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HELP -- Cadillac Dealer Service Visit Caused Multiple Scratches!

3K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  billdaman 
#1 ·
Hello there, fellow DTS forum members!

It's been awhile since I've asked for assistance (to which you've never let me down), so I need to bother you again. :shhh:

Now, more than ever, I need your help!! Recently, I took my '09 DTS for a basic oil change and tire rotation, along with some minor warranty repair work (most of it being interior-related). The repairs took 10 days (which I thought was a bit excessive, but it is what it is). When I picked up the car, it was still very wet from their car wash. However, I did immediately notice a new scratch/impact point on the right, front bumper (first attached photo ... sorry for the somewhat poor quality). Please keep in mind I'm totally anal-retentive and OCD about my car, and I try to keep it in pristine condition as much as I can (as the last attached photo shows). Needless to say, I wasn't very happy about it, but it was something I could buff out on my own. So, when I got home, the car had fully dried, and low-and-behold, I found NUMEROUS scratches and nicks all over the car! Virtually every panel has been affected, with the left side, roof, trunk, and top rear bumper being the worst. The two middle photos show the damage just around the rear, driver's-side door handle!

As you can see, these scratches are very bright, thus indicating they're fresh (you can distinctly feel them with your fingertips and/or fingernails). However, the dealership is denying they caused them! One service adviser even states "remembering" them when I brought the car in for service. So, on top of damaging my pristine DTS, they're now calling me a liar! :devil: When I purchased the car from them, last October, we went over it with a fine-toothed comb, and they touched-up, buffed, airbrushed whatever blemishes were there (since they really show up on the Black Cherry finish). No way, no day would I purchase a car with this many scratches!

They did agree to take a look at the car, tomorrow (05-07-13), as well as to tighten up some trim they didn't reinstall correctly on the overhead console. I have a feeling I'm not going to get very far with the stratches issue, though ... just by their tone of voice on the phone!!

Since this forum has always been so informative (and since many members work/have worked at Cadillac), could you please tell me WHAT recourse I have in this matter. This can easily turn into a game of "he said, she said!"

I'm also hoping someone from Cadillac and/or GM is monitoring this forum, so perhaps I can get their feedback, too!

Sorry for my long-winded message (and rant), but I'm completely DEVASTATED by this occurrence!!! :bonkers:
 

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#3 ·
Hello Puckhead,

I am sorry your vehicle acquired these scratches after your dealership visit. I understand how frustrating this can be. I do see you took your vehicle back to the dealership on 05/07/2013. If you private message me your contact information, VIN, current mileage and dealership name and location I am more than happy to further assist you. Could you also please explain the current condition and issues; if any new or updated after 05/07/2013, thanks!

Sincerely,

Laura M.
Cadillac Customer Service
 
#4 · (Edited)
but I'm completely DEVASTATED by this occurrence!!! :bonkers:
Hey I know how you feel. After a 21 day stay at my Cadillac dealer for an engine replacement, I took my vehicle home only to find a tremendous scratch across my left headlamp lens that I absolutely knew was not there when I dropped the vehicle off. I am also super anal and would have seen this scratch any time I walked in front of the vehicle immediately after it happened. No way a scratch this big would have escaped my notice. Needless to say I was upset and complained to the service manager at the Cadillac dealer. Although he didn't admit they were responsible, he indicated that he would have his body shop look at the scratch on my next visit and take it from there. I was still pi$$ed!

Once I returned home I looked at photos taken of my vehicle in my driveway the day it was purchased. Pulled the wife to the display and zoomed in on the drivers headlamp. There plain as day was the scratch nearly two years ago on the headlamp! Needless to say I was very embarrassed. I returned to the dealer and apologized. No problem the service writer said, "happens all the time"

Bottom line is I am not suggesting that the scratches on your vehicle didn't occur at the dealer. However I imagine that I am at least as anal as you, possibly more so, and I fooled myself into thinking the big headlamp scratch occurred at the dealer...It didn't.

Although you may not be able to validate when the scratches occurred, I ask that you keep in mind that its always possible that the scratches happened elsewhere, maybe a very small bit of a chance? I'm a double Master Degreed Engineer who worked for 15 years for GM watching these vehicles come down a line day in and out, and I was 100% certain that scratch happened at the dealer. A two year old picture made a complete fool out of me, but I manned up to my mistake.

Good luck with getting a positive resolution. If the dealer is any good they will make the fixes if you present a compelling case.
 
#5 ·
Good morning, folks!

Thank you so much for the informative replies (as always)!! I apologize for the delayed response, but my father is gravely ill (we needed to tend to some matters).

