[Guest]

I'm starting this new post so people can stay on track on a particular subject. For safety sake, please read the text in Red, if you don't read anything else.
Let me tell you about my experience with service.

Please keep in mind that I'm presently suing GM over my XLR-04 and my dealer knows this, but still took my hundred grand for a new V.
Tried to make an appointment 5 days in advance for a loaner and warranty work. I was told they have no vehicles left out of 35 vehicles, but I could rent one from Enterprise and would be refunded the money, which took two and half months the last time to get my money. I said, "no thanks". They ordered the wrong part anyway.
Lost my stabilitrac and TC a week later and a read out of the DIC which said, "Service Stabilitrac", which means according to the manual, (which I read the next day) I had nothing holding down my rear end when I turned at a light from a standing start and the ass end tried to pass me, and I found myself up on the sidewalk with major damage underneath.
I advised the tow truck to take my car to this dealer, WHAT THE HELL WAS I THINKING. They called me the next day and said I would be better served to take it down the street to an auto body shop. In other words they where kicking me out without giving me a choice.
Three days later I went back to my advisor and asked him to contact the GM rep for this area so I could have them extract the information from the black box of the accident, such as Yaw, MPH, tach reading and much more. He said, we don't do that here, and told me to call customer service. I asked for the number and he said it was in my manual.
What the hell kind of service is this?. It's bad enough they don't know how to order parts or even know what there doing when they work on an XLR.
This is my second XLR and that totals in cash, $176 thousand and I leased a CTS for my daughter.
Please keep in mind that when you get this message on your DIC, you have not Stabilitrac or TC and it states this in the manual under stabilitrac, and also makes the statement, adjust your driving accordingly.
I wish I had known this before taking that corner like a I normally do.
Lets see if you guys and gals can top this.
Standby

 

[XLR I FL]

**** STANDBY:

You must have pissed in their Cheerios BIG TIME!!!

Why not have YOUR Attorney who is handling your case on the 04 XLR call GM and see what's what.

Besides I don't think that a licensed GM Dealer has the right to deny service on a GM Vechicle ESPECIALLY one that is under a 4 year factory warranty!!! Just think what that would mean to the rest of the GM public.


GOOD LUCK!!

 

[five337]

Standy - I can't top you, but I will use this thread to vent a little...

I am finding out the same thing here with the Cadillac dealerships - A total lack of knowledge and customer service. I just got an '06 and while I was at the dealership picking up some touchup paint - I whitnessed a service writter take both hands and attempt to force close the open trunk of another XLR. I ran outside and showed him the button, only after the trunk made a horriable noise. I feel bad for whoever's car that was.

I then made a comment about how I was glad to see all the plastic panels and that maybe I coud avoid some door dings finally. The guy laughs and tells me that it is nothing new, that all cadillacs for the past 10 years have been made of ALL plastic. Geesh. Does this dealership know ANYTHING about the cars they are servicing or selling? Did he get Cadillac and Saturn confused??? (I could go on about how I was told that I had remote start and how long they spent looking for the magic button on the remote to start it, how long it took them to load the DVD while they were going thru the menus looking for the "eject button" and putting the DVD in the CD slot, how they told me that I didn't have free oil changes and sell me a service plan, but you get the point).

The point is that I am scared to death to go their for service ! Even an oil change could lead to a damaged trunk at this place !!!!

I love the car and would not give it back for anything - it is sooo much more fun than my SC430, but GM's dealerships are not up to par with a 80-100k car, especially if you had previously owned a lexus or mb.

And what is it with these damn surveys? I have received at least 6 phone calls asking me if I got the survey yet and "if they can count on me giving them 100%". What is the purpose of the surveys if the dealerships twist your arm in to giving them 100%?

I can assure you that mine will be filled out truthfully in hopes that someone at GM uses it to help fix these dealerships. GM has a great product, but at 80-100k - a certain level of service & knowledge is expected.

