Issue with car dealer: how would you handle this?

Andrew,

Unfortunately,it sounds like the dealer has no legal obligation to honor the throttle body issue.

Have you checked to see if there was ever any campaign recalls for this issue or a "good will warranty" possible?

I just wanted to ask if you have dealt with this dealership or the Volvo dealership in the past?

The GM should at least have the professionalism to spend time to discuss your problem.

Is this the best price you can get to repair the problem?

I hope it gets resolved to your reasonable satisfaction.

 

What does the warranty say regarding which parts are covered?

 

How much did you pay? How many miles?

I can see their point of throttle body not being power train. At end of the day you bought a car w/o much warranty.

Do they have a satisfaction guarantee where they will let you trade for something else?

 

Have you gone to the dealer and asked to speak to him face to face?

 

I would check to see if there is some sort of underground Volvo culture in your town.

If Volvos are like VW's, then someone will be able to point you to someone with the ability to do the TB alignment for you for less.

I went out and bought the programming, and cable so I could do that kind of thing for myself.
Unfortunately, it only works on '05 and later VW/Audis.


Here are some finds for the Volvo side of things.

http://www.autologic-diagnostics.com/pages/products/autologic-solution/volvo-diagnostics

http://www.auto-tool-shop.com/volvo-vida-dice-p-113.html

Not cheap, but you can then do it yourself.
Maybe someone in your area has one.

 

I feel for you. Bought a car a few years back (a VW) that, literally the day after I bought it, had the MAF crap out.

Took it back to the dealer and asked if they'd fix it. They weren't the nicest and said: 'nope, not part of the powertrain'.

Ultimately there wasn't much I could do, except explain nicely that I was a sorely disappointed customer.

Technically, they are right -- they don't need to do anything. From a business perspective (given that changing a MAF is a 10 minute job), they could have made me a more loyal customer fairly easily. The question is whether giving me a discount on the part or on service (or eating the cost of 10 minutes of mechanic's labor) would be worth having me return.

The answer, to them, was no. And it's not an illogical answer - they don't make money fixing problems for free.

In this case, however, it was a costly mistake. They lost my business and that of my (then) significant other... who bought her car from another VW dealership a few weeks later after I said 'let's go to the other VW dealership... the service at #1 stinks.'

 

Sorry to hear about the problems. I agree with your feelings that the bill is too high to eat so they will pass on broadening the "pwertrain" definition.

By the way, GM's current definition of powertrain does include the turbo but not the throttle body becuase it is not a lubricated part.

http://www.gm.com/vehicles/warranty/

Go to FAQ and see third FAQ for complete details.

 

What confuses me is the fact that they would replace a boost sensor module gratis, and then balk at the notion of replacing a throttle body later. Both are considered parts of the induction/intake system, and the work needed to realign the throttle body is negligible at best.

Hope they decide to make it right.

 

That's unfortunate. Here in AZ, you can return a vehicle for any reason in the first 72 hrs after purchase.

 

I know dealers need to make money, the LEAST they should do is fix this at cost for you, and hope they regain a future customer.

See if anything here applies:

http://www.carlemon.com/lemon/ID_LemonGuide.html

 

It was -- talk about getting over the 'new car!' excitement quickly. And, really, that disappointment -- my 'new' car is broken already?! -- was the biggest hit. I didn't expect much from the dealer going in, and I didn't get much. What really stuck with me wasn't the answer, but the way it was given.

 

Tell the dealer you're planning to give him more business but this has to be resolved to your satisfaction first. Get wholesale prices on those parts and then see if he'll at least throw in the labor as you've been left hanging with this car. Just keep pushing until you're satisfied. You're going to have to cough up something. BTW most of those non-manufacturer warranties are a scam and cover very little when it comes time to use them. Good luck.

 

When you go in to see the GM have a written proposal of what it would take to satisfy you. Do not ask him up front what he plans on doing. He will just turn the question back to you and ask you what it will take. He will probably go into a lengthy dissertation about a dealers responsibility in pre-owned vehicles.

Tell him you understand fully and were just expecting, because of their reputation in the area, that they would extend some goodwill in taking care of a customer who came back to them after a previous purchase and the referral of friends. Let him know up front that you do not expect him to pay for all of it but to at least show some leniency in coming to an equitable solution. And do not just back down if he says no the first time.

But, by all means, keep you cool and do not cause him to become defensive. Ask him what he would expect if the situation were reversed and he had been the purchaser.

I worked with BMW for 17 years and was the GM for over ten years at the last BMW dealership I worked at. We worked goodwill all the time to keep a customer. It is found that it takes over $500 in advertising to bring a new customer in the door but $0 to keep them coming back if they are treated right. And the number of repeats and referrals you receive from one satisfied customer will far outweigh any good will they might have to do. I believe the research shows that one satisfied customer will account for 11 more sales over a 5 year period. No, not all repeat sales to the same person but to family members, relatives, neighbors, business associates. And one dissatisfied customer will result in losing approximately 20 sales that could have been earned just by doing something under goodwill........And the dealer has a way of writing that off anyway......

If I were GM there I would explain to you that the throttle body is not part of the power train of the car but because the purchase was so recent I would offer to cover the labor and let you have the throttle body at my cost. That is reasonable and the right thing to do. Then before you left with the car fixed I would ask if you were satisfied and ask you to refer someone else to us. I would give you my card and tell you to have them call me directly and I would handle everything for them. You would be satisfied and would feel that you had someone on the "inside" you could go to. It is amazing how something that small can have huge rewards............

Best of luck in your endeavor. I wish you well......KEEP YOUR COOL........

 

What would you ideally like the dealer to do?