Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations

jmonroe

ab348 said:

I have bad feet that a podiatrist told me a couple of years ago should have been fixed when I was an infant but were not. Now the only fix would be breaking/resetting the lower legs, screwing them back together, putting them in casts and being in a wheelchair for 6-8 weeks, no thanks. Even prior to learning that I used to say that I had "pizza feet" because the are very wide in the toe area and taper back to a narrow heel, so most shoes do not fit. New Balance and their leather Dunham line are the only ones that consistently work for me. Size 10/4E usually.

As I have said before, I like New Balance too but I don't have feet problems like some of you do in here. Just very lucky I guess.

I'm kinda normal, I wear an 11D. Sometimes an 11 1/2D depending how I feel on that particular day when I buy a pair.

jmonroe

stickguy

GG you should write a book. This is nuts what you have gone through with this brand.

I assume you have to chase after BBB forca status update?

The system really is rigged against the poor guy with the defective car.

stickguy

Also, will be interesting if they really do get parts in and car fixed, say next week. Then call to say all ready, bring loaner back and come get it. You don't really have a choice at that point, right? You could keep persuing your claim, but still need to take the car?

Me, if it seemed fine, I would likely just give up and immediately trade it in someplace to be done with it.

driver100

stickguy said:

Also, will be interesting if they really do get parts in and car fixed, say next week. Then call to say all ready, bring loaner back and come get it. You don't really have a choice at that point, right? You could keep persuing your claim, but still need to take the car?

Me, if it seemed fine, I would likely just give up and immediately trade it in someplace to be done with it.

Couldn't he do lemon law if they are over limit on getting his current car repaired...over one month?

What I would like to know is since you paid for a 2014 I believe, but now have a 2016, and you did get it back would the trade-in value be a positive or a negative at this point? Didn't you rent cars too while the last one was being garaged for you? How do you claim those expenses?

I do agree, another case of customer service not having a clue as to what is happening...they are the first line of defense and that is all.

abacomike

I found a store here that sells nothing but running and walking shoes.  Tried on 5 pairs of New Balance and Brooks - all of them "slipped" on my right heel - not high enough to grasp my right heel from slipping.  I'm going into the New Balance Store shortly here at the mall to see what other options I have.

Thanks to all for your input - much appreciated!!!

suydam

Sorry hit that damn flag button again. I hit it a second time but it still stays on. Can't they do away with that thing or move it?
Good luck on your shoe search. New Balance actual store is probably your best bet.

berri

Aba - First, have you talked to your doctor about inserts possibly helping? Second, maybe those Velcro instead of shoelace type shoes would get you a better fit?

driver100

jmonroe said:

ab348 said:

I have bad feet that a podiatrist told me a couple of years ago should have been fixed when I was an infant but were not. Now the only fix would be breaking/resetting the lower legs, screwing them back together, putting them in casts and being in a wheelchair for 6-8 weeks, no thanks. Even prior to learning that I used to say that I had "pizza feet" because the are very wide in the toe area and taper back to a narrow heel, so most shoes do not fit. New Balance and their leather Dunham line are the only ones that consistently work for me. Size 10/4E usually.

As I have said before, I like New Balance too but I don't have feet problems like some of you do in here. Just very lucky I guess.

I'm kinda normal, I wear an 11D. Sometimes an 11 1/2D depending how I feel on that particular day when I buy a pair.

jmonroe

Your not even close to normal.

I checked many sites and they all came up with the same answer;

The average shoe size for men in the United States is a 10.5. In case you were wondering, globally the range of men shoe sizes fall between a 9 and 12.

So, for an American, you aren't normal, but, we already knew that

jmonroe

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

ab348 said:

I have bad feet that a podiatrist told me a couple of years ago should have been fixed when I was an infant but were not. Now the only fix would be breaking/resetting the lower legs, screwing them back together, putting them in casts and being in a wheelchair for 6-8 weeks, no thanks. Even prior to learning that I used to say that I had "pizza feet" because the are very wide in the toe area and taper back to a narrow heel, so most shoes do not fit. New Balance and their leather Dunham line are the only ones that consistently work for me. Size 10/4E usually.

As I have said before, I like New Balance too but I don't have feet problems like some of you do in here. Just very lucky I guess.

I'm kinda normal, I wear an 11D. Sometimes an 11 1/2D depending how I feel on that particular day when I buy a pair.

jmonroe

Your not even close to normal.

I checked many sites and they all came up with the same answer;

The average shoe size for men in the United States is a 10.5. In case you were wondering, globally the range of men shoe sizes fall between a 9 and 12.

So, for an American, you aren't normal, but, we already knew that

OK Mr. Lookem Up, so I'm above the bar, always have been. Not much I can do about it now.

I should have known not to use the word "normal" around here. :@

jmonroe

qbrozen

I never bought a pair of shoes that had a letter attached to the size. I'm a 14 but have never had a width issue.

This is a strange topic. How bout this... anybody else own a pair of driving shoes? I've probably worn mine half a dozen times.

driver100

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

ab348 said:

I have bad feet that a podiatrist told me a couple of years ago should have been fixed when I was an infant but were not. Now the only fix would be breaking/resetting the lower legs, screwing them back together, putting them in casts and being in a wheelchair for 6-8 weeks, no thanks. Even prior to learning that I used to say that I had "pizza feet" because the are very wide in the toe area and taper back to a narrow heel, so most shoes do not fit. New Balance and their leather Dunham line are the only ones that consistently work for me. Size 10/4E usually.

As I have said before, I like New Balance too but I don't have feet problems like some of you do in here. Just very lucky I guess.

I'm kinda normal, I wear an 11D. Sometimes an 11 1/2D depending how I feel on that particular day when I buy a pair.

jmonroe

Your not even close to normal.

