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I'm shopping for a small SUV. I'll not buy GM based on the experience I had with my Montana 2002 during the 5 years of ownership . Brake rotor warping , bad paint quality, a.c. condenser leaking, lower intake manifold and few other thing that I cant remember.
Hyundai, Kia and even Ford will be considered. Toyota will not be on the list since I hate the way their rear door operate. Honda no V6, and I need it to haul my pop up trailer. Too bad for GM but they had their chance
Not a great recipe for success. GM, lots of work left to be done...keep those babies out of the shop!!!!
Regards,
OW
I cant beleive that they could not hide the wiring and the connector. Nothing covers the last 1/2 inch of wire, that looks like a list minute add-on done by a backyard mechanics.
Ok Its just a small detail but if I can see something like that I can't imagine what they hide behind the sheetmetal. A real turn off for me ....They are coming back and their products looks much better than before, but they have a lot of work to do to be and stay on the top.
I don't disagree w/ this point. My experience w/ my wife's Ranier at one dealership was one of indifference w/ the svc. dept. I think all dealerships want nowadays are glorified parts changers, instead of a real mechanic. The second dealer we took it in to complaining of the same problem (now, our 4th complaint) was perplexed, but in ONE GODDAMMED MINUTE, looking on a computer, found a TSB for our complaint, ordered the part, car fixed, END OF ISSUE. Now, before we go swearing at the first GM dealer, the dealership sells not only GM products but Honda, Volvo, VW, and Nissan. The second dealership is B, P, GMC, and Toyota across the street.
Give me a break regarding the service competency. The OnStar switct was exactly the same...multiple visits and confusion which parts were needed.
A Looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong way to go!
Regards,
OW
If you look at data GM dealerships are all above average in service satisfaction.
http://www.jdpower.com/corporate/news/releases/pressrelease.aspx?ID=2007112
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Nevertheless, I believe it is a problem that permeates the industry at the dealer level. It's a shame.
Lacking are the mechanical capability and ability to fix problems on the first try...GM dealers are not that great in my reality...it's a fact I would not be proud of if my products were represented by this level of competency.
Regards,
OW
From my perspective, had I bought a Nissan from the first dealer, their service would have been just as incompetent as it was for my Buick. I don't get what GM would have to do with it, as it is quite likely THE SAME MECHANIC would've worked on the Nissan, just as the same service manager manages BOTH.
That is true with any line of vehicle. One thing that I always do before purchasing is check out the service department. You can also check BBBonline for additional information on the dealership.
For myself, I value my time too much to allow a dealer multiple attempts to fix a common problem. Time to try another. In fact one TSB stated that cross dealer warranty service is allowed to better service the customer.
What?
Lacking are the mechanical capability and ability to fix problems on the first try...GM dealers are not that great in my reality...it's a fact I would not be proud of if my products were represented by this level of competency.
Maybe in your reality but we do know what reality you live in.
But per nationwide scientifically done surveys, the service done in the service departments, shows that GM has above average service departments in satisfying the customer. Buick and Cadillac are at the top. However, as with most OEM quality surveys today, they are all mighty close. Not a heck of a lot of difference.
Is the car anti-repair or the mechanic deficient? Either way, satisfaction relates to the manufacturer in the end.
Regards,
OW
My reality was with GM exclusively at one time. My family owned all marquess, even the dead one. No use knocking my perspective. Yours is the only one that matters to you also.
My dealer is a Buick-Pontiac-GMC...my wife owns the GMC. (I would still buy a 'vette even though it's at a lowly chevy dealer.)
The people are nice, don't get me wrong. I do not even complain, just keep taking it back and smiling because sooner or later, the repair is done. It should be done properly the first time.
Also, some screws fell out from the headliner trim and the wiring was not tucked back into the window trim channel correctly. Oh yes, and a grease smudge was left on the headliner fabric. I replaced the screws myself.
Again, my reality.
Regards,
OW
No, the study was also for warranty and repair work. Again, this is a survey based on a large sample size.
The study, now in its 27th year, measures the customer satisfaction of vehicle owners who visit the dealer service department for maintenance or repair work during the first three years of ownership, which typically represent the majority of the vehicle warranty period. Overall customer satisfaction with dealer service is based on six measures: service initiation, service advisor, in-dealership experience, service delivery, service quality and user-friendly service.
Well, in my case it had to have been the mechanic, service writer AND svc. mgr. as they poo pooed the problem 3 TIMES.
After I took it to the 2nd dealer, it got fixed in ONE SHOT, and not a peep since.
I can't blame the mfr for ONE dealer's incompetence.
Regards,
OW
Regards,
OW
From your point of view and every customer that visits that dealership. But it is not fair to blame the OEM and say all their dealers are incompetent overall. That is just one datapoint out of millions. Of course you can say "but that is my experience" and that is true. But to be fair we must look at the big picture and in this case there is hard data that shows that GM is above average in the service experience. In fact GMC is in the top 25% and 4 of the 10 marques above it are GM.
Therefore in this forum, what can GM to do to improve ...., the dealership service experience could be improved but is probably not the issue that GM needs to put all it's money into. GM seems to have a good program with their dealers and is working hard already and has the top service in the country.
The original topic post for this discussion is "Whether you agree or disagree with the company's business plan, this discussion will be focused on how the company can improve, not on how much you may hate it and want it to fail." In that positive line of thinking the strength GM needs to tout is its service quality.
Will consolidating dealerships and reducing total number of stores help that strong showing for service?
