Topic: Free GM Oil Change, Part II (Now with Quote)

[rrocket]

I swear, it wasn't me!

Yea, I know.  If it was you there would be another grand tacked on.....

[Honda Owner]

Y

ea, I know.  If it was you there would be another grand tacked on.....

Well, with "shop supplies" and taxes, almost another grand would have been added.

In my experience, we didn't make a lot on these promos. Usually customers you had never seen before came in, did the special and then left. You did get the chance to do any recalls that had not been done.

[barrie1]

Rrocket you have to admit that this particular car is not in a GM dealership very often so they gave a good once over to promote businees like any dealer would and thats all. You got the freebie and good for you but there may also be other things going on the car is all the suggested ivoice really means so you are aware of the facts. On many front ends parts for example a mechanic has to use his own judgement when making a call and some are pickier then others. 

[rrocket]

Rrocket you have to admit that this particular car is not in a GM dealership very often

Dude..this particular car has been to the dealership at least 25+ times while under warranty.

It does not go there for oil changes however....

[dr_spock]

Dude..this particular car has been to the dealership at least 25+ times while under warranty.

It does not go there for oil changes however....

They're probably trying to make up the lost revenue from those missed oil changes.     Maybe for the next promo, you could bring Trish's car in and see if you can get the same estimate.   

[Honda Owner]

you could bring Trish's car in and see if you can get the same estimate

It is really up to how creative and through the tech is. When the advisor gets the upsell sheet, he then has to check the repair history (if any) of the car to see that, for example, the coolant was not flushed the last time the the car was in because if you try to sell another, the game is up.

That said, on a five year old car, there is a very good chance that brakes and sway bar links and bushings will need to be changed, oil leaks taken care of, etc. These kinds of things were easy sells on Grand Cherokees but no on Cavaliers!

[barrie1]

I agree as some makes are much more prone to these problems then others as well. 

[Honda Owner]

Grand Cherokee owners=have money, hate oil leaks and squeaks, easy sell.

Cavalier owners=don't have money. Will live with suspension noise and oil leaks.

 

[articsteve]

Grand Cherokee owners=have money, hate oil leaks and squeaks, easy sell.

Cavalier owners=don't have money. Will live with suspension noise and oil leaks.

 

[jamie1]

Grand Cherokee owners=have money, hate oil leaks and squeaks, easy sell.

Cavalier owners=don't have money. Will live with suspension noise and oil leaks.

 

So true. I think I paid for my home with retail work on Grand Cherokees. If it wasn't intake gaskets leaking oil,it was a rear main seal, or a frt and rear pinion seal or axle seals, or a water pump or a rear main seal. Brake pulsations have to be the worst on 99-04 Grand Chreokees. The list goes on and on. I don't think you could pay me to drive one of those POS. But Jeep owners are a different breed. Sorry to hi jack the thread rr.

[Honda Owner]

So true. I think I paid for my home with retail work on Grand Cherokees. If it wasn't intake gaskets leaking oil,it was a rear main seal, or a frt and rear pinion seal or axle seals, or a water pump or a rear main seal. Brake pulsations have to be the worst on 99-04 Grand Chreokees. The list goes on and on. I don't think you could pay me to drive one of those POS. But Jeep owners are a different breed. Sorry to hi jack the thread rr.
[/quote]

Yes, they are a total POS but they are an EXPENSIVE total POS. People who can afford them can afford to fix them. And yes, the brakes are awful in the '99-04 models. The main problems was the caliper was weak and led to a flutter on the disk, which in turn warped them. The update kid didn't help.

The problems with the '99-04 killed the dealer I worked at for 17 years. We were up to then the biggest Jeep retailer in Canada and by far the largest of Grand Cherokees.

We used to joke they were called "Grand Cherokees" because every time the came in for service, the owner spend a grand.

[barrie1]

The Cavaliers may have the odd squeek and oil leak but overall they just keep on running for years like any other vehicle if they are looked after. Any parts requirered from time to time are also fairly inexpensive in comparison to many others as well. 

[Honda Owner]

Actually, Barrie, I have a lot of respect for the final year Cavs. Sure, they were rough, noisy, cramped and miserable to drive but they were what they were: cheap, reliable transportation. In the final year the dealer I worked for was selling automatics for $8995 including freight and PDI. That is dirt cheap for a new car with a warranty.

[Seafoam]

Actually, Barrie, I have a lot of respect for the final year Cavs. Sure, they were rough, noisy, cramped and miserable to drive but they were what they were: cheap, reliable transportation. In the final year the dealer I worked for was selling automatics for $8995 including freight and PDI. That is dirt cheap for a new car with a warranty.

I had a 97 which i bought new. It was a good car with a lot of small problems that became annoying.Coolant leaks ,alternator replacement,numerous electrical problems all in less than 5 years. I think a new car should be fairly problem free for the first 5 years with regular fluid changes. Or am I asking for too much? That being said a good mechanic can keep a cavalier going a long time with those cheap plentiful parts .

[Honda Owner]

I had a 97 which i bought new. It was a good car with a lot of small problems that became annoying.Coolant leaks ,alternator replacement,numerous electrical problems all in less than 5 years

Normal for a Cav. They start to self destruct at 36 months and 1 second or 60,001 km. The electrics are truly awful, alternators and starters go very early.

Anybody who can afford the extra $50 a month for a Honda or a Toyota and has a 680+ FICO will not bother with a Cav.

[Seafoam]

I had a 97 which i bought new. It was a good car with a lot of small problems that became annoying.Coolant leaks ,alternator replacement,numerous electrical problems all in less than 5 years

Normal for a Cav. They start to self destruct at 36 months and 1 second or 60,001 km. The electrics are truly awful, alternators and starters go very early.

Anybody who can afford the extra $50 a month for a Honda or a Toyota and has a 680+ FICO will not bother with a Cav.

That's just it not everyone is a mechanic. A car should be trouble free for at least 5 years.

[Honda Owner]

A car should be trouble free for at least 5 years.

I agree. Buy a Corolla or a Civic and there is a very good chance this will be the case. Buy a Cav or a Cobalt and this will not be the case. You get what you pay for.

My 1996 Civic went 10 years before the first repair, struts, and that is more a wear and tear item.

[barrie1]

We had a 1996 Sunfire in the family until the year 2000 when it was lost due to my daughter being head-on'd on the highway. This car never once had any electrical problems at all or any problems of any kind while they put close to 85,000 miles on it between her and her husband. I have my parts like that rebuilt which is much cheaper and usually the parts are longer lasting as well. Every car is different and many do not have all these problems at all. 

[articsteve]

Cavilers and Sunfires always ran, but they were garbage.  Everybody in the market place knew it.  That same quality carried on into all GMs, but at 0% financing ppl were willingly to put up with it.  Take away the 0% and look what happens; a collapse.