Chevy dealership shitstorm

[GoCougs]

Look up the M5 crash by dealer.. that one took 16 months to resolve...

Unlike this ZL1 case the M5 case a pretty open-n-shut case given that the tech was operating within the scope of this job. However, fat good that does given it took the M5 owner 16 months and $100k+ in legal fees to "win." M5 owner probably didn't have collision insurance (yet another good lesson about having good insurance for protecting oneself, even in light of the fact someone else was liable).

[NomisR]

Unlike this ZL1 case the M5 case a pretty open-n-shut case given that the tech was operating within the scope of this job. However, fat good that does given it took the M5 owner 16 months and $100k+ in legal fees to "win." M5 owner probably didn't have collision insurance (yet another good lesson about having good insurance for protecting oneself, even in light of the fact someone else was liable).

Yeah, this sorta defeats the whole purpose of going to a dealer believing that you're in good hands.. that's why I rarely take my car to get reamed by a dealer unless it's warranty work, absolutely not worth it at all. 

[GoCougs]

Yeah, this sorta defeats the whole purpose of going to a dealer believing that you're in good hands.. that's why I rarely take my car to get reamed by a dealer unless it's warranty work, absolutely not worth it at all. 

Well, I'm pretty sure 100% of dealers the country over would also not choose to give owner a replacement ZL1 in this situation.

[GoCougs]

Another good lesson: How A Tuner Totaled A $200,000 Ford GT. Tuner admits to crashing the car on a test drive but doesn't have insurance nor the money to foot the bill. The GT's owner insurance eventually covered the loss. Even in a cut-n-dry situation doesn't mean the right thing will be done. Good insurance is the glue that makes things better/whole.

I also have a hunch it has to do with insurance law, which is highly regulated, and very goofy when it comes to cars. For example, if I borrow a friend's car and plow into a school bus, state law says his insurance covers the damages. If I plow into a deer, but don't have collision insurance, state law says comprehensive coverage covers damage. If I plow into a tree, but don't have collision insurance, state law says I'm SOL.

[NomisR]

Another good lesson: How A Tuner Totaled A $200,000 Ford GT. Tuner admits to crashing the car on a test drive but doesn't have insurance nor the money to foot the bill. The GT's owner insurance eventually covered the loss. Even in a cut-n-dry situation doesn't mean the right thing will be done. Good insurance is the glue that makes things better/whole.

I also have a hunch it has to do with insurance law, which is highly regulated, and very goofy when it comes to cars. For example, if I borrow a friend's car and plow into a school bus, state law says his insurance covers the damages. If I plow into a deer, but don't have collision insurance, state law says comprehensive coverage covers damage. If I plow into a tree, but don't have collision insurance, state law says I'm SOL.

So.. government's fault?

[Mustangfan2003]

So.. government's fault?

It's cougs. We would all be better off living in a society of anarchy. 

[JWC]

When I worked at a Honda dealer we had a salesman crash a new Acura Legend--rolling it over a few times.  Unfortunately, the customers were in the car, husband and wife. They got hospital paid for and two new Legends. It was classic too, because they had already decided on the car and while waiting for F&I to finish with someone else, their salesman offered to "show them what it would do".

[Mustangfan2003]

When I worked at a Honda dealer we had a salesman crash a new Acura Legend--rolling it over a few times.  Unfortunately, the customers were in the car, husband and wife. They got hospital paid for and two new Legends. It was classic too, because they had already decided on the car and while waiting for F&I to finish with someone else, their salesman offered to "show them what it would do".

Well, they got to see how safe it was 

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Well, they got to see how safe it was 

Pfft, honda fanbois(the salesman).

Want me to show you what this baby can do???


It's a mediocure mainstream family sedan, it can't do much of anything.

[GoCougs]

So.. government's fault?

No, it's the thief's fault. That complicated insurance law exists didn't compel him to steal and wreck the car.

[NomisR]

Well, I guess the entire episode is over, and again, it seems like the victims are wrongly characterized in this issue.

http://jalopnik.com/owner-of-camaro-zl1-crashed-by-dealership-is-getting-a-1501366861

In the end, it's really about poor handling of the situation by the dealership rather than the owners demanding too much.  Dealers pretty much found an used replacement that the owners did not want and took a take it or leave it stance, whereas, what the owners would've simply preferred was the dealer taking more effort to actually get a car that they wanted, which I don't see anything wrong with that..

At least GM and another dealer helped and righted the wrong.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Would have been a good chance to move on, since he just got a insurance check.

