C8 CORVETTE | Page 54 | FerrariChat

C8 CORVETTE

Discussion in 'American Muscle' started by BJK, Jan 18, 2020.

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  1. boxerman

    boxerman F1 World Champ
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    May 27, 2004
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    Sean
    As a chevy owner I can say that my chev dealer experience is infinitely superior to that of my wife's mercdes. True there no nice tiling or a cappuchino machine, and tats are in evidence, but the quality of work and knowledge of the service personell exceeds that of others. Maybe its a dealer by dealer thing, but you may find yourself very pleasantly surprised.
     
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  2. TheMayor

    TheMayor Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    I don't care about that kind of crap. I only care if the dealer takes care of the problem quickly and efficiently with little drama. My only concern is the few number of technicians who work on C8's.
     
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  3. TheMayor

    TheMayor Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    First dealer experience not off to a great start. Called them for an appointment and told to just stop by in the morning. You might think that's great but my impression was they don't know what they are doing. Didn't inspire confidence.

    Asked what is wrong and I said it had some campaigns. The only question from the service agent was "so, you're going to leave it, right?"

    Ummm...I guess?
     
  4. Carbuilder

    Carbuilder Formula Junior

    Aug 18, 2012
    550
    Bolton, ON
    Full Name:
    Rick
    Service experience at Porsche and BMW is really first class; you are treated like royalty. Service at GM is like............service at GM. But as long as they do their job and treat you like you matter, I'm OK with that.

    I had a C7 Vette and the engine seized on the way to work one morning. I think they had a number of cases like that. I had it towed to a GM dealer (which happened to be very close). They gave me a Caddy SUV and I was on my way. I dropped in a few times to see what was going on and they kept me informed. They put in a new short block. They would have liked to take the old one apart but apparently GM head office said no, return it to us. So while an engine seizing up is not a great thing to happen, crap happens and I think it is how you are treated that matters. It really only took about an hour of my time between getting the car to them and picking it up, so it really wasn't an inconvenience and they treated me very well. And I got a new engine in the car!

    So GM doesn't have the showrooms and waiting areas of the higher end cars, they don't charge the same either. As long as they fix your car and treat you well, that should be enough.

    Rick
     
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  5. boxerman

    boxerman F1 World Champ
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    yeah does not sound great.

    Its always a potential issue where a ($30K) car dealer is also catering to more complex 100k cars. Seems like some dealers specialize in vettes or have departments that do. One has to choose service departments, theyre not all equal in any brand.

    I can think of only 1 lotus dealer I would go to and thats in the midewest(cant coment on west coast). My BMW dealer got taken over by penske its all corporate now and while the service depratment looks great I wouldnt do more than an oil change there, so theyre ok for a new car but not much else.

    At Alfa I literaly drove by 3 service places, (2 were alfa maserati) and wouldnt leave a car there for 5 mins. The 4th one was also a ferrari dealer and was great.

    Mercedes looks great, they cant even balance tires, its a nice looking grist mill.

    Ive found my local Honda and Chev dealers to be really competant.

    Of the ferrari dealers near me. 1 is good provided you use certain techs, the other is like a BMW dealer.
     
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  6. TheMayor

    TheMayor Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    #1331 TheMayor, Apr 14, 2021
    Last edited: Apr 14, 2021
    Today was my first "face to face" meeting with the dealer. I took their advice and just "stopped by" this afternoon. I had no intention of leaving the car. I just wanted to schedule an actual appt and meet people.

    I walk into the service office and it was like no one really cared. I'm asking "Service? Service?" Someone points to the guy behind me. He's nice and I explain to him why I'm there. He says they are booked until Tuesday and I say I'm fine with that. My car is literally sitting right outside his window and he asks "What kind of car is it?" I tell him 2020 Corvette and it means nothing to him. He just types in. He didn't even ask me what was wrong. All he wanted was my personal information and what kind of car it was. He gives me his card.

    But I'm surprised he had no concern at all what the car needed. Its like it didn't matter. And my feeling is they treat C8's just like any other Chevy. There is no "specialist". Its whichever mechanic is next in line. I can start to understand how some dealers had cars fall off lifts.

