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Coupes & Convertibles Chevrolet Corvette Corvettes and all things about them
1905 messages, Last post on Nov 21, 2009 at 9:30 AM
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Guys, you want to hear about quality, read this! I purchased a brand new yellow 2006 Z06 on the last of October, after waiting patiently for a few months. Note that I owned a '01 Z06 which I kept for 2 years and recently returned a '03 911 Turbo off of a lease and purchased the new Z06, thus to amazement of some of my friends went back to a Corvette after having a Porsche. About 2 months ago after not using the Z06 for about 10 days, my Z06 woudln't start. I called roadside & received a boost. A similar situation happened 2 weeks ago, but this time after 4 or 5 days of not being used... Obviously a problem, so I made an appointment with my local dealer to check into the problem. This was this past Friday 1/27/06. Otherwise the car seemed to operate normally. The dealership checked the battery and told me it was fine, but when they were about to return the car to have me go on my way, the car didn't start! They obviously kept the car and later in the afternoon informed me that it was a defective starter... It happens, right, no big deal. They would overnight the part and fix it on Monday 1/30/06... No problem... Monday comes and I have a very unpleasant conversation with the dealership (who by the way are very professional) and I'm informed that when they car was lifted to install the starter... they discover a CRACKED lower ENGINE BLOCK!!!! They immediately tell me that they will swap in a new engine! The car is 3 months old with 1,300 miles on it, so you see the problem! I'm demaning a new car, NOT a repair! Mind you, I have a number of friends who own dealerships and know numerous mechanics! I speak with all of them that same day on Monday. ALL state the same. The only way this could have happened is that the engine was overtorqued on installation, thus cracking the engine block! This car was delivered to me defective and quality control (what an oxymoron) at Chevrolet didn't catch the problem! Fine, things happen... but Chevy, you made the mistake, rectify it and give me a new car!!! I call Chevrolet customer support, and get a very polite, non-comittal run-around. When I ask the lady who is a manager to let me speak with someone above her, she states that she will not as per her "guidelines." Coincidentally, that dealership where my car was being fixed had a visit from a Chevy field rep. and this issue was immediately brought to his attention. He obviously okays the engine swap under warranty, but when informed that the customer wants the car replaced, refuses it. I immediately file a Better Business Beureau complaint, and receive a phone call from a GM's customer relations manager on Tuesday morning, who is apparently above the customer support manager with whom I spoke earlier... He is told all the facts and promises to get back to me on Tuesday 2/07/06. Today I'm told that they would not volunatarily replace the car. I want the car replaced & my issues with the repairs are the following: a.) Obviously the Z06 is a very high performance automobile, the dealer admits to me they have never did this job on this car, I'm afraid the reliability & performance of my car will be affected in either the short term or the long term. Nothing against the dealership, but they have specialists at the factory hand building & installing these engines, and now this job will not be done in the factory? P.S., I would feel the same had they told me that car would go back to the factory for the repair job as my confidence & security in this car is totally gone. b.) A simple carfax will reveal that this car has a new engine, thus substantially affecting the value of the automobile. Again, Chevy delivered a defective car, they need to do right by their customer and replace it. c.) We all know that owning a Corvette is an emotional decision, and surely the way I feel about this car has been substantially affected in a negative way. I still want to have a Z06, but this car is obviously not the one I will keep. Finally, I feel betrayed by Chevy's immediate reaction to my situation. The company (GM)is having a lot of problems as we all know. I feel that we, as Corvette owners, are the backbone customers and need to be heard and I think Chevy/GM is very dangerously undermining the core customer base with these type of actions. I see myself and others like myself as GM's #1 customers. Not only do I own their HALO car which states to the world, take a look and notice, the Z06 is what GM is all about, but I'm also a repeat customer having previously owned another Z06! I still have hope that Chevy/GM will do the right thing and replace the car without any further action by me... I'm still waiting and believe its going to be a long wait... But I'm prepared to take all steps necessary, including legal ones... P.S. I am an attorney. All contributions & opinions would be highly appreciated. Anyone else ever have similar issues? Any ideas in dealing with this situation? Needless to say, I'm extremely distressed by this situation! P.S. I have already posted same in the Z06 Corvette & C6 Corvette forums and have received a number of constructive responses from some of you... Thanks again... For a follow up on how manufacturers with integrity handle much more minor problems please see a response to my posting in the Corvette Z06 forum. Thanks in advance for comments, suggestions and ideas... Alena |
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Replying to: alenatasevich1 (Feb 06, 2006 12:47 pm)   I frankly would want a new car also. However I am wondering out loud what is the car fax consequence/s of just swapping out the bad engine for the new engine under warranty. |
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Replying to: alenatasevich1 (Feb 06, 2006 12:47 pm) |
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Replying to: alenatasevich1 (Feb 06, 2006 12:47 pm) Let them replace the engine and I suspect they will even extend your warrenty....Like BMW did with their crank problems. Since you are a lawyer, you could litigate the matter but what is GM going to present you with? Yup, their warrenty and frankly they are living up to that aspect as they will replace the engine. It is certainly annoying but I think your alternative in litigating the matter may prove fruitless. On a lighter side, I'll take your car! I have had an '01 yellow;traded for an '03 yellow and will be hunting down an '06, either yellow or blue and have merely been waiting for pricing to settle. Maybe your dealer would want to swap you out of your car into another one, I'll take yours for the right price and all will be happy. Just a thought.
