- Joined
- Dec 7, 2012
- Messages
- 3,566
If I am being honest, I can see both sides, for part of the situation...
A few weeks back I did a front-end refresh in my Tahoe and visited West-Herr Chevrolet of Orchard Park for alignment. Truck is a 2005 with 320k miles. Alignment went well and I was pleased with the work. Dealer had a nice waiting area and I figured I'd continue to patronize the dealer with other things I need.
I stopped in today to make an alignment appointment for our 2005 Suburban, which was a Dallas/Fort Worth truck, that of which is stupid clean here in New York. 232k on the clock. I also intended upon making a state inspection appointment for my Tahoe.
I make the appointment with the service writer, then we begin making the appointment for the Suburban's alignment. He says "I have to ask my service manager something real quick". So a few minutes go by, and the service manager comes out and starts talking to me. "Unfortunately we cannot work on anything that is over 10 years old or over 200k miles." I was beyond shocked. I said "this Suburban is cleaner than all of your 2020-2021s on your lot". They kept stating that it is company policy throughout all West-Herr dealerships and that there was nothing they could do. They stated COVID parts shortages and that they can't get GM parts for a lot of older vehicles and if they break something during an alignment they can't replace it with GM and they cannot use aftermarket parts. They also said they made a mistake last time scheduling me and they honored my appointment and did the job because they made the mistake. That was cool I guess. The one service writer told me that he got his rear-chewed out by management for scheduling the appointment. That right there ain't right.
It was pointless arguing or really saying much more. They even said they won't run a vehicle over 10 years old for inspection... which I am not sure if that is possible or legal in NY.
I think it's a hilarious way to get Mr. and Mrs. John & Jane A. Gullible to think "wow our car -- the dealer won't service it next year, yes lets please talk to a salesman to start looking at the new Trax for ONLY $109 more a month than we use to pay for our loaded Yukon XL Denali back in 2013." When I said I can see both sides, I can understand a dealer or really any shop wanting to deny working on the 20 year old rotted out, strut pokin' thru, gas leaking LeSabre. But to blanket 10yr/200k for a New York State Inspection or alignment when a customer has explicitly stated the entire front end is new. Thats wild.
Went to a small two location Dealer a town over called Jim Murphy Chevrolet... Jim Murphy used to have a Pontiac franchise which everybody knew in Cheektowaga. Told them; they were shocked that West-Herr said that and agreed they're so big that they can choose whatever they want. They were happy to do the work.
For a matter of principle, I am going to research the State Inspection component, because I can't see NY allowing a registered inspection station to deny running a vehicle through inspection. Sure, you can fail it, but I do not think they are allowed to just not run one.
Still ain't keeping me out of my GMT800s.
A few weeks back I did a front-end refresh in my Tahoe and visited West-Herr Chevrolet of Orchard Park for alignment. Truck is a 2005 with 320k miles. Alignment went well and I was pleased with the work. Dealer had a nice waiting area and I figured I'd continue to patronize the dealer with other things I need.
I stopped in today to make an alignment appointment for our 2005 Suburban, which was a Dallas/Fort Worth truck, that of which is stupid clean here in New York. 232k on the clock. I also intended upon making a state inspection appointment for my Tahoe.
I make the appointment with the service writer, then we begin making the appointment for the Suburban's alignment. He says "I have to ask my service manager something real quick". So a few minutes go by, and the service manager comes out and starts talking to me. "Unfortunately we cannot work on anything that is over 10 years old or over 200k miles." I was beyond shocked. I said "this Suburban is cleaner than all of your 2020-2021s on your lot". They kept stating that it is company policy throughout all West-Herr dealerships and that there was nothing they could do. They stated COVID parts shortages and that they can't get GM parts for a lot of older vehicles and if they break something during an alignment they can't replace it with GM and they cannot use aftermarket parts. They also said they made a mistake last time scheduling me and they honored my appointment and did the job because they made the mistake. That was cool I guess. The one service writer told me that he got his rear-chewed out by management for scheduling the appointment. That right there ain't right.
It was pointless arguing or really saying much more. They even said they won't run a vehicle over 10 years old for inspection... which I am not sure if that is possible or legal in NY.
I think it's a hilarious way to get Mr. and Mrs. John & Jane A. Gullible to think "wow our car -- the dealer won't service it next year, yes lets please talk to a salesman to start looking at the new Trax for ONLY $109 more a month than we use to pay for our loaded Yukon XL Denali back in 2013." When I said I can see both sides, I can understand a dealer or really any shop wanting to deny working on the 20 year old rotted out, strut pokin' thru, gas leaking LeSabre. But to blanket 10yr/200k for a New York State Inspection or alignment when a customer has explicitly stated the entire front end is new. Thats wild.
Went to a small two location Dealer a town over called Jim Murphy Chevrolet... Jim Murphy used to have a Pontiac franchise which everybody knew in Cheektowaga. Told them; they were shocked that West-Herr said that and agreed they're so big that they can choose whatever they want. They were happy to do the work.
For a matter of principle, I am going to research the State Inspection component, because I can't see NY allowing a registered inspection station to deny running a vehicle through inspection. Sure, you can fail it, but I do not think they are allowed to just not run one.
Still ain't keeping me out of my GMT800s.