I checked many sites and they all came up with the same answer;

The average shoe size for men in the United States is a 10.5. In case you were wondering, globally the range of men shoe sizes fall between a 9 and 12.

So, for an American, you aren't normal, but, we already knew that

OK Mr. Lookem Up, so I'm above the bar, always have been. Not much I can do about it now.

I should have known not to use the word "normal" around here. :@

jmonroe

JMonroe, honestly, I have the highest respect for you. You let every remark bounce of you;;;;;I think I will call you J Teflonman Monroe.

You even help to set yourself up at times....calling yourself normal was a big mistake - it was like a red flag.

Anyway, my remarks are completely said just for fun, and I love your posts but especially your attitude....nothing gets to you. It is a good way to be.

driver100

qbrozen said:

I never bought a pair of shoes that had a letter attached to the size. I'm a 14 but have never had a width issue.

This is a strange topic. How bout this... anybody else own a pair of driving shoes? I've probably worn mine half a dozen times.

No, but I bought some driving underwear............waterproof in case you skid off the road

qbrozen

driver100 said:

qbrozen said:

I never bought a pair of shoes that had a letter attached to the size. I'm a 14 but have never had a width issue.

This is a strange topic. How bout this... anybody else own a pair of driving shoes? I've probably worn mine half a dozen times.

No, but I bought some driving underwear............waterproof in case you skid off the road

different kind of skid mark....

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

ab348 said:

I have bad feet that a podiatrist told me a couple of years ago should have been fixed when I was an infant but were not. Now the only fix would be breaking/resetting the lower legs, screwing them back together, putting them in casts and being in a wheelchair for 6-8 weeks, no thanks. Even prior to learning that I used to say that I had "pizza feet" because the are very wide in the toe area and taper back to a narrow heel, so most shoes do not fit. New Balance and their leather Dunham line are the only ones that consistently work for me. Size 10/4E usually.

As I have said before, I like New Balance too but I don't have feet problems like some of you do in here. Just very lucky I guess.

I'm kinda normal, I wear an 11D. Sometimes an 11 1/2D depending how I feel on that particular day when I buy a pair.

jmonroe

Your not even close to normal.

I checked many sites and they all came up with the same answer;

The average shoe size for men in the United States is a 10.5. In case you were wondering, globally the range of men shoe sizes fall between a 9 and 12.

So, for an American, you aren't normal, but, we already knew that

Size 13 extra wide. Does that make me a freak? Can I get some government money for my condition?

abacomike

graphicguy said:

CTS update....my case worker called last night to tell me the wiring harness, wiring and the re-routing hardware will be at the dealership "soon". Not sure when "soon" is, but I told her that ship had sailed. Haven't heard a peep from the BBB in weeks. So, not sure if they're still involved or not.

So, Customer Service called me for.....well.....no particular reason.

Love the response to questions regarding "when" - "soon"!!! Your response, "...that ship has sailed..." is close to what my response would be, "...rx40Z8FLWKe8sayd..." or in other words, "...that time has passed..."!

GG, I sincerely hope you will never, ever own or lease another Cadillac - for your own benefit. Why, because I like you (thought of "love you" but that was a bit over the top) and want to protect you from the "Curse of the V8-6-4 Cadillac Model". You do realize you are cursed - don't you? No one has had problems like you have had. You need a nice, new BMW 5 series or Mercedes E Class to reverse the hex Cadillac has placed on you.

Now be a good boy and get rid of that car and get yourself something you can fall in love with!

abacomike

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

ab348 said:

I have bad feet that a podiatrist told me a couple of years ago should have been fixed when I was an infant but were not. Now the only fix would be breaking/resetting the lower legs, screwing them back together, putting them in casts and being in a wheelchair for 6-8 weeks, no thanks. Even prior to learning that I used to say that I had "pizza feet" because the are very wide in the toe area and taper back to a narrow heel, so most shoes do not fit. New Balance and their leather Dunham line are the only ones that consistently work for me. Size 10/4E usually.

As I have said before, I like New Balance too but I don't have feet problems like some of you do in here. Just very lucky I guess.

I'm kinda normal, I wear an 11D. Sometimes an 11 1/2D depending how I feel on that particular day when I buy a pair.

jmonroe

Your not even close to normal.

I checked many sites and they all came up with the same answer;

The average shoe size for men in the United States is a 10.5. In case you were wondering, globally the range of men shoe sizes fall between a 9 and 12.

So, for an American, you aren't normal, but, we already knew that

OK Mr. Lookem Up, so I'm above the bar, always have been. Not much I can do about it now.

I should have known not to use the word "normal" around here. :@

jmonroe

JMonroe, honestly, I have the highest respect for you. You let every remark bounce of you;;;;;I think I will call you J Teflonman Monroe.

You even help to set yourself up at times....calling yourself normal was a big mistake - it was like a red flag.

Anyway, my remarks are completely said just for fun, and I love your posts but especially your attitude....nothing gets to you. It is a good way to be.

Driver, nothing causes JM to get upset - with just one exception - your posts!

abacomike

Well, I visited New Balance at the mall after having my Chick-Fil-A lunch and found the same problem - my right heel slips up and down in the back of the shoe. I thought it might be my sock, so I put on another sock, but the same thing happens. Maybe I have a misshapen right heel or it is so out of whack from being laid up in hospitals and rehabs. I think I will just wait until I get some therapy going and the results of the X-rays are reviewed.

jmonroe

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

ab348 said:

I have bad feet that a podiatrist told me a couple of years ago should have been fixed when I was an infant but were not. Now the only fix would be breaking/resetting the lower legs, screwing them back together, putting them in casts and being in a wheelchair for 6-8 weeks, no thanks. Even prior to learning that I used to say that I had "pizza feet" because the are very wide in the toe area and taper back to a narrow heel, so most shoes do not fit. New Balance and their leather Dunham line are the only ones that consistently work for me. Size 10/4E usually.

