I will NEVER go back to Paramus Chevrolet! (Long)
Last week, I brought my recently-purchased, 28,000 mile '99 roadster to Paramus for the infamous column lock recall. It failed three times in a two week period, so I decided it was time before I got seriously stranded.
I went in for my appointment last Wednesday, and faced nothing but resistance from the first moment. First, the service writer asked if I had received a recall letter from GM. Since I just bought the car, I told him I hadn't. He entered my VIN number, and told me the recall didn't apply to my car. Luckily, I printed out the service campaign as posted here at the Action Center (thanks guys!), which showed that my car was in the affected VIN range.
Now his story changed....He told me that the designated repair had already been performed on my car by another dealer last August. I persisted and explained that the car still exhibited the symptoms of the recall. He then reluctantly told me to leave the car, and he'd see what he could do.
Change number two...He calls me back at about 3:00 that afternoon (I dropped the car off at 8:00 AM), and tells me that some other dealer must have put in a claim for the warranty repair, but never did the work. He said the replacement part was never installed in the car. As a result, he said "he'd have to find out if the other dealer was paid for the recall work". I'm still not sure what that had to do with me as the customer! He then told me to call back later.
I call back at 5:00, at which time he tells me that the car WON'T be done today. I tell him that I live 40 miles south of the dealership and have no way home, so he tells me that I can come pick the car up if I want, and drop it off the next day. Great, a second trip! When I arrive at the dealership, adding insult to injury, the car is covered with fingerprints, handprints, and a thick layer of dust.
The next day, I drop the car off AGAIN. Two hours later, he calls to change his story for the THIRD time. He tells me that the steering column lock motor itself is bad, and get this, IT"S NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL! I remind him that he told me yesterday the recall work was never done, and NOW he says that it WAS. But he's going to show me some "good will" and warranty the part, and "only" charge me a $100 "Labor Deductible".
Yesterday I spent about an hour on the phone with Chevrolet Customer Service (absolutely terrific, by the way), who seemed about as angry and confused about this mess as I am. Chevrolet would've reimbursed the dealership for any reasonable repair they made to complete a Customer Satisfaction recall. I'm waiting to hear back from them next week.
Bottom line...This place just confirmed that even the "premier" Corvette dealer in New Jersey is no better than the garden-variety shop. Instead of creating a new customer, they just gave me a reason to take my future service needs elsewhere.
Sorry for the rant.....