    When I called my Alfa dealer, they always said "well, our Alfa tech is busy until blah blah blah". Sometimes they would let me talk to the tech. These guys are like "whatever". Corvette owners are no different than Chevy Spark owners. Its just "a car".

    I would take my ex GF's bottom of the barrel leased Lexus to the dealer and they would treat you like a king. Sit down in the service guy's office. Explain everything about what they are going to do. Let you have free coffee and danish in the waiting room. Loaner car without asking. Watch TV while you waited. Chevy -- meh!

    I don't care about these extra bits but can you at least show a little bit of admiration to your customers?

    So, lets see what happens on Tuesday. Still keeping an open mind but also learning the differences as we go...
     
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  7. energy88

    energy88 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Jan 21, 2012
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    When you drop off the car, ask if Bubba can be assigned to it! :D
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
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  8. energy88

    energy88 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Jan 21, 2012
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    I've been in Sarasota the past 2 weeks and am amazed at the number of private dealers and car lots with C8s for sale! Are they still flippable?
     
  9. luvair

    luvair Formula 3
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    Jun 4, 2005
    1,495
    Well, I spoke with a dealer on Drexel about a C-8 purchase, not impressed with their wanting a sale, just arrogance, and slamming for 25K price over MSRP. I think business is so good, they are indifferent. For service, it's sad as the techs are so underpaid, and even so, don't take pride in their work. They seem to move around dealerships, like a minor league shortstop.

    In your case, it was me, I would call the service manager and see who will be diagnosing and working on your car. Good luck.
     
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  10. luvair

    luvair Formula 3
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    Jun 4, 2005
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    It is crazy out there. Many are on the west coast, car shows, and dealers. In search for an HTC, I found, the dealers list cars on the web that are already sold, then try getting your order for something in the future. I don't know as a fact, but after calling many dealers, I get the impression with so many rolling of the BG line these days, the ones that are not pre-sold, are like a bonus from GM to the dealer. Dealer markups for ones on the lot are 15K to 25K. Some private sellers are asking more. Also what I never heard in Ferrari, Porsche, or Aston world, "all" private sellers want their state tax money added to their uplift on the MSRP. So, if a 90K car, 20K uplift, then if state tax is 8% add another ~7K = 117K. Don't think would work when I sold my modern Ferrari spider.

    I know this will settle down as BG keeps rolling out cars.
     
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  11. Jo Sta7

    Jo Sta7 F1 Rookie
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    Oct 13, 2015
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    I have a pretty annoying rattle coming from the driver side door. I have to get it addressed.

    other than that the car has been flawless. I even got a 2.9 second 0-60 run today in sport mode no less!
     
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  12. jm2

    jm2 F1 World Champ
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    This made me laugh. I'm hoping they can provide you with the service ambiance you expect from a premium product.

    One of the reasons I didn't lease another Alfa was the dealer 'experience' or lack thereof. It's not that they were incompetent or unfriendly. The Alfa dealer is dualed with Jeep/Chrysler here. About 3 miles from Chrysler/Jeep/ Stelantis HQ! So it's all Chrysler minivans & all manner of Jeeps. Alfa Romeo? WTH are those? They tried, but it just didn't cut it for me. Nothing special at all. Your words: 'It's just a car' attitude. My first and last Alfa. I did like the vehicle though.

    On the other hand, my wife has leased new Chevrolets for the last 10 years. I couldn't be happier with their attitude & the service of her vehicles. Just the luck of the draw I guess. The Chevrolet dealer's facilities are top notch as far as I'm concerned. Always felt I was sitting in the waiting room at Costco or K Mart at the Jeep/Alfa/Chrysler dealer. Shouldn't be important as long as your car gets repaired/serviced efficiently and rapidly. But it is what it is. Not apples to apples to compare a Lexus dealer with Chevrolet however. Not in the same sport let alone the same league. But that's a story for another time.

    Good luck.
     
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  13. TheMayor

    TheMayor Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    OMG the Alfa Dealers in LA are just horrible. Vegas was pretty good when it came to customer relationships. Haven't visit them in over a year so no telling what its like now...