As I have said before, I like New Balance too but I don't have feet problems like some of you do in here. Just very lucky I guess.

I'm kinda normal, I wear an 11D. Sometimes an 11 1/2D depending how I feel on that particular day when I buy a pair.

jmonroe

Your not even close to normal.

I checked many sites and they all came up with the same answer;

The average shoe size for men in the United States is a 10.5. In case you were wondering, globally the range of men shoe sizes fall between a 9 and 12.

So, for an American, you aren't normal, but, we already knew that

Size 13 extra wide. Does that make me a freak? Can I get some government money for my condition?

NO. Farmers have gotten more that their fair share already.

How much did they give you last year for not planting too many fields of your pretty flowers. And now you want more? You'd probably spend it on another car anyway.

jmonroe

driver100

abacomike said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

ab348 said:

I have bad feet that a podiatrist told me a couple of years ago should have been fixed when I was an infant but were not. Now the only fix would be breaking/resetting the lower legs, screwing them back together, putting them in casts and being in a wheelchair for 6-8 weeks, no thanks. Even prior to learning that I used to say that I had "pizza feet" because the are very wide in the toe area and taper back to a narrow heel, so most shoes do not fit. New Balance and their leather Dunham line are the only ones that consistently work for me. Size 10/4E usually.

As I have said before, I like New Balance too but I don't have feet problems like some of you do in here. Just very lucky I guess.

I'm kinda normal, I wear an 11D. Sometimes an 11 1/2D depending how I feel on that particular day when I buy a pair.

jmonroe

Your not even close to normal.

I checked many sites and they all came up with the same answer;

The average shoe size for men in the United States is a 10.5. In case you were wondering, globally the range of men shoe sizes fall between a 9 and 12.

So, for an American, you aren't normal, but, we already knew that

OK Mr. Lookem Up, so I'm above the bar, always have been. Not much I can do about it now.

I should have known not to use the word "normal" around here. :@

jmonroe

JMonroe, honestly, I have the highest respect for you. You let every remark bounce of you;;;;;I think I will call you J Teflonman Monroe.

You even help to set yourself up at times....calling yourself normal was a big mistake - it was like a red flag.

Anyway, my remarks are completely said just for fun, and I love your posts but especially your attitude....nothing gets to you. It is a good way to be.

Driver, nothing causes JM to get upset - with just one exception - your posts!

He could get upset if I get the job of moderator

He hasn't been around again, this is his car waxing time

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

Size 13 extra wide. Does that make me a freak? Can I get some government money for my condition?

Sounds like low profile extra wide racing shoes for taking the corners faster........

graphicguy

stickguy said:

GG you should write a book. This is nuts what you have gone through with this brand.

I assume you have to chase after BBB forca status update?

The system really is rigged against the poor guy with the defective car.

It's what they do. They do indeed string it along. They try to wear you down until you give up.

BBB is just another layer GM makes you go through to add complexity to an already tense situation. In many ways, BBB is more inept than GM. I've already communicated to Cadillac's Customer Service directly. They have all the records and conversations. BBB (which GM forces you to go through) requires the same things, only they're even more inept than Cadillac is. BBB in turn tells Cadillac the same thing as I did, only weeks later.

Talked to BBB this a.m. They're just processing info I sent to them weeks ago. They said they have to have 2 weeks for GM to respond. Then, they expect it to take another 40 days for some sort of additional response (not sure what that is). I told them I already had the responses from GM, which I had sent to BBB two weeks ago. Again, just another layer of time wasting and frustration to get to the resolution.

Open Cadillac plea....."you wonder why sales are in a free fall? Start with the Customer Service experiene and you'll get an answer".

jmonroe

abacomike said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

ab348 said:

I have bad feet that a podiatrist told me a couple of years ago should have been fixed when I was an infant but were not. Now the only fix would be breaking/resetting the lower legs, screwing them back together, putting them in casts and being in a wheelchair for 6-8 weeks, no thanks. Even prior to learning that I used to say that I had "pizza feet" because the are very wide in the toe area and taper back to a narrow heel, so most shoes do not fit. New Balance and their leather Dunham line are the only ones that consistently work for me. Size 10/4E usually.

As I have said before, I like New Balance too but I don't have feet problems like some of you do in here. Just very lucky I guess.

I'm kinda normal, I wear an 11D. Sometimes an 11 1/2D depending how I feel on that particular day when I buy a pair.

jmonroe

Your not even close to normal.

I checked many sites and they all came up with the same answer;

The average shoe size for men in the United States is a 10.5. In case you were wondering, globally the range of men shoe sizes fall between a 9 and 12.

So, for an American, you aren't normal, but, we already knew that

OK Mr. Lookem Up, so I'm above the bar, always have been. Not much I can do about it now.

I should have known not to use the word "normal" around here. :@

jmonroe

JMonroe, honestly, I have the highest respect for you. You let every remark bounce of you;;;;;I think I will call you J Teflonman Monroe.

You even help to set yourself up at times....calling yourself normal was a big mistake - it was like a red flag.

Anyway, my remarks are completely said just for fun, and I love your posts but especially your attitude....nothing gets to you. It is a good way to be.

Driver, nothing causes JM to get upset - with just one exception - your posts!

I don't know where you guys get this "mild mannered" jmonroe thing but if that is what drives your car, that's fine with me. :@

@driver100, I'm still here. I don't wax in the Winter. I do that before the Winter starts. It's easier on the car and me that way. :@

jmonroe

Michaell

graphicguy said:

stickguy said:

GG you should write a book. This is nuts what you have gone through with this brand.

I assume you have to chase after BBB forca status update?

The system really is rigged against the poor guy with the defective car.

It's what they do. They do indeed string it along. They try to wear you down until you give up.

