My Chevy dealer scratched my new Camaro! - Page 2 - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

CWI · 08-16-2012, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdamEL

Thank you for the replies and advice, everybody. Believe it or not, I actually have great news to report - the scratch was completely buffed out and there are no swirl marks to be found. When I got it back, that was the only spot on it that was clean. The rest of the car was filthy. And no, I certainly didn't bring it to the shop filthy, so I guess it just got dirty in the repair bay. But I checked it out closely before I drove off and it looked fine. Then I stopped by the car wash and gave it a super thorough wash [by hand, as always], and there are no new scuffs or scratches, thank God. The only downside is that they didn't clean, fix, or replace the blower motor cage or cabin air filter, which is the reason that I brought it to them to begin with. They said they couldn't make the noise happen for them, so they couldn't do the repair. After two mornings of getting up at the butt crack of dawn, I'm just going to live with that occasional noise, I suppose. At least I know what it is... I'm just really really happy to have the car back. Being without it has been very hard for me to deal with...

And Angie, that is a freaking TERRIBLE story!!! Contacting GM was the right thing to do. Did you contact the BBB, too?

Try to get a few videos with the sound when it happens again. Then go to a dealer that is not associated with your first dealer.

Someone on here should be able to point out a good dealer for your area.

AdamEL · 08-17-2012, 12:37 AM

My service guy told me that I needed to record it, actually. I'm not 100% positive that I can get my iPhone started up quick enough, but I'll try. Even if I caught it doing it tomorrow, I wouldn't go back just yet. This was a HUGE pain in the butt [I had to walk to work for 2 days], and I really missed my car... Maybe next month or something. I know the noise isn't hurting the car in any way, so I can live with it for now. Thanks for the advice though!

9072SS/RS · 08-17-2012, 12:45 AM

This is exactly why i inspect my entire vehicle before i leave it at any shop and discuss with service advisor/mechanic about any prior scratches before i leave and when its ready for pick up i spend 5 min. going over every inch of the the body and another few minutes looking in the hood and under the vehicle prior to leaving. video/pictures from your phone really helps also, takes a minute or 2 to do a walk around with video on camera.

good luck with gettting them to fix that.

Ladybugsmom · 08-17-2012, 12:51 AM

Ya know, accidents happen... I know you're angry, I would be too. (I understand the pain of that first damage - mine was being rear ended!) But, if you approach it the right way, you have an opportunity to build a really strong relationship with your service department, and that could pay off in the long run. I absolutely love the service department at the dealership I go to. They don't have a body shop, either, but when I was rear ended, the first call I made was to the service manager. He sent me to a great place. When I wanted custom paint, I asked who they send custom work out to. They call my car Ladybug, just like I do

... So, when I had to have the driver's seat cover clips replaced, and a tech scratched the underside of the steering wheel when removing the seat (it was not visible from the front, so my guess is that he felt the bump of hitting it, looked and saw nothing, so nothing was said - I noticed it when I turned out of the service bay and felt the scratched leather). I went back in, had the service manager look at it, and there were no questions asked - they got me a new steering wheel.
So..... my point is to build a GOOD relationship with them now by staying calm, don't be overly accusatory - for all you know, another customer did it by accident, not an employee - and have them send it to a body shop or detail shop to get fixed.
Good luck!!

Edit - my bad... I don't know how I missed your update on the scratch! At any rate, the advice about building a good relationship with the service department still applies...

Russell James · 08-17-2012, 04:43 AM

A good service writer will walk around the car when you drop it off and note any damage. I have one really good writer at the dealer I go to that does this every time, and often says wow it's perfect. And they'll put plastic on the seats and paper on the floor. The lazy ones just say sign this, and then blame any damage they do on... must have been there when you brought it in. No no no, walk around the car like you are suppose to and note - no damage on the RO at drop off. Then back in the shop, a good tech will have padding on their hoist post corners, fender covers...

PIPE · 08-17-2012, 05:34 AM

Walk to Work? What kind of BS is that. Warranty work = loaner vehicle. Even if they cant duplicate it, thats theyre problem. Besides they did scratch youre car, so they at least owe ya that.

AdamEL · 08-17-2012, 10:51 PM

Good advice from everybody, for sure. Thank you. And trust me, I DO want a good relationship with my service department. I bought a 7 year extended warranty, so I want to stay in good with these people for obvious reasons. According to word of mouth around town, this dealer has the best Chevy service out of all the dealers here. That was part of the reason that made me choose this dealer for my purchase. I do feel like they're okay guys, but since it's a larger service department, I'm not sure if I'm going to get the "personalized" service that the smaller dealers can give. We also own a new Mazda [I traded in my new Mazda for my Camaro, but my wife still has a new Miata], and the dealer we bought them from is really fantastic. It's a very small lot, and everybody that works there is super nice. Every bit of service we've had from them has been way above and beyond. I don't feel that my Chevy dealer, or any local Chevy dealer can offer that kind of service because they're all much larger, and let's face it, there are a lot more Chevy's on the road versus Mazda's, so therefore a lot more repairs to be made. Either way, I love my car, and hopefully she'll stay out of the shop for many years.