    I don't want to be treated "special". What I want to feel is the dealership cares about me and my car and appears competent to do the work. Then do it properly without drama.
     
  14. boxerman

    boxerman F1 World Champ
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    This,
    Especialy the competance part. Manufacturers and dealers apparently would still be surprised to learn how closely this, service experience and competance, is related to future/repeat sales.
    I would buy a Honda or a Chev again cause my local dealers are competant. The tech managers are car guys.
    Have yet to experience a toyota dealer that didnt suck, and I mean the sales and service both sucked. The term low rent experience comes to mind. But then you kinda have to be ambivalent or hate cars to want something toyota makes, exept the tundra and thats and anvil like tool for a purpose and price.

    Wife likes the mercdes experience, cause like lexus they've figured out 50+% of customers are women, and the drop off and pickup experince has to be appealing.
    Wifes GLC is so superior in dynamics and enginering to my moms lexus suv that its not even a comparison. yes for many buyers the lexus works, cause a car is a refrigerator with nice seats to them.

    lexus has it all nailed down though, they built the brand on service experince as much as the reliable confy yet otherwise bland and boring product, yet this service concept totaly escaped Alfa which wnats premium status. Alfa has the prodct alas the othr part of the equation is missing..

    BMW thy'd have to make somehting I'd really want to own so as to look past the dealer and service. And since the e46 era there is no BMW really compelling.

    Imo manufactuers use these ridiculous surveys and marketing companies to tell them about service and service experince, its wasted money. Every tech tells the customer to give a perfect score cause their bonus depends on it, and who wants to upset the tech.
     
  15. lambchop

    lambchop Karting

    Apr 29, 2005
    237
    What he said. All the dealers push the "give us a 100" so hard they instill fear of retribution into the customer. Sure, I think your service writer shouldn't being eating a bag a Cheetos at his desk when I walk in and believe the experience overall kind of sucks, but not going to risk not getting a decent loaner or worse next time the car is returned for service as a result of a ....80. Gasp. It's not anonymous, or least wasn't a few years ago. The end result is customers leaving a brand or dealership. But that's o.k, they'll replace with the next folks in line.
     
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  16. niklas

    niklas Formula 3

    Apr 25, 2008
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    Chilliwack BC
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    I just need to rant about the ridiculous premium prices these cars are selling for - or at least asking. I’ve wanted to get my hands on a C8 for awhile now, but there is very slim pickings in my area and when they do come up for sale, the ask is well into the six figures. Like, wtf? These prices better come back to orbit soon or I’m going to lose it.
     
  17. pdxjim488

    pdxjim488 Karting
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    Aug 25, 2018
    183
    I was chatting with a dealer who was getting a 3LT end of the month. He wanted $17K over. I said no thank you. What amazes me are the ones that are 2020 models with miles on them and they want $20K over. smh
     
  18. TheMayor

    TheMayor Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    Jimmyb got his car!

    When you gonna post your picks?
     
  19. darkkaangel

    darkkaangel Formula 3
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    May 20, 2007
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    Chevy dealers vary just like any other dealer when it comes to how good or bad they are at the service area.
    My local Chevy dealer has been pretty good, the service manager gave me his card on my first visit with my C8 and said to call him when I need future service and he will take care of it, so far great.
     
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  20. Phil~

    Phil~ F1 Rookie
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    Aug 25, 2013
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    SoI saw a silver Convertible up close for the first time. It made multiple guys do double takes. It looks so much better in the flesh than from pictures!
     
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  21. TheMayor

    TheMayor Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    Half of the time I take my silver C8 out people ask me something about it. I never had that for any Ferrari.

    Its not the reason to buy one but it shows the public interest in the car is off the charts.
     
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  22. BJK

    BJK F1 Rookie

    Jul 18, 2014
    4,781
    CT
    Pretty simple. Supply and demand. The demand is still there (your rant proves it), the supply isn't.
    Order one today, and what's the wait? Over a YEAR?! :eek: That's not worth 10 or 20k? Owners can sell their year old /10k mile cars for what they paid. :)
    .
     
