I should be happy, intoxicating car, but terrible buying experience

I thank you for taking the time to post your lengthy battle with getting a nice car in canada,

same thing with my 2013 GS from sherwood park chev, salesman is a putz,

thinking of a 2015 as life is so short but having problems with 2 dealerships and think I might just sell and buy a prius, that is how bad it is getting, or just wait one year and buy used out of the USA

anyway have fun because yes indeedy life is so short

Jeffer2013
 
ToVetteFan said:
OP, sorry to hear about the lousy experience, it truly would be better if GM would designate specific dealers to handle Corvette, much as they do with Cadillac, so that specialized service could be developed consistently across the board for all buyers.

:agree: The reality is that right now it is a seller's market for dealers, but the disconnect as the OP states is that the car already has a high margin built in, and while customers accept that, there is no need for dealers to rub salt into the wound. In fact, because it is a high margin car the customer is also likely to be a high value client and one that can afford to be a repeat buyer at the higher margin level. I would think that building loyalty and goodwill from this customer base should be in every dealership's interest... to say nothing of GM's interest in the fact that these are the owners of you brand's halo car.
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Ntmd8r said:
I feel for you.
Sorry you had to go through that terrible experience.

Now that you have the car, do enjoy it.
It is a remarkable car.

Perhaps we could meet up and talk cars, car clubs, whatever.

Cheers,

Gary
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Thanks Gary,

I am starting to enjoy this remarkable car, we finally had a nice day here on Saturday to go for a nice drive.

Would love to meet up and also looking to join a Corvette club now that have one.

Clive
 
Thanks to everyone for listening to me vent and for the words of support.

I'm sure head office at GM didn't envision their dealers creating such a bad impression with customers of their halo car as part of their plan to try to bring Chevrolet back to the top. Sadly, it seems that's where we are. I'm considering going to GM Canada with my experience.

On the brightside, the car really is amazing in every way. Still need to take it for a long drive on some truly great roads to fully appreciate what it can do.

I will post some photos but should probably start a more positive thread for that.

Thanks again
 
Formula80_ca, I would be interested in what GM says if you do contact them. I hate to think the worst but the same people we bailed out of a financial mess are still running the show. I hope they don't just pay you lip service on this, your grievance with your dealer is a legitimate one. Sadly the experience has probably put a slight tinge on the whole Corvette experience.

I know you will enjoy your Corvette but it truly is sad what you had to go through to get the car. Somehow it just lack any semblance of class of the part of GM and their representatives.
 
The wait can be rather tedious, however at the end of the, if we want the car the options are limited. It's unfortunate that some dealers treat customers as if they are doing them a favour. Repeat business is unlikely in this circumstance. Given social media's impact on a business, I would think that dealerships would be doing back flips to please their customers.
 
Black 03 Z06 said:
Formula80_ca, I would be interested in what GM says if you do contact them. I hate to think the worst but the same people we bailed out of a financial mess are still running the show. I hope they don't just pay you lip service on this, your grievance with your dealer is a legitimate one. Sadly the experience has probably put a slight tinge on the whole Corvette experience.

I know you will enjoy your Corvette but it truly is sad what you had to go through to get the car. Somehow it just lack any semblance of class of the part of GM and their representatives.
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The problem is that GM dealerships are privately held businesses, and as such, GM has very little influence on what their dealers do in terms of day to day operations, including how they treat their clients. GM is aware that this reflects on both the dealer and the brand, of course, but so long as the dealership is prepared to accept bad CSI reports and social media, there is only so much GM can do to change things.

Think of it like parents and children, the parents can talk until they are blue in the face(I sound like my mother now), but there is really only so much they can do to change a child's behavior. Now, add to that the dynamic that the child keeps getting rewards(business) from outside sources, despite bad behavior, and imagine how much influence the parents can exert. Then, add to that a binding contract between the two that prevents the parent from kicking the child out, or cutting off their TV or phone or internet, or from grounding them, and see how that works for you... ;-)

IT IS NOT THAT GM CANADA DOESN'T CARE, it is simply that they don't have much they can really do...
 
FordPrefect said:
I am truly amazed at the patience shown by a lot of C7 owners. I know in the end it's worth it but it does seem like a bit of a strained experience.
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The reality is that it is not the experience that has changed, it is the world around the experience.

When the C5 came out, things were every bit as difficult in terms of waiting lists, lack of information from dealers, pricing, etc. However, without the presence of forums, social media, and the Internet in general, buyers were far MORE patient and understanding than they are today. This is not a criticism of todays' buyers, it is simply a fact. The "information at your fingertips" of today, the "respond within an hour or lose my business" mentality, the 24-7/365 availability expectations for everyone, have changed the entire dynamic of the buying process, and, frankly, dealerships and salespeople have done a poor job of adjusting their practices to reflect this new world. Add to that the fact that the Corvette does a terrific job of selling itself, and generating more demand than supply, and dealers and their sales staffs overall have little incentive for change.

What amazes me constantly is that I see dealer staff tracking every CRUZE order meticulously, and yet Corvette orders, and their buyers, sit ignored until the car shows up. That sucks... Not because Cruze buyers should be ignored at the expense of Corvette buyers, but because all should be treated the same, and I don't mean ignore them all!!!! ;-)
 
Well GM could yield some leverage by adjusting or eliminating Corvette allocations based on dealership review data. I also think the they should start certifying dealers to be able to sell and repair Corvette's. This to would bring some pressure on the dealers.

Now I do know that the present review process sucks since if they do not get perfect across the board it is considered a fail, which is also crazy.
 
smackYYZ said:
Well GM could yield some leverage by adjusting or eliminating Corvette allocations based on dealership review data. I also think the they should start certifying dealers to be able to sell and repair Corvette's. This to would bring some pressure on the dealers.

Now I do know that the present review process sucks since if they do not get perfect across the board it is considered a fail, which is also crazy.
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You are right, that is the stick they hold, but they cannot cut allotment based on CSI, unfortunately. There was some talk a few years ago about making Corvette it's own brand, like Cadillac, and limiting it similarly, but it was a no-go, because the volume just isn't enough to justify it.

And, yes, the current Customer Satisfaction Index is challenging. A "Completely Satisfied" score is 4/4, a "Very Satisfied" score is 3/4. Dealerships and sales people are expected to maintain an average throughout the year of somewhere in the neighbourhood of 3.80/40, and a 3.5/4 would be an epic fail... ;-) Good thing our wives don't get that survey...
 
I had a similar experience with my delivery last week. Dealer added over $3K to what I should have paid for bullshit services and items I didn't order, want, or was even given the option to buy or not to buy, including a $175.00 charge for a tank of fuel. I managed to get a small portion removed however I've contacted GM and reported what happened. I'm giving the general manager a chance to make things right before I file my survey and contact OMVIC. If no one reports this s**t nothing will change.
 
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