Jim Dollinger's Plan for a Return to Greatness

[maxaccel]

Originally Posted by 2002 Caddy

I love step nine...

I think some GM managers would (should) be shocked at how some dealers treat their customers in the service bays.

I think this would lead to step 21
Require dealers to eliminate BS "up sell" practices on service and maintenance..

NO MORE tranny flushes for cars with 10,000 miles on the odo
NO MORE "tune ups" for cars with electronic ignitions
NO MORE "fuel system cleaners" and "oil" additives
NO MORE bad mouthing GM's OLM
NO MORE vehicle "winterization"
NO MORE re-balancing tires with each rotation.
etc.

This BS Adds up... Sure most customers don't know any better... but when two customers are talking and one says... "It costs $500 a year to maintain my Envoy" and the other says. "Gee I only spend about $32 in oil changes for my 4Runner" That's one customer that GM will never see again.

agree completely,however,
dealers wont ever stop doing this,after all they are only interested in taking as much $$ out of customers pockets as possible!

and if customer is too lazy to read the vehicle manual which tells you all the above services are not needed,its their own dam fault.

mind you GM doesnt help things much, as my trucks manual for example is longer then a fng telephone book and as confusing as bible,
writing it simple and quick to the point would surely help so people would actualy want to read it.

just my 2 cents

[fp115]

What would you say if I would try to run some of these myself in your behalf Buickman? Great ideas which definitely should make it to the appropriate people.

[Thrash]

Good ideas, but there's more to the problem than just at the corporate level. My parents want to buy a 2008 Cobalt with a 4 door and 5-speed transmission. Guess what, they can't find one! They all have automatics. The dealership in Muncie doesn't really want to deal with it so my parents are ready to head over to Toyota. They're not even interested in ordering one! This is just like when I went to buy my 2001 Camaro new. I had to get T-tops because all the dealerships in California order these cars with all the options. You can imagine how ticked off I was when I visited my sister in Texas that same year and saw hard top Camaro's at her local dealerships. There needs to be a rehash on what the dealerships want to sell compared to what the public wants. I guarantee you my parents can go to a Japanese car maker and pick up a 4-door with manual transmission....

[fp115]

So why don't your parents just order a custom made vehicle? If they know exactly what they want and don't need it now they may as well go custom then.

[Thrash]

The dealership is not interested in ordering a car for them. This is the problem.

[fp115]

Originally Posted by Thrash

The dealership is not interested in ordering a car for them. This is the problem.

Simply take your business to another one. We had issues with some dealerships doing the same. We switched dealerships and sent in a letter to GM only to find the other dealership get spanked.

[tirediron]

Great Plan Buickman..

Sent from your old hometown of Flint

[Thrash]

Yep, I've been trying to get them to try other dealerships as well. But there is the problem of dealerships ordering cars with lots of options. What is the deal with American car makers and the automatic transmission anyway?

[Buickman]

Originally Posted by tirediron

Great Plan Buickman..

Sent from your old hometown of Flint

the General's latest idiocy...til month end, each GM employee (active) can give an employee discount to anyone, dealers receive a $250 certificate for each 5 units in stock that can be stacked 3 on a lease and 6 on a buy, and dealers are allowed to sell to eligible GM family members BELOW GMS. more confusion as well as competitive disadvantage to small stores and to those without access to employees who are willing to help with pricing.

THEY JUST DON'T GET IT!!!!!

first store to cave starts a price war in which no one makes any profit. people I know are up in arms over how absolutely stupid the marketing is at GM. customers are conditioned to wait til end of month. first few weeks are dead and then away we go. there needs to be a revolt against the company. how bad does it need to get before something is done?

[Thrash]

Looks like my parents found the car they wanted at a different dealership. Whew, better than buying a Toyota!

[Thrash]

That original dealership called my parents last week saying their car came in. My Dad told him he went to a different dealership and bought one since they didn't seem to to be interested in getting them the car. Bad salesmanship.

[fp115]

Originally Posted by Thrash

That original dealership called my parents last week saying their car came in. My Dad told him he went to a different dealership and bought one since they didn't seem to to be interested in getting them the car. Bad salesmanship.

You should write a letter to GM and when they call you to discuss it with you, tell them you want a copy of the letter to be sent to that dealership. Its the best way to get dealers to improve.