BBB is just another layer GM makes you go through to add complexity to an already tense situation. In many ways, BBB is more inept than GM. I've already communicated to Cadillac's Customer Service directly. They have all the records and conversations. BBB (which GM forces you to go through) requires the same things, only they're even more inept than Cadillac is. BBB in turn tells Cadillac the same thing as I did, only weeks later.

Talked to BBB this a.m. They're just processing info I sent to them weeks ago. They said they have to have 2 weeks for GM to respond. Then, they expect it to take another 40 days for some sort of additional response (not sure what that is). I told them I already had the responses from GM, which I had sent to BBB two weeks ago. Again, just another layer of time wasting and frustration to get to the resolution.

Open Cadillac plea....."you wonder why sales are in a free fall? Start with the Customer Service experiene and you'll get an answer".

I guess that's why Cadillac's Project Pinnacle is taking so long to get into place. Supposed to reward dealers for not only meeting sales targets but also for the "customer experience":

http://wardsauto.com/nada-convention-and-exposition/cadillac-carries-new-dealer-compensation-project

Perhaps a direct communication to Mr. de Nysschen might get things moving. They certainly aren't giving you a good customer experience.

For an organization that wants to do the right thing by the customer, your experiences seem to be just the opposite.

jmonroe

abacomike said:

Well, I visited New Balance at the mall after having my Chick-Fil-A lunch and found the same problem - my right heel slips up and down in the back of the shoe. I thought it might be my sock, so I put on another sock, but the same thing happens. Maybe I have a misshapen right heel or it is so out of whack from being laid up in hospitals and rehabs. I think I will just wait until I get some therapy going and the results of the X-rays are reviewed.

I have a theory about your right heel problem. See if this fits:

You have owned soooo many cars over your lifetime you have forced your heel to constantly adjust to the different angles of the accelerator and brake pedal. You never give your right heel time to adjust to a car. Run my theory by your doctor for a second opinion.

I shoulda been a doctor.

jmonroe

houdini1

qbrozen said:

I never bought a pair of shoes that had a letter attached to the size. I'm a 14 but have never had a width issue.

This is a strange topic. How bout this... anybody else own a pair of driving shoes? I've probably worn mine half a dozen times.

No driving shoes, but I have an old pair of driving gloves that I just slip over my toes whenever the mood strikes me.

graphicguy

Michaell said:

graphicguy said:

stickguy said:

GG you should write a book. This is nuts what you have gone through with this brand.

I assume you have to chase after BBB forca status update?

The system really is rigged against the poor guy with the defective car.

It's what they do. They do indeed string it along. They try to wear you down until you give up.

BBB is just another layer GM makes you go through to add complexity to an already tense situation. In many ways, BBB is more inept than GM. I've already communicated to Cadillac's Customer Service directly. They have all the records and conversations. BBB (which GM forces you to go through) requires the same things, only they're even more inept than Cadillac is. BBB in turn tells Cadillac the same thing as I did, only weeks later.

Talked to BBB this a.m. They're just processing info I sent to them weeks ago. They said they have to have 2 weeks for GM to respond. Then, they expect it to take another 40 days for some sort of additional response (not sure what that is). I told them I already had the responses from GM, which I had sent to BBB two weeks ago. Again, just another layer of time wasting and frustration to get to the resolution.

Open Cadillac plea....."you wonder why sales are in a free fall? Start with the Customer Service experiene and you'll get an answer".

I guess that's why Cadillac's Project Pinnacle is taking so long to get into place. Supposed to reward dealers for not only meeting sales targets but also for the "customer experience":

http://wardsauto.com/nada-convention-and-exposition/cadillac-carries-new-dealer-compensation-project

Perhaps a direct communication to Mr. de Nysschen might get things moving. They certainly aren't giving you a good customer experience.

For an organization that wants to do the right thing by the customer, your experiences seem to be just the opposite.

Funny you should mention de Nysschen. I wrote a letter to him last night. Sending it this weekend. Good idea!

houdini1

jmonroe said:

abacomike said:

Well, I visited New Balance at the mall after having my Chick-Fil-A lunch and found the same problem - my right heel slips up and down in the back of the shoe. I thought it might be my sock, so I put on another sock, but the same thing happens. Maybe I have a misshapen right heel or it is so out of whack from being laid up in hospitals and rehabs. I think I will just wait until I get some therapy going and the results of the X-rays are reviewed.

I have a theory about your right heel problem. See if this fits:

You have owned soooo many cars over your lifetime you have forced your heel to constantly adjust to the different angles of the accelerator and brake pedal. You never give your right heel time to adjust to a car. Run my theory by your doctor for a second opinion.

I shoulda been a doctor.

jmonroe

LOL, I think you've hit on something. The feet are rebelling because of the switch from Mercedes to BMW. Run on down and trade that hard pedal 7 series for a nice, softer pedal S Class.

ab348

Michaell said:

They certainly aren't giving you a good customer experience.

For an organization that wants to do the right thing by the customer, your experiences seem to be just the opposite.

I think it's important not to conflate the customer experience here with the buyback experience. They are two very different things.

GG's customer experience here started with an unfortunate but unforeseen design issue. A relatively small number of vehicles with a particular combination of equipment had a wiring harness failure. This was corrected with a new design phased in during production but some got out into the field. The dealers were notified, GG's car was brought in and found to have the problem even though he reported no symptoms IIRC. Modified parts were not yet available so they gave him their top-line model to drive and said we'll let you know when it's fixed because it might be a while. I hope that's an accurate retelling.

