Disrespected at Pontiac dealership

[grandprixman]

On Saturday, June 17, 2006 I had my 2004 Grand Prix in for service and was waiting in the customer waiting area at Nick Pontiac in Tarentum, PA and Nick the owner came out with a box of donuts. He offered three ladies dounts, and when he got to me he offered me a donut. Then before I had a chance to get one he pulled the box back, closed it and asked me if I bought my car from Nick Pontiac.

I told him, no but I always bring it there for service. Nick responded. "Why don't your car to where you bought it from for service; don't worry us with your problems".

I asked him if he was joking about not wanting my GM warranty repairs and out of pocket maintence repair business. He said "No, I'm not joking and I would appreciate it if you would take your car to wherever you bought it and you can go there and eat up their donuts".

He never asked any of the other ladies where they bought their car. The two difference between me and them was sex and race. I am an african american male and they were white females.

I cannot belive that a GM dealership, who is losing American market share still has people who behave like this representing their company. The ironic thing is that 20 minutes before this incident, I was working with a sales rep on trading the car in for a new one. GOODBYE Pontiac, GOODBYE GM. I'll take my business where I am welcome and respected.

Edited September 2, 2006 by grandprixman

[the_yellow_dart]

They make more money on service anyways.

He's crazy.

[PurdueGuy]

that's some serious stupidity and a good reason to go elsewhere. Unfortunately, idiots, jerks, racists, etc, know no race, sex, or... manufacturer. A dealership is as good as it's people, and while there is some variation from brand to brand, every brand has its glowing beacons and rotten apples.

[Drew Dowdell]

Then do what he says and find another dealer. Are you familar with the Pontiac/Olds dealer on Route 8 in Shaler? They are very good, I took my Cutlass convertible to them a few times for service. I'm not sure where in the 'burgh you are, but I can point you in the direction of a few good pontiac dealers.

[Buckyg]

I hope you've informed GM about this. This guy is a JERK and should be reported.

[Drew Dowdell]

I also recommend you call the regional district manager and recount your story. First, a call would go out to that dealer... and I'm sure you'd get the white glove treatment after a story like that.

[grandprixman]

I Called Pontiac Cares and filed a complaint. I also called the service manager at Nick Pontiac, who is a really nice guy, and informed him of the incident and told him that I will NEVER be coming back there. In March 2006, I was sold a a customer loyalty card for $100 and I have requested a refund. I better get a refund too.

I have since made a service appointment at another Pontiac dealership. This incident has outraged me because, since 1995, this dealership has providded service for my all of vehicles.

I have owned a 1995 Pontiac Grand Prix SE, a 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix GT, and now a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP. Hence the C&G username of GrandPrixman.

I wish this incident would have happened back in 1995, it sickens me to think of the eleven years of profit this jerk has made off of me for oil changes, tire rotations, alignments, rotors, brakes, warranty repairs etc.. and for him to treat ANY paying customer this way is inexusable.

It's incidents such as this that will cause GM and Pontiac to continue lose customers. How can or will GM address it remains to be seen. Nick is the owner and it is his business, time will tell.

[Mr.Krinkle]

sorry to hear about that. the guy was probably just trying to sound all big and hard in front of the ladies. not making excuses for the chumpo but i hope you get satisfaction when its all said and done.

i cant believe anyone would have te nerve and arrogance to pull off something like that. the pontiac dealer over by me is a bit of a penis too. id still by gm and pontiac but not from them.

i hope you dont take this as a reflection of the company as a whole but someone somewhere should make a mends. unbelievable.

[Sixty8panther]

Just another dumb bigot! I agree, report it to GM, I'm confused how

GM should be punished, seems like the logical thing to do is to go to

a different dealership, not buy a non-GM product despite what you

want...?

Sorry to hear about that experience, that guy is hurting GMs

reputation but as an adult I think you should realise punishing the

Pontiac brand is 1. not going to change anything, 2. unfair to the

hundreds of other Pontiac dealers in the area.

