Frustrated with car dealership

[WhitecatD]

So I took my 2007 Cobalt into the dealership because it was making some pretty substantial valve-train noise when you would start it. They kept it kept it for two days trying to figure out the problem and decided to replace the entire cylinder head. So I have to wait an entire week for parts to come in and they didn’t provide me with a rental! They said that they could not give me a rental until all the parts came in. This makes me mad because I drive fifty miles a day and now I have to drive our one-ton truck to work. So they replace the cylinder head and I go to pick it up this morning. Everything seemed fine and I drove it a couple of miles to work. When I got to work I smelled antifreeze so I popped the hood and found oil and antifreeze all over the engine. Ok, so they didn’t wash it off or make any attempt to clean it up. Then when I get off work I come out to start the car a whole bunch of white smoke starts pouring out the exhaust and the car is running rough.

Head gasket? But it's not over heating... They suggested antifreeze in the exhaust system and some got on the O2 sensor but again for this to happen it would have had to been careless disassembly/assembly. But where is all the smoke coming from? Did they pour a gallon of antifreeze down the exhaust system and into the cat?! Who knows I just want my daily driver back!

Now I have to take the car back to the dealership for a third time to have it fixed again! It seems like I am spending every morning at the dealership either dropping off my car or picking it up. What a pain in the a$$!! This is all under warranty the car only has 35,000 on it but still what a pain!

[71RS/SS396]

This is the reason the US automakers are in trouble now. I have had the same treatment with my Silverado, I have bought american cars all of my life and have had problems with them all that don't get handled properly. They don't understand the lifetime value of a customer and the Japanese Co.s do,they have problems too ,but they handle it right. If Toyota comes out with a diesel 2500 pick-up I am buying one, I'm done with US car Co's.
:soapbox:

[Iamtheonlyreal1]

I worked in the Service Department for a Chevy dealership...They are full of shiit by telling you they cant give you a loaner until the parts come in....So, much B.S. The dealership provides the loaner cars, but General Motors pays for the time out during warranty work.. I can guaruntee you that G.M was billed for the loaner you didnt recieve.

As far as the white smoke... If you drove 50 miles to work, and when you came out it was smoking and running rough on start up. They did not do the job right.. They may not have changed the Torque to yield bolts or done something else wrong..

I hope you demanded a car at that last repair?

[tones2SS]

Whatever you do Whitecat, make sure you keep all your paperwork/reciepts in order. You may have a "Lemon" law act in the making. I had to go through this with a '93 Berretta GT. That car went back and forth into the shop for a slipping transmission. All under full warranty. (Sometimes the transmission didn't even have a reverse after they changed out a new transmission!!):_paranoid :_paranoid
GOOD LUCK!!:thumbsup:

[Vegas69]

That's exactly why i keep leasing BMW's. When my car is in the shop, I need a loaner. It's not negotiable and I've never even had to fight with them once in 5 years.

[Iamtheonlyreal1]

Plus the fact the BMW is an awsome car to drive... I love my 540I...

[carkrazy1987]

i dont know what gm dealers you guys are going to, but the are full of s***. im a service tech for a chevrolet dealer, and if ur vehicle will need repairs and the repairs take more then 2 hrs acourding to the books, we will provide you a rental. gm reimburses us the dealer for the rental. wether parts are here or not, u still deserve a rental, why should you be with out a vehicle for a week cuz gm is slow to get parts. heck i have a customer right now who has been in a rental for 3 weeks because we are having a hard time locating a cam for his truck. if we were to wait for the parts to come it it could be another week before he could get a rental. i dont see how anyone would be gettin around for a whole month especially if theyre dd is in the shop and the dealer wont give em a rental.

i would strongly strongly suggest you find yourself another dealer to go to. and file against that dealer with the bbb

[71RS/SS396]

