[Vanthios]

I went to the IMSA race at VIR last weekend and unfortunately caught a screw in my brand new rear driver-side tire on the way back to Blacksburg, VA. I left my vehicle at a Chevrolet dealership in the area on Sunday, came back Monday to officially check it in for service, and then ordered a tire to be shipped to the dealership. On Friday I was told my vehicle was ready so I headed back excited to drive it over the nice three day weekend. I got in my vehicle and drove less than a mile to the gas station across the street. While refueling I noticed a massive gap between the passenger door and the front fender. The bottom of the fender was mashed all the way up to the top of the side-skirt. The same was found with the driver side. I immediately went back to the dealership very upset and showed the damage to my service adviser. This was at about 5:45PM and the service department closes at 6:00PM. My service adviser got the service manager, and he instructed my adviser to prepare a loaner vehicle. I got on the phone with my father who has way more experience dealing with dealerships. When I got off the phone at about 5:55PM the service manager was nowhere to be found. I asked my adviser where he was so I could get some answers and my adviser told me he had left for the weekend.

The following photos show the damage to my vehicle. What do you all think happened to cause this sort of damage? It looks to me that either the mechanic jacked it up wrong or dropped it off the lift. Does anyone else have any experience in this department? What sort of recourse do I have, with and without a lawyer?







I've detailed this car so many times I'm worryingly familiar with its shape and lines. To me it looked like both front fenders have been pressed up and crimped. The front bottom of both doors appears to be caved inwards, and the side skirts are displaced outwards, even showing some of the rubber lining that shims them from the surface of the rocker panels.

Replacement parts, unpainted, are in the neighborhood of $6,200, and that's the minimum parts you'd need to fix it (door shell, not door assembly). The vehicle was also ceramic coated.

[LT4Greg]

They lifted the car wrong! The dealership will have to repair the damage since they did it. It’s a known problem with our 6gens when it is put on a lift!

[1hprush]

So unfortunate, that really sucks! The first recourse is to get the dealership to take responsibility. They must fix your car to your satisfaction, if they are willing to do this, it's about the most you can expect. The damage appears to be from the dealer, lifting the car incorrectly. If you can look under the car, you will probably see further damage to the rockers and under carriage where they placed the arms. Good luck with the repair!

[Altered Carbon]

I certainly wouldn't call it destroyed, but it is definitely BS and they lifted wrong for sure. They need to fix it ASAP. Hopefully they won't act like dicks about it.

[Azerlazer26]

I had the same bs with my car. Plus, I had to go through one windshield, 2 drivers door windows, one passenger window!!!

[wjones14]

That is BS! I can't understand how a Chevy dealership can notify you that the car is ready, and not mention that damage. Were they hoping you wouldn't notice it? You probably should notify a Chevy regional rep (or higher), not only reporting the dealer negligence, but mostly that they didn't acknowledge it up front and own up to it.

Looks pretty obvious that it was not lifted correctly. It's probably the lowest tech at the dealership who gets assigned a tire replacement, but no way to know for sure unless someone fesses up. Usually a dealership body shop is a whole different entity from the service shop, so it's possible they could do a perfect repair, but not sure I would trust them unless somehow they come up with a good and truthful explanation.

[protovack]

So sorry that happened. A classic example of why I don't go to dealerships unless absolutely necessary. Especially for wheels/tire stuff, always just go to a real independent tire shop. When someone needs to earn your business they always do a good job.

[oslouie]

Makes me wonder if I should start modding my car and say f it to the warranty because I wouldn't want the dealership to touch it anyways.

[RLem619]

That sucks. I read other stories about this, so I got lift pads and installed them. I've only left my car with the dealer once, and made sure she wrote on the work order that car is only to be lifted on the lift pads. Still stressed they were going to F it up.

[396ssrat]

They'd be buying me another car. I'd talk to my lawyer pronto.

[LT4Greg]

I seriously doubt the dealership will buy him another Camaro!

[1hprush]

Originally Posted by LT4Greg

I seriously doubt the dealership will buy him another Camaro!

Only happens if the car has structural damage, it doesn't appear that this is the case though. He should get a second opinion and estimate, just to be sure and compare notes.

[donaldp]

It is absurd that this damage can happen if a car is jacked up incorrectly, but it's a fact that it can.

It is not at all surprising that a dealership could and did damage your car. All a dealership is, is a $150.00/service hr. money making machine that hires low level, untrained, uneducated, careless employees that have no scruples or character within their non-empathetic minds when it comes to your property that was purchased with your hard earned money.

This is a prime example as to why my 30 month old 2017 ZL1 has NEVER been to a dealership. When I needed new tires, I directed the Discount Tire employee exactly how to jack up the car. He said, don't worry, we know.....

I feel for your pain - learn a lesson from this and educate yourself as much as possible so you know all there is to know about your car and the design flaws that go with it. This is an unacceptable design characteristic in my opinion.

[LT4Greg]

Yes donaldp that’s what my concern will be when my ZL1 needs tires! I had some damage like the op but not that bad on my 2016 2SS when I got new tires and the tire place straightened it out and they didn’t put up an argument that it was their doing which I was thankful about. I did tell the tire tech guy to be careful when they put it on the lift before the tires were changed and I checked for damage before leaving the tire place and pointed it out to the guys in the office. About a week later I took the car back and it was repaired like before the new tires were put on by one of the techs that worked in the tire place.