If you give your business to the Pontiac dealer down the road and

tell all your frineds to do the same you'll ba hurting him where in

counts, in his wallet.

[Drew Dowdell]

I don't know who the regional Pontiac manager is, but the regional Cadillac manager is a black, gay male in his late 20s. My partner and I met him at the Lucerne unvieling and at an Escalade presentation.

[aaaantoine]

I say rather than hit him where it counts, hit him where it hurts. A guy with an attitude like that should not reproduce.

[I hope GMRULES again]

Sorry to hear about this A hole. I would report him to GM. Then I would call him up personally and tell him you have a family member in the news business and that they are going to do a news piece on a racist who runs a car dealership. Then you will see him $h! his pants and apoligize and offer you some freebies. Try to make him sweat a bit.

[DetroitNut90]

That's sad-if anything, he should be thanking you for chosing his dealership over the one you bought the car at.

[grandprixman]

Just wanted to give everyone an update, I received a call from Nick the owner and he apologized. He assured me that the incidicent was not race related. He was angry because he had a service chnician call off sick and his service manager had to turn away a customer who purchased his car there because they were too busy to look at it. He is upset because they cannot properly service their customers from the influx of customers who buy cars from other Pontiac dealerships such as #1 Cochran in Monroeville who live nearby his dealership and want their car serviced locally. I told him I didn't care what his excuse was, his actions were still inexcusable and I wanted my $100 customer loyalty card refunded and that I would not return to his business for any sales or service.

He never asked anyone but me where they bought their car. He did not call the other ladies by their first names and they did not seem to personally know him either.

He said he would send me a personal check from his own bank account, which I said I would accept.

I have spent enough $$ with Pontiac and GM over the years. No, I don't think Pontiac or GM should suffer because of the actions of one jerk, but when I go car shopping for my next vehicle I WILL CONSIDER brands that I previously ignored.

I have always just bought a Pontiac or Oldsmobile and never really shopped around or test drove the competition, not so anymore. If Pontiac has a superior or competitve product, then they may retain me as a customer, but I can tell you from my personal experience, that my current Grand Prix is not very competetive and no way superior product to what other car companies have to offer.

People remain loyal to brands out of tradition, good customer service and a good quality product. From my experiences they have ALL declined.

[Camino LS6]

Just wanted to give everyone an update, I received a call from Nick the owner and he apologized.  He assured me that the incidicent was not race related.  He was angry because he had a service chnician call off sick and his service manager had to turn away a customer who purchased his car there because they were too busy to look at it.  He is upset because they cannot properly service their customers from the influx of customers who buy cars from other Pontiac dealerships such as #1 Cochran in Monroeville who live nearby his dealership and want their car serviced locally.  I told him I didn't care what his excuse was,  his actions were still inexcusable and I wanted my $100 customer loyalty card refunded and that I would not return to his business for any sales or service. 

He never asked anyone but me where they bought their car.  He did not call the other ladies by their first names and they did not seem to personally know him either.

He said he would send me a personal check from his own bank account, which I said I would accept.

I have spent enough $$ with Pontiac and GM over the years.  No, I don't think Pontiac or GM should suffer because of the actions of one jerk, but when I go car shopping for my next vehicle I WILL CONSIDER brands that I previously ignored. 

I have always just bought a Pontiac or Oldsmobile and never really shopped around or test drove the competition, not so anymore.  If Pontiac has a superior or competitve product, then they may retain me as a customer, but I can tell you from my personal experience, that my current Grand Prix is not very competetive and no way superior product to what other car companies have to offer.

People remain loyal to brands out of tradition, good customer service and a good quality product.  From my experiences they have ALL declined.

I'm very glad that you posted this story. The member's here have the connections and visibility to bring the wrath of GM down on this idiot's head as well as spreading the word about him and other bad apples to the general public. Rest assured that folks from GM will see this thread. As far as a future purchase goes, I wouldn't write Pontiac and GM off just yet, the product is getting better all the time these days and at an accelerated pace.

