Customer Relations

GTI Owner Unimpressed By VW’s “Carefree Maintenance”

By Justin Berkowitz
April 23, 2008 -

Wow Volkswagen. Just when I thought you couldn't do anything more to get a VeeDub into the service bay, you really step it up. Right now, I just bring my GTI in every other month when the check engine light illuminates my face with fury. But the new "carefree maintenance program" announced Wednesday is next-generation stupid. For the first 36k miles of ownership, VW will do all your scheduled maintenance for free. What is the scheduled maintenance you ask? Changing the oil (which VW claims is only necessary every 10k miles on 2009s onward, thanks to synthetic oil) and uh, checking a whole bunch of fluid levels. VW's press release [via the great press release funnel otherwise known as Autoblog] touts the new program as a "great way to improve our owner loyalty for the brand, as well as increase consumer consideration." Uh no and no. This isn't going to sell cars, and the opportunity to save $20 bucks on the free oil change isn't going to make up for all the dealer-service department scamming guaranteed to take place. In fact, if I was a VW NA corporate suit (poor sods), I'd be doing everything I could to keep people AWAY from the dealers, to minimize the amount of rip-off-itude.

Autoblog »

Posted in Crime & Punishment | Customer Relations | Marketing | News Blog | 34 comments

GM Coolant Settlement Could Cost Hundreds of Millions

By Edward Niedermeyer
March 28, 2008 -

The General has settled a class-action lawsuit claiming damages from its "Dexcool" coolant, agreeing to pay up to $800 each to customers who can prove damages. Plaintiff attorneys estimate that the final number of claims could top $20 million, a bill which would cost GM of hundreds of millions of dollars. "It could be multiple nine figures; it depends on how many people make the claim," co-counsel for the plaintiffs, Jack Brady tells the International Herald Tribune . "I think it could be a huge settlement." Of course, while the people who had to replace manifold gaskets and heater cores get between $50 and $800 for repairs, Mr Brady and his co-counsels will pocket up to $23 million in fees and $2.8 million for expenses. Still, if you own a GM vehicle with the 3.1-liter or 3.4-liter V6 engines for model years 1995 to 2003; the 3.8-liter V6 engines for model years 1995 to 2004; or the 4.3-liter V6 engines for model years 1995 through 2000 and have had to pay for coolant-related damages, you should check dexcoolsettlement.com to file a claim.

International Herald Tribune »

Posted in Customer Relations | Industry | News Blog | 33 comments

Z28 to get HUGE Air scoop

By Robert Farago
March 19, 2008 -

We stumbled upon GM's NA VP of Design Bryan Nesbitt in a small, windowless room semi-populated by a brown-nose of bloggers (infiltrated by TTAC in search of free food). Justin and I arrived just in time to hear Nesbitt explain why station wagons are cool in Europe: because everything is smaller there and they shop more often and something about old guys not hang-gliding off of Mont Blanc. Anyway, the confab broke-up and I asked Nesbitt what he thought of fake hood scoops. After a moment of PR-related facial rictus, Nesbitt said he didn't personally like them, but you gotta keep the customer satisfied. Hence the new Z28 Camaro will have a massive [functional] hood scoop. Yes, but what of the Pontiac G8 faux intake? Nesbitt said that GM's design studio is at the mercy of its customers, specifically dealers demanding extra bling. For example, Lund Cadillac Hummer Saab (Phoenix) retrofitting the 9-7x with a 3X-sized Saab badge, telling Nesbitt to get with the program (sacrilege!). Nesbitt admitted that a large part of his job is making the best of an ugly situation. "I may not like Hawaiian shirts, but I can make sure it looks as good and fits as well as it can." Let's call it aloha aesthetics.

Posted in Customer Relations | Industry | News Blog | People | 13 comments