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Detroit, 1:54 PM
Tue Nov 24
24 posts in the last 24 hours
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10/28/09
10/28/09
Even if the effort curve on this offer isn't steep, the customer has to give up a rebate for the type of car they usually expect to get a rebate for. Psychologically, why would they take the guarantee? That's what the warranty is for, right?
Seems awfully junior varsity of GM, but I guess good PR is good PR. #gm
10/28/09
You could pay them to take the car and they would still piss and moan about something.
That 1% makes up for a majority of your stress in the work place if you let them get to you. Throughout the business world it is that 1% that will take away from you giving your best to the rest of your customers who enjoy your service.
Best is to smile, look them in the eye tell them goodbye and to never return.
Even better is to fire them as a customer before they get a chance to walk in the door. #gm
10/28/09
A while back her wealthy daughter gave her a BMW Z3. You'd think getting that as a gift would make my co-worker pants-crappingly happy. NOPE she sold it after a year or two of ownership because she doesn't like convertibles (maybe if she didn't DRIVE THEM IN THE RAIN all the time!)
She then got a Buick Lacrosse CXS with the help of the money she made selling the car (which she got as a gift) and wants to return it because she doesn't like the keyless ignition.
Also when she asked me what luxury brand I'd buy, I said "Porsche, of course" and then she nagged at me about how she doesn't like Porsche because all their cars are two seaters.
For some one who insists on buying luxury cars, she seriously misses the point of them. It makes my Jalopnik blood boil at times. Here I am telling people "I would kick your ass five times for a Porsche" and some one who can afford one tosses them aside like trash. #gm
10/28/09
Seriously, be current on payments, within reasonable milage range, and no real damage and bring it back if you want. Do people really expect no clauses to protect from abusing this? #gm
10/28/09
want the car for any reason (it doesn't have to be a good reason), you can bring it back. But it has a few rules that you should be aware of before your purchase, notes the Associated Press.
The first one is that you actually only have a 30-day window in which to return the vehicle, because you can't bring it back within the first 30 days. This is to increase the chance that customers will get over any buyer's remorse and settle into accepting the car's flaws over the first month of ownership.
The second, and more dangerous, rule is that the car can't have more than $200 in damage, and GM gets to decide what constitutes damage. If you really decide you want to take it back, you'd better be extra careful with it during those first 30 days, and cross your fingers that GM won't nitpick and find a way to disqualify the return.
You won't get back any money you spent on add-ons, aftermarket equipment, or title and registration fees. Just the cost of the vehicle + sales tax.
The 30 day cooling off period doesn't sound that terrible, although it's mostly for GM's benefit and not the customer's. That the refund should only cover cost + taxes actually makes sense, because otherwise GM would be opening the door to unscrupulous retail renters.
What we find pretty alarming, however, is the $200 damage threshold. As the AP notes, "the cost of vehicle repairs - even small, cosmetic ones - can easily exceed $200," and since you're stuck with the car for 30 days even if you decide on day #2 to return it, you're going to have to hope nothing happens until the return window opens. The one saving grace to this rule is that repairs covered by warranty are excluded from the $200 cap, fortunately. Still, we'd park that new vehicle in a garage and not touch it for the rest of the month just to be on the safe side.
"U-Return? GM's refund promise has some stop signs" [Associated Press] #gm
10/28/09
10/28/09
10/28/09
GM should pay for your aftermarket CD player or faux vents?
If this was not being used because of the rules, wouldn't there be a story or two about people getting declined the return and bitching endlessly. #gm
10/28/09
As for stories about unhappy customers, why do you assume they'd get press? I could write an encyclopedia of anecdotes about people burned by GM, but I don't see many stories in the press that say anything other than that there are statistical justifications for claiming GM cars aren't inferior. #gm
10/29/09
Get real. You trash the car, you can't return it. If you can't be careful for 1 month, then why even buy a new car. Buy used if you are going to trash it.
I live in Detroit, and I can keep a car nice for 1 month, so I'm sure San Diego's a real hell hole. You just can't please everyone...... #gm
10/29/09
10/29/09
10/28/09
10/28/09
10/28/09
10/28/09
If you took the money-back option but didn't return the car and aren't in the process of doing so..... Sweet! #gm
10/28/09
10/28/09
That's the only scenario when this sort of thing makes sense. It might not work for a Chevy Aveo. In any case if you're buying an Aveo you probably don't care anyway.. #gm
10/28/09
I say, good on GM. #gm
10/28/09
Wankelin' #gm
10/28/09
10/28/09
06/30/09
Dear Ray,
...one teeny little addendum...
NOT TO MENTION THERE'S NOT EVEN A Z-28 VERSION!
Thanks for instigating an outpouring of Autoblog-like commenting on my Jalopnik.
I like you.
ЯEGAЯDZ,
POLAЯ
06/30/09
OH HAI!
I forgets to turn off mai boldnessness!1!!1!!!1!
06/30/09
NOT TO MENTION THERE'S NOT EVEN A Z-28 VERSION!
I hold out hope that at some point, saner heads will prevail, and the Z28 shall be allowed to live.
But, then, I also hold out hopes for an AWD V6 Malibu coupe.
Yeah, I know. I'm weird.
06/30/09
Of course, the 4th gen F-body was supposed to be so much better, too, but the Mustang absolutely killed it in sales. Heh.
06/30/09
I disagree with your analysis. The Camaro outselling the Mustang for a month is indeed a very small, insignificant feat. GM has hyped the crap out of the Camaro for the past three years, and it's finally out. It will certainly sell well for the first year. But is it sustainable? The Mustang is an old,hoary, low-tech design which hasn't seen much R&D funding over the years. Strong Camaro sales for the rest of 2009 are a foregone conclusion.
06/30/09
The Mustang is an old,hoary, low-tech design which hasn't seen much R&D funding over the years.
Really?
I think that it has gotten quite a bit of R&D money over the years, unless the GT500 and the 2010 Mustangs came free of charge from the engineering department at Ford. The refinements made to the 2010 Mustang vs the 2009 Mustang alone cost quite a bit of dough. And despite the live-axle rear suspension, there is nothing old, hoary, or low-tech about the Mustang.
I think someone is just a little bitter towards GM.
06/30/09
06/30/09
I would rather bide my time and wait for the demand to cool a little so that I can get a reasonable price on one.
Also, if rumor is correct, and all goes well, the 2011 Mustang that we should start seeing stories on in a year or so is supposed to get the new Coyote engine, which should make things interesting. If that happens, I wouldn't be surprised if the base V6 also gets replaced by the Ecoboost V6.
When that happens, us Camaro guys might be in just a little bit of hot water. Hopefully the Camaro engineers are already cooking something up.
06/30/09
06/30/09
06/30/09
06/30/09
Thanks for the insult, though.
06/30/09
^^^^^psst! guys I found the mole!^^^^^