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New GTO woes/ dealer to dealer

2K views 9 replies 5 participants last post by  raspantienator 
#1 ·
Well, my GTO has been in the service center now since last the Thursday before Christmas for a dead battery- I also asked them to program a new key I ordered and fix the shift rattle that was evident with moderate to heavy acceleration.

I would like to know if anyone has experienced the situation I am about to describe. I purchased the car with 11000 miles from our local Ford dealer. They are good people there and we are friends with the owners. Our arrangement is to bring the GTO directly to them for servicing and they in turn would bring the car to the Pontiac dealer across town to actually complete the work. It sounds confusing but I can see some merit to the process as I will now explain.
The Ford dealer, upon picking up my "fixed" GTO from Pontiac noticed the shifter rattle noise, and immediately returned the car back to Pontiac service.
Ford called to inform me of this and I was disappointed not to get the GTO back, but, at the same token, was very happy they stepped up to the plate by not accepting the car.
So now with an early January thaw and the weekend here, I am still without the goat.
This arrangement seems to be very complex and I was wondering what you all have done regarding your warrantees and having the car serviced.
My other concern is that I do not have confidence in this Pontiac service center and there isn't another for 60 miles.
I am assuming Ford cannot or will not service the car because it's GM obviously and that may void the warrantee.
Sorry for rambling but I think my GTO has spent more time out of my garage than in. Not in a good way as in cruising.
Oh another thing- the Pontiac dealer would not initially keep my car inside over night....I had that immediately rectified however.:willy:

I am just perplexed over this:willy:
 
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#2 ·
Service

Any car dealership will service your car for you unless it is warranty work. The prices may vary, but I have not seen a dealership service department send a car away because of its brand. Hope it helps.
 
#3 ·
IMO..... Regardless of you being friends with the owner of the Ford dealership I would be dealing with Pontiac dealer direct. The ford dealer is now the middle man. Unless your dealer has offered you a warranty you are now having to deal with 2 different dealerships to resolve a warranty issue with your car. Your Ford buddy is not equipped to handle GM cars. Your aggravation will be twice the grief that it should be.

I understand you want to do business with a friend, but by incorporating 2 different dealers you will get 2 different contradictions should it come to who did what or he said she said. Personally I would be trying to iron your warranty issues out with Pontiac and not let a Ford dealer do it for you.

You state you have no confidence in the Pontiac dealer and you further state you purchased the car at a Ford dealer. Maybe your confidence would be restored if you went to the Pontiac dealer and developed a customer relationship with them and dealt direct with them. Give them a chance? Ford and Pontiac are competition, do you fully believe everything a Ford dealer is saying about the competition?

Just my 2 pennies but your car is under warranty with GM not Ford. I'd be cutting the middleman out.

Keep in mind..One persons negatives with a dealership are not always negative for the next person. I would be developing a rapport with the GM dealer who is better equipped to handle your GM car's needs, at least until the warranty runs out.
 
#4 ·
Well Frank,
I am perplexed as you.
I'm sure your friends at the Ford dealership are being very nice by shuttling your car all over town to have the service done, but, friends or not, I don't think I would go through this shell game with my car.
Obviously, the Ford dealer would be fine if your were taking the car in for maintenance service, like oil change or tire rotation, but only a GM dealership is going to take care of warranty items.
Also, I would rather deal directly with the agency working on my car than dealing with a third party.
Though they are going above and beyond what most dealers would do, I think it may just be adding unecessary complexity to what seems to be a pretty simple repair.
If you ordered a key ahead of time, the Pontiac dealer could have recieved it, programmed it and had it ready for you when you took the car in to have the battery replaced. You could have waited for them to do that.
Now, the shifter rattle, would be another story. I can't relate, cause mine doesn't rattle, but the Pontiac dealer would be the one to take care of that.
Most likely, the dealer is going to tell you that it is normal wear, which, actually is somewhat true. The T56 does have this issue in other cars, besides the GTO. The rattle comes from the knob.
There are a few things you can try. First, and most simple, is the try and twist the shift knob counterclockwise to see if that helps.
You can also take the knob off and tighten the bolts and put some masking tape or silicone under the knob. These are methods I have read about to cure the problem.

But, getting back to your original issue, for the few things that you are having repaired, it should not have taken but a day or so to finish.
I think you need to have a little stern talk with the Pontiac dealer service advisor.

Russ
 
#5 · (Edited)
Thank you for you quick and straight shooten replies. I suppose I originally wrote because I felt the same as all of you do. It just seems like an extra 2 steps and I can't tell which one to believe.
I will give it some thought but as I write this, I am inclined to establish myself directly with the Pontiac dealer and give it the good old American try.


Regarding the shifter, I understand they ordered a shifter assembly to fix the rattle. I remember reading and seeing diagrams here on this forum a step by step procedure, replacing the "O" ring to stop the rattle. Well hopefully they will fix it by tomorrow.
Maybe the Ford dealer really has the car in its garage and just reported that Pontiac messed up to me tp look good- that would be something now...wouldn't it? The more I think about it, the more it makes sense to deal with one place as in Pontiac.

Thanks again and have a great weekend!

Oh yea,,,after I send this, I'll have to change my signature.
 
#7 ·
This is why I personally would never buy a GM car from a Ford dealer, a Ford from a GM dealer, and so on. Its a big pain to not be able to take the vehicle back to who you bought it from for "expert" service. Another thought on this is if the owner wasn't dissatisfied with the vehicle, why would they have switched manufacturers? Just my .02 worth from 25 yrs of working at a dealership and seeing it all.....well almost all!

'Guru
 
#10 ·
:agree Business and friendships can be a potentially dangerous combination but I will work on establishing a relationship with Pontiac myself.
I still do not have the car back so it's possible Pontiac service is closed on Saturdays.
I'll let you know on this thread how this service adventure turns out.
 
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