Kinda surprised some smooth talking ford dealership owner didn't slip into this and have a shiny new and well discounted ford waiting for this gentleman. Topped off with a personal handshake and a smile from the dealership principal and a credit for some gen-u-ine ford racing accessories.

"We at ford would like to take the opportunity to educate the GM dealer network on how to handle and take car of customers"

[SVT666]

Would have been a good chance to move on, since he just got a insurance check.

Kinda surprised some smooth talking ford dealership owner didn't slip into this and have a shiny new and well discounted ford waiting for this gentleman. Topped off with a personal handshake and a smile from the dealership principal and a credit for some gen-u-ine ford racing accessories.

"We at ford would like to take the opportunity to educate the GM dealer network on how to handle and take car of customers"

That would have been a brilliant move, but very expensive.

[2o6]

That would have been a brilliant move, but very expensive.

At least at my old dealer, (we had two Hyundai Locations, Nissan, Chevy, GMC, Buick and a big ass used car lot) it would have been pocket change compared to the publicity they would have generated.

[NomisR]

Would have been a good chance to move on, since he just got a insurance check.

Kinda surprised some smooth talking ford dealership owner didn't slip into this and have a shiny new and well discounted ford waiting for this gentleman. Topped off with a personal handshake and a smile from the dealership principal and a credit for some gen-u-ine ford racing accessories.

"We at ford would like to take the opportunity to educate the GM dealer network on how to handle and take car of customers"

Well, the problem with the last statement is that the same Ford dealer would likely to have also owned a GM dealer nearby as well. 

But I think the guy just wanted another Camaro ZL1 and that dealer probably doesn't have the allocation and won't try to get one.  For the price though, couldn't he have gotten a Corvette Stingray instead? 

[FlatBlackCaddy]

That would have been a brilliant move, but very expensive.

How would it be expensive, I didn't say give it to him for free.

Taking a 60(ish)K car, slapping 15 off of it and absorbing the loss through an advertising budget would have been completely fine.

[2o6]

I am fully confident that a dealership would have been able to eat the 60K with minimal effects (initially).



Just from seeing how much shit we had to take from when I worked at the Chevy dealer.....I am surprised the owner didn't just eat it and give them a new ZL1.

[MrH]

At least at my old dealer, (we had two Hyundai Locations, Nissan, Chevy, GMC, Buick and a big ass used car lot) it would have been pocket change compared to the publicity they would have generated.

The publicity would be a couple hundred jalopnik nerds reading about it   Not worth it.

[MrH]

I am fully confident that a dealership would have been able to eat the 60K with minimal effects (initially).



Just from seeing how much shit we had to take from when I worked at the Chevy dealer.....I am surprised the owner didn't just eat it and give them a new ZL1.

  Margins at dealerships are paper thin.  $60k is a lot to a car dealership.

[Soup DeVille]

The publicity would be a couple hundred jalopnik nerds reading about it   Not worth it.

Not if they publicized it right.

Not saying they should have done that, but dealerships do give cars away from time to time, specifically for publicity.

[GoCougs]

Not if they publicized it right.

Not saying they should have done that, but dealerships do give cars away from time to time, specifically for publicity.

You'll find others are paying for that car; usually sponsors that are advertised along with whatever event.

No dealer is going to give away a car out of pocket, esp. to "win" business. It's a crazy assertion.

[NomisR]

You'll find others are paying for that car; usually sponsors that are advertised along with whatever event.

No dealer is going to give away a car out of pocket, esp. to "win" business. It's a crazy assertion.

I think just doing more than what the original dealer did would've worked.. like helping the guy at least find a suitable replacement he could buy rather than a beat up one that he didn't even want and say take it or leave it.

[2o6]

  Margins at dealerships are paper thin.  $60k is a lot to a car dealership.

It depends on what kind of volume they're moving - at my old dealer, our profit margin was thinner than others, but we made it up with volume.

Not if they publicized it right.

Not saying they should have done that, but dealerships do give cars away from time to time, specifically for publicity.

Tax write off

The publicity would be a couple hundred jalopnik nerds reading about it   Not worth it.

Plus their entire clientele....anyone who hears of this story would be turned off... It affects the view of the dealership as a whole.


When I worked at the old Chevy dealer, that said if we came across a disgruntled customer in public, say at a grocery store, any sort of monitory compensation (like buying someone groceries) to get them back in the dealer, the franchise owner would foot the bill.

[GoCougs]

Not how the world works.

[2o6]

So not eating 60K car is not a good idea versus having a tarnished reputation?