Once the buyback button is pushed that experience is not the same. It cannot be because we are dealing with a vehicle, not something that can be repackaged and put back on a shelf to be sold as new. The process is by definition open to question, and the presentation of a recounting of a number of incidents to an arbiter can become adversarial as the two sides try their best to make themselves look as good as possible. Not all consumer goods can be returned by customers. In some places retailers are under no legal obligation to take returns, though most do. Some items are yours the instant you open the package. Others have a percentage of the price taken away when returned. Cars are something like that once they have been used for a while. The customer is not going to be happy if they think they are going to get every dollar they spent back. Yes, manufacturers and dealers make you jump through hoops to get them to take vehicles back. That is a function of the absolute price of the things, the diminished value once used, and their complexity. The fact that we have lemon laws in some states is an indicator that there is a need for it to occur occasionally when for whatever reason a vehicle cannot be fixed satisfactorily. But it will never be like returning a shirt.

qbrozen

abacomike said:

Love the response to questions regarding "when" - "soon"!!! Your response, "...that ship has sailed..." is close to what my response would be, "...rx40Z8FLWKe8sayd..." or in other words, "...that time has passed..."!

I could only think of this when reading those words.

thebean

driver100 said:

I have bad feet that a podiatrist told me a couple of years ago should have been fixed when I was an infant but were not. Now the only fix would be breaking/resetting the lower legs, screwing them back together, putting them in casts and being in a wheelchair for 6-8 weeks, no thanks. Even prior to learning that I used to say that I had "pizza feet" because the are very wide in the toe area and taper back to a narrow heel, so most shoes do not fit. New Balance and their leather Dunham line are the only ones that consistently work for me. Size 10/4E usually.

As I have said before, I like New Balance too but I don't have feet problems like some of you do in here. Just very lucky I guess. I'm kinda normal, I wear an 11D. Sometimes an 11 1/2D depending how I feel on that particular day when I buy a pair. jmonroe

Your not even close to normal. I checked many sites and they all came up with the same answer; The average shoe size for men in the United States is a 10.5. In case you were wondering, globally the range of men shoe sizes fall between a 9 and 12. So, for an American, you aren't normal, but, we already knew that

OK Mr. Lookem Up, so I'm above the bar, always have been. Not much I can do about it now. I should have known not to use the word "normal" around here. :@ jmonroe

JMonroe, honestly, I have the highest respect for you. You let every remark bounce of you;;;;;I think I will call you J Teflonman Monroe. You even help to set yourself up at times....calling yourself normal was a big mistake - it was like a red flag. Anyway, my remarks are completely said just for fun, and I love your posts but especially your attitude....nothing gets to you. It is a good way to be.

@driver100, I view @jmonroe like a booger on your finger.  Try as hard as you like, you ain't going to get rid of it.  

PF_Flyer

qbrozen said:

This is a strange topic. How bout this... anybody else own a pair of driving shoes? I've probably worn mine half a dozen times.

I have bike shoes, but I never thought about whether the type of shoes I buy/like are related to the fact that we have been driving manual trannies for the last 38 years. The feet DO stay busy with that third pedal, so maybe...

henryn

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

ab348 said:

I have bad feet that a podiatrist told me a couple of years ago should have been fixed when I was an infant but were not. Now the only fix would be breaking/resetting the lower legs, screwing them back together, putting them in casts and being in a wheelchair for 6-8 weeks, no thanks. Even prior to learning that I used to say that I had "pizza feet" because the are very wide in the toe area and taper back to a narrow heel, so most shoes do not fit. New Balance and their leather Dunham line are the only ones that consistently work for me. Size 10/4E usually.

As I have said before, I like New Balance too but I don't have feet problems like some of you do in here. Just very lucky I guess.

I'm kinda normal, I wear an 11D. Sometimes an 11 1/2D depending how I feel on that particular day when I buy a pair.

jmonroe

Your not even close to normal.

I checked many sites and they all came up with the same answer;

The average shoe size for men in the United States is a 10.5. In case you were wondering, globally the range of men shoe sizes fall between a 9 and 12.

So, for an American, you aren't normal, but, we already knew that

Size 13 extra wide. Does that make me a freak? Can I get some government money for my condition?

Not even close. size 16 4E

graphicguy

ab348 said:

Michaell said:

They certainly aren't giving you a good customer experience.

For an organization that wants to do the right thing by the customer, your experiences seem to be just the opposite.

I think it's important not to conflate the customer experience here with the buyback experience. They are two very different things.

GG's customer experience here started with an unfortunate but unforeseen design issue. A relatively small number of vehicles with a particular combination of equipment had a wiring harness failure. This was corrected with a new design phased in during production but some got out into the field. The dealers were notified, GG's car was brought in and found to have the problem even though he reported no symptoms IIRC. Modified parts were not yet available so they gave him their top-line model to drive and said we'll let you know when it's fixed because it might be a while. I hope that's an accurate retelling.

Once the buyback button is pushed that experience is not the same. It cannot be because we are dealing with a vehicle, not something that can be repackaged and put back on a shelf to be sold as new. The process is by definition open to question, and the presentation of a recounting of a number of incidents to an arbiter can become adversarial as the two sides try their best to make themselves look as good as possible. Not all consumer goods can be returned by customers. In some places retailers are under no legal obligation to take returns, though most do. Some items are yours the instant you open the package. Others have a percentage of the price taken away when returned. Cars are something like that once they have been used for a while. The customer is not going to be happy if they think they are going to get every dollar they spent back. Yes, manufacturers and dealers make you jump through hoops to get them to take vehicles back. That is a function of the absolute price of the things, the diminished value once used, and their complexity. The fact that we have lemon laws in some states is an indicator that there is a need for it to occur occasionally when for whatever reason a vehicle cannot be fixed satisfactorily. But it will never be like returning a shirt.

AB....I get what you're saying. Makes sense.


But, I think it's reasonable to expect that if you pay $60K for anything, the expectation is that it perform in a reasonably good manner, the way it was intended, for whatever warranty period is given. In this instance, the manufacturer knew there was a problem with the wiring. They did an engineering/manufacturing change to rectify it. It's only reasonable to believe they would retrofit the fix to those vehicles already produced in a timely manner. They didn't.

