05/18/07 - Mileage unknown - No Paperwork - Last Time with Orginal Dealer (less than 30K)

As per the advice of the owner of the dealership, I dropped off the car with a list of issues to be looked at.
Here are the issues that were to be looked at.
1. Check DVD player - Not working correctly since the radio was replaced 04/17/08
2. Rear wiper only works occasionally. It will stop in the middle of the window.
3. Rattling Noise near rear left sliding door - TSB 06-08-64-009A
4. Loud Buzzing / Humming Noise from front at highway speeds. Possible TSB# 06-02-58-001
5. Clicking Grinding Noise when making sharp turns at low speeds. Possibly TSB# 06-02-32-005.
6. Random Rough Starts - Car turns over, make loud grinding noise and stalls. Possibly TSB#01-08-45-005E.
7. Front and Back Chevy Bow tie Emblems are pitted and discolored. This had originally been brought to the attention of the dealer on 08/06/08. TSB# 06-08-111-004
8. Driver's Side Door Molding is comning off again. Was replaced in February 2006. No TSB found on this but both sliding doors were replaced in December of 2005 and the front doors in February of 2006 under warranty.
9. Low to Medium volume whistling noise heard from engine area when accelerating at highways speeds.
No TSB found on this, but saw several accounts on internet bulletin boards with this and other GM brands of the mini van being replaced under warranty.
10. Wheel Alignment and uncharacteristic tire wear.
Tires rotated at 7059 miles
Tires rotated at 11198 miles and tire wear was noted by owner and dealer.
Dealer said alignment with in spec.
Tires rotated at 15951 miles
Request made by owner to rotate tires at 23838 miles. Service manager would not rotate because of poor condition of tires. Said he would order new tires under warranty, alignment was within spec.
This Service Manager left the dealer. Possible TSB# 05-03-07-009A released 09/28/06.
The TSB states that using incorrect or outdated specifications may result in unnecessary adjustments, irregular and/or premature tire wear and repeat customer complaints.
Other: The Suction cup and numbers on the glass are asked to be looked at again.

I called the dealership to see how the work was coming. Here's as much of the conversation that I can remember. I was taking notes as we spoke but I was also very upset because of the way I was treated.

SM:(service manager) "We were able to look at what it was in for today.(apparently not everything on my list was able to be looked at because the only thing they were expecting was the followup with new parts form the last visit in April) Looking at the list . . the DVD player is working as it should"
Me: "What?, the speakers don't work."
SM: "It's working as it should."
Me: "What?, you can't hear the DVD sound over the speakers!"
SM: "Ok, I'll look at it myself"
Me: "What?, why didn't you already?"
SM: "You're not going to be asking 40 questions about everything, Come and pick up your car and find another dealer!"
Me: "Can I talk to XXXX (the owner)?"
SM: "No!"
Me: "What?"
SM: "Come and get your car!"

After this I called Chevy customer service and they found me a new dealer. Apparently a dealer can refuse to work on your vehicle if they feel you are complaining to much. I feel that we were treated badly by this new Service Manager. He was trying to fix our problems and had done a better job than the previous SM's but he was doing it on his own terms and and history we and our van had with this dealer and the SM's did not count. We were essentilayy startign over and had to prove the problems all over again.

I had asked the owner for paper work from several of the earlier visits that we made with the van. There were several times that they did not give us paper work. I wanted everything so I could present everything to GM. When they sent the paperwork at the end of 03/2007 it was with a statement saying we owed $310.55! The bill consisted of the open work orders from late 2006 and early 2007 before that last service manager started. several of the items had not even been completed. Finally after a couple of months of calling back and fourth I was able to get all of the bill canceled. This was our last contact with the dealership we purchased the Van from.

04/17/07 - 29668 miles - Radio fixed - NOT !! - Other Issues

The radio was finally in at the dealer. An appointment was set up for 04/17/08. I showed up with TSB's I printed off AllData.com. I paid for a one year subscription to see if I'd have better luck figuring out what was going on with our Uplander. The new service manager didn't like it that I brought in a list of possible TSB's. I said the TSB on the radio that you found last week was issued in the summer of 2005 and we bought the van in September of 2005. The other service managers did not find a TSB that was there since before we even owned the vehicle!!

