Updated With Jpeg: Dishonest Chevy Dealer

[Old Dood]

Another case of Buyer Beware...

Yes it was a shady "trick" they pulled on you. *I* would have said put it in writing that if I do not like these I get them off at no charge to me what so ever.

Yes this will probably cost you a few bucks. Look at it this way...now you KNOW. Get EVERYTHING in writing from now on. We all have been burned one time or another. I have learned to always slow down the proccess and get it in writing. Salespeople will think twice about pulling a fast one on you when you do that. Salespeople do not like it when you slow down a deal. They want it to go quickly so you make snap decisions. It is an old trick....and it works.(not all do it...but a hell of a lot do)

I would also make a formal complaint to GM HQ. I would also make a complaint to the BBB. I would go online and tell my story there at the websites that "review" dealerships. This is not a case of loyalty to GM. This is how people learn about crooked practices from shady dealers. (Shady ANY Business USA for that matter) You will save the next guy some trouble.

I would also get ahold of the Owner (if possible) and the General Manager and tell them point blank how you are going to make it your mission in life that they sell as few vehicles as possible. You look them dead in the eye and calmly (but firmly) tell them this and they will take notice. I would also write a letter to the Editor in your local paper and go to the paper's On-Line section and tell it there. This is not as empty of a threat as it sounds. Anyone that has had Dale Carnegie courses knows the 250 People Rule. That works too.

This kind of business practice really irritates and angers me. Shed as much light as possible on these people. All this so they can get rid of a part some other customer didn't want?...or probably didn't order in the first place?...total B.S. The dealership probably tried to pull something on that customer too and they caught it. Or...they screwed up and ordered the wrong part and they have been waiting for a guy like you. Trusting/Fair. Reminds me of a Chevy dealer in the Lansing area that has no scuples too.. Most of us know this "guy" and his way of doing business. He preys on the ignorant and unsuspecting. No one I know would ever buy a car there.

I hope it works out for you. If you are "stuck" with them then at least see what it would cost to have them painted. The "dealership" should at least spring for that. Then again would you trust them to do a decent fair job of it...? I wouldn't...

[01sunfire01]

do you have a pic of the truck so we can all see it? and you should have looked at the fenders befor you said yes to them puting them on. i have had nothing but good things to say about the chevy/pontaic dealers around here that i have been to. maybe its just the area. put do get a pic i would like to see whats so bad.

[AndrewGS]

Which cab style do you have? You are wanting the dark grey raw grained plastic one like on the truck below right?

[esoxlee]

Originally Posted by AndrewGS

Which cab style do you have? You are wanting the dark grey raw grained plastic one like on the truck below right?

100% Yes

Originally Posted by 01sunfire01

do you have a pic of the truck so we can all see it? and you should have looked at the fenders befor you said yes to them puting them on. i have had nothing but good things to say about the chevy/pontaic dealers around here that i have been to. maybe its just the area. put do get a pic i would like to see whats so bad.

Here's a pic. Bear in mind that the flares have some salt stains on them so they are actually much more shiny than they appear.

[AndrewGS]

Originally Posted by esoxlee

100% Yes

Okay. You need to go to the dealer and talk to the General Manager. Tell him you want the painted flares replaced with part number 12498848 (full set of four flares) since that is the set of flares you told your salesperson you wanted in the first place. The flares would cost them less than $100 and they would still have the painted flares to put on a black truck.

If they don't want to take care of it for you then buy that set of flares from the parts department or from gmpartsdirect.com and sell the painted flares on eBay. They are quite easy to remove/install if you have to do it yourself.

[esoxlee]

Originally Posted by AndrewGS

. . . . . . The flares would cost them less than $100 and they would still have the painted flares to put on a black truck.

. . . . . They are quite easy to remove/install if you have to do it yourself.

The dealer insisted that removing them would destroy them. That's the reason why they won't take them back. Seriously, this dealership's credibility is worth less than fecal matter. And the $55 labour charge to remove them, just another incentive so they don't have to take them back.

[AndrewGS]

Originally Posted by esoxlee

The dealer insisted that removing them would destroy them. That's the reason why they won't take them back. Seriously, this dealership's credibility is worth less than fecal matter. And the $55 labour charge to remove them, just another incentive so they don't have to take them back.

That's the dumbest thing I've heard. They make these parts so they can remove them and replace them easily.

I'd just do it yourself. You'll probably be able to get more for the painted flares than you'd spend on the new ones. Just follow the instructions included in the flare kit in reverse to remove the painted ones.

Congrats on the new truck, BTW. I love the color.

[HoeyHimself]

The fact you are even bringing this up as a serious issue that requires such attention is laughable...do you know how much of an ass you would look like on T.V. complaining about this?!?! haha They told you that the pieces were painted, you didnt look at them before hand, you agreed to it sight-unseen...it was your responsibility. You really think that this deserves airtime or attention when there are people who have quality issues with their cars that result in fatal injuries?..your out of your mind.

If they told me that the pieces were "painted"...I would know what they meant and I would have said "No, I want the dyed plastic flares..not ones that are painted and have a gloss finish." I would know that because it would be my responsibility to know what I wanted so that someone else wouldnt make a mistake because of MY lack of knowledge. You got what you were told you were getting...stop making a big deal about it. You want to know a real problem? My neighbor had service work done on his Acura TL at a Honda dealership and had the motor seize up down the road because it had less then a half quart of oil in it..newbie service kid filled up the oil filter but forgot to put oil in the engine!

[plane]

I own a 2005 Colorado LS. It's a great truck.
If this were me? I would just swallow my pride, save up the $150, but the correct flares, and install them myself.