Oh - and I called 1-800-ALLANTE - the old customer service number for GM that we Allante' owners had. It still works 4 days later I get a call from an independant research group asking me how the phone call went. I asked them to have someone at GM call me because my issue was not resolved. They said - sure thing, no problem and took all my info.

I learned 2 things with this phone call. #1 is that GM KNOWs they have a customer service problem and are throwing money at it with surveys and research. #2 They don't even care enough to return my call. Again - great car, bad service.

Hey Standby - what state are you in? It really sounds like we may have the same dealership.....

 

[Guest]

Well, let me answer your last question. I'm in Orange County, Ca. and I don't think you have the same dealer.........Mines just arrogant, but they do have some knowledge............I say, some!
From the sound of your complaints, it sounds like your in Alaska and this is the first XLR delivered there. My God man, you sure do take second place, maybe even first.
You did let them know that your oil changes are free every 10K. Right?
Remote starting? What planet did you say your on.
It's nice to hear I haven't' been selected by GM to be the only one taking their abuse. Wait till you really have problems like the rear grinding, top doesn't work or gets stuck up in the air, rear wing windows getting crunched and put glass in the back of one my good friends, (I think he is)
I have no idea why I bought the V, except for wanting that 443 HP. By God it is fast, especially from a standing start.
I wish more people would respond to this post to air out their problems so we all can see them in one place.
Bob
Where are you really from?

 

[ocool]

service

Sorry to hear of the horrible service you've encountered at your dealership. I just want to say I haven't had any of those problems with my cadillac dealer. I will tell you that I had a terrible time at a chevy dealer with my c6 corvette, it got so bad that I traded it for my 06 xlr after one such ordeal. Massey Cadillac in Orlando has been a real treat to deal with. they go out of their way to make everything perfect. I took my xlr in for a noise in the power steering and they gave me a new car of my choise to drive. the car was fixed in two days and delivered back in perfect shape. I bought the car in March of this year, and the sales associate still calls me about every two weeks to see how everything is going with the car. He was schooled on the xlr and knows it inside and out. It's been the best experience of car ownership I've ever had. I am so happy, I also bought my wife a new SRX. The dealership mgr. calls me periodically and we're on a first name basis. I've never had an experience like this, but you can bet I'll be a customer of theirs for a long time. It's too bad other dealerships are not as customer friendly. Just wanted to pass this on because there are great dealerships out there.:iagree

 

[five337]

Well.. since you asked...

I am in Las Vegas, and the dealership has had quite a few XLRs and XLR-Vs sold. The day I bought mine they had 7 XLRs total. 1 used 05. 3 06 XLR-Vs and 3 06 XLRs.

I am the one the one that bought a new car with 62 miles on it and the dealer told me that GM makes them put 50 miles on it. Well, I never followed up on this board, but there is more to this story.

When buying the car - once the deal was made I had to go to the great finance office. I get hit up for the extended warranties, tire packages, oil changes, and a long spiel on how I am dumb for paying cash and not financing the car at 6.9%. He even told me that I should do 6 payments of 13.5k or something at 7.9%. I told him that the bank is giving me 5.8% and it would be easier if I just wrote him a check now for the difference from 5.8 to 7.9 over 6 months and not have to worry about mailing any payments. He didn't see my humor (I thought I was funny). Then comes a form that I was not comfortable signing since I had never seen one before. It was a form that gave them permission to call me. They said I have to sign it because they don't want to be sued if I am on the DO NOT CALL list - AND could not sell me a car if I did not sign it. I tell them that I didn't think that applied to businesses that I had a prior relationship with. He said that I was wrong and that they could not sell me a car unless I sign this form. Sure enough when I got home - I was correct. According to the FTC's website, businesses that I have bought something from are allowed to call me for 18months after the purchase. At this point the finance person gets irate. I am angry too. I don't like signing away my rights like that - especially when I know that I am correct.

