# Dealer Service Guy: "I know how you are."



## GM Kid (Mar 21, 2005)

This is so funny.

I dropped my '05 off at Henry Brown Buick/GMC/Pontiac in Mesa for an oil change, new battery and repair of my shifter boot this morning.

About midday, my service writer left me this voicemail:

"Hi, Rob. This is Steve at Henry Brown. We're going to go ahead and give you a new battery, but I've had to overnight a new battery tray for you, so you won't have your car back until tomorrow. When we pulled the battery, we saw that the old one had leaked some acid on your battery tray. Normally, we just pull the tray, clean it off and paint it. But I know how you are, so I just ordered a new one."

Love it. My dealer is scared of me.


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## DJ Dannis (May 9, 2006)

I hear ya, it rocks. Whenever I bring one of my two vehicles in, even to say hi, I just love to pull into the service dept to see their faces. As soon as they she one of my vehicles, they are like "Oh crap, now what?" Maybe that is not a good thing... Oh well, it's a bumper to bumper warranty. :cool


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## Mike_V (Mar 10, 2006)

I’ve had the service tech refuse to put parts on my car that weren’t perfect, and he had them reordered. I think service/techs know when a car is well cared for and figure getting it right is not just a futile exercise.

I know I’ve been shocked at some of the cars rolling into service - even though they’re a year or two old, they look like junkyard finds. Why do people that treat cars like crap even bother buying a new car?


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## noz34me (Dec 15, 2005)

Mike_V said:


> I’ve had the service tech refuse to put parts on my car that weren’t perfect, and he had them reordered. I think service/techs know when a car is well cared for and figure getting it right is not just a futile exercise.
> 
> I know I’ve been shocked at some of the cars rolling into service - even though they’re a year or two old, they look like junkyard finds. Why do people that treat cars like crap even bother buying a new car?


There's no doubt that some if not most dealerships "profile" the owners of cars by the car's appearance when it comes in for service. 18 months into ownership, I got a free front end alignment because the service rep could see how I cared for the car. 

Then again, I don't usually spend over $20K for something and then abuse it.


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## silversport (Mar 23, 2007)

sounded to me like he respects you and did the right thing...enjoy!
Bill


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

*Not that they are scared, they are giving you proper service. My dealer knows me very well and they go the extra mile for me. Every time my GTO goes in the shop they put their "best" man on it or at least that is what they tell me.

I periodically send them positive emails to the Service Manager, the Service adviser, and on occasion the head person at the dealership.

When I take my car or my wife's in I get the red carpet treatment. It sure beats going in fighting with them and getting less than desirable service.

With all the intricate parts on cars these days, I can understand them not always getting it right the first time, but blowing up about it will only cause discord, and exercising a little bit of patience will get you further ahead in the long run.

I realize there are many dealers out there who are less than desirable to work with, but I am fortunate to have one that knows what they are doing, and the two way street we have gets me positive results.

If they were like some dealers I read about on here, I'd be hostile to them as well....I guess I lucked out. It's a shame though to think I lucked out with my dealer, when all dealers should treat customers as they do me. It is their job to do that, not luck. I feel for you guys who have to work with real Aholes at a dealership. *


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## b_a_betterperson (Feb 16, 2005)

Wow, that's great. Too bad all the Pontiac dealers around here suck.


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## GM Kid (Mar 21, 2005)

Naturally, I'm joking about my dealer being "afraid" of me. Truthfully, we have a great working relationship. They know I own two cars from their dealership and that I come in regularly for service. The service manager, a woman, knows who I am. Heck, her family and mine inadvertenly ended up vacationing nextdoor to each other in San Diego last year!

And you're right about the value of keeping a clean car. A good dealership will take its cues from YOU when it comes to treating your car with respect. What's more, these folks know my proclivities. I always insist that they NOT wash my car before returning it to me, for instance. The notes on my last service had this funny line: "Do 27-point inspection, but do not touch car." I'm wondering how they managed that feat!


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## noz34me (Dec 15, 2005)

Yeah, I didn't realize my dealership normally washes the cars as well. 

When I went to pick it up, the Service Advisor told me they purposely did NOT wash the car, because (1) It didn't need it, and (2) from the looks of the car he thought that might upset me. 

I thanked him.


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## GM Kid (Mar 21, 2005)

That's awesome, noz34me. Anything you can do to distinguish yourself (in a good way, I mean) at the dealer service area helps. Chat 'em up, make friends, become known for your car's shine--it all helps you stand out from the herd, and helps associate your car with your face.


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## 2005_GTO_Girl (May 31, 2007)

The dealership I am taking my GTO to is not even a Pontiac dealer... I was going to a different dealer that was Pontiac and they couldnt get anything right. THey just tried to half ass the work and then i would have to take it back again. I started talking to the dealer that i am going to now and they said just because they dont sell it they are not going to turn away business. I have been standing in the dealer i go to now and other customers will come up to me out of no where and talk about how much they love this dealer and the great work they do. I completely agree with then. they try to fix things. not just rig it.