[PurdueGuy]

Story makes sense, but is aboslutely no excuse.

[Guest Josh]

Not to be the asshole here, but did you have a complaint # with Pontiac, plus did Pontiac ever contact you directly related to this, or was it just the business owner?

I'm pretty certain the business owner would have more sense than to steal your donut away due to the simple fact that you had your vehicle there for service work.

If it is the case, he is very very immature and has more money than brains.

[grandprixman]

Josh, Yes, I called Pontiac Customer Service on Saturday, June 17 and I have a Case# 1-416634221. Today, I called Pontiac Customer Service back today and gave them the update to inform them that Nick the owner did call me today to apologize.

I have not heard from anyone yet from Pontiac Customer Service. I could care less about the donut, that's surely not the issue, its not about my race either. I'm don't cry racism easily. I was just pointing out the facts of who was present, I really wish that a white man would have also present and then it would have been crystal clear, if I was the only one who was asked the question. Nick, Jr., the owner went into great detail to reassure me that he is not racist, telling me about all the close black friends he has...etc..and the issue was NOT race related. I personally know a service employee who has worked there for a very long time who is African American. So lets remove racism from the picture then.

The REAL and only issue in my mind and the reason I posted this incident is the way a Pontiac customer was being treated at this dealership by the owner in front of other customers. All because they did not purchase their vehicle from his dealership. If this is common practice at this and perhaps other dealerships.

I asked him how his actions were going to help persuade me, anyone else present or anyone who hears about this incident to buy or have a car serviced from his business in the future?

[Flybrian]

Every dealership I've taken my car to be serviced at loved my business. If anything, they talked a little poorly of the other dealerships in order to drum up my repeat business.

[tmp]

There is just no excuse for this kind of behavior. Race-related or not. You are a customer in his store. You are giving him money. He tried to humiliate you in public. I don't care of someone came into the service bay and offed all ot the mechanics, forcing him to turn away the group of missionaries that only wanted to get an oil change on the fleet of Montana's they were driving to Borneo to cure the freking plague, that kind of attitude is not acceptable. Period.

And as for "Punishing the Pontiac brand", this schmoo is doing more in the cause of that than one buyer ever could.

[Mule Bakersdozen LS]

I've never had an experience as bad as that one-only ones at the local Honda (Dick Ide, Penfield) dealer come to mind, but that isn't right-sorry you had to go through that Grandprixman.

[5.3Avalanche]

He never asked any of the other ladies where they bought their car.  The two difference between me and them was sex and race.  I am an african american male and they were white females.

I cannot belive that a GM dealership, who is losing American market share still has people who behave like this representing their company.  The ironic thing is that 20 minutes before this incident, I was working with a sales rep on trading the car in for a new one.  GOODBYE Pontiac, GOODBYE GM.  I'll take my business where I am welcome and respected.  

So because this jerk acted like...a jerk, you don't like GM because....

How is GM supposed to know that this guy was such an ass and how are they supposed to control him? Write GM a letter and tell them you're pissed off! Just wondering out of ignorence....where are you "welcome" and "respected"?

[Newbiewar]

i'm sorry your experiance was that of a negative one...

[balthazar]

Up until the 'update' post, I was considering that very reason. Today I stopped in at the local dealer that sold my Silverado to it's original owner. It's a very tiny dealer but it seemingly does a very solid business. However, because of the diminuative size, multiple people have told me he only works on vehicles he sold originally and turns others away. He simply does not have time to accomodate others. His business doesn't suffer; he's booked.

[regfootball]

I hope you've informed GM about this. This guy is a JERK and should be reported.

his franchise should be taken away, really.

[rueben44]

I know I am late to the discussion but I went into a Pontiac dealership twice and got totally disrespected both times. Went to another and the same thing happened. I know that it is just those dealers but it was so bad and they are the only two anywhere close to me that I decided not to buy a Pontiac.....ever or at least anytime soon. I posted a thread about it on some board or another.