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
The competency of the mechanics and communications to the manufacturer need to be improved as the tech is more complex. In 2006, not to be able to find a sensor issue speaks well to that fact. Same with On-Star in 2007..if you provide a service, be able to support it. I was not the only one with multiple returns for that one. The systems need to be tied more closely to ensure defects are kept to a severe minimum.
Surveys are all well and good to guide us but the actual reality tells the tale. Hope that's fair to all.
Regards,
OW
By the way, I really like some of the sales guys at my particular dealer...that's an improvement all by itself. The problem is, most of the offerings are not appealing...until the G8 and Lamdas came along. Nice beginning.
Two out of the top 3 are GM!!!!!
Three out of the top 6 are GM!!!!!
Five out of the top 11 are GM!!!!!
The glass is 2/3 full, not 1/3 empty. Focus on the 2/3.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Regards,
OW
At least it is in the service department per the last day of discussion. Of course there are always outliers. Hopefully with dealer consolidation GM will take service data into consideration (and they are:)).
Is it possible to upgrade the Onstar system? Onstar told me it couldn't be done, yet my MIL had it done. Maybe vehicle by vehicle? It would be nice for my daughter when she inherits the Aztek.
I know that BMW uses OnStar as well as several other manufacturers. Wonder how their upgrades are doing.
I never activated OnStar. Just another way for Big Brother to track you. Hmm more I think about it they can track whether you activate it or not.
Regards,
OW
As is the CTS, Aura, Camaro, Enclave, Solstice, Sky, Acadia, Vue, G8, G6, SUV's, Outlook, Astra, Cobalt, HHR, Corvette, XLR, Hummers, etc.
Aren't the Enclave and Acadia the same segment? Along with Solstice/Sky? Or are these all named just to make the list look longer? :P
The G6 is just getting old. I have always thought it was one of the better looking midsize vehicles out there. Long wheelbase, short overhangs,got a sporty/snarky side view thing going on. Much better than the Accord or Camry.
That is a negative compared to the Accord/Camry...disagree totally and I drove 2007 and 2008 versions...very unimpressive drives. A lot more people disagree with you than just little old me.
Agree with you on some of the others. GM has not made it yet by a long shot. They will be number 2 very very soon.
Regards,
OW
Regards,
OW
as well as to China and Latin American markets such as Brazil, company
executives confirmed. For years the U.S. has been one of the most expensive places in the world to make cars. But the new contracts with the United Auto Workers union signed last fall significantly improve the global competitive
position of Big Three plants. The weaker dollar, which makes production
in the U.S. less expensive, is also helping to turn the economics of
domestic production upside down.
"Combined with the weak dollar, we've got a contract that puts ourselves
in a great position to ship products to other countries and do it making
a profit," said Mike Herron, a UAW official at GM's assembly plant in
Spring Hill, Tenn., who is involved in negotiations with the company.
Detroit's improved competitive position has sparked concern among
foreign manufacturers, which do not use unionized U.S. workers. Toyota
Motor Corp. is now pushing to lower labor costs in the U.S., say people
familiar with the matter.
Later this year, GM will begin shipping the Buick Enclave, a
seven-passenger crossover sport-utility vehicle made in Lansing, Mich.,
to China, where the Buick brand is a big seller. GM hopes eventually to
export as many as 25,000 Enclaves a year to China, said Dee Allen, a GM
spokesman.
GM is making plans to sell the Chevrolet Malibu, a sedan made in Kansas
and Michigan, and possibly other U.S.-made passenger cars in Brazil and
other Latin American markets, GM executives have said.
The company also has told UAW officials it is seriously considering
building a future small car in Lordstown, Ohio, that would be exported
to markets outside North America, people familiar with the matter said.
It would be one of five new vehicles being produced there near the turn
of the decade, one of these people said. The 42-year-old Lordstown
assembly plant had been considered a candidate for closure due to high
UAW labor costs.
To stay competitive, Toyota has stopped pegging its wages to UAW rates
when it builds new plants, company executives said. It won't cut wages
of current workers, but new hires will be paid no more than 50% above
the prevailing manufacturing wage in the area where a plant is located,
they said.
Exporting a large number of U.S.-made cars could go a long way in
helping the Big Three turn around their unprofitable North American
operations. It could also help them tap faster-growing overseas markets,
especially at a time when U.S. sales have been hit by economic worries.
Exports could help lower costs per vehicle and use up excess
manufacturing capacity.
Regards,
OW
Holden Astra, Vauxhall Astra, Opel Astra, Saturn Astra, and Chevy Cobalt
I would add on any small RWD vehicles.
and the trend for 10...
Trend says GM is still slip-sliding away as the big T rolls on. That says to me much, much work to do. I know it's a good start. Let's see what time brings. You've got to turn that trend around and it ain't easy.
Regards,
OW
For 2007 GM total vehicle sales were down 6%. Feb/March dropped partially due to the gas price increases which clobbered truck/SUV sales.
For 2007 GM dropped about 100,000 units of rental fleet sales( out of ~900,000 units), so retail sales did drop slightly for the year. Overall the entire market was down about 2.5%. So GM basically kept it's retail market share.
I wonder who is making up the fleet reduction that GM has taken?
I don't think a Cobalt would be appropriate there either, it's kind of just a decontented Astra in a way.
GM should focus on sending Caddys to Europe as the product line becomes more competitive.
You know the problem with Saturn? After the initial experiment they abandoned the whole idea that Saturn was supposed to be and let it just sit there for years. Now they have the right idea with selling a broad range of vehicles but they are competitive with other GM makes. Not an ideal situation but they may well market their way out of it.