That tells us all we need to know about how we, the customers, those of us who spent $xx,xxx on the car, are perceived by Cadillac. Cadillac is essentially saying...."we already got your money....good luck holding us to our committment of providing a good car".

Do things break? Of course. My car? Hey, if it took a couple of days to ship the parts, and a day to fix? All good on my end. But now, there's a problem with parts. There was some sort of a "heat issue" (GM's term for melting parts). The engine has to be pulled and reinstalled. And, we're 6 weeks into this, and the car is still sitting at the dealership. How much confidence would any of us have that with the complexity of repair, this is the last I'll hear of the issues with this car? Pretty slim chance in my book.

Add to that, the level of frustration Cadillac has, and continues to put me through, I can't see a positive outcome in all of this.

I like having a fruit and super greens smoothie for breakfast every morning. I use frozen bananas, pineapple, greens and ice usually. I had gone through about 3 blenders in the last couple of years just doing that combo. Finally, after relaying this situation to my sisters a few months ago, they both sprung for a very nice Vitamix blender from Williams-Sonoma for me for Christmas. I know what those things cost.....the one I have is probably a $500 bill. Anyway, it started making electrical smells last week. Went to Williams Sonoma to tell them about the "smell". They didn't hesitate to tell me it sounded like an issue and to bring it in. I did. They didn't even plug it in. They gave me a new one. I didn't even have the receipt, just the name of my sisters who bought it. They had a record of it and I was on my way with a brand new one...just like that. They aren't the cheapest place to buy kitchen stuff. Matter of fact, the brands they carry are usually at the high end of the brand heap.

Not a car, but just one example of good customer service with something that cost a goodly amount (vs your t-shirt analogy).

Guess what? I went back to Williams Sonoma and bought a high end multi-cooker (again, not cheap) as a result of their customer service.

isellhondas

I once owned a 1969 VW Beetle that had dealer installed A/C in it!

Klaus my German Mechanic (insert thick German accent her) " Dot is yust WRONG! No Volkswagen should haf erconditioning" And he was right.

When the compressor cycled on or off on the freeway the car would either lose or gain 10 MPH!

How Klaus hated that car to the point he would almost refuse to work on it!

explorerx4

Our cars have lights with replaceable bulbs. The bulb housing has separate LED accent lighting in it. That's the expensive part.

imidazol97

That is why GM's system that used a control valve that varied the freon flow was much better than my Ford Mustang 1970 with 3 on the floor and a 305? cu in engine which did a little of what you're sayng when the compressor cycled on or off. Of course that was only if the belt didn't jump off the compressor pulley when it engaged. LOL

Later GM went to a variable displacement compressor to keep the load on the engine somewhat the same and avoid the slowdown when the compressor engaged.

imidazol97

graphicguy said:

Do things break? Of course. My car? Hey, if it took a couple of days to ship the parts, and a day to fix? All good on my end. But now, there's a problem with parts. There was some sort of a "heat issue" (GM's term for melting parts).

I could see time needed for Yazaki to design replacement wiring that was retrofit, since the assembly line improved wiring may be different still from what's needed for retrofitting. But this is too much.

Makes moving headquarters to SoHo kind of moot.
I'd recommend moving back to Michigan.

driver100

Ab, GG made the same point I was going to make. A $25 shirt is different than a $60000 car. Even Judge Judy would say there is an expected value implied...mainly that you should be able to drive a new car and it should be repaired in a timely way to comply with the warranty. btw, if this car takes 2 months to fix, does that time get added to the warranty period....I doubt it.

If you are making and selling $60k cars, they should run properly or at least be repaired immediately.

explorerx4

@driver100,
The reality is that most companies run very lean today. Just in time parts inventory is the norm.
Also, if GM had to redesign the wiring loom, I'm betting they are making doubly sure it is designed right.
They don't want another ignition key situation, and who can blame them?
Here is a task for you. Tell us about supply chain management. Use as many words as you need.

qbrozen

isellhondas said:

I once owned a 1969 VW Beetle that had dealer installed A/C in it!

Klaus my German Mechanic (insert thick German accent her) " Dot is yust WRONG! No Volkswagen should haf erconditioning" And he was right.

When the compressor cycled on or off on the freeway the car would either lose or gain 10 MPH!

How Klaus hated that car to the point he would almost refuse to work on it!

A college roommate had a '64. I could not imagine doing something to it to make it even SLOWER.

oldfarmer50

jmonroe said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

ab348 said:

I have bad feet that a podiatrist told me a couple of years ago should have been fixed when I was an infant but were not. Now the only fix would be breaking/resetting the lower legs, screwing them back together, putting them in casts and being in a wheelchair for 6-8 weeks, no thanks. Even prior to learning that I used to say that I had "pizza feet" because the are very wide in the toe area and taper back to a narrow heel, so most shoes do not fit. New Balance and their leather Dunham line are the only ones that consistently work for me. Size 10/4E usually.

As I have said before, I like New Balance too but I don't have feet problems like some of you do in here. Just very lucky I guess.

I'm kinda normal, I wear an 11D. Sometimes an 11 1/2D depending how I feel on that particular day when I buy a pair.

jmonroe

Your not even close to normal.

I checked many sites and they all came up with the same answer;

The average shoe size for men in the United States is a 10.5. In case you were wondering, globally the range of men shoe sizes fall between a 9 and 12.

So, for an American, you aren't normal, but, we already knew that

Size 13 extra wide. Does that make me a freak? Can I get some government money for my condition?

NO. Farmers have gotten more that their fair share already.

How much did they give you last year for not planting too many fields of your pretty flowers. And now you want more? You'd probably spend it on another car anyway.

jmonroe

Total government money my farm received over the last 33 years.......ZERO.

To get government money your "farm" had to be listed on the S&P.

In other news...