I gave him my list and he said they were not valid and that only GM TSB's were to be followed. He said there was more on my list than what was on the schedule to be looked at and fixed today. I agreed and said I was just bringing them to the dealer attention. I became upset. All I was trying to do was give him some history on our old problems and current problems, and he said to stop or he'd throw me out of the business. Another professional employee. I think he felt that I was showing him up by having the TSB's. This was nothing against him. He had found the radio problem, the DVD issue, and the dimming light problem the last time on 04/04/07.

After I picked up the van that evening (after hours) I tried the DVD player and it didn't hiss or have static anymore because it didn't work. I tried the DVD player and there is only a picture. No Sound - unless you plug in a set of head phones, not not the wireless headphones that come with the Uplander, regular wired ones. If you try to switch on the DVD player says "No Radio". Unbelievable.

04/04/07 - 28461 - Drop off for new service manger to look at.

On 04/04/07 I dropped off our Uplander to see what the new service manger could figure out and fix. The Radio issue was confirmed and a new radio was ordered. Other issues were looked at(DVD Static, dimming headlights)and parts were ordered. I do not have paper work for the 04/04/07 visit.

03/27/07 - Miles unknown - Call to dealer for followup of 12/27/06 Service

I called to check on the tires under warranty and the radio that was ordered. To my surprise there was no record of the radio being ordered or the tires. There was a new service manager and once again no record was left by the other service manager. I asked to speak to the owner. I explained that we were still waiting for parts ordered back in December of 2006. He explained that the previous service manager had health problems and left. He said give him a few days to look everything up and he's get back to me. He mentioned he doubted the tires were covered since they are a wearable item.

I had not heard anything from the dealer for over a week so I called back on 03/27/07. I called and asked to speak to the owner. He said, "Hi Lance", I'll put you through to the new service manager. He forwarded me to the new manager. His first words were "What can I help you with?" I said "The owner has filled you in on my van's problem?" and he said no, I don't know anything about your car. I lost it!!! I asked to speak to the owner again. I asked why the service manager knew nothing about my van's issues. He had over a week to work on it and never did a thing! I was so upset I hung up after saying that he had sold us a piece of crap car that has had problems since purchased it.

I immediately sent a fax to him explaining why I was so upset, everything from the poor quality of the van and poor service we have received from his dealership. The car was under 30k miles at this time and the brakes were acting up again, the moldings were coming off the doors again. Note only were we unhappy with the quality, we were very upset with the inconvenience of having to drop the car off so many times to be fixed. We are a two car family and we need this van!

I sent a list of all issues with my fax. We set up an appointment to have the car looked at on 04/04/07. The owner assured me that this new service manger is very good and he will fix our problems.

12/27/06 - 23838 miles - Rotate tires, LOF, Brake noise, Radio Sound, two wheel alignment

This was the start of a long series of poor service form the dealer we purchased the van from. I didn't receive a copy of invoice until one was requested later (april), when I started a log to keep track of everything.

1. LOF - this was the only thing actually done on this RO. (all the following were marked as done when the receipt was received in late April even though they were not performed on 12/27/06)
2. Rotate Tires - Was not done because the tire wear was too bad and the rotation would only make it handle worse according to the service manager - He would order new tires under warranty.
3. Brake Noise - Pads found worn, replaced pads and turned rotors (after receiving the invoice in April I was charged for this service. This was the first time we had been charged for brake service. All others were done under warranty. The car still only had 23838 miles on it. We did not have to pay for this in the end.
4. A bulletin was found on the radio and a new one was ordered.
5. Two wheel alignment check was done. We were charged for an alignment service when the invoice was was done April even though the service manger had said in December that it was only a check and it was found to be with-in specs.

I called the dealer in February to check on the Radio and tires. I was told that the tires were in an they were waiting for the radio.

09/08/06 - between 16847 and 19129 miles - brake clip

The reason the miles aren't known is because there was never a work order provided to me for the work done on this day. We noticed another rattle in the front. It is determined that there is a clip missing from the front brake sliders as part of the 08/08/21/06 service. The part is ordered and an appointment is set up for 09/08/06. I called to confirm the appointment and he said we were all set, I could get there a little before 8AM and it should take long. I arrived at 7:45 and expected to be out in about an hour. I left just before 11AM. The service manager didn't even bother to come out an tell me the part wasn't there when he had told me it was the day before.

08/21/06 - 16847 miles - More Brake Vibration

The brake work on 08/07/06 did not fix the vibration. It turns out that the rear brakes were now the issue. They attempted to turn the hubs on the last visit but there was now too much warpage. Rear hubs are replaced.