How to Get Service for your GM Vehicle

Who is in the best position to take advantage of this opportunity? GM. They have the infrastructure in place. They have the suppliers, the trained technicians and the equipment. And they need to focus on products and services that will help them rebuild their businesses.

The problem is that right now there’s a lot of confusion. While GM is promising consumers that they will continue to offer parts and service, those same consumers are facing challenges. Dealerships are sometimes uncertain of what they’re allowed to do. Some of them lack the ability to service some makes.

So what do you do if you need to get your car repaired and your dealership has closed? Well, it depends on the type of repair.

The most restrictive type of repairs are those that the car manufacturer pays for. This includes recalls and repairs that fall under the manufacturer’s warranty. These repairs need to be done by an authorized dealership. If your dealership has closed, you’ll need to find another GM dealership. This may be easy in a big metropolitan area, but it’s going to be harder if you live in an area where there are fewer dealerships. But keep in mind that the remaining dealerships want your business. They are actively marketing to the customers of the dealerships that are closing. If going to them is inconvenient, ask them to help solve the problem. Do they have loaner cars available? Can they give you a discount on a rental car?

It’s going to be a little trickier if you own a car that GM is no longer selling, like Pontiac, Saturn, Saab or Hummer. GM’s standing policy limits cross-brand service work. Generally an authorized dealership of one brand can service another GM brand car only if they sold it as a used car or in an emergency. The determination of what constitutes an ‘emergency’ is largely left up to the local service manager. GM is likely to lift this rule in regards to thee 4 makes, but some dealerships haven’t received the word yet.

One other roadblock is that GM uses 3 different warranty management and parts ordering systems: one for Saturn, one for Saab, and one for the other brands. If the dealership that you’re going to doesn’t have the correct system, they may be unable to service your car.

What does this mean to you? If you own one of these cars and there are no authorized dealerships for that make in your area, call a GM dealership. If they consider the repair an ‘emergency’, good. If not, call another GM dealership. Their service manager may have a more lenient interpretation of ‘emergency’. If you can’t find anyone willing to do the repair work, call the automaker’s customer service phone number in your owner’s manual.

If you are paying for the repairs yourself, or if they’re being paid for by an extended warranty company other than the manufacturer, you have much more leeway in selecting a service shop. In the case of a warranty, read the warranty to make sure you know what criteria apply. Assuming that it’s pretty open, you have several options.

You can go to a GM dealership as outlined above.

Some former GM dealerships will stay in business by selling other makes and/or used cars. Their GM-trained technicians are probably still there and they have the right equipment to service your car.

You can find an independent mechanic who specializes in your type of vehicle.