General Motors Corporation — Local services in Detroit

Over the last 12 years, I purchased 3 new Chevrolet vehicles, spending my hard-earned money on their products. This review focuses on a new car that I recently bought from Priority Chevrolet in Chesapeake, and how General Motors handled various issues arising from the sale. In 2016, GM issued me a Goodwill rebate for 1500, but I wasn’t looking to buy at that time, so I let it expire. Before going to Priority Chevrolet, I contacted GM and requested that it be reinstated, and they told me to advise the dealership of the rebate and promised an answer in a day or so. I mentioned the rebate to the salesperson, which he brushed aside as unnecessary, leaving me having to submit it to the dealership for reimbursement after the sale, only to be told by a Sales Manager that I had to wait until GM paid them because he was sick of chasing down their rebates. As other alarming issues with the sale surfaced, my relationship with the dealership quickly collapsed, and I became concerned that something might happen to my rebate, so I began dealing with it on my own. Since calls to GM Customer Service seemed to land overseas, I requested an agent in the US who confirmed Priority Chevrolet expected payment upfront from GM before reimbursing me, as if to imply that GM might defraud them. I repeatedly asked for the processing status of the rebate and was told that NOBODY had the ability to contact ANYONE in that department. I missed a call from a Supervisor, and despite calling her right back several times, she didn’t answer or return my message, and after multiple missed calls during which she left obligatory voicemails, I finally made contact with her, at which point she expected me to be satisfied with her only following up on the matter once a week. I received another call from someone else at GM claiming that the 40-month-old authorization number for my rebate had somehow become attached to a dealership in Indiana, which seemed suspicious to me. Once again, I called her right back, but the number she left seemed intended for employees and their families, and both agents I spoke to couldn’t identify her or get her on the phone and refused to get a Supervisor, with one agent hanging up on me. The issue was escalated to their Executive Offices, where my Case Manager rudely and unprofessionally kept me waiting for days and weeks without any updates and my emails were answered by empty form letters, and only after an emotionally taxing phone call where I begged for someone to please just do their job and fulfill the rebate, did an executive finally get a check in the mail, two months after buying my car. Before all of this happened, I filed a Consumer Complaint by Certified Mail with GM, and after only resolving the rebate issue, had to send another email to their Executive Offices, reminding them that they failed to address the rest of the complaint, primarily that Priority Chevrolet may have intentionally inflated what appeared to be the advertised price of my vehicle on their website to deprive me of my down payment and trade in. After one voicemail from the same Case Manager, I NEVER heard from General Motors again. Not only do I feel baited by a GM rebate that a licensed Chevrolet dealership seemingly wanted no part of, but I remain concerned as to what extent GM profits from their relationships with these dealerships, while doing nothing about the horrible things they may be doing to consumers. Local media reported last spring the very disturbing story of how 2 consumers in the last 7 years were detained by police following contract disputes with Priority Chevrolet, which I documented in my complaint, along with everything that happened to me, and can only assume, by their ongoing lack of response, that General Motors simply doesn’t care. I plan to file a regulatory complaint in Michigan and advise everyone to consider buying your next car from a manufacturer that treats their loyal customers better and protects them when one of their licensed dealerships mistreats and takes...

After purchasing not one, but two faulty vehicles from a Chevrolet dealership, my experience with GM has been nothing short of a nightmare. The second vehicle, a Suburban, turned into a disaster almost immediately. Just two weeks after purchase, the cooling system started failing. Fast forward eight months, and the transmission completely went out, leaving the truck sitting at the dealership for over a month due to what GM claimed was a “parts shortage.” When I finally got the vehicle back, it only took a week before the dashboard lit up with multiple check engine lights, the vehicle began shaking, and it wouldn’t accelerate. Despite months of me reporting that coolant was disappearing, the dealership suddenly discovered major issues: the radiator, motor mounts, coil packs, spark plugs, radiator hoses, heater core hoses, oil pan gaskets—all needed replacement. To make matters worse, piston #4 was backfiring. After another three weeks at the dealership, I got it back only to find the coolant issue still unresolved. Even after replacing the coolant reservoir, the coolant kept disappearing. Then, while my wife was driving with our children on the freeway, the Suburban nearly shut down in traffic. My family was almost hit by a semi-truck because GM had told us the vehicle was “perfect.” That could have been a fatal accident caused by a vehicle they assured us was safe. When I reached out to GM Corporate to express my frustration, I expected accountability. Instead, the dealership tore apart the motor, blamed us for supposedly driving the vehicle while overheated, and conveniently ignored that the Carfax showed prior repairs before we ever bought it. Rather than taking responsibility, GM denied any real help and insulted us further by offering a $1,500 “loyalty coupon” towards a new $80,000 Suburban—as if that would erase the danger they put my family in. This is not how a billion-dollar corporation should treat a loyal customer of 20 years. GM has shown zero pride in their workmanship, zero accountability, and zero regard for customer safety. Families put their trust—and lives—in these vehicles, and GM has proven that they only care about taking money, not standing behind their products or protecting the people...

I have had a history with Chevrolet and Pontiac that was excellent over many years. My 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix had the 3800 V6 and I put 512,000 miles on it before a traffic accident totalled it. Naturally purchasing a 2011 Chevrolet Impala I was expecting a similar result. The vehicle has the 3500 V6 and the 4 speed transmission which is the LT equivalent even though it has some LTZ interior upgrades. At just over 92,000 miles the transmission started failing and not long after that the engine spun a cam bearing killing the entire drive train. The car wasn't abused and was maintained perfectly. I was fortunate to have purchased a power train warranty, since the vehicle was used, and the engine and transmission were both replaced. Unbelievable!

I don't feel I can trust this vehicle even though I would enjoy it for comfort and function. With the online reports it is evident Chevrolet and General Motors have forgotten how to make vehicles. There is no excuse to go from an unkillable vehicle to a lemon in 6 years!!! It is due to the mechanics trying to force tech nobody wants and trying to force us to buy new vehicles with poor reliability. Why would I buy a new Chevrolet if I can't trust the one I have??? I have never owned a non-American brand but my wife's Mitsubishi is a 2007 and is as reliable as my Pontiac was. (But GM cancelled Pontiac and the legendary 3800 V6 engine so that legacy is over). I guess foreign brands made by Americans may be the way to go since I can't trust any of the "Big Three". (Chryslers rust and Ford's frustrate.) I will have to consider a cheap third vehicle now as my Impala could develop issues with it's power train with almost no warning and in two years my third party warranty no longer applies. Unless there are dramatic changes my history with Chevrolet and General...