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## GM Kid (Mar 21, 2005)

It's interesting to see on this forum how widely divergent everyone's dealer experiences are. The whole strut-rub issue, for instance, revealed that some dealers really step up to the plate (mine did), while others do nothing but cause frustration--and, ultimately, alienation from the Pontiac brand.

Enthusiasts like us are a car company's best advertising. Keep _us_ happy, and we make awesome ambassadors. Some dealers understand this, but others don't have a clue.

Called my dealer this morning. My new battery tray isn't here yet, but it should arrive soon. I inquired how my car fared last night during a giant dust storm, and I was reassured to learn that my service guy had seen the storm coming and pulled my car into the garage. Nice.


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## 2005_GTO_Girl (May 31, 2007)

GM Kid said:


> It's interesting to see on this forum how widely divergent everyone's dealer experiences are. The whole strut-rub issue, for instance, revealed that some dealers really step up to the plate (mine did), while others do nothing but cause frustration--and, ultimately, alienation from the Pontiac brand.
> 
> Enthusiasts like us are a car company's best advertising. Keep _us_ happy, and we make awesome ambassadors. Some dealers understand this, but others don't have a clue.
> 
> Called my dealer this morning. My new battery tray isn't here yet, but it should arrive soon. I inquired how my car fared last night during a giant dust storm, and I was reassured to learn that my service guy had seen the storm coming and pulled my car into the garage. Nice.


HAHA. good dealer...


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## GM Kid (Mar 21, 2005)

2005_GTO_Girl said:


> HAHA. good dealer...


Yeah. Now watch: I'll get there to pick the car up this afternoon and find that someone dropped a wrench on it!


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## 2005_GTO_Girl (May 31, 2007)

GM Kid said:


> Yeah. Now watch: I'll get there to pick the car up this afternoon and find that someone dropped a wrench on it!



that would SO not be good! Im getting to the point now that i wish someone would drop a BIG BIG wrench on mine  so i can get a new one... if there are any left... if not i will take the G8


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## GM Kid (Mar 21, 2005)

Having issues? So funny how we can have such a love/hate relationship with these things.


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## aspiringGTOguy (Jul 18, 2007)

GM Kid said:


> This is so funny.
> 
> I dropped my '05 off at Henry Brown Buick/GMC/Pontiac in Mesa for an oil change, new battery and repair of my shifter boot this morning.
> 
> ...


haha thats hilarious


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## 2005_GTO_Girl (May 31, 2007)

GM Kid said:


> Having issues? So funny how we can have such a love/hate relationship with these things.


Yeah having issues. check out my forum "in the show yes again" you will see. Isnt that SOOOO true .. love /hate relationship:agree


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## GM Kid (Mar 21, 2005)

2005_GTO_Girl said:


> Yeah having issues. check out my forum "in the show yes again" you will see. Isnt that SOOOO true .. love /hate relationship:agree


Holy smokes, girl! That kind of stuff is sooo frustrating.

On a much, MUCH smaller scale, when I picked up my car this afternoon, the interior trim guy had put the shifter boot on wrong. He's got a washer outside the leather, sandwiched in between the top of the boot and the bottom of the shift knob. Grrr.

I now have to go back tomorrow, on Saturday. Thankfully, I found a nice photo of a properly installed shifter boot here on the Forum and I printed it out so I can show them what it's supposed to look like.


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## 2005_GTO_Girl (May 31, 2007)

GM Kid said:


> Holy smokes, girl! That kind of stuff is sooo frustrating.
> 
> On a much, MUCH smaller scale, when I picked up my car this afternoon, the interior trim guy had put the shifter boot on wrong. He's got a washer outside the leather, sandwiched in between the top of the boot and the bottom of the shift knob. Grrr.
> 
> I now have to go back tomorrow, on Saturday. Thankfully, I found a nice photo of a properly installed shifter boot here on the Forum and I printed it out so I can show them what it's supposed to look like.


Yeah tell me about frustrating! I still dont have my car back  But as long and it is dont right and there are no problems then ok.. but we will see. good luck on the boot.


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## GM Kid (Mar 21, 2005)

2005_GTO_Girl said:


> good luck on the boot.


They fixed the shifter boot while I waited. The service guy actually BROUGHT the detached shifter, boot and all, into the waiting room and showed it to me before they reinstalled it. I approved.

The only thing that bugged me--SLIGHTLY--is the way the stitching on the boot lined up. There's a seam at 12:00, one at 5:00 and one at 7:00. The one at 7:00 ends perfectly in the lower left corner of the shifter opening; the one at 5:00 looks like it's at . . . well, say, 5:02 or something.

But the rattle in my shifter is gone, it's put together correctly and I'm going to be content.

Best wishes, GTO Girl. Hope you can get back to enjoying your car soon.


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## Taxman (Dec 24, 2005)

The ones here knew me, I think I was a real annoyance to them for months. They never did much, some wouldnt even touch the car, so I got used to fights with them.

One knew me from before, the manager of that dealership and me had words when I tired to buy a car there


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