Once I reject all the warranty and financing and sign the permission to call form - he says "I have someone else coming in behind you to buy a car - I need you to finish with someone else". So because he wasn't making any more money off of me - he pushes me to someone else. Fine. I understand. Everyone needs to make money and he wasn't making any off of me. He needed to spend more time with someone that might buy an extended warranty or tire package warranty.

Then comes for the delivery. My car salesman got very busy and managed to sell an STS. Good for him.. Bad for me. So they park my XLR and their STS next to each other - so close that I almost get my first door ding from the STS and the sales man proceeds to try to explain all the features of both cars at the same time. Literally it was "both cars do this, yours only does this, both cars remote start, etc" Geesh - what an insult. I ask about a few pieces of plastic on the roof and he tells me that it was the shipping protector (duh) and that it is normal and it will just fall off after a while. At that point all faith was lost and I demanded to drive my car out as fast as I could. For a moment I didn’t think he was going to let me. I drive about 2 miles away to an empty parking lot and set all my stations, seat and call onstar for the first time. I find my window sticker torn in half shoved in the glovebox. ughh. I forgot to tell them to leave it on. My fault. The delivery was nothing special - the delivery on a friend’s H2 (when they first came out and were rare) was a lot more fun and memorable. But - I love the car...

Upon closer inspection of the car at home - I found it to be even more used than I thought. The mats had a TON of soap in them; a used tissue under the driver seat (yuck) and the trunk divider was installed backwards with one of the circle things missing.

I had to go to the dealership to pick up my old plates from the trade in the next morning and I asked the sales man again about the miles. He said "well it was probably driven by the owner for the weekend". WHAT THE HECK, I THOUGHT A TECH HAD TO DRIVE THE CAR? But, again. I love the car.. I laugh it off... Things could be worse...

I laughed and asked about the tissue and they said that when the lazy (yes, he said lazy) people at the factory take their lunch breaks they eat in the cars on the assembly line and shove their garbage in what ever car is there. Now come on. I doubt this is true for the Bowling Green plant and even more - WHY WOULD YOU TELL A CUSTOMER THAT JUST SPENT 80k 14 HOURS AGO THIS ?!? Why would you use the word LAZY and the person that bolted on my brakes in the same sentence?! I just shoke my head. I am more upset that they might say this to someone else that would actually believe it. Does the Bowling Green plant have a cafeteria? Does GM really make them take their breaks on the assembly line? I am sure their cafeteria is much nicer than the interior of my XLR (and my house). I know this, you know this, why doesn't the people that are servicing the 80k cars know this??

I bring it in to service to get that trunk clip/circle thing. No one knows how to order it. Just amazing. I remember the part diagrams from my Allante' days - those exploded views are very detailed. I find it hard to believe that they can't find a simple clip, but ok... Finally they think they got it. The service writer takes a piece of paper and puts it on my hood and then attempts to write my VIN on it with a ball point pen. Before I could catch myself, I gasp out of instinct. There is a reason that every employee at other high-end dealerships has a clipboard with them in the service drive. It blows my mind that someone would write on a piece of paper on the hood of an 80k car with a ball point pen. At least use the windshield ! Now I feel like an ass because I made a big deal about it - but I am very picky and I have seen what a ballpoint pen can do firsthand. The service writer apologizes and says something about being from a Chevy dealership and how as long as he didn't hit the car with a hammer it was okay. I didn't even know what to make of that remark other than that I need to make sure that there are no hammers around. Also I know vette owners and I know that they would not tolerate a ballpoint pen on the hood of their cars. The difference is that a vette owner would have probably punched him and I just gasped Am I making a big deal out of a minor issue, probably… but the car was still just 14 hours old and I paid for it all at once. Maybe if I had just put 5k down and was making payments I would be a little less jumpy.