[trinacriabob]

On Saturday, June 17, 2006  I had my 2004 Grand Prix in for service and was waiting in the customer waiting area at Nick Pontiac in Tarentum, PA and Nick the owner came out with a box of donuts.  He offered three ladies dounts, and when he got to me he offered me a donut.  Then before I had a chance to get one he pulled the box back, closed it and asked me if I bought my car from Nick Pontiac. 

I told him, no but I always bring it there for service.  Nick responded.  "Why don't  your car to where you bought it from for service; don't worry us with your problems". 

I asked him if he was joking about not wanting my GM warranty repairs and out of pocket maintence repair business.  He said "No, I'm not joking and I would appreciate it if you would take your car to wherever you bought it and you can go there and eat up their donuts". 

He never asked any of the other ladies where they bought their car.  The two difference between me and them was sex and race.  I am an african american male and they were white females.

I cannot belive that a GM dealership, who is losing American market share still has people who behave like this representing their company.  The ironic thing is that 20 minutes before this incident, I was working with a sales rep on trading the car in for a new one.  GOODBYE Pontiac, GOODBYE GM.  I'll take my business where I am welcome and respected.  

I'm at a loss for words. I would have taken the box of donuts and chucked them all over his showroom. You need to make a stink about this! You really do. Start with the zone manager and keep on going. I am good at this kind of stuff... I like getting people in trouble for egregious types of abuse

[Newbiewar]

i guess you ought to contact the better business buro?

but i dont know man... i just cant get over why someone at any store, for any reason would tell you to go away...

its just bad for business.. whatever the reason, i've only seen it once happen, where the owner of a business told someone to leave, and it was because the customer was a proven trouble maker...

but here, it sounds like you were minding your own business, about to buy a car from that dealership... and he tells you to go somewhere else...

[DenCo]

Hi! Devil's Advocate here...

So, why exactly are we jumping the gun and pulling the race card here? I mean, sure the guy at the dealer as a complete jerk; but from what I've read, the OP is only assuming it is a question of race, simply because he is African-American.

Fact of the matter is, there could be a wide variety of rason for which he could have treated you in that manner, including past incidents we don't know about. So one should not automatically pull the race card, even if it is a guarenteed way to generate PC-bandwagon support for one's cause.[/Devil's Advocate]

That said, sorry to hear the guy was such a jerk to you. I'd change dealers ASAP and let someone at GM know about i right away.

[Robert Hall]

Hopefully the worthless f*ck will get fired.

[Robert Hall]

i guess you ought to contact the better business buro?

but i dont know man... i just cant get over why someone at any store, for any reason would tell you to go away...

its just bad for business.. whatever the reason, i've only seen it once happen, where the owner of a business told someone to leave, and it was because the customer was a proven trouble maker...

but here, it sounds like you were minding your own business, about to buy a car from that dealership... and he tells you to go somewhere else...

157590[/snapback]

I've been going to a local Jeep dealer here for 4 years, the dealer I bought mine from is 60 miles away, and after I moved, I certainly not going to go back to the original dealer..the fact that I didn't buy my Jeep at the local dealer has never come up as a question or an issue of any sort..

[DetroiterinFL]

im gonna get flamed for this...but: your post's title says:

"why GM & Pontiac is losing market share"

that's as black as it can sound

[Sixty8panther]

im gonna get flamed for this...but:  your post's title says:

"why GM & Pontiac is losing market share"

that's as black as it can sound

186599[/snapback]

Oh sure... there's absolutely no ignorant white people out there.

Most of the english speaking people out there make a mistake

in gramar like this once in a while. It's usually a librarian or

some English teacher to remind us of it.

