Car shopping is not one of those fun things that most consumers look forward too. GM could put out tremendous product, but if the consumer feels they are being treated less then stellar they will quickly go to another dealer or brand. I believe GM, has to attack its business at every level. They have already demonstrated they are capable of putting out cars that compete and beat most imports, especially now that the quality gap has been all but closed. The dealers are almost an achilles heal of sorts...

 

It goes both ways...I'm talking about Imports vs. Domestic dealers. I don't know if the article is still posted, but go to Edmunds.com. They had one of their writers "go undercover" as a car salesman to get the scoop on the industry. It seems he had a better impression of the domestic dealer.

 

The Pontiac dealer I went to in order to buy my GTO was great. The salesman was very friendly and we were able to work out a price that I liked.

 

I went through hell buying our GTO, to the point where the price changed on us right before we were going to sign for the car. I had to walk out of two dealerships before we got the price we agreed on. I'm naturally considered a rude and outspoken person but I can honestly say this time it wasn't me. We went to every dealer in town (looking for a yellow '04) and none of them treated us well. At the time I was 29 (young (I guess) but not young enough to think I couldn't afford a 25K car) and since we pulled up in a firehawk you would have thought they would target us for a GTO. It was pure hell, Bad enough that now I don't think I will ever be able to persude my wife to buy another GM car...and this is coming from someone with 17 GM vehicles. I want to buy a G8, GTO or Solstice GXP or whatever in the next year or so but I just can't bring myself to deal with such a$$holes. It's unbeleivable. I would think if I were to buy another GM car it would be used from a private individual.

I don't beleive GM can't do anything about this. I feel they are looking away and saying they have no control- that's BS; anyone that has been to a Honda or Nissan dealer can tell you they are treated better and in many cases the owners of those delaerships have GM lines as well.

 

GM is actually very proactive in this area, its just that the public may not be aware of it. I have worked for a multi-franchise dealer group for 10 years as a CSI person. We have four different GM lines.

In 2004, GM started a Standards for Excellance program (SFE). Dealers who wish to participate pay a large sum yearly to GM. If they maintain certain sales levels as well as meet the required service and sales customer satisfaction levels, GM will pay that dealership a substantial quarterly bonus. Part of the program involves having a group of dealership employees meet frequently to come up with ideas on how to improve customer satisfaction. GM provides a person from an outside research firm to moderate the meetings. I am part of one of these groups, they are a useful tool. All GM brands have this program, except for Saab, which will soon.

What is ironic is that none of the other manufacturers have a program anything like this. GM should be given credit for this.

 

^ As soon as the results come back in positive form, I'm sure they will.

 

No, irony is that despite having a program aimed squarely at improving customer service, GM dealers on the whole are still regarded among the worst at providing customer service.

It's not ironic in the least that they aren't given credit for a program that doesn't seem to be working.

You're obviously proud of the program since you're a part of it. But it sounds liek the typical corporate BS where people meet and processes are put in place yet the end product (or service) is completely unchanged.

 

http://www.jdpower.com/corporate/new...df/2006119.pdf

Fact check time.

When it comes to customer satisfaction, all of GM's divisions are above average. Please take the time to see who is below average, it may suprise you.

If you think that only domestic auto maker's dealers are bad, you are misinformed.

And what is CSI, you may ask?

 

Too bad that report does not address the showrooms.

 

Facts are facts, you got me there,

All i can say to defend myself is, I see a whole post full of GM enthusiasts (ostensibly) who have had bad experiences at GM delaers and better experiences everywhere else. I realize anecdotes don't prove anything, but just as with all the quality awards and such GM is winning, perception is everything and GM is losing that battle even if on paper they are winning.

I got screwed around a little at the first dealer i went to buy at even after getting a price quote online. Story isn't that spectacular to be worth reporting though.

One big thing i am SURE i have seen an experienced is how cheap GM service departments are at giving out rentals. Every other manufcaturer gives out relatively equivalent cars when you go in for service, at least that i've heard of. My friend who had the M3 got a fully loaded 330xi to drive when his went in for service on the SMG. A couple guys i know with VWs have always had nicely optioned new VWs when their cars are in for (frequent) service. Same for the accord and camry driving masses. Hell, one of my friends at work gets a new accord for the day when he drops his off just for oil changes.

OTOH, my friend with the C6 has been without his car twice due to the roof recall. The first time it happened the roof panels were on back order for a moth, and the dealer stuck him in a 1997 F150 pickup truck of the used lot. This was at one of the largest chevy dealers in NOVA for chrit's sake, and if they couldn't give him a vette rental, at least a nice late model GM car would have been a nice touch. The second time it went in he got some other POS SUV off the used lot.

When my GTO was in for the door lock solenoid they told me they had to keep it overnight to get the parts. No problem, i'll get my ride to drop me off so i can get a rental. Oh, well, you really want a rental. Yes, how will i get to work tomorrow, i'm not going to inconvenience my coworkers to drive me home, then pick me up in the morning as well. So they relented and gave me a clapped out neon rental. Again, i didn't expect another GTO, but something late model and GM would have been nice.

And we've all seen the recent caddy CTSV video where the owner similarly reports getting POS rentals while his V was in the shop.

 

/\ /\ Same b/s here...the g/f come in with a $32 000(cdn) car and gets shoved in a lump of a Cavalier. Guy comes in with a Hummer H2...thrown into a HHR? Guess how that went over! I just don't get it...if they don't want to have the more expensive rental fleet...get the customer something relatively close to what they are driving from a car rental company!!

 

My friend in a new VW GTI got stuck in something like a Kia as a rental.. He complained, so they gave him a fully loaded Dodge Caravan! hahahah

When I had my 99 Z28 in the shop, I was given a comfy new Malibu..

 

Well, "so far", I've had good luck at OMS in Oshawa . And specifically, in their SERVICE department . I've taken my Camaro to them 2 or 3 times, and my g/f's car once, and so far, I'm "satisfactorily" impressed .

However, the dealership closest to my house, I have basically boycotted . Their parts guys are VERY friendly, and VERY helpful. I still go there for PARTS. But SERVICE?????? They obviously didn't get the memo that they are the "service" department .

At the BAD "service" dealership I was just talking about, they once gave me a Montana mini-van!! (I asked for something "comparible" to my Camaro ... not just a Cavalier ... so they gave me a "large vehicle" ). Another time I got an Impala, which wasn't as bad.

In regards to the original poster, I agree with where you're coming from. I've also been really young since I bought my Camaro (I was 20 ... that was ~5 years ago) and I've felt the lack of "respect" from people at the dealership. I think I got bent over a little bit when I first bought the car (but that was my own excitement's fault! ) and then in the "service" dept., my few warranty concerns/complaints have not been listened to (even though I've identified specifically what the problems have been, and my Dad who is a licensed mechanic, has confirmed these problems).

Anyway, I have heard the odd problem from Toyota and other dealerships too, but I think GM has a really bad rap in terms of this. GM "corporate" should really step in with these "problem" dealerships, or their reputation is not going to turn around.

 

Jason, would Westboro pontiac be the one located on Rt. 9 and used to be Pell Pontiac? I bought my car there in '01, and it's out of my way so I don't go there, but back then the service department seemed pretty good.

 

well i've heard bad stories about them so i'm reluctant to go there.