Yeah, it's $150, but then you don't have to deal with the misery you're in right now. The world would be right and you would be happier. Just my $ 0.02.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do.

[esoxlee]

Originally Posted by HoeyHimself

The fact you are even bringing this up as a serious issue that requires such attention is laughable...do you know how much of an ass you would look like on T.V. complaining about this?!?! haha They told you that the pieces were painted, you didnt look at them before hand, you agreed to it sight-unseen...it was your responsibility. You really think that this deserves airtime or attention when there are people who have quality issues with their cars that result in fatal injuries?..your out of your mind.

If they told me that the pieces were "painted"...I would know what they meant and I would have said "No, I want the dyed plastic flares..not ones that are painted and have a gloss finish." I would know that because it would be my responsibility to know what I wanted so that someone else wouldnt make a mistake because of MY lack of knowledge. You got what you were told you were getting...stop making a big deal about it. You want to know a real problem? My neighbor had service work done on his Acura TL at a Honda dealership and had the motor seize up down the road because it had less then a half quart of oil in it..newbie service kid filled up the oil filter but forgot to put oil in the engine!

Did this guy even read my letter. Of course I'm a little steamed for getting screwed with my first ever purchase of a new (un-used) car. But the issue is GM dealerships treating people like crap and how it could affect GM's market share. So even after getting reamed with my GM purchase, I've done nothing but defend GM with all the bad press they get. I even said that the media would love to manipulate this minor dealer related problem into another anti-GM quality story. And this guy calls me an ass.

It's guys like him that pi$$ed me off that made me resort to what I did to Best Buy when they tried to screw me with my DLP TV. Just look at the thread by esoxlee with 330,000 views:

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/f...esc&sort=views

I plastered links to the above thread to dozens of websites. After 330,000 people read my thread, Best Buy finally replaced my TV.

Originally Posted by plane

I own a 2005 Colorado LS. It's a great truck.
If this were me? I would just swallow my pride, save up the $150, but the correct flares, and install them myself.

Yeah, it's $150, but then you don't have to deal with the misery you're in right now. The world would be right and you would be happier. Just my $ 0.02.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do.

Although I've only had the truck for a week or so, iit has exceeded all my expectations so far. Last night, the truck sank into 4 to 6 inches of mud. This morning all the mud froze solid and I though I'd have to call CAA to pull me out ( got stuck in frozen mud last year with my Chevy Tracker and had to get towed out ). However, put the Colorado in 4WD Low and it just chewed up the frozen mud and I was free in seconds.

Seriously pissed me off when I read it was ranked one the most unreliable compact pick ups. Can't remember if it was MSN or CR.

As for the dealership, I sent them the link to my Best Buy thread so they know what to expect from me.

[t-rex]

I'm on esoxlee's side. Now maybe he shouldn't have agreed to the black flares sight unseen, but they weren't what he requested and there should have been no attempt to sell the customer anything he didn't want, especially since anybody with a lick of asthetic sense would know how atrocious those shiny black flares look on that guy's truck.

I'm sick of the horrible treatment I get at dealers, and tired of having to drive 150 miles to find a dealer with a service department that doesn't screw me. Now I know that bad dealership experiences aren't the manufacturer's fault, but this pass-the-buck excuse needs to stop. Manufacturers push to have much greater say in how dealerships operate, since the dealership is representing the brand more so than he is the dealership's name. If you buy a franchise in any other arena, be it restaurant or otherwise, there are very strict regulations regarding the appearance of the establishment and customer policy. It should be no different with an automotive franchise.

Oh and congrats on your first new vehicle, esoxlee.

[paul8488]

Originally Posted by t-rex

there should have been no attempt to sell the customer anything he didn't want

Maybe I see things too black and white... but they didn't sell him something he didn't want. He agreed to the flares. Sucks, because they do look out of place, but I don't see how the dealership should be responsible. What if they had offered him a hot pink interior, and he had said "Sure, that'll look cool"? You'd all expect GM to switch it?

I really do like your truck though man!

[darndot]

I like them on your truck. I don't think they look bad at all. To each their own. It is not uncommon for a two tone look.

[darndot]

From Chevy's website.

[HoeyHimself]

Originally Posted by esoxlee

Did this guy even read my letter. Of course I'm a little steamed for getting screwed with my first ever purchase of a new (un-used) car. But the issue is GM dealerships treating people like crap and how it could affect GM's market share. So even after getting reamed with my GM purchase, I've done nothing but defend GM with all the bad press they get. I even said that the media would love to manipulate this minor dealer related problem into another anti-GM quality story. And this guy calls me an ass.

It's guys like him that pi$$ed me off that made me resort to what I did to Best Buy when they tried to screw me with my DLP TV. Just look at the thread by esoxlee with 330,000 views:

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/f...esc&sort=views

I plastered links to the above thread to dozens of websites. After 330,000 people read my thread, Best Buy finally replaced my TV.


Although I've only had the truck for a week or so, iit has exceeded all my expectations so far. Last night, the truck sank into 4 to 6 inches of mud. This morning all the mud froze solid and I though I'd have to call CAA to pull me out ( got stuck in frozen mud last year with my Chevy Tracker and had to get towed out ). However, put the Colorado in 4WD Low and it just chewed up the frozen mud and I was free in seconds.

Seriously pissed me off when I read it was ranked one the most unreliable compact pick ups. Can't remember if it was MSN or CR.

As for the dealership, I sent them the link to my Best Buy thread so they know what to expect from me.

All I know is that you created a thread and said you wanted to go as far as contacting the media all because you got some fender flares you were unhappy with (which you agreed to in the first place sight unseen)....thats enough for me to make judgement, sorry if that upsets you. I have no desire to continue participating in this thread anyways, so dont worry about it.