A week later the part comes in. Wrong part. Ok. I don't get angry. I just laugh and offer to come back. Really, I never stop smiling. I am still in the new-car-love mode and looking for an excuse to drive (I know most of you know what I am talking about – the first 2-3 weeks where you will go anywhere to do anything just to drive). Not a big deal. Well - without me asking, they take the part out of a brand new 100k XLR-V. 2 sides to this. Yes I am glad to have my car complete, but now someone else doesn't have a new perfect car to buy. And if someone came in and complained loud enough and my car was in the shop, would they take a part off of my car? Again, very minor but doesn't make me trust the dealership with something as simple as an oil change.

Now before someone tells me that I am being petty – I KNOW. All of this is MINOR and none of it really matters. I don’t enjoy the car any less because of any of this. But it is the difference between my Lexus ownership experience and my Cadillac experience – that’s all. Don’t take this post as a I LOVE LEXUS or I HATE GM post. It is simply my observations so far.

So... No real mechanical problems other then my obnoxiously loud AC compressor that I won't let them touch until it blows up.. (and even then, if it is winter I will wait until spring to get that fixed) Just a lot of poor training and lack of attention to detail.. I love the car.. I love the car..... Maybe I can get the oil changed at Lexus or MB ? ?

 

[aviator]

POed

A lot of little things can add up.

You certainly have cause to be POed.

Bad dealer.

 

[1_XLR]

good story five337, but I would have pulled that clip out of another car myself and not thought twice about it, and never returned to that dealer.

I bought my 04 XLR in Thousand Oaks and was treated professionally and courteously by a very knowledgeable staff every step of the way. I went back to them for the same experience to buy my XLR-V. They are 2.5 hours from my home so not practical for servicing.
My first service issue was an emergency and I ended up in Newport Beach, they had never seen an XLR before, in fact I don't think they had ever seen anything but a Deville or Eldo before. After 3 days I had them top off the oil and I drove it to a dealer in Ontario, who came recommended by the 1000 Oak dealer.
The Ontario dealer was adequate, but slow and not very customer oriented. They made some mistakes and after about a year I tried a dealer in Tustin, a smaller and older shop, but the customer service has been incredible, younger XLR tecs that know the car very well, very efficient with repairs/parts, loaner cars, the works. I did hang around the sales floor one time while picking up my car and have a guy try to sell me an XLR, and I don't think I would want to buy a car there. But anyone buying a $75-100k car that hasn't done their own research and is relying on a car salesman should be considered "fair game" anyway.
So there are good dealers out there and with this car you really need to make sure you comfortable that they can service it.

So five337...you got the right car....now go find the right service center:thumbs

 

[alibond]

tustin

so you recommend tustin cadillac for service?

 

[jp299390]

I also recommend Tustin Cadillac for service.

 

[five337]

Here is what I sent:

5,000 miles so far. 2006.

I bought this car new. I paid cash for it. I am the only one that drives her. I previously owned 2 Allante's (1990, 1991) and a 2003 Lexus SC430.

Love the car, but I feel that more time should be taken to make sure the car is put together correctly.

My driver fender is missing one of the top screws since delivery. The dealership didn't know how to order it and I didn't want to let it go to the body shop for a screw. (The top screws that are visbable in the engine compartment)

My trunk flap that seperates the top from the cargo area doesn't stay in place. The dealership tried to order the part but couldn't find the correct snap thingy. The little top snaps are missing or something.

There is yellow writting (numbers) on the insdie fender wells that is visable when parked.

My driver side door is misalligned and pops open (the safety catch prevent it from opening all the way) while turning. The misallignment is very noticable when the door is closed. I have to pull over, unlock the door - open and close the door when this occurs.

There is a black glue seeping from both quarter windows and the top of my front windshield. The glue is so excessive that it is all over the paint.

The in side box thingy attached to the windshield is slanted, not straight.

I contacted GM because it really feels like the car was in an accident, but they never contacted me back. The 1-800-ALLANTE GM service number assured me that the car was new and never wrecked. The car had 62 miles on it when I took delivery. The delaership said that GM forces the dealership to drive every XLR for 50 miles before they can sell it.

Front grill is misalligned and noted at delivery.

