Long process. 3rd owner, 16,300 miles 2000 z28. Started at the dealership who were rude and in so many words told me to **** off. So I called GM's customer service department. They gave me the run around saying that they were not aware of the problem etc. So I filled a complaint with the BBB and within a day or two I received a phone call from a division within GM who handles cases where people file with the BBB against them. As requested I took the car down to the dealership for them to inspect it. The service manager looked at the bubbles with me (Started off as 2, but over the last month have grown to over 8.. and counting).
He saw the bubbles and said ...

Him:that it was a paint problem

Me: no, its a defect in the glue used, hence the entire roof needs replaced and that I had a TSB which shows how to do it

Him: you have a TSB?

Me: Yeah

we go onto the GM computer and he searches it with the document ID # and says

Him: I am not sure how you got that, TSB's are inter-GM communications. It probably got out from some disgruntled GM employee...

So my new case worker (the one who handles BBB suits against them) calls the dealer, they talk about the issue, but still refuse to fix it. The case worker calls me back and says that while it is low mileage, it is a 2000 (I want to scream that its been garaged its entire life... and its a latent defect, so should it be surprising that the car is dated?)

The case worker offers to do a 70/30 split (I pay 70%, they pay 30%) to which I reply no, and conclude by saying that I will continue filing my suit with the BBB against GM.

This has been a horrible process. My first GM vehicle and rather a horrible experience.

So I guess my questions are, is there anyone in the Pittsburgh area (or near it) that has gotten the work down from a dealer without being hassled? Also, there was talk about a class action lawsuit some time back in the thread, any one still looking in this direction?

 

Mod Marker

 

How do you go about filing a class-action lawsuit? I'm assuming that it isn't an easy process, and would probably involve some up front coinage...

This sail panel incident is enough for me to think twice about ever buying a GM product again...this should have never been an issue, and they know it.

 

I am not sure of the process behind filing a class action lawsuit, but I would guess that the first step would be to talk to a lawyer and see if we have a case. I am not real savvy with the legal system, but if anyone is and wants to see where this can go, I would be more than willing to help in anyway possible.

Yeah, for GM to be giving its customers this kind of frustration over their own mistake is pretty damn bad. Would be nice if they would suck it up and admit their mistake, but of course that would cost too much.

Simply sad

 

I will be hitting my dealership shortly, as I have noticeable small bubbles appearing on the passenger side sail panel........if not, I will submit every response and statement from this board, and cite THOSE individuals where coverage was provided.

 

I was going to say, maybe siting this website and giving a full printout (likely 50+ pages considering this thread is on page 23) and show them. I really wish at this point that I had taken pictures and cataloged everything. Then along with a receipt from the dealer which fixed my roof, I could provide evidence for others to show to skeptical dealers.

For me, it only took 2 dealers. The first is known for giving people the run around on ANYTHING so I figured my chances were slim to begin with. The second one was piece of cake. In and out no questions.

What blows my mind is the fact that these dealers don't consider the positive to repairs like these. I have since bought a brand new car from that dealer that fixed my roof, taken my other car there to get full repairs from an accident when I was sandwiched by a woman that happened a few months later (over $10000 in repairs), and am now considering not only 1 but TWO new cars from them AGAIN. Good service, even if you have to lose a little at first, and the dealer that helped me has certainly got their $1000 dollars worth of a roof repair.

Just goes to show you how ignorant stealerships are when it comes to business...or anything for that matter I guess.

 

Citing people who have it done would be a good idea, but what would be even better is if people who have had it done on this forum could give us their information (name/date/dealership done at/mileage/# of owners/if they filed a complaint with GM or the BBB, their case numbers) this way we are not just fighting an argument with poster names like "Badpanda"...actual hard data could help all of us.

Step up fellow f-body brothers, we could use all the help we can get

 

^I agree.

I'm currently trying to get Connell Chevrolet in Costa Mesa Cali to do mine. I called the GM #18002221020 first and they said I had to take it in. So its sitting at the dealership overnight until the service manager can look at it tomorrow. Wish me luck guys.

 

I have been through all this with GM,BBB, and I got nothing at all about it.If you look on all of the F body sites and search the sail panell issue you will noitice that the GOOD GM DEALERS take care of there customers because they care, it's the SORRY DEALERS that won't help out because they don't care.At the timemy 2000 WS6 only had 20,000 on the clock,and has always been in the garage and my dealer tried to sell me a 02.....

 

I just reported the problem to my service manager (whom I've known for 22 years), and he said he'll report it to the District Service Manager as indicated by the TSB. Since it is beyond the 3/36K warranty, it is NOT rust-through, so therefore no coverage; however, since their is a documented TSB, it is up to each District Area Manager to validate or decline. IMHO, I am no lawyer, but PRECEDENT has been set by other Manager's who have APPROVED the coverage.

My position is that if the Manager declines, then I will contact Pontiac Customer Service and cite the prior approved cases.

We'll see next week! I HOPE I don't have to deal w/PONTIAC C.S......been there, done that, and the person I spoke w/was a real ***

 

Service Manager couldn't make the decision. He talked to GM CS. Right now we are just waiting for the yes or no from the district service manager. I tried to pull the loyalty card. We'll see.

 

Correct....dealerships wont't make the decision in most cases, and apparently there are a slew full of Pontiac Area service managers. That is what makes this so FUBAR'd.

No consensus among Pontiac reps.......typical, and we wonder why GM is in trouble. With this in mind, that is why it is so important to have a close relationship w/the dealership IMHO. They will work for you, but otherwise, the response would be "Here, call this # to Pontiac C.S, and good luck"

Now I was also told by the dealership service manager(who is a stickler and operates straight from the book) that if you are NOT the original owner, and it is out of the GM warranty period (which they now are), you are screwed!
It is NOT a transferrable issue.

 

I called GM CS and they gave me the BS line that there are no recalls for my VIN#. I told them about the TSB and they said the could not find it. The # from the first page on here is 03-08-98-001. Is this correct?

I plan on calling back and raising hell. I'll tell them I will sell both my GM vehicles and buy a ford or chysler. LOL. That should **** them off.

 

Try giving the document ID # 1283933

That was given to me by the Service Manager who brought up the TSB on the GM system about 5 days ago.

They will just give you the same B.S though even if they can pull up the TSB... They will just repeat that there are no recalls for your vehicle.

Welcome to the hell that is getting GM to admit their mistake.

 

That part is true. Regardless of the thread title there is no recall, it's just a latent defect. So don't go telling the dealer it's a recall. Try and be as technically accurate as possible when talking to them.

 

Does your car have to have the bubbling paint to be replaced? Or can you get it replaced because it may happen in the future? It hasn't happened to me yet, but I dont want it to.

 

I would think that the bubbles need to be there for GM to cover it.

 

i am going to have to look into this.

what info will need to give to the stealership?

Can someone post all numbers so that when i call i can be all set?

 

Well this is ****. I just saw this thread today, and now I wonder if my car has it too. I am 4 hours from home and I just want to look soo badly. I am already pissed off though, lol.

 

Don't mind giving my info. I just got mine done last week and it had to go back, as the body shop decided to gouge my rear quarter panel with a screwdriver trying to pry the roof off and misc. scratches on the body from them. Got it back last night and it is all good!

PM me and I will be glad to pass my info on for you guys who can not get this done. I have no paper work, but could probably get a copy of it if i had to.