Daewoo/Chevy Aveo Radio Unlock Codes

[iiipopes]

For those who are offended by my swearing, I apologize. The actual swearing part I should not have posted.

But for those who are trying to compare apples to oranges, they are out of line. If an auto company gave away as much free service and advice as most firms do, and did as much to help people who can't afford or don't understand things otherwise, we wouldn't be on this thread.

Where I work the lawyers do not criticize or condescend people who come in for either not knowing or not being able to pay for services. They do not try to stick it to them for an extra buck with some unexpected "repair" after they take the case.

The difference is in informing up front what's going to be needed, as opposed to trying to nickel and dime and make up charges about what comes up later. If it's going to be expensive, technical and/or time consuming, the lawyers let them know that going in so a person can make an informed decision about what to do, not surprising them or trying to play "hide the ball" and later come up with an outrageous bill. If it is a straightforward or simple matter that a person can do themselves, they tell them they might be better off and cheaper doing it themselves, and yes, even tell them how to do it. This is not to try to slough off work, nor to try to "look good" by "throwing a nominal bone" or anything else, but because they really try to do what is best for the person.

Now, to be perfectly clear, since it has been brought up, I do not have a license to practice law at the current time. I do not practice law. I work in a law office. A small one. The lawyers in the firm do not charge what has been accused of by the previous post. They do not charge to see if there is a case. They do not up charge, double bill or inflate the price of copies or other incidental expenses. They do not charge to discuss what has been billed when there is a question. The hourly rates are reasonable, and appropriate adjustments are made if the person feels overcharged. And yes, occasionally, if a person is about to do something that could have severe negative consequences, they have to be straightforward about explaining the negative ramifications of a person's proposed particular course of action.

So, yes, some things are expensive, technical, time consuming and need professional help, whether it be legal, medical, building a house with all the building codes that need to be observed, and some of the more intensely mechanical aspects of auto repair, or otherwise. Everybody has had some circumstance occur in some context that has drained the cash flow at one time or another. It bites, and we all move on. For example the air conditioner in my house went out last month. The guy who came to fix it and give an estimate showed my wife cracks in the heat exchanger, apologized for having to tell us the "bad news" that doubled the expected cost of repair, and we had to get a new furnace as well. Did I complain about the cost? No. That is a health and safety issue that could have killed us with carbon monoxide. We thanked him, wrote the check, and were glad to have it fixed properly and live to tell about it before it poisoned us the next time the furnace was turned on.

BUT, a simple 4-digit radio unlock code is NOT one of them, and yes, especially with the cost of any new car, I DO expect a certain amount of free service for some of these minor matters, just as people expect, and deserve and receive, certain complementary aspects of service in other contexts. That, I do NOT apologize for.

So those who play the, "What about --" word game trying to extend the discussion to a philosophical debate over what is or is not in other contexts, or try to say they are underpaid or undercharged or overpaid or overcharged, elsewhere, that is out of line as well. Each circumstance has to be analyzed for what it is at the time.

[steve_decker]

BUT, a simple 4-digit radio unlock code is NOT one of them, and yes, especially with the cost of any new car, I DO expect a certain amount of free service for some of these minor matters, just as people expect, and deserve and receive, certain complementary aspects of service in other contexts. That, I do NOT apologize for.

You bought an Aveo... not a Cadillac. Like it or not, it does make a difference. As hard as it may be to believe, Acura customers get better service than Honda customers. Owners of the higher line Honda's get better service than those that drive a base model Civic or Fit. It's just the way the world works.

Now, with your latest post, it appears as though you think the parts counterperson that sold you the t-stat should've warned you about the radio code? Fair enough. The problem with that line of thinking is that retail business is an extremely small percentage of the sales of a dealership parts department. As such, dealer parts pros may not be as well versed in the nuances of a repair as a counter person at Napa (or any other retail parts store). Even if they are, I think it's reasonable for them to assume a customer purchasing X part over the counter knows how to perform the entire repair. For retail stores, not so much. The Napas and AutoZones understand that they serve a DIY customer and with that is an extreme variance in skill set. Does that make it any less frustrating for you? Nope. Does it make it any more acceptable for you as a customer? Probably not. But, the opinion of a small percentage of customers is not going to change the way a dealer (any dealer, import included) does business.

No matter the topic, anytime we have unmet expectations we really should self-examine a bit and see if our expectations were reasonable. Was it reasonable for you to expect the dealer to explain how to properly swap your t-stat (or fix the results of your mistake)?

[iiipopes]

No matter the topic, anytime we have unmet expectations we really should self-examine a bit and see if our expectations were reasonable. Was it reasonable for you to expect the dealer to explain how to properly swap your t-stat (or fix the results of your mistake)?

Yes, especially if he wants me to purchase another car from him in the future.

[steve_decker]

Yes, especially if he wants me to purchase another car from him in the future.