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Replying to: gbjerke (Feb 06, 2006 6:20 pm) GM has not offered to extend my warranty. Legally speaking, I will file an action against GM, but that is not the point. Porsche & BMW have in similar situations (or with cars with less serious problems) replaced the car (examples provided by other board members) thus backing their product and their customer. While GM & Chevrolet is basically flipping me the bird. I do not intent do keep this car under any circumstances and already have a deposit on another Z06. Funny isn't it? Depending on how things work out with GM, this car will be either returned to GM for a new one, bought back by GM, or will be sold by me. If you're interested in purchasing it, just let me know. This whole scenario has absolutely ruined my experience of owning this particular car, but the reason for that is not the actual problems with my Z06, those can happen on any car, but the way Chevrolet & GM are handling this situation. "American Revolution" is the new Chevrolet slogan, but in the end these are just words. Although I think Chevy's products are overall greatly improved, their integrity as a company are at the bottom of the barrel, and this is where their focus needs to be. They will never compete with the profitable companies until their policy is changed. Porsche & BMW are the 2 most profitable car manufacturers and its funny that in the examples given the customers' cars were replaced and the reputation of the companies improve. But GM, a company in dire financial straights does not replace a car which left the factory substantially defective, thus further undermining the company's reputation. And this is supposed to be their HALO car! What a joke... Alena
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Replying to: alenatasevich1 (Feb 07, 2006 5:54 pm) GROW UP!!! Lets be honest here, if this problem would have been discovered between the car coming off the assembly line and being delivered to you all they would have done is changed the engine and you would have had a vette with a new replacement engine and you would be none the wiser. |
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I have a couple of thoughts here. First the starting problem, their diagnosis aside, sound more like an iginition relay or starter switch. I've had those go before, and long before a starter itself. If you get the car back and it fails to start again, have those checked. On the warranty issue, I think if GM wants to play hardball, you end up with a new engine rather than a new car. But, some years ago when I was at my Olds dealer and puttering around the show room, I saw a guy outside getting ready to take delivery on a new Toronado. I was speaking to the owner and he told me the guy had a new Toronado and on a business trip it developed a tranny problem that could not readily be fixed. The dealer said he got a call from GM central and was told to give him any Toronado he had on his lot as a replacement. That is what he did. I whistled at that info and he said: "Well, the Toronado is our top of the line and they want to take care of their best customers." I wonder if things have changed. After all, the Z06 is a heck of a lot more expensive than the Toronado was. And by the way, I bought a 87 Toronado and it was the best, most trouble free GM product I ever bought. Kept it 9 years and then gave it to my son who kept it 2 more. Still wish I had kept it, it would almost be a collector item now. 
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 I had 5 and I prevailed on every one of them.
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Replying to: bigmike5 (Feb 08, 2006 10:18 am) Fivelemons, FIVE LEMONS? That's rediculous! As an update... it looks like the dealership will have my car for about a month, today being the 18th day... Some parts still have not come in! No surprises here! Alena
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Replying to: alenatasevich1 (Feb 14, 2006 9:36 am) |
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