Whatever you do Whitecat, make sure you keep all your paperwork/reciepts in order. You may have a "Lemon" law act in the making. I had to go through this with a '93 Berretta GT. That car went back and forth into the shop for a slipping transmission. All under full warranty. (Sometimes the transmission didn't even have a reverse after they changed out a new transmission!!):_paranoid :_paranoid
GOOD LUCK!!:thumbsup:

Good Luck with the lemon law gig, been there,done that, it took 18 months of fighting with their lawyers and they settled out of court the day of my hearing,basically on the steps of the courthouse .Then I got some money to go away but was still stuck with the vehicle I didn't want,but I was sick of fighting with them. Oh,and as a side note my lawyer said at the beginning of this to not drive the vehicle if I wanted any chance of winning,so basically I parked a truck with 7k miles on it for 18 months and went and bought a new one because I needed a truck. I wouldn't recommend that route it tends to consume you. You are better off to just cut your losses and broom the car if it is a cronic problem. I would however contact GM customer service and demand to talk to the regional service manager and explain your situation sometimes this will get the dealers attention because they will realize you won't take their crap........whew I'm done!:soapbox: :mad:

[70rs]

I agree with the fact that you don't have to wait to get a loaner till the parts come in. I worked at a GM dealer and the loaner/rental car was ALWAYS brought up front asap and kept by the customer for the duration. Your dealer is screwing you hard on both the rental car and the repairs on your car. And they didn't even give you a kiss first I bet. Find a new dealer. Good luck.:thumbsup:

[GregWeld]

White smoke out the exhaust is ONE THING ONLY -- a leaking head gasket... one way or the other "water" - which turns to steam - is in the cylinder and being heated... and going out the exhaust...

It could also come from a crack - but my guess is the gasket - since they just changed it.

Don't bother with these morons - they're ripping you off AND doing crappy work! Hope you have another dealer in town. I'd be calling the DISTRICT REP and getting him involved... they owe you some favors now! Like a rental - and good work...

By the way -- BMW can have crap service too... trust me... I own a new M5 (although just sold it) and own a 650i Convertible... and we've had issues with service and the cars. BIG DIFFERENCE is the respect you get when you do have an issue. You don't have to yell and get pissed off - they WILL make it right. But that's not the issue here... so good luck with your problem. That sucks.

[tones2SS]

Good Luck with the lemon law gig, been there,done that, it took 18 months of fighting with their lawyers and they settled out of court the day of my hearing,basically on the steps of the courthouse .Then I got some money to go away but was still stuck with the vehicle I didn't want,but I was sick of fighting with them. Oh,and as a side note my lawyer said at the beginning of this to not drive the vehicle if I wanted any chance of winning,so basically I parked a truck with 7k miles on it for 18 months and went and bought a new one because I needed a truck. I wouldn't recommend that route it tends to consume you. You are better off to just cut your losses and broom the car if it is a cronic problem. I would however contact GM customer service and demand to talk to the regional service manager and explain your situation sometimes this will get the dealers attention because they will realize you won't take their crap........whew I'm done!:soapbox: :mad:

Yeah, I filed and did the "whole due process" and went to the dealership before I sent in all paperwork and told them what I had in mind. Obviously they knew that the car was no good, and decided to work out a deal with me to get a new car and I upgraded to '94 Chevy Beretta Z26. I was lucky and it worked out for me. (It is and can be a pain in the ass. You have to follow protocol right down to the letter and dot your i's and cross your t's.)
GOOD LUCK!:thumbsup:

[WhitecatD]

Update. I took the car back and spoke to the manager and showed him the crappy job they did under the hood and not washing it off. I also told him on the phone the night before that I wanted a loaner car ready to go when I got there. I was pretty stern on the fact they screwed me over and I wanted it done right this time.

They told me the head must have a crack in it. They claim that they can only get remanufactured heads for the 2.2L Ecotec and GM doesn’t make new ones... Really?:question:

Anyway I have a loaner car now... but this is the last time I go to this dealership for service!

[tones2SS]

Glad you got a loaner!
Hope all works out well for you.:thumbsup: