You missed the point. All vehicles can have issues that's why they have warranty new. Everything can doesn't matter the device.
You have to like it enough to be able to deal with it. Otherwise even the smallest issue will break you.
Similar to how the guys with the old clunker gm full size suvs think the world of them when during their hey day they would have tons of issues even tho they were 'simple'. The new 10speed compared to the 8, 6, and 4 speed is stupid reliable. Same with the new engines. The old pre dfm/afm engines had lifter, head, valve spring , water pump, push rod issues. Don't get me started on the suspension, bearing, transmission and transfer case problems or the guage cluster issues or the hvac issues. On to the interior, door handle plastic that would fray and cut you, water leaks, air bag connectors, clock springs , delaminating buttons that would cut you, radio back light, ive been there, worked thru all of it lol. Don't get me started on the evap, bet 99% of them have had the vent and purge solenoid replaced along with the gas tank lines and knock sensors beneath the intake.
Its like the clunker dudes forgot lol. Mainly because those problems were fixed under warranty, and they like them enough to overlook it.
Exactly! Ever seen a car dealership or a boat store or an RV dealership that didn't have a couple big garage doors on the side? No, you haven't. Know why? Because anything made by man will eventually break or need maintenance.
What I do think is affecting the perception is the decline in the number of
quality service departments out there...and I think this supply/demand situation has exasperated it.
Net, when there was low profit in
selling the vehicles, the dealers (at least the ones that wanted to be a going concern for the long haul) put more effort in having a good service department, as it was a big revenue generator for the business.
When the profit got crazy in the sales department (and I realize there was always profit in the sales department), the emphasis went there vs. service...
The
good dealers still understand that the sales department sells the customer their
first car, the service department sells
every vehicle after that.
Hopefully people can get connected w/ a good service department; that understands how to work w/ GM and GM's tech center, and everyone gets educated on the issues, and how to resolve them.
The other thing this crazy demand and lack of supply did is cause people to just buy a vehicle wherever it was, and not end up w/ a relationship with their local dealer....this too will straighten out when the supply/demand thing gets squared up.
The single best thing you, as a customer, can do is to approach your relationship with the dealer as something you need to establish and work on. Try to use the same advisor, meet the service manager and shake his/her hand, get to know these people, give them your business for things like oil changes, tire rotations, general maintenance. Buy tires from them (I have found tires almost the same price at the dealer as anywhere else, and most of the local dealers here match the tire shop's prices and lifetime free rotations, etc) and keep going there. Then when you have a larger issue, you are not some random customer, but rather
their customer -- a person they know; and who they have grown used to taking care of and have a history of doing business with.
let me know if you know anyone interested too