  23. TheMayor

    TheMayor Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    First dealer experience: "A mixed bag"

    I've already said about the rather weird way I got an appointment. Yesterday morning I brought the C8 in for 2 "recalls" and my problem with my Home button not working on the infotainment system.

    I met a service advisor who was really nice and seemed to be interested in the car and getting it fixed. Pretty good knowledge of cars in general so we chatted for a while. He wrote up the issues. He said he would get to it today and see what the issues were. But he said most likely I wouldn't get the car back today. I told him this was my only car and he sort of hesitated about giving me a loaner (which would have been a rent a car) and I said if I could get a lift home that would be enough. So he ordered a Lyft car.

    The day ran out -- no call. So I wait for the morning.

    About 10 AM I get a call about the Home button issue. He said they contacted GM and if it was approved for service by GM, the infotainment hardware would have to be completely replaced. This is a really big job where the dash has to come out. And, it will take time to order the part. And before that, GM has to have some data on it and they have to fill out some kind of questionnaire. So I told him not to do that now and if the 2 "recalls" were done. He said no and they would get to that now (I'm slightly annoyed at this but, what the heck). So he tells me to come back between 3 and 4 today and the car will be ready. I asked if someone would call and he said "no, just come by". Ok....

    3:30 and I pay for Uber to the dealer. I get there and I see my car starting up and driving off for what looked like a test drive. I'm like -- Ok, we'll we must almost be done. The service guy wasn't there (to be fair he told me in the morning he might not as he was getting his 2nd shot) so someone else "helped" me. But the other people seemed sort of uncaring on the verge of grumpy. Me? I'm smiling and saying "thank you" and trying to be as nice as possible in this experiment.

    Well, the guy tells me the car isn't done. He says I can wait until he finds out and that he's gotten a message from my service manager that he's going to be there in 15 minutes. He tells me to wait -- so I do.

    4:15 my service guy comes by, is very nice, and apologizes for not being there. Then he says the car isn't ready but will be soon. Then he explains about the Home button.

    They contacted GM and GM has to go through a system first before approving the change as its a big job. Then they can order the part, which may be on backorder (no one knows). So his suggestion is bring it back when I don't mind losing it for a few days or a week and they will deal with it then. OK... I'm actually OK with this. It is a PITA to remove. And I'm worried the dash may squeak or rattle but its got to be fixed.

    So far so good -- but here's where it starts to go downhill.

    I ask about the 2 recalls. He said that one of them involved replacing 2 of the wheels. They have to send in the forms to GM and then order the 2 wheels. I knew about this issue as GM announced some cars had porous castings and had to be replaced. The problems on the inside of the wheel so you can't see it on the outside in most cases (mine looked fine).

    So again, he suggests taking the car home and let them order the 2 wheels and deal with it when I bring the car back for the problem of the Home button. I'm OK but annoyed that I had to pry the information out or that it wasn't done yesterday.

    He tells me the car is coming right up (its close to 5 PM now) and that they "don't do car washes anymore". I'm like --OK. GM says you can't put the C8 through an auto car wash and I can't see the dealer hand washing cars but its disappointed. I can't recall any new car I brought in for dealer service where they didn't give the car back clean, let alone one costing 90K.

    I walk over to the car and its full of fingerprints on the wheels and huge dried bird dropping on the driver's door. I'm thinking -- you couldn't even wipe it off? You couldn't wipe down the wheels? It seemed like not caring.

    So for losing the car for 2 days, what did I get? A bill from Uber, a dirty car, and basically nothing done while we wait for GM to tell the dealer what to do and then ship the parts.

    The adventure continues in a couple of weeks. I'm driving the car to Vegas late next week for 10 days or so. I'll reconnect with them when I get back.
     
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  24. Eric R

    Eric R F1 Veteran
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    Nov 19, 2014
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    Its been my experience that Chevy dealers that sell a lot of Corvettes tend to have better service departments. The big dealer in North Houston is where I took my 2012 ZR1 when it seized up during a track day event. They even knew it was on the track at the time. No problem, I still had 2mths warranty and got a new $31k engine. Took about 4wks from start of process to finish. Can't complain about that.
     
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