Here is my story: Last Thursday (07/19) I booked an appointment for Saturday morning with the GM Pontiac dealership at Malden in MA near Boston for an oil change and yearly inspection. I live nearby and own a 2005 Pontiac Vibe which I take very much care of. So I drive my car there and wait in the waiting room while my car is being serviced. It is taking a while so I go out. During that time I am near my car since it was not being serviced yet.
I notice the white van near my car but not exactly paying attention to it. Later on, I am on the phone talking to my mom outside and see my car coming from service, and as the mechanic drives it in front of me I notice significant damages on the passenger side and further front side. I am stunned and mad and need to hang up. I ask the mechanic what happened and apparently he has no clue what I am talking about. I show him the damages and said he did not pay attention to that side of the car and was unaware of what had happened. He gets the lady who was at the reception when I first got there, she handled my car with numbering it etc and she said that indeed she had not noticed the damages when I got there earlier.
The owner of the dealership shows up then and after a few minutes talk I remember the white van that was sitting near my car: he goes look for it and sure enough it has red marks on it (the color of my Vibe) from what he says. I was there 3 hrs on Saturday, and pretty mad. They wanted me to leave with my car and come back on Monday to have it fixed: he mentioned that all repairs would be on them and that I would get a free rental from Enterprise during the repairs. I do not want to sound picky, but in my opinion that is the least they could do. I told him I could not leave with my car while I cannot even open the passenger side door which would be used later on that day: he got the mechanic to use a screwdriver and make it such that the door could now be open.
I left with a sour taste in my mouth and kept the worry through the weekend. I drove my car there on Monday morning as it was agreed: I had to wait over an hour before being able to leave this place and then was driven to Enterprise which took more time: I did not get to work on Monday before 11:30am and was extremely unhappy. I have the feeling that someone tried to get away with their big mistake by not saying a word, I felt cheated and used and played with. Had I not seen the wrecked side of my car I would have left and would have to pay for all of the damages. I do not trust the people working there as they did not have the courage to report what they had done to my vehicle and that I happened to see it by sheer luck.
Today Wednesday, having not heard from them in 2 days I decided to call and ask for the owner to get an update, hoping I would talk to the guy who had seen my car on Saturday (I had not get his name last Saturday). I am transferred to a guy who ids himself as David. I ask for the owner and he tells me he is in the Bahamas and hangs up on me. I was stunned. I called again infuriated and told my story: I was transferred and finally got the manager who I had met on Monday, Craig. I told him what had just happened and he was speechless. The owner, Merrill, (finally got his name) was there and I got to talk to him later on.
Here is a company whose job is to service people by fixing their cars and make their customers feel good about the service and quality they get: instead, they wreck my car, don't mention it to me, and when I call for an update (since no one bothered calling me) I get an employee who lies and hangs up on me! How much more can these people get away with?
I was told by colleagues and friends that I was actually lucky that they picked up the tab for the repairs (that are pretty big) and the rental. This is not how I feel; I ask to be treated fairly and with respect. And I cannot describe the amount of emotions I went through since last Saturday. No one should have to be treated this way. People tell me it is known and to be expected with dealerships but WHY? As a sales person I would NEVER ever treat one of my clients this way! Even the ones that make me crazy. It is my job to service people and make sure I meet not only their expectations but my own as well.
Samia
East Boston, Massachusetts
U.S.A.
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