[grandprixman]

I originally was going to type, Why Pontiac is losing market share. It's funny how that typo fits the stereotype; however I do not speak in Ebonics. The error is not any indication as to my English language and grammar skills. I added GM to the statement because Nick Chevrolet-Pontiac dealership also services Chevrolet, Pontiac and other GM brand vehicles. If enough people are rudely turned away from a GM dealership for service they will go to the competition and never return. It is a fact that GM is losing market share to the competition. They don't need this kind of representation from any of their dealers.

The end of the story is a happy one for GM and Pontiac. I have since gone to another dealership, Joe Ball Pontiac-GMC on Route 8 in Glenshaw PA, and traded the Grand Prix in for a new 2006 G6 GT. This dealership is a twenty-five minute drive from my neighborhood. However I will continue to go there for service. At my first service visit, I was treated well, just like EVERY customer would expect to be treated. One of my co-workers liked my G6 so much he bought one too.

[Sixty8panther]

Congrats on the new G6. Pictures?

[Derek77]

grandprixman, I hope you can take a joke. I'm in the mood to play. Can I ask you some questions? You said in your first post that you are African-American. Are you a white or black African-American? What part of Africa are you from. My mom is Japanese-American. She was born in Yokohoma, Japan and became a US citizen. I was born in America. I'm just an American, who happens to be half Japanese.

I always find this funny for some reason. I'll never forget the story of a REAL African-American trying to get a scholarship for america's version of African-American. The guy was from South Africa and white.

[GMTruckGuy74]

The guy was from South Africa and white. 

In 10th grade a new kid transferred to my high school. He was just as you describe in your quote. In the senior yearbook under his picture it stated "The only white African-American to graduate with the class of 1993".

[grandprixman]

Congrats on the new G6. Pictures?

186867[/snapback]

Funny you should ask, I'm bi-racial, part Italian part Black man who was born here in the USA. I have a cousin whose mom is half Chinese, half Japanese and her dad is part Black and Native American Indian. She is married a man who is Hispanic and German. We refer to her children are Global American. I guess we are politically and geographically correct when we say that? LOL, seriously I'm not a racially sensitive person.

I don't have any pictures yet of the G6 but it is a Fusion Orange Metallic GT Sedan. I will be getting the mirrors painted to match the car. I like everything about the car except for those black plastic mirrors! Damn GM beancounters!

The car came loaded with heated black leather seats, sunroof and 17" chrome wheels, it also has OnStar and XMRadio and 6 CD changer. It already has almost 4,000 miles on it and had its first oil change. I just I got on July 5!

Edited September 1, 2006 by grandprixman

[vyakin]

On Saturday, June 17, 2006  I had my 2004 Grand Prix in for service and was waiting in the customer waiting area at Nick Pontiac in Tarentum, PA and Nick the owner came out with a box of donuts.  He offered three ladies dounts, and when he got to me he offered me a donut.  Then before I had a chance to get one he pulled the box back, closed it and asked me if I bought my car from Nick Pontiac. 

I told him, no but I always bring it there for service.  Nick responded.  "Why don't  your car to where you bought it from for service; don't worry us with your problems". 

I asked him if he was joking about not wanting my GM warranty repairs and out of pocket maintence repair business.  He said "No, I'm not joking and I would appreciate it if you would take your car to wherever you bought it and you can go there and eat up their donuts". 

He never asked any of the other ladies where they bought their car.  The two difference between me and them was sex and race.  I am an african american male and they were white females.

I cannot belive that a GM dealership, who is losing American market share still has people who behave like this representing their company.  The ironic thing is that 20 minutes before this incident, I was working with a sales rep on trading the car in for a new one.  GOODBYE Pontiac, GOODBYE GM.  I'll take my business where I am welcome and respected.  

154954[/snapback]

Hello,

My name is Victor and I am a sales and leasing consultant with #1 Cochran in Monroeville. The Mega Center. I work out of the Pontiac-GMC and Buick building here and I truly want you to know that I am sorry that you were treated that way by another dealership.

