[Richard427]

This is the response I received from my dealer in regards to my complaint to GM/Cadillac. I received this email from the dealer only after contacting GM and
opening a "case" and being issued a case number. I post this because I want opinions on what their policy is. I have read this a dozen times and I guess with
my limited education I'm just not "getting it". Do you need an "Appointment" or are loaners issued on a "first come first serve" and how can you reserve on a
first come basis? But then later it's stated "appointments are not required"? I'm glad I went to another dealer.



Mr. XXXX

First, please let me apologize for the inconvenience of your service visit and my delay in response.

However, as a dealer we are only alloted a certain number of vehicles to use a loaner vehicles. These are reserved on a first come first serve basis
and appointments. If we are aware that a repair will take longer than expected at time of scheduling we try to make an appointment based on
loaner availability so there is no inconvenience to our customers.
Appointments are not required but do help in instances such as this. Again I sincerely apologize for your experience and will pass your concern
on to the manager. I do hope that you will give us another chance to be of service to you.

Feel free to contact me at 985-XXX-XXXX or by email XXXXXXXchevycadillac.com


XXXXXX
Customer Relations

 

[C&C]

Seems pretty straight forward to me. If you have a known repair that would require a loaner (due to estimated time of repair) it is best to schedule an appointment (to insure a loaner is available). After scheduled appointments, loaners are allocated to a first come/first required basis. Some repairs may come in after all loaners are gone; if you can reschedule (not a immediate repair required), that would be best, if the car is undriveable and no loaners available then you are out of luck (perhaps a rental could be negotiated if warranty work is warranted).

 

[kwickag]

I comprehend what they are saying, but don't understand it. I have never had a dealer tell me "We're out of loaners so your out-of-luck". They have always arranged a rental if it was warranty work, which it was in your case, if they were out of loaners.

 

[Tepusquet]

My dealer arranged for an Enterprise rental when they ran out of loaners. I found it interesting that he told me to reiterate to the Enterprise folks that the dealer will only pay for a GM product. So when I arrived at enterprise, they tried to put me in a Hyundai. I mentioned what the service writer told me and I was promptly upgraded to a GMC Yukon. I loved driving that Yukon while my car was in for service.

 

[artscadillac]

I feel they are saying that you don't have to have a appt, if
a loaner is avail and sitting there, but if you want a guarantee
of a loaner, then you need a appt.

In the case that loaners are out longer than expected or you
have a bad problem when all loaners are out, then GM or Dealer
should pay for a rental, but I don't know if that is a policy or
not. Personally, I think dealers could use some of their used
cars as loaner vehicles.

 

[DSNCB919]

Cadillac dealer service does suck. Once I scheduled an appointment just for break squeals 2 hours later they came back with a $3500 bill ($2,500) covered by warranty.. told me they would give me a shuttle ride home then to come back at 2 pm for a free rental car.. so I left at 10 am ( got there at 8am). When I get back rental hasn't arrived yet. Long story short I had to wait until 6 and they finally gave me a loaner car..

 

[Richard427]

UPDATE ON THIS SAGA,

I contacted GM/Cadillac customer relations about this and received a phone call asking for the details concerning this. I was told this
would be looked into and they will contact the dealer. The following email is what I sent the dealer.


Ms. XXXXXX,

If only your policy of loaners was explained to me by your service advisor when I was at your service dept. on 5/26, and if I would have received this same explanation when I contacted XXXXX XXXX
Cadillac via your web site the same day requesting information on your policy concerning loaners for repair, I wouldn't have had to upchannel this problem to GM/Cadillac.

I explained to Cadillac Customer Relations that I thought this entire episode was handled in an unprofessional manner. When I spoke to the Dealer service advisor on 5/26 I stated that I needed to get my car repaired and I would need a loaner, all I was told was "we are at our maximum number of loaners and we don't have anymore". She then walked over to her left where an office was and spoke to
someone and came back and said "there is a 5 person waiting list for loaners". I inquired as to how long this wait may be and was told, "No". That's all, just "No". I was then asked what I wanted to do
and I replied "I think I'll ride up to (Another Dealer) and see if they can help me". Her reply was "OK". I think that if a dealership was really concerned about the customer the reply would not be "OK" whenthe customer has stated they would go to a competitor.

Never once was an inquiry made as to the nature of my problem, such as, was it something serious that required repair right away or minor in nature that could wait until a loaner was available? Neither
was the VIN looked up on the computer to see if it may have had open recalls or if there was a repair bulletin issued about the problem I was having, or if it was a simple 5 minute repair. I wasn't even
asked what my name was.

I find it disappointing that I received this email from you only after I spoke to the GM Customer Relations Specialist and was told that they would be in contact with the (Dealer) Customer Relations person as soon as they got off the phone with me. Low and behold, less then an hour later I received your email. I guess the email I sent on 5/26 wasn't worth answering.

I realize all you can do is apologize for this and you ask me to give you another chance to be of service. My answer to that is (Your Dealership) dropped the ball on this in more ways than one and will
need to earn that second chance. I did go to (Another Dealer) after I left (Your Dealership) and the service I received compared to yours was like night and day. The thing is, they did everything right
and you did everything wrong.

Thanks,
Richard XXXXX

 

[stabie]

I know every dealer is different, but my first question is "Do you have a service Advisor you normally work with?" I use the same guy, and at this point we have a very good working relationship. For anything but emergency service, I do call and setup an appt, and discuss the situation. I like him so much he even handles my vette service (at cadillac service bays, it is not a chevy dealer, but dealer does sell/service buick/gmc in a seperate area). For my vette brake job he got me a free loaner which was not warranty work, so no idea who paid for it. So when I hear these stories of bad service I really don't get it. Mine has been exemplerary.

 

[Richard427]

I know every dealer is different, but my first question is "Do you have a service Advisor you normally work with?" I use the same guy, and at this point we have a very good working relationship. For anything but emergency service, I do call and setup an appt, and discuss the situation. I like him so much he even handles my vette service (at cadillac service bays, it is not a chevy dealer, but dealer does sell/service buick/gmc in a seperate area). For my vette brake job he got me a free loaner which was not warranty work, so no idea who paid for it. So when I hear these stories of bad service I really don't get it. Mine has been exemplerary.

You put it all in a Nut Shell when you said "every dealer is different". That is true. The second dealer I went to was wonderful, Just like your dealer, Service advisor was wonderful
and I will seek him out in the future. I got a phone call from the service manager this afternoon apologizing profusely about my treatment and she said the employee that I dealt
with was "in training" and was counselled as to her interaction with customers. In all truthfulness that is all that they can do is apologize, and I accept that. After all
I don't expect them to tell me to pick out the car of my choice off the lot and it's FREE as a token of their love for me.