That being said, per Chris Heath's first reply, I'll pursue this matter further with Laura M. (Cadillac Customer Service's second reply to this thread).

Regarding Billdaman's reply, that certainly is an eye-opening occurrence, and your honesty by manning up to the dealership is most commendable! However, in my case, I'm 100% confident the scratches were caused by the dealership. Here's why. We bought the car, last October, and the dealership covered up virtually every scratch, blemish, and imperfection. Furthermore, due to some minor paint spraying, they got overspray on the entire driver's side of the car (e.g., hood, windshield, roof, trunk, and every driver's side panel). At the time, they denied this, too, but they couldn't "weasel" out of it since they had just installed a brand-new windshield which had no blemishes, marks and, obviously, overspray. To make a long story short, they didn't completely remove the overspray, so I spent weeks claying my car.

As such, I became INTIMATELY acquainted with all the small nicks and blemishes (I'm not saying my car is perfect, but it is very, VERY pristine). Believe me, these scratches were not there before the service visit! They are fresh. Being an engineer, you probably can understand what I mean by this ... the scratches are "bright" and their edges are "sharp." Even if nothing's done to these scratches, time and weather will "dull" them. Plus, I wash (either hand or touch-free) after each and every rainfall and/or occurrence of getting dirty. I constantly apply a wide array of Meguiar's detailing sprays and waxes. Basically, these scratches would've been somewhat less visible ... if they were there before. Even my wife, who knows NOTHING about cars and finishes, said "what are all these scratches?," once we brought the car home (and it fully dried from the dealer's car wash).

There are at least two-dozen scratches. The hood is the only panel not affected, thus making me believe that might be because it was raised for some of the other service work. The trunk lid is horrendous, and the driver's side doors and quarter panel are pretty bad, too. The roof has them, as does the passenger's side panels. On top of that, there's a new "impact" point in the right, front bumper. Once again, way too many for me not to notice them, given how much detailing time I spend with my car! My car is garaged, at home, and I always park at the most distant end-spots, when I'm at work or shopping. A weird superstition of mine is always having the driver's side face toward the end-spot. Why? So, it can remain free of nicks, scratches, and possible door dings ... since that's the side I always see approaching my car (I'm the only driver, as my wife doesn't drive, by the way). As such, why's the driver's side so beat-up, after the service visit (it looks like things were "dragged" across the finish ... I'm suspecting things like clipboards, keys, tools, or the car wash rags ... theirs is not touch-free).

In essence, I'm confident the dealership caused this damage. If I had any doubt, I would not even dare pursue the matter with them. I'm an extremely HONEST person, and I would not shame my dying father's name by trying to pull a "stunt" like this at the dealership (or with anyone else, for that matter). My philosophy's pretty simple ... if I damage something on my car, I fix it myself ... on my bill. However, I don't accused being a liar, which is exactly what this dealership is trying to do!!

So, now, I'll see what Cadillac/GM has to say (regardless, I'm NEVER going back to this dealership)!!

OY ... I'M STRESSED!!!!
 
#6 · (Edited)
Hey Puckhead, sorry to hear about your Dad being so Ill, hope you can put this behind you as you have enough stress. No doubt about it the dealer is a huge source of potential damage to our vehicles. Some obvious sources, door dings from parking your vehicle in situations you yourself would never park in, such as a spot with lots of come and go parking. Also there are the mutilation hazards in the shop itself, like dangling air hoses, air tools, belt buckles, etc. Have them show you around their shop if they deny responsibility. Look for potential mutilation hazards. If you see a mechanic with an exposed belt buckle call them on it. Belt buckles should be mutilation protected, so should watches. Next look at their power tool hoses, can they reach the areas that are damaged? How about columns that don't have padding that someone can open a door edge against?

GM assembly plants require belt buckle and watch protection, padded air tools, door edge guards, and fender protectors washed at least monthly to remove sources of contamination or abrasives. If you find some or any of these things missing, call them on it because they are required in the industry to prevent mutilation of vehicles.

Lastly If the dealer wont own up to it and refuses to pay, then the next step is the zone manager. Don't let anyone kid you, they are the only ones who can help you once the dealer absolves themselves of responsibility. If GM refuses to make the dealer pay I would file a claim in small claims court and hit them hard with a request to repaint the vehicle. The cost of an attorney alone to defend against your small claims suit will be more than just doing the right thing and fixing your vehicle. And that doesn't even count all the damage you can do to this dealer by running their name into the ground all over the internet.

Good luck, and take care.
 
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