Complaint Review: Champion Chevrolet - Reno Nevada

""I HAVE RECEIVED TWO LETTERS FROM CHAMPION CHEVROLET'S HIGH POWER LAW FIRM STATING I WILL BE SUED IF I MENTION CHAMPION CHEVROLET OR NAME ANYONE THAT'S WORKS THERE ANYWHERE ON THE INTERNET AND I WILL RECEIVE NO FURTHER WARNING.""

SEPT 2006 Champion Chevrolet in Reno Nv. replaced my 96 Corvette engine with a new factory GM LT-4 engine long block, approx. $7800.00 in total.

DEC 2006 I was told the engine had a misfire and did not run correctly and I had to pay another $900.00 to keep troubleshooting and locate the problem.

I asked Danny, "service writer" if a compression check was done and he said yes and it was normal on all 8 cylinders and I asked about the fuel injectors and was told they were fine.

Mid JAN 2007 Danny called me and said they did a diagnostic test that showed a intermittent misfire and the distributor needed to be replaced at a cost of $1600.00, $800.00 parts & $800.00 labor approximate.

I called Winkel Pontiac, "which is where I should have went too begin with" which is next door to Champion for a price quote for replacing the distributor, $300.00 parts & $400.00 labor approximate, so I had Winkel replace the distributor.

Winkel did the work and said the engine was still misfiring but not as bad since they corrected some vacuum lines that Champion had mis routed but there was still a problem, also they said the tranny was hard top shift and might need to be replaced at some point..

End of JAN 2007 car returned to Champion which now wants another $1500.00 to keep troubleshooting.

I decided to have my Corvette towed to Carson City Chevrolet, "$195.00" that being the next closest dealer since Champion was unable to find the problem.

Carson City Chevrolet found the problem in the first day, one of the push rods was not seated under the rocker, the GM factory installed valve covers had never been removed and a compression would have revealed a problem yet Danny at Champion say's that was done and charged me for it.

NOV 2007 the tranny became really hard to shift and then the engine froze up.

I called Danny at Champion and he said to take it somewhere else or talk to the service manager because they don't want my business.

I called the service manager, "Mike" and left a message to find out why Champion refuses to deal with me, below is a copy of the voice message he left on my voice mail a week later, "which I have a copy of".

---------------------------------

START:

Hey this is Mike at Champion Chevrolet the service manager

here returning your phone call ---

ah you know I know your situation and I know your vehicle's

down at Carson City ---

I've declined to participate in any repairs on it ---

ah the main reason being you don't really have a good name

around here anymore ---

the things you wrote about us on the internet among

other things ---

so ah know ya got to be careful when you write those kind of

things say those kind of things about other company's

because you may need there help one of these day's and

right now I'm going to decline to give it to ya ---

if you the need to discuss it feel free to call me back

786-3111 x266 thank you.

END

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(This is the result of me writing about this case on different web forums)

""I HAVE RECEIVED TWO LETTERS FROM CHAMPION CHEVROLET'S HIGH POWER LAW FIRM STATING I WILL BE SUED IF I MENTION CHAMPION CHEVROLET OR NAME ANYONE THAT'S WORKS THERE ANYWHERE ON THE INTERNET AND I WILL RECEIVE NO FURTHER WARNING.""

I had it towed to Carson City Chevrolet and they found the flywheel & pressure plate bolts were overtightend and stripped and backed out locking the engine.

Carson City Chevrolet service managers, Mike & Jim both told me that if they had done the installation it would definitley be covered under warranty since it was under a year on a new engine and it comes with a 3 year 100.000 mile warranty, but this is an installation issue.

The service manager Mike at Carson City Chevrolet told me last week he called Champion and was told by them they would send someone over to Carson to examine the bolts.

I called Mike at Carson yesterday and was told no one ever showed up and said I should call Champion which I did and Danny said he nor anyone else received a call from Carson Chevrolet.

Mike and Jim from Carson City Chevrolet both said and they would talk to whomever and say this is definitely a warranty repair if it they did the installation but they cannot say that Champion should warranty this "in writing" but would verbally tell this and that this was the fault of the installer, that the bolts were clearly overtightend and striped and Carson Chevrolet's invoice say's this as well

I filled complaints with the BBB and Consumer Affairs but both said ita a workmanship issue, a matter for small claims Court.

Champions response, they are not responsible because,

1) the bolts in question are 12 years old and metal fatique was an issue and are under extreme pressure.

my response) If Champion's mechanic choose to use the same 12+ year old bolts that are under extreme pressure and with possible metal fatigue being at issue as stated in there response then Champion should have replaced the bolts when they assembled the engine, so again Champion by there own admission is at fault for using the same bolts since they clearly admitted they were aware of this kind of problem but choose to use the same bolts.

2) its been 15 months since the work was done and this kinda problem would show up immeadiatley.

my response) its been 7 months, Champion chose to use the date they received the car in Sept 2006, not when I received the car in the first of FEB 2007.

3) Champion said that my complaint accused them of leaving the bolts loose and that's more proof that this problem would occure right away.

my response) I never said that, I said what I was told and what is writen on the invoice from Carson, the bolts were overtightend and striped, the threads were striped from overtightning and metal shavings are in the flywheel bolts holes, and I do have all the old parts.

Champion's arragant attitude towards its customers can be found all over the internet and Champion is known as a not being warranty friendly.

I was charged by Champion for work not performed, I was told a compression was done but could it wasn't done since it would have definitely revealed a problem.

Please let me know if anyone would like an audio recording of the above message left by Champion Service Manager or letters from there attorney's.

THANKS

Spycameras

reno, Nevada

U.S.A.

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