Dealer having issue getting a 5BW specific part??

[GTANotch88]

So I took delivery on my 5BW at the end of March. Back then, as soon as I walked into the showroom/back garage where they had it at the dealer, I noticed 2 rough areas/scuffs on top of the passenger taillight. I pointed it out to my salesman right away and he said his manager had already seen it and they had placed an order for a replacement taillight. Now 2 months later, I still don't have a new taillight.
Dealership has not contacted me regarding this once. Over the past 2 months, I emailed my salesman twice and both times got a response like "The taillight was ordered but we have yet to receive it. It seems to be on a backorder at the moment. I do apologize I have advised my parts department to let me know the second it comes in for you."
Ok... I get it that there are supply chain issues and all but come on now. Please tell me if I'm being unreasonable with wanting the light fixed asap or at least updates of some kind.
Can I try to order the taillight and bill my dealership for it? lol (I know... that wouldn't work)
Anyone know the part number for the 5bw specific light?
Is there anyone at GM that I could contact to try to figure out why I can't get a part for my car that was damaged during shipping?
I did end up paying over MSRP so can I demand some type of compensation, or at least free services or floor mats for my inconvenience. Or should I just suck it up, and wait, like I waited though the goat rodeo.

 

[Daijoubu]

You are probably hosed on the wait. It is what it is, unless they try to get out of the replacement light entirely. Hopefully you have some documentation requiring them to fix it.

 

[GTANotch88]

Hmm, other than the emails, no I do not have any real documentation. It's sad that we need to think that way this day in age though. Hopefully it is just a supply delay, but I guess in another month or so, I'll stop by there and request something in writing perhaps. I did take a few pics of the taillight while it was inside the dealer, so I have that at least.

 

[SIX 40]

They should have provided you with a we owe:

We Owe Forms, We Owe You Owe Forms

We Owe Forms are used by auto dealerships to document promises made to customers. For example, if a small repair is required to a vehicle as a contingency of a purchase, this form is used to provide the customer with documentation of the work to be comple

mbrmarketing.com

Sorry to hear about your trouble with your car! Hopefully it’ll get dealt with quickly.

 

[rdollie]

If you have emails I wouldn't worry. You're just going to have to wait unfortunately. You can't get parts for many performance cars right now since the largest port in the world has been on lockdown for weeks and that's on top of ongoing supply chain challenges. If we can't expedite getting baby food quickly, you're going to have to wait months for a light is my guess.

 

[rubberduck]

I don’t think I’d drive it like that. Since I’m feeling generous today, I’ll offer to take the car off your hands.

Many car parts are very difficult to source. Not that long ago there was a 1 year lead time for a new OEM 6-spd Jeep JK transmission. And that’s a vehicle that had been in production for over 10 years and at least 1 million vehicles sold.

Hopefully nothing will break that lays your car up for a year.

 

[Tall Steve]

I had parts damaged/defect on both of my BW's and of course my dealer (Sewell Cadillac Dallas) took care of both of them, but it took 90 plus days on both parts... I guess it's the times we are living in.... Your dealer probably does have them on order its just taking longer because of supply issues....

 

[1StunnaV]

So I took delivery on my 5BW at the end of March. Back then, as soon as I walked into the showroom/back garage where they had it at the dealer, I noticed 2 rough areas/scuffs on top of the passenger taillight. I pointed it out to my salesman right away and he said his manager had already seen it and they had placed an order for a replacement taillight. Now 2 months later, I still don't have a new taillight.
Dealership has not contacted me regarding this once. Over the past 2 months, I emailed my salesman twice and both times got a response like "The taillight was ordered but we have yet to receive it. It seems to be on a backorder at the moment. I do apologize I have advised my parts department to let me know the second it comes in for you."
Ok... I get it that there are supply chain issues and all but come on now. Please tell me if I'm being unreasonable with wanting the light fixed asap or at least updates of some kind.
Can I try to order the taillight and bill my dealership for it? lol (I know... that wouldn't work)
Anyone know the part number for the 5bw specific light?
Is there anyone at GM that I could contact to try to figure out why I can't get a part for my car that was damaged during shipping?
I did end up paying over MSRP so can I demand some type of compensation, or at least free services or floor mats for my inconvenience. Or should I just suck it up, and wait, like I waited though the goat rodeo.

tell them they need to open a spac case for it.... I would talk to the director or someone in management in service...

 

[DustinEarnhardt]

Thanks for the inside info!
In case anyone needs this in the future, would you mind explaining "SPAC"?

 

[Throat Yogurt]

Not that you shouldn't replace it, but while you wait for the part have you tried polishing the tail light to see if that improves things?

 

[GTANotch88]

1StunnaV,
yes, can you please explain a spac case? just so they cant bs me if i go there and tell them that.

ThroatYogurt,
I thought about that. I've wetsanded and polished many taillights/headlights and could make it at least 75% better in less than an hour. However, I think if I touched it in any way, its just a reason for the dealer to either deny it, or not be able to replace it though GM since I assume they'd need to send to old light back to get reimbursed. And if the light looks too good, then they'd get nothing from GM. So I'm not touching it.

 

[FLYARMY]

People are still patiently waiting for their delivery of their cars. Secondary parts will be months away. Back in the late 80's, a customer at our auto body shop had a brand new Lincoln Town car. Hit a truck from behind and needed a full nose. We had to wait for 3 months for new parts to be delivered.

 

[GTANotch88]

Just to give an update....

The dealer finally got the taillight a little over a week ago. I then made an appointment to drop the car off and have it replaced. It was done the next day but I couldn't pick it up during hours the service department was open so they left the keys with the sales department so i could pick it up later that evening.