I call this irony:

http://cnycentral.com/news/local/911-half-of-onondaga-county-responding-to-large-industrial-fire-on-syracuses-north-side

iluvmysephia1

Hey, stever, happy trails ahead to you! You've been a good Moderator. Hope that Kia Soul works out for you. Had our tires rotated on our '11 Soul during an oil change appointment a few weeks ago and the steering is tracking true again. It was leaning to the left a tad. 

sda

qbrozen said:

isellhondas said:

I once owned a 1969 VW Beetle that had dealer installed A/C in it!

Klaus my German Mechanic (insert thick German accent her) " Dot is yust WRONG! No Volkswagen should haf erconditioning" And he was right.

When the compressor cycled on or off on the freeway the car would either lose or gain 10 MPH!

How Klaus hated that car to the point he would almost refuse to work on it!

A college roommate had a '64. I could not imagine doing something to it to make it even SLOWER.

I understand that A/C in any air cooled VW or Porsche was ineffective on all levels and hardly provided cool air to make any meaningful difference. When we lived in New Orleans our neighbor had a beetle with A/C, bought new. He said it was a joke and had it removed.

oldfarmer50

henryn said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

ab348 said:

I have bad feet that a podiatrist told me a couple of years ago should have been fixed when I was an infant but were not. Now the only fix would be breaking/resetting the lower legs, screwing them back together, putting them in casts and being in a wheelchair for 6-8 weeks, no thanks. Even prior to learning that I used to say that I had "pizza feet" because the are very wide in the toe area and taper back to a narrow heel, so most shoes do not fit. New Balance and their leather Dunham line are the only ones that consistently work for me. Size 10/4E usually.

As I have said before, I like New Balance too but I don't have feet problems like some of you do in here. Just very lucky I guess.

I'm kinda normal, I wear an 11D. Sometimes an 11 1/2D depending how I feel on that particular day when I buy a pair.

jmonroe

Your not even close to normal.

I checked many sites and they all came up with the same answer;

The average shoe size for men in the United States is a 10.5. In case you were wondering, globally the range of men shoe sizes fall between a 9 and 12.

So, for an American, you aren't normal, but, we already knew that

Size 13 extra wide. Does that make me a freak? Can I get some government money for my condition?

Not even close. size 16 4E

Not them's some TEXAS size feets there pardner.

sda

oldfarmer50 said:

henryn said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

ab348 said:

I have bad feet that a podiatrist told me a couple of years ago should have been fixed when I was an infant but were not. Now the only fix would be breaking/resetting the lower legs, screwing them back together, putting them in casts and being in a wheelchair for 6-8 weeks, no thanks. Even prior to learning that I used to say that I had "pizza feet" because the are very wide in the toe area and taper back to a narrow heel, so most shoes do not fit. New Balance and their leather Dunham line are the only ones that consistently work for me. Size 10/4E usually.

As I have said before, I like New Balance too but I don't have feet problems like some of you do in here. Just very lucky I guess.

I'm kinda normal, I wear an 11D. Sometimes an 11 1/2D depending how I feel on that particular day when I buy a pair.

jmonroe

Your not even close to normal.

I checked many sites and they all came up with the same answer;

The average shoe size for men in the United States is a 10.5. In case you were wondering, globally the range of men shoe sizes fall between a 9 and 12.

So, for an American, you aren't normal, but, we already knew that

Size 13 extra wide. Does that make me a freak? Can I get some government money for my condition?

Not even close. size 16 4E

Not them's some TEXAS size feets there pardner.

I've always heard everything is bigger and better in Texas!

oldfarmer50

graphicguy said:

ab348 said:

Michaell said:

They certainly aren't giving you a good customer experience.

For an organization that wants to do the right thing by the customer, your experiences seem to be just the opposite.

I think it's important not to conflate the customer experience here with the buyback experience. They are two very different things.

GG's customer experience here started with an unfortunate but unforeseen design issue. A relatively small number of vehicles with a particular combination of equipment had a wiring harness failure. This was corrected with a new design phased in during production but some got out into the field. The dealers were notified, GG's car was brought in and found to have the problem even though he reported no symptoms IIRC. Modified parts were not yet available so they gave him their top-line model to drive and said we'll let you know when it's fixed because it might be a while. I hope that's an accurate retelling.

Once the buyback button is pushed that experience is not the same. It cannot be because we are dealing with a vehicle, not something that can be repackaged and put back on a shelf to be sold as new. The process is by definition open to question, and the presentation of a recounting of a number of incidents to an arbiter can become adversarial as the two sides try their best to make themselves look as good as possible. Not all consumer goods can be returned by customers. In some places retailers are under no legal obligation to take returns, though most do. Some items are yours the instant you open the package. Others have a percentage of the price taken away when returned. Cars are something like that once they have been used for a while. The customer is not going to be happy if they think they are going to get every dollar they spent back. Yes, manufacturers and dealers make you jump through hoops to get them to take vehicles back. That is a function of the absolute price of the things, the diminished value once used, and their complexity. The fact that we have lemon laws in some states is an indicator that there is a need for it to occur occasionally when for whatever reason a vehicle cannot be fixed satisfactorily. But it will never be like returning a shirt.

AB....I get what you're saying. Makes sense.


But, I think it's reasonable to expect that if you pay $60K for anything, the expectation is that it perform in a reasonably good manner, the way it was intended, for whatever warranty period is given. In this instance, the manufacturer knew there was a problem with the wiring. They did an engineering/manufacturing change to rectify it. It's only reasonable to believe they would retrofit the fix to those vehicles already produced in a timely manner. They didn't.

That tells us all we need to know about how we, the customers, those of us who spent $xx,xxx on the car, are perceived by Cadillac. Cadillac is essentially saying...."we already got your money....good luck holding us to our committment of providing a good car".

