The Carl Black Saga Cont.

Last entry ended with FINALLY getting my car in to the shop after waiting for FOUR WEEKS.  

I picked my car up on a Wednesday and 12 days later, my air conditioning was not working AGAIN!  

I called Carl Black immediately because when you pay a small fortune to get something fixed, you expect it to last more than 12 days, you know!  Plus, I wanted to be sure the cooling system was not broken again and driving the car would not damage the engine.  The "wonderful" lady in customer service told me I could bring the car in two weeks from that date.  

I calmly explained the situation again (I mean, maybe she didn't hear me correctly the first time) saying I just wanted the car looked at briefly to verify that it was just the air conditioning that needed fixing and not the entire cooling system. Her response was the same --- two weeks. 

So, that night I took it to one of those fast service places and it took them all of two minutes to look under the hood of my car and tell me the cooling system was fine! 

The next day I talked to the customer service manager who was kind and (at the time I thought) helpful and said he would move my name "up the list for a loaner so it should only be a few more days."  

One week later, I call back....two weeks later....three weeks later...four weeks later (on a Friday evening) I was beyond over it and again asked to speak with a manager.  I got the same one who, not surprisingly, repeated almost word for word what he said to me four weeks earlier (he did not know he was talking to a person whom he had already talked with). I accused him of giving me lip service because "this is exactly what you told me four weeks ago when I talked to you."  At this point, he told me he would call me back.  He did --- about 15 minutes later, and told me to bring the car in the next day and a loaner would be available.  

On Saturday I brought my car in and, once again, there was nothing in the computer system so they were not expecting it or expecting me or knew anything about a loaner but they signed off on the papers and sent me to the loaner department anyway. 

And this is where I felt like I was in one of those hidden TV shows that do crazy things to record your reactions.  It was here that the guy behind the counter said to me these exact words, "oh yes, Dave did ask me to set aside a loaner for you but I didn't put it in the computer system because I have so many of them, I thought I would let you pick which one you wanted."  

EXCUSE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been waiting for four freaking weeks for a loaner and you are telling me you have all these loaners available?????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    I kid you not, he gave me the choice of five different cars!!!!!!

Fast forward four days and

........... the little patience and good humor I currently had, completely disappeared when they told me I needed a new condenser and hose to the tune of $1000.00.

Even if I had the money to fix it right now, I would not have it fixed there.  I have no way to prove they did anything to purposely cause this problem but I have my suspicions.  AND, if they didn't sabotage my car, then HOW DO YOU MISS THAT condenser repair when I just had my car in there for an air conditioning issue??? 

Needless to say, I picked up my car right away and did not look back.  Luckily we're heading into winter and having air in my car is not a pressing issue.

Come spring when it is, I will be going somewhere else!!!!! 

The Carl Black Saga

Before I begin....just a little back story.

You can read this post if you prefer, but I'll try to condense the story here ---

Three years ago, I needed  new engine in my new(ish) Chevy Aveo.  I had already had it towed to the dealership I just bought the car from 3 weeks prior and was treated so poorly!  I then had it towed to the nearest Chevy dealership, which was Carl Black. My experience at Carl Black was so amazing (including them calling me and offering me a loaner while my Aveo was being fixed.  

So, when my Chevy Sonic started having issues with the cooling system, I knew right away that I would go back to Carl Black.  This, however, has been anything but a positive experience. In fact, it's been a 3 month nightmare!!!! 

I want to reference this by saying the people in the service department and loaner department have been wonderful but the customer service department ranks among the worst I have ever dealt with!!!!!

My very first phone call to Carl Black was on July 10. I assumed  that, like last time, they would have a loaner available right away.  They did not.  The following, in bullet points, is what occurred. 

• On July 10, I was put on a "waiting list" for a loaner and was told it would be 3 or 4 days. 
• One week later, I called and was told it might be another 5-7 days. 
• 10 days later, I called again and was told that, indeed I was on the list. That I started out the middle of a 3 page waiting list and was now in the middle of page 1.  I mentally calculated it might be another 5-7 days or so
• 10 days later, I called for a third time. This time, I was angry and most likely pretty rude to the lady on the phone.  It was a Friday evening and she told me to bring to my car in the next Wednesday and a loaner would be available for me.  
• Wednesday morning I have AAA tow my car to Carl Black, got a ride to school for the day, and my friend took me after school to pick up the loaner. 
• Only, when I got there, they told me they didn't even have my car!!!!! 
• Call AAA who assures me the car was towed to Carl Black...except Carl Black is telling me it's not there.  I begin thinking I am going to need to call the police as 1000 scenarios are going through my mind, when a guy walks by and says, "are you talking about the white Sonic, it's out back."  Come to find out that the gal I talked to on Friday (you know, the one who told me to bring my car in and a loaner would e available) never even entered the information in the computer so the service department had absolutely no idea who I was or why the car was towed there!  AND...surprise...there was also NO LOANER available at the time.  
• I lost my mind!  And this is where the service department is the complete opposite of the customer service department...they found me a loaner in just minutes!  

I had the loaner for a total of two weeks while my radiator was being repaired.  

I wish I could say that was the end of the saga but less than two weeks later, the air conditioning quit working again. This was 5 weeks ago and today I was FINALLY able to bring it in.  

So...part two of this nightmare will be for another time. 

I'll end the post on a good note

After making rolls for dinner one night, I left the cookie sheet on the stove to cool.  Someone found a nice warm place to sleep. 

Goofy girl...