The car runs extremely rough when the AC is turned on and even stalled the day I took delivery.

There was a used tissue under my driver seat.

I still can not activate my XM radio. When I call XM they have the serial number registered to a different person and since I can not confirm their address XM radio refuses to activate my service. I gave up after two tries.

I refuse to take it back to the dealership after the service guy attempted to force the trunk down with his hands instead of using the button. I drove away so fast and refuse to go back.

With all of that said - there still is not any other car I would buy over this at any price.

 

[Guest]

My God Man this is unacceptable. Go to your dealer and tell them you want the number of the vehicle rep for your area and get a face to face with him.
BS on a dealer having to drive a new car 50 miles. I have had two delivered and each one had 4.5 miles on it.
There is something rotten in Denmark with this car. Tell the rep you want a immediate buy back and a new car. Don't let up on him and keep the pressure on. They will cave in.

 

[five337]

Yeah - I am upset, but I just don't have the time or energy to fight it.

I *DO* have the time to email them with a list and work it out this way, so I am glad that someone posted that website.

I tried calling and calling and pretty much GM finally said to me "It is a sales issue and we don't run the dealerships" - there is nothing GM can do.

The key part is the XM radio thing. The dealership knew I was upset. When they called to make sure that I was going to fill it out with all good things, I told them that NO, I was going to be honest with what I thought about them. So I beleive that they put the car in to a different address purposly so that I wouldn't get that survey.

I have NEVER received ANYTHING in the mail about this car from GM or the dealership. No XM info, No XLR info and like I said - XM won't let me activate because I can't confirm the address on the serial number - but the name is correct.

 

[xlrjim]

Call Cadillac

There is no excuse for a car with problems like those you have listed. Immediately call Cadillac..800-458-8006. Ask for customer service. They have been extremely helpful and quick in responding to any issues I have had. Also looks like you have a terrible dealer.

 

[rex32]

dealer's name ?

Five337, who's your dealer? This guy should be in jail!

 

[five337]

I am not going to post the dealership's name because I don't want to get sued for something.

Here is the post of the sales experience : http://www.xlrforum.com/showpost.php?p=14297&postcount=6

It will be interesting to see if GM finally contacts me about this stuff. Like I said, the GM customer service number told me that my issues are "Sales Issues" and there is nothing that GM can do. All they can do is try to persuade the dealership to work it out with me.

 

[Guest]

Well, last time I checked the constitution it says we have free speech. If you want our help you need to be willing to post the dealers name as I have done on many occassions and never was sued, and I burned them big time and they knew I was doing it.
The point being, they don't want negative press and will work with you if you are posting on this site.
Bob

I am not going to post the dealership's name because I don't want to get sued for something.

Here is the post of the sales experience : http://www.xlrforum.com/showpost.php?p=14297&postcount=6

It will be interesting to see if GM finally contacts me about this stuff. Like I said, the GM customer service number told me that my issues are "Sales Issues" and there is nothing that GM can do. All they can do is try to persuade the dealership to work it out with me.

 

[five337]

First of all - sorry for hi-jacking this thread, but I really believe that maybe someone at that Bowling Green website may be able to help me finally. I will post here if anyone helps me out from there.

The dealership's name is Findlay Cadillac in Henderson, Nevada. Car was bought new. Last 8 of the vin are 65603425.

Trust me, I am usually up for the fight - but GM let me know that they were not going to do anything. The GM customer service number said again and again that all my issues were sales issues and that all they could do is encougarge the dealership to work it out with me.

When I asked about the 50 mile thing the GM rep said "I can not confirm or deny that information"...

Amazing... Maybe someone that that feedback website will pay attention to this thread and help me out. All I have ever asked is that a GM rep come out and look at the car. The entire left side is just "off". Missing screw in the fender, grill pokes out on the left side, door pops open, back bumper isn't lined up and the inner wheel cover doesn't stay in place.

Here are some pictures, does any one elses' look like this?