Unfortunately, I was NOT happy with how I got the car back.
First, when I opened the trunk, the in-floor storage compartment was open and the stuff, like my front plate bracket and screw-in tow ring were loose laying in the trunk. Also the trunk carpeted panels weren't all in properly. Then I noticed both sides of the bumper under the taillights were ever so slightly bowing outwards and not flush with the quarter panels anymore. I then looked at the lower diffuser and saw gaps where it wasnt properly seated on the drivers side. I was kinda pissed by that point so when I closed the trunk, or tried to, the trunk lid just bounce back open. Finally took 3 or 4 progressively stronger attempts to latch the trunk.
I immediately called my salesman and told him what was going on and that then next chance I had, i'd be bringing the car back to the service department( and making a little scene).
The next day for work I had to swing by a project near the dealer so I stopped in at 8:30am and brought it to their attention. When they finally found the service writer who had taken care of the car, he was very nice and understanding. I made sure everyone there knew what I expected in regards to the condition of the car and how what I got was completely unacceptable. That was Friday. We agreed that on Monday I'd drop the car off, and get a loaner, and everything would be fixed correctly by their veteran corvette tech guy, not the same previous tech(3 years on the job with a green helper). I dropped it off Monday morning and that afternoon, the service writer texted me that the vette tech had to order some clips and the car should be done by 10am the next day. Tuesday at 9:48am I got a text the car was done. I picked it up that afternoon after work and went over everything prior to talking to anyone in the service department. Everything seems to be correct now and lines up properly. The trunk still sometimes give me a bounce when I use my hand flat on the license plate to close it. But its way better than before and I don't want them screwing with it anymore right now.
At least the service department knows me now, and my taillight isn't scuffed anymore.

At least it wasn't as bad as dealing with the Ford dealer next door to them... I got those guys to document the fact that they gave us our F550 truck back with the brake caliper bolts loose and the caliper pretty much fell off when our one guy was towing an equipment trailer.

 

[668LT4]

Sad state of affairs where it probably would have better living with the scuff, or trying to buff it out (not sure that is possible). Anyways, glad you have your car back with a mostly functioning trunk!

 

[Daijoubu]

Just to give an update....

The dealer finally got the taillight a little over a week ago. I then made an appointment to drop the car off and have it replaced. It was done the next day but I couldn't pick it up during hours the service department was open so they left the keys with the sales department so i could pick it up later that evening.

Unfortunately, I was NOT happy with how I got the car back.
First, when I opened the trunk, the in-floor storage compartment was open and the stuff, like my front plate bracket and screw-in tow ring were loose laying in the trunk. Also the trunk carpeted panels weren't all in properly. Then I noticed both sides of the bumper under the taillights were ever so slightly bowing outwards and not flush with the quarter panels anymore. I then looked at the lower diffuser and saw gaps where it wasnt properly seated on the drivers side. I was kinda pissed by that point so when I closed the trunk, or tried to, the trunk lid just bounce back open. Finally took 3 or 4 progressively stronger attempts to latch the trunk.
I immediately called my salesman and told him what was going on and that then next chance I had, i'd be bringing the car back to the service department( and making a little scene).
The next day for work I had to swing by a project near the dealer so I stopped in at 8:30am and brought it to their attention. When they finally found the service writer who had taken care of the car, he was very nice and understanding. I made sure everyone there knew what I expected in regards to the condition of the car and how what I got was completely unacceptable. That was Friday. We agreed that on Monday I'd drop the car off, and get a loaner, and everything would be fixed correctly by their veteran corvette tech guy, not the same previous tech(3 years on the job with a green helper). I dropped it off Monday morning and that afternoon, the service writer texted me that the vette tech had to order some clips and the car should be done by 10am the next day. Tuesday at 9:48am I got a text the car was done. I picked it up that afternoon after work and went over everything prior to talking to anyone in the service department. Everything seems to be correct now and lines up properly. The trunk still sometimes give me a bounce when I use my hand flat on the license plate to close it. But its way better than before and I don't want them screwing with it anymore right now.
At least the service department knows me now, and my taillight isn't scuffed anymore.

At least it wasn't as bad as dealing with the Ford dealer next door to them... I got those guys to document the fact that they gave us our F550 truck back with the brake caliper bolts loose and the caliper pretty much fell off when our one guy was towing an equipment trailer.

Maddening. I cringe trying to figure out where to take my car when I need warranty work done. Should I go to the big Cadillac dealer in town, or to the big Corvette dealer? I'm willing to bet that Corvette owners are more particular than the typical current Cadillac owner. Can you still take any GM car to any GM service department for warranty work, or does it have to be specifically that brand?

 

[RDATLTE]

Maddening. I cringe trying to figure out where to take my car when I need warranty work done. Should I go to the big Cadillac dealer in town, or to the big Corvette dealer? I'm willing to bet that Corvette owners are more particular than the typical current Cadillac owner. Can you still take any GM car to any GM service department for warranty work, or does it have to be specifically that brand?

Any GM service department. From what I was told, they can do everything other than the initial free oil change which apparently has to be done at a Cadillac service department.

 

[GTANotch88]

My Cadillac dealer service department is the same as the Chevy/buick/gmc dealer at the same location.

Here's pics of the bumper misalignment

 

[SIX 40]

The bumper cover on my CTS-V looked exactly the same as that without ever having any work done lol.

Glad they fixed it to your satisfaction!

 

[GTANotch88]

Here's pics of the bumper now after it was corrected