Do things break? Of course. My car? Hey, if it took a couple of days to ship the parts, and a day to fix? All good on my end. But now, there's a problem with parts. There was some sort of a "heat issue" (GM's term for melting parts). The engine has to be pulled and reinstalled. And, we're 6 weeks into this, and the car is still sitting at the dealership. How much confidence would any of us have that with the complexity of repair, this is the last I'll hear of the issues with this car? Pretty slim chance in my book.

Add to that, the level of frustration Cadillac has, and continues to put me through, I can't see a positive outcome in all of this.

I like having a fruit and super greens smoothie for breakfast every morning. I use frozen bananas, pineapple, greens and ice usually. I had gone through about 3 blenders in the last couple of years just doing that combo. Finally, after relaying this situation to my sisters a few months ago, they both sprung for a very nice Vitamix blender from Williams-Sonoma for me for Christmas. I know what those things cost.....the one I have is probably a $500 bill. Anyway, it started making electrical smells last week. Went to Williams Sonoma to tell them about the "smell". They didn't hesitate to tell me it sounded like an issue and to bring it in. I did. They didn't even plug it in. They gave me a new one. I didn't even have the receipt, just the name of my sisters who bought it. They had a record of it and I was on my way with a brand new one...just like that. They aren't the cheapest place to buy kitchen stuff. Matter of fact, the brands they carry are usually at the high end of the brand heap.

Not a car, but just one example of good customer service with something that cost a goodly amount (vs your t-shirt analogy).

Guess what? I went back to Williams Sonoma and bought a high end multi-cooker (again, not cheap) as a result of their customer service.

I know exactly what you're feeling. I've been doing some repairs to my son's Sable. There's a Ford dealer a few miles away but they never return calls and when I inquired about parts for a different Ford product they acted like I was annoying them to even ask.

It just so happened I was to meet a window guy at the Ford dealer 20 miles away where I had bought my Mustang. While I was waiting for him I inquired of their parts department about parts for the Sable. Completely different attitude. The parts guy looked up what I needed and made recomendations of how I could save money installing them myself. He even went the extra mile by tracking down the window guy who was running late.

I was so impressed by the difference in customer service that I'm willing to drive an extra 20 miles when I need service.

ab348

explorerx4 said:

Our cars have lights with replaceable bulbs. The bulb housing has separate LED accent lighting in it. That's the expensive part.

Sometimes it isn't the parts cost that kills you, it's the labor because of the boneheaded way the things are designed. Several cars require the bumper cover , front wheel or other pieces to be removed to replace the headlight bulb. That kind of bad design ought to never be produced.

I liked the headlight setup on my '02 Intrigue. Pull up 2 tabs on the housing and the whole thing comes out.

abacomike

Customer service and the attitude(s) of a dealership's employees is 50% of the impetus I use/need to buy a car from them.  This last purchase is a prime example:

The highest volume BMW dealership in the U.S. is less than 1-mile north of my condo.  I first drove the 740i in West Palm Beach where I fell in love with the white/cognac combination.  They did not have a car in stock that I liked.

The next day, I went into my local dealership and was immediately dragged out to their new car lot in the heat and was shown 5 or 6 750i's even though I kept telling the sales guy I did not want a V8.  Finally he got the message and showed me three 740i's, 2-black and one very dark brown.  I had already told him I wanted white with cognac nicely equipped.  He made me follow him inside and they did a dealer search for a car I might like.  They could not locate one.

I then drove 30 miles to the dealer I did business with back in the 2005-2008 timeframe.  They had a car in the color combo I wanted, but it had no option packages I wanted.  They did a locate and guess where they found one?  Yep, at the dealership I just came from less than a mile away from my condo.  I was tired and went home.  I got a call from the GM that evening who told me he brought the exact car I wanted in by truck from the dealer down the road from me.  The rest is history.

Honesty, integrity, customer service and their willingness to dealer trade a car I liked knowing full well they had no commitment from me to purchase was 50% of the incentive to buy a car 30 miles from where I lived.  Pricing was the other 50%.  There were no lengthy trips out to their lot and they bent over backwards to make the deal.

That is what makes a dealership worthy of my business - not a high volume dealership that tried to sell me something I didn't want.  The best part of this story is that had they checked their inventory correctly (they have over 1000 new cars on their lot) I would have bought the car there which was sitting on a lot two blocks from their main lot.  

andres3

cdnpinhead said:

imidazol97 said:

It must have been medium bright blue iridescent. That's a mouothful.
It had a lot of glittering small reflecting granules in it. I really liked that in paint.

Ah, the good ol' days of Ditzler paint, back when men were men and paint stayed on and didn't look like it was applied with a roller.

I had my 240Z repainted with Ditzler enamel back in '81, and the crap that passes for paint for the last 20 years or so can't hold a candle to it. The hell with VOCs -- I want real paint.

Good times.

I remember when a wood floor sealing guy brought in little pints to do a brand new wood floor gymnasium for a High-End High School (Basketball and Volleyball indoor wood floor courts). This floor was big enough with the bleachers retracted for 3 full basketball courts. I asked him what was up with ordering a thousand little pint cans instead of a few 5-gallon bucket containers, and he said CA VOC regulations allow him to buy the good stuff in pints, this was about a decade ago.

oldfarmer50

ab348 said:

explorerx4 said:

Our cars have lights with replaceable bulbs. The bulb housing has separate LED accent lighting in it. That's the expensive part.

Sometimes it isn't the parts cost that kills you, it's the labor because of the boneheaded way the things are designed. Several cars require the bumper cover , front wheel or other pieces to be removed to replace the headlight bulb. That kind of bad design ought to never be produced.

I liked the headlight setup on my '02 Intrigue. Pull up 2 tabs on the housing and the whole thing comes out.

No car company cares that 20 years down the road it cost $2000 to replace a $20 part on a $1000 car. They expect you to junk it and buy a new one.