Picture #1 - Missing Fender Screw - Documented at Delivery. No wear marks, screw was never installed.

Picture #2 - Rear Left Inner fender piece pops out under quarter panel. I can get it back in, but it pops out in a week.

Picture #3, #4 - Quarter window adhesive - both sides. Someone was real liberal that day when installing my glass.

Picture #5 - Grill - Left side. Not flush. Right side is flush. Mentioned at delivery, salesperson pushed it in and it stays for a little bit and then pops out.

Picture #6 - Drivers door - fully closed. This is the one that pops open while driving. You can see how it sticks out a little.

Picture #7, #8 - Writting on inside left fender well.

http://members.cox.net/vegas_lee/1.jpg
http://members.cox.net/vegas_lee/2.jpg
http://members.cox.net/vegas_lee/3.jpg
http://members.cox.net/vegas_lee/4.jpg
http://members.cox.net/vegas_lee/5.jpg
http://members.cox.net/vegas_lee/6.jpg
http://members.cox.net/vegas_lee/7.jpg
http://members.cox.net/vegas_lee/8.jpg

 

[Guest]

Don't count on anyone helping you until you get tough with GM or get a lemon Lawyer. I agree that it takes three times to fix something that is terribly wrong with a new car, but when they refuse to fix it or do anything about it and are telling you bold faced lies, this car can be lemoned...............Talk to a lemon law lawyer and get his advise.
First of all, why are these things related to the sales department? These are things that need to be fixed or repaired. The Door is a safety issue which is what a lawyer will jump all over.
Save your strength..............we can't do anything for you here, but advise you and your not taking advise very well............Sorry, but your not.

First of all - sorry for hi-jacking this thread, but I really believe that maybe someone at that Bowling Green website may be able to help me finally. I will post here if anyone helps me out from there.

Trust me, I am usually up for the fight - but GM let me know that they were not going to do anything. The GM customer service number said again and again that all my issues were sales issues and that all they could do is encougarge the dealership to work it out with me.

When I asked about the 50 mile thing the GM rep said "I can not confirm or deny that information"...

Amazing... Maybe someone that that feedback website will pay attention to this thread and help me out. All I have ever asked is that a GM rep come out and look at the car. The entire left side is just "off". Missing screw in the fender, grill pokes out on the left side, door pops open, back bumper isn't lined up and the inner wheel cover doesn't stay in place.

Here are some pictures, does any one elses' look like this?

Picture #1 - Missing Fender Screw - Documented at Delivery. No wear marks, screw was never installed.

Picture #2 - Rear Left Inner fender piece pops out under quarter panel. I can get it back in, but it pops out in a week.

Picture #3, #4 - Quarter window adhesive - both sides. Someone was real liberal that day when installing my glass.

Picture #5 - Grill - Left side. Not flush. Right side is flush. Mentioned at delivery, salesperson pushed it in and it stays for a little bit and then pops out.

Picture #6 - Drivers door - fully closed. This is the one that pops open while driving. You can see how it sticks out a little.

Picture #7, #8 - Writting on inside left fender well.

http://members.cox.net/vegas_lee/1.jpg
http://members.cox.net/vegas_lee/2.jpg
http://members.cox.net/vegas_lee/3.jpg
http://members.cox.net/vegas_lee/4.jpg
http://members.cox.net/vegas_lee/5.jpg
http://members.cox.net/vegas_lee/6.jpg
http://members.cox.net/vegas_lee/7.jpg
http://members.cox.net/vegas_lee/8.jpg

 

[XLR I FL]

I will ask the obvious --Is there another Cadillac dealer close to you or within reasonable travleing distance?

If you take this car into another experienced dealer I am POSITIVE that everything will be fixed.

Also I would send a letter to the head of GM and Cadillac with all of the info you included on the posting and ask for some help.

I think they will respond ASAP since you are not trying ot threaten anyone. But PLEASE include the names of ALL of the idiots that you spoke to that were of NO HELP!! They should be fired!!!

Regards