, their laziness, excuses, and negligence makes me furious.

DISCUSSION (5)

Steve in Manhattan > MooseKnuckles
10/11/2014 at 14:26

Probably the best thing to do now is call the zone rep. Call GM and get the name and phone number. You may have to take the Car Guy's advice (only post sale) and pay the dealership close to you to do the inspection and make a list of what's wrong and the cost. Possibly the zone rep can get that cost covered for you. It may come down to showing up at the selling dealership with the list and demanding they fix what's wrong. They can ignore a phone call, they can't ignore a guy making noise in the showroom.

Have you spoken to the general manager at the selling dealership? That might be the first call before threatening them with the zone rep.

jariten1781 > MooseKnuckles
10/11/2014 at 14:39

Bought it used? If so, scour the paperwork and verify what was promised. If it was 'as is no warranty' and the statements about the inspection and what have you were only oral...then you've entered lawsuit zone.

GM may give you courtesy credits, but your best bet at trying to recoup will be finding a local attorney who deals regularly with autos.

Nibby > MooseKnuckles
10/11/2014 at 14:47

RAM THE TRUCK INTO THE DEALER, PROBLEM SOLVED

hike > Nibby
10/11/2014 at 15:53

Then just replace with a Ram 1500?

PyramidHat > MooseKnuckles
12/14/2014 at 09:54

I bought a new 4x4 Sierra in 1994. That was when I learned that the dealership is one of the things to consider when buying a vehicle:

1) The truck was originally a lease, then a few days later, they call back and say that the lease was rejected, but they could get me a loan (for $100 more/month)

2) A few weeks after, I hadn't received any payment paperwork. I called the finance department to explain the situation and the woman snapped "I don't have time for this. Call back later!" and hung up

3) When the transmission was having shifting problems (while passing, it would step down 2 gears and redline, instead of stepping down one gear, like the Chevy we had at work). When I brought it in, they said nothing was wrong. I took their guy out for a road test and demonstrated - when it would get up to the redline, I backed off because...you know...redline. The guy said "No no, you can keep going, it won't hurt the transmission"...because that 's what the redline is for, of course...

I think this experience is why I hang on to cars for so long: I hate dealing with dealerships...

As an aside, about that seat bracket, on my GMC, it was the drivers seat frame that broke on me.