@Pipe - Not a big deal. My work is about a 2 minute drive, on the same street as my dealer. It took me about 10 minutes to walk there at the most. The first time I dropped it off, he offered to give me a lift there, but I saw the courtesy car just pull off with somebody else, so I figured I'd rather just walk instead of waiting on that dude to get back.

08-17-2012, 12:51 AM	#18
Ladybugsmom Older than I look.... Drives: 2010 VR Camaro 2SS/RS LS3 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Washington Posts: 6,481 View My Garage	Ya know, accidents happen... I know you're angry, I would be too. (I understand the pain of that first damage - mine was being rear ended!) But, if you approach it the right way, you have an opportunity to build a really strong relationship with your service department, and that could pay off in the long run. I absolutely love the service department at the dealership I go to. They don't have a body shop, either, but when I was rear ended, the first call I made was to the service manager. He sent me to a great place. When I wanted custom paint, I asked who they send custom work out to. They call my car Ladybug, just like I do ... So, when I had to have the driver's seat cover clips replaced, and a tech scratched the underside of the steering wheel when removing the seat (it was not visible from the front, so my guess is that he felt the bump of hitting it, looked and saw nothing, so nothing was said - I noticed it when I turned out of the service bay and felt the scratched leather). I went back in, had the service manager look at it, and there were no questions asked - they got me a new steering wheel. So..... my point is to build a GOOD relationship with them now by staying calm, don't be overly accusatory - for all you know, another customer did it by accident, not an employee - and have them send it to a body shop or detail shop to get fixed. Good luck!! Edit - my bad... I don't know how I missed your update on the scratch! At any rate, the advice about building a good relationship with the service department still applies... __________________ High Heels and Fast Wheels!!

08-17-2012, 05:34 AM	#20
PIPE Hating prius's since 1997 Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SS/RS (JENNA) Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,039	Walk to Work? What kind of BS is that. Warranty work = loaner vehicle. Even if they cant duplicate it, thats theyre problem. Besides they did scratch youre car, so they at least owe ya that. __________________ PIPE

08-17-2012, 12:37 AM	#16
AdamEL Adam E. Lucchesi Drives: 2010 1SS/RS LS3 VR Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 1,381 View My Garage	My service guy told me that I needed to record it, actually. I'm not 100% positive that I can get my iPhone started up quick enough, but I'll try. Even if I caught it doing it tomorrow, I wouldn't go back just yet. This was a HUGE pain in the butt [I had to walk to work for 2 days], and I really missed my car... Maybe next month or something. I know the noise isn't hurting the car in any way, so I can live with it for now. Thanks for the advice though!

08-17-2012, 12:45 AM	#17
9072SS/RS Drives: 2011 camaro 2SS RS Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Alaska Posts: 107	This is exactly why i inspect my entire vehicle before i leave it at any shop and discuss with service advisor/mechanic about any prior scratches before i leave and when its ready for pick up i spend 5 min. going over every inch of the the body and another few minutes looking in the hood and under the vehicle prior to leaving. video/pictures from your phone really helps also, takes a minute or 2 to do a walk around with video on camera. good luck with gettting them to fix that.

08-17-2012, 04:43 AM	#19
Russell James Drives: '15 SS 1LE, '69 Z28 drag car Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Mich Posts: 4,482	A good service writer will walk around the car when you drop it off and note any damage. I have one really good writer at the dealer I go to that does this every time, and often says wow it's perfect. And they'll put plastic on the seats and paper on the floor. The lazy ones just say sign this, and then blame any damage they do on... must have been there when you brought it in. No no no, walk around the car like you are suppose to and note - no damage on the RO at drop off. Then back in the shop, a good tech will have padding on their hoist post corners, fender covers...

08-17-2012, 10:51 PM	#21
AdamEL Adam E. Lucchesi Drives: 2010 1SS/RS LS3 VR Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 1,381 View My Garage	Good advice from everybody, for sure. Thank you. And trust me, I DO want a good relationship with my service department. I bought a 7 year extended warranty, so I want to stay in good with these people for obvious reasons. According to word of mouth around town, this dealer has the best Chevy service out of all the dealers here. That was part of the reason that made me choose this dealer for my purchase. I do feel like they're okay guys, but since it's a larger service department, I'm not sure if I'm going to get the "personalized" service that the smaller dealers can give. We also own a new Mazda [I traded in my new Mazda for my Camaro, but my wife still has a new Miata], and the dealer we bought them from is really fantastic. It's a very small lot, and everybody that works there is super nice. Every bit of service we've had from them has been way above and beyond. I don't feel that my Chevy dealer, or any local Chevy dealer can offer that kind of service because they're all much larger, and let's face it, there are a lot more Chevy's on the road versus Mazda's, so therefore a lot more repairs to be made. Either way, I love my car, and hopefully she'll stay out of the shop for many years. @Pipe - Not a big deal. My work is about a 2 minute drive, on the same street as my dealer. It took me about 10 minutes to walk there at the most. The first time I dropped it off, he offered to give me a lift there, but I saw the courtesy car just pull off with somebody else, so I figured I'd rather just walk instead of waiting on that dude to get back.