We would never act in that matter and we want you to know we believe in diversity and no matter were the car has been purchased we treat everyone with respect.

I want to help in anyway that we can and look forward to earning your business whether service or your next Pontiac purchase.

Respectfully,

Vic Yakin

Sales and Leasing

#1 Cochran

412 373 3333 x 11037

www.cochran.com

[Diehard GrandPrix Fan]

I know this is an old post, but I had to reply. I wasn't a member here by then. It just angers me of how a dealer can treat a paying customer like a dirt. No, I haven't really treated like that in a dealership, but this is just insane. No matter the excuses, that is NO WAY to treat a valuable customer. As a proud owner of 08 Grand Prix(which I won't change with anything else), I have never experience anything like the story you have wrote. The service department should be thankful for the customers visit to get the job done from them. No matter if it is the free warrantee job or not. If the customer walks in to their service department, he/she is THEIR customer, who MAY even come back regularly for an oil change and other service issues even after the warrantee is up. The reactions taken by that jerk is just UN-Acceptable. Even though he appolized, I would still report him and his dealer to the better business burough(sp?) and make sure him and his facility take a hit. He deserves it.

My local Pontiac dealer(Frank's Pontiac/GMC) has NEVER been giving me anything close of the mistreatment, which is what the business should be like. It's a small, family operated dealer, but the guys there are excellent. Whenever I go there for service, they recognize me and welcomes me. Well, my original dealer(DeMassi Pontiac) where I bought my previous 2 Pontiacs moved to a farther location, so I started dealing with these guys, and they were straightforward, and their service was a top-notch.

Chasing away the customer just because they didn't buy the car there? Just STUPID. Also, I am not an American born either, I am an Asian American who got naturalized here(hence you may have already guessed by my poor grammer). It's no way to treat a customer. I would report them to the burous(sp?), and if it is possible, take them to court if necessary. They did something that worths for their business to close down.

[A Horse With No Name]

I've found that in large, flashy dealerships I usually get treated like crap. In smaller stores in outlying areas or family owned type buisnesses in Urban areas I'm treated pretty well.

This A.M. I got the Safari Van serviced at Firestone. I had a WONDERFUL talk with the African-American women who was getting here Hyundai serviced at the same time. Angie, the woman at the counter treated us both with a lot of respect.

It's cool when things go well.

Chris

[gmpartsgirl]

I'm so sorry that heppened. We treat our service customers like gold no matter what. We realize the importance of the business, we do go more out of our way for the ones who did buy from us, but we treat them all with the upmost respect and value everyones business. Such a shame. Don't turn your back on all of us, there are still alot of good delaers out there, especially small town family owned dealers not corporate morons. There are poeple like him everywhere in every kind of business, there will always be stupid people. Sorry again for your experience. Go to another dealer and tell them what happened to you and where and watch how well you get treated. We love stealng customers from other dealers. :AH-HA_wink:

[Newbiewar]

looking back, a few of our sales people would kind of do that at our dealership...

i didnt reread the complain as its been about 2 years since this happened... but i know one of my close friends at the dealer would often tell his customers to leave because they would insult him, and the product he was trying to sell by offering an unreasonable offer. It seems to me that consumer are very confused around a car salesperson, they never really know what to expect, they never know what to trust. I love the customer that comes in and says, well joe down the street wants to sell me this brand new malibu for $9, mr. toyota, said he'd sell me a camry for ten dollars... Well sir, this Malibu is listed for, $21,999... and if they are pursistant about joe down the street selling it to him for $21,990 (a little exagerated) cheaper then mine with exactly the same options, and "i think it might have had a sunroof" and "also it was in the color i wanted"... its so tempting to say, "well go buy it from mr joe since 'offered' you something so unbeleiveable" but its hard to shoot them square and accuse them of lying to you(as a salesperson)...

just my two cents of how salespersons get fed up with these "good paying" customers... but honnestly I dont think we ever had to tell a customer to go away, except for the drunk guy, that we called the police on...