Honestly, if you truly portray the attitude and expectation you have in this thread, the dealer will probably be glad to see you go elsewhere. When your new dealer gets to experience the same, they too will probably be glad to see you go elsewhere.

You cannot place unreasonable expectations on a place of business, get extremely upset about it, and expect them to try and retain you as a customer.

[iiipopes]

Whether my expectation is reasonable or not, that is a point on which men may differ. I believe it is reasonable. If you don't, then you are entitled to your opinion.

And because I work in a service industry, I see from the other side the entire range of expectations of service from individual persons. The firm is acutely aware and sensitive to the fact that most of the time the person coming in is in the position of something like, "I've already been screwed, and it's going to cost more money to fix it?"

So my perspective of what is and is not a reasonable expectation of service is tempered daily by the persons who come into the office.

Moreover, as posted above, I found the code in less than five minutes of surfing. The dealer can do the same, if not quicker. Again, the point being that for this particular detail, it is not an inconvenience to the dealership, and to supply the code would have done more for the goodwill of the customer relationship than the cost to the dealer of the time looking it up.

So my conclusion that my request in this case was reasonable is based on the time it would have taken the dealership to quote the code, basically nothing, as compared to the goodwill extended that would encourage me to purchase another car in the future, which would have been likely as otherwise the Aveo more than meets my needs and expectations for what I use it for.

A different circumstance and a different problem with the car would take a different analysis as to what may be reasonable to expect in different circumstances with what may be the cost to the dealership or the gravity of the problem overall.

[iiipopes]

I'm in. I'll even buy. Or I'll grill it for everyone myself with all the fixin's and age-approprate beverages. I have a large back yard, good neighbors, stainless steel grill, patio, and room for everyone. Especially those who disagreed with me to celebrate what a good airing out there has been on this thread to show no hard feelings. But you gotta come to my place to get it.

Wow. It's been a long, long time since a thread got the food pictures. To be honored to have a thread bestowed and concluded with pictures of food is the ultimate TubeNet accolade.

I would like to thank the academy, the TNFJ, Sean,....

[rocksanddirt]

the whole customer service thing is an interesting one.

when i put a new battery in my Honda (couple years ago), and didn't know about the whole radio code deal so the radio didn't work....i called our local dealer, where we did NOT buy the car. They gave me to the service department, who explained where to find the code label stuck to the underside of the center console. two minutes on the phone.

We bought our next honda from that dealer.

[lgb&dtuba]

Personally I don't give a rat's *** what rationale they use to "justify" that rate. What I know is that it's not worth $100 of my money to have 3 light bulbs changed. If they cannot stay in business by charging rates that people are willing to pay, then they'll go out of business.

It's that simple.

As for using the the high price to discourage people from getting that type of work done there then just don't offer that service. At least that would be honest. Anything else is either a blatant rip-off or an insult.

Naturally, that's why you wouldn't choose to go to a dealership service department to have 3 light bulbs changed. You'd probably do it yourself.

But that doesn't mean there aren't many other folks who do find the work done at dealer service departments "worth the extra money." It would be silly not to offer any service on a proprietary vehicle when you have dealer mechanics fully trained to handle any such service with the proper tools and information to provide those services. The fact that there is a minimum service charge doesn't make the smallest services a rip-off or insult, particularly to those who prefer their dealer to take care of those minor problems for them rather than get their own hands dirty.

Besides, dealer service departments stay in business just fine by providing those services that are only available through certified dealerships...particularly on vehicles less than 5 years old.

I have to really disagree with this. And here's why.

The dealership does oil changes all day for $29.95. That includes the cost of the oil and the filter. My vehicle is typically in the bay for 20-30 minutes while they do that. I don't know the wholesale prices of the oil and filter, but let's just say it's $1.25 a quart and the filter costs $3. So, 5 quarts of oil = $6.25 + $3 for the filter = $9.25. Labor is then $20.70 ($20.70 + $9.25 = $29.95). I'll discount the net profit to the dealership after paying for the space and the employee for now and just say it cannot be a lot. I regularly get $5 off coupons from this dealer for oil changes, but I'll not even toss that into the calculations for this.

So, we're a LONG ways away from the mythical $100/hr labor charge and the dealership seems happy to do this day in and day out. Why? Because they know that no one is going to pay $100 plus materials for an oil change when they can go down the street and get it for $29.95.

Now, my truck is in the bay and has just finished that oil change when they offer to replace the 3 burned out bulbs. The bulbs retail down the street for $2.50 each. The dealer wants to charge me $5 each, or double. I'm guessing the wholesale price in dealer quantities is more like $.50 each, so profit on the bulbs at their price is $15 - $1.50 = $13.50. If they offer to do replacement for parts ($5 per bulb = $15) + $15 labor (again $5 per bulb) it comes to a $30 charge which equals the $13.50 parts profit + $15 labor = $28.50.

They'd be making