QuestionQUESTION: Dear Mr. Forster,
In January of 2007, I purchased a certified GM 2006 Tahoe with approximately 10,000 miles from a Chevrolet new car dealer in Jacksonville Beach, FL. When I purchased the car, there was weather stripping missing from the right rear door, and I noticed that the tires looked more worn than a car with that mileage should, but I wasn't alarmed.
The dealer made me pay for the weather stipping and I had another mechanic install it. When that mechanic installed it, he said that the car looked like it had been wrecked and rolled because the right side,both doors and the hood had been repainted.( I then also noticed a body and collision center sticker on the inside of the door)I called that number in Miami, and they said they couldn't locate the VIN or repair and then said "oh yes, we only repaired the armrest on the drivers seat." Question: why would a car under warranty go to a body and collision center?
Within months the paint on the hood was severely oxidizing and for the most part doesn't have much color anymore- The car is maroon/red.
In September, I had noticed a 'wobbling/clunking in the steering and when I took it to the dealer, I couldn't even steer the car into the service department because the right front tie rod broke(the wheel was turned in and the left wheel was turned in! The mechanics at the dealership commented that the car was previously wrecked! They didnt I bought a new set of tires from a tire company and was told that they couldn't get the car in alignment. Now I am feeling like the left tie rod is about to go.
I understand that a Certified GM used car goes through a 117 point inspection; Point #52. Frame (no signs of previous repair/damage)--wouldn't this mean that GM will not sell a previously wrecked vehicle? Also,CARFAX is clean. What do you think?
ANSWER: Bardell, you didn't give me the miles. Suspension wear can be directly attributed to mileage and road conditions where the truck was always operated. Now, GM will sell cars with body damage- having no sign of previous repair or damage doesn't translate to has never been repaired or damaged. GM'm records may not reflect any damage, either. If the owner had the vehicle repaired at his own expense, neither GM or Carfax will have records of any previous repairs, I don't contact Carfax or GM every time I do a customer pay job- or ever, as far as that goes. You should have taken it as a sign of a possible problem when you discovered the missing weather strip, and the overly worn tire. When you purchase a late model vehicle, you should go to the expense of having an independent shop inspect the vehicle for damage. They have no vested interest in wether or not the vehicle sells. The GM certified used car program is a selling tool- not a consumer protection program. If you have a picture in your head of GM mechanics and bodymen going over the car in fine detail- well, GM's advertising campaign has been a success. The truth is, I've never inspected any gm cars. The sales staff might ask me to have a quick look at something, but not put it on a hoist, flashlight in hand, checking over every square inch of the car in fine detail. In fact, there is no labor operation I am aware of for shop personnel to do this. It costs money to pay a mechanic to inspect a car. They have the oil change guy give a quick look at the brakes, fluids, belts, etc. and the sales staff gives it a quick once over. If there are no records, it's doubtful that any salesman will volunteer any body damage. Even if there was a paper trail, the salesman will write it off as having been a little fender bender. Trouble is, the fender bender could have cost 5000.00 to repair. You could have requested the GM service manager show you records of all work ever done on the vehicle by a GM dealership. If they sold it new, they will have records of everything from body shop work done on their site, to every oil change. They will have no off site body shop records, except warranty claims. A consumer does not have to take a vehicle to a dealership to have body repairs done, even if it's under warranty. If they push, they don't even have to have warranty paint work done by the dealership. They can request a trusted independent shop do the work. Many dealerships don't have body shops anymore, so this is a common practice. Now, here is where you have leverage- if the carfax came back clean, and GM has no records of doing any repairs, have the hood refinished under GM warranty. If the body shop manager balks, go right to the head of the company, raise a stink, turn red faced, have all the info your salesman gave you, and demand it gets fixed Hey, it's never had any signs of body damage, right? That must mean the factory paint is failing in the burning Florida sun. I bet they take care of it for you. Caveat emptor, my friend- may the buyer beware. Never trust a car salesman. Bill
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Good Morning!
Thank you for your quick response!
I bought the car in Jan 2007 with 10,000 miles and I have travel approximately 100 miles a day all highway driving to and from work, highways are in good condition and I don't drive the car hard. I think I have 37,000 on it today.
AnswerDid GM pay for the tie rod ends under GM warranty? The paint problems should AbSOLUTELY be covered under GM warranty, as well as the tie rod ends and such. If you feel that the GM dealer you are dealing with is giving you the run around, and it sounds like they are, ask to talk to their regional rep for a recomendation to another Chevrolet dealer for repairs. Once again. the squeaky wheel gets greased. I think there is still time for you to salvage your relationship with this dealer, but you need to show them you aren't going to put up with any bull. You surely paid a truck load of money for this unit- part of what you paid for is service and warranty. Bill
