2016 Chevrolet Malibu - Dealer Makes Up Repairs

ON AUGUST 5 2019 I brought my 2016 Chevrolet Malibu to the Joe Basil Chevrolet service dept for a N.Y. state inspection. On my arrival the service Adviser (Anthony Beback) asked if I was having any problems with the car and I said no car was operating very well. After the inspection he informed me the car would not pass inspection due to a problem with the brakes and a need to replace the windshield wipers. This surprised me because the car had 22000 miles on it and that I was near the end of a 32000 mile lease this November. Also Anthony said this was normal ware not covered by the warranty but he would try to get me a discount . I agreed to the repair and after reading over the invoice at home later that day I read on the invoice “ CUSTOMER STATES WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO VIBRATE”. I called and spoke to this adviser Anthony Beback and he agreed this was not the case but he had to put this on the invoice to get GM to pay to machine the rear rotors otherwise he would have to charge me over $450 to complete the repair. This seems deceptive, work was done only to the rear rotors and calipers no parts were replaced except the windshield wipers. Anthony the service adviser said the problem was the result of the rear rotor rusting and becoming warped limiting the contact of the caliper. I
contacted the service manager Jay Thiel and he said this was an error on the service advisers part, this false statement was not required for GM to pay the cost to machine the rear calipers. He apologized and said he would offer me 2 free oil changes should I stay with Chevrolet for my next vehicle .I have purchased my last three vehicles from this dealership and had began selection of my next with the sales dept. My confidence in Joe Basil and to some extent GM has been diminished by this experience . If it is common for rear brake rotors to rust (not front rotors) it would seem GM has a quality problem if not I have a dealer problem.

GM may have a dealer problem. The dealer may have invented a problem that they then charged to GM as warranty work rather than you. And $450 to turn 2 rotors seems out of line, even in NY state.

I don’t know if YOU have a dealer problem. If the wiper blades did indeed need to be replaced, then that is a legitimate repair that you should pay for.

All rotors rust, they are bare cast iron. The brake pad wipes that away when you drive. It can become a problem if you don’t drive often enough.

I really don’t understand your beef with the dealer. I can’t see how you were harmed other than the slight inconvenience of having to wait for the rear rotors to be turned.

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