Our ordeal began when a stereo in our car gave out after my wife hit a dip fairly hard and BOOM the stereo stopped working. Still under warranty, we took it and were advised the stereo would need to be replaced. Fine.
Two weeks later (really, two weeks to order a stereo and get it in?) we get the car in to have the stereo replaced only to find once the old stereo is removed that the dealer has apparently taken the stereo case apart (I've had 3 stereos replaced under warranty with two manufacturers over the years and NEVER had them do that) and reportedly found pennies inside it which they claim shorted it out and proceed to charge $500 for labor and parts.
I was not present during the install, instead getting a call from my wife after the fact (she paid it due to the fact it was a safety issue because if the stereo dies none of the cars warning sounds, chimes etc work). I knew immediately that the dealership had made the incorrect call on this; first, NOBODY is allowed in our cars without us: adults, kids, nobody...which means if there really were pennies in the stereo, they got in there at some point either during assembly or while the car was on the dealer lot (how many children have you seen crawling around in new cars on lots while their parents jaw with a salesman?). Either way, the dealership cannot determine when this occurred and therefore cannot lay it at our doorstep-they have to err on the side of the warranty and cover us.
Knowing this I immediately put a dispute in on the charge to my bank, contacted Chevrolet corporate and established Voicemail contact with the Service Director. Before getting any contact back due to the weekend, we discovered that the dealership, while in the process of the install had made a huge scratch/scuff on the panel below the stereo. So not only did they pull the ""no warranty coverage""-but we got the car back damaged.
As of right now we have yet to get a resolution-there is back and forth between me, Chevrolet corporate and the dealership. Even if they were to credit us the charge for the stereo AND replace the damaged panel I will never let my cars back into that service department again. The fact that they are touting the arrival of members of the service department at now defunct Daugherty Chevy (where we bought our car) which I THOUGHT had the worst service dept. I'd ever been in, is telling and not a good omen for future service.
I will post with updates as to a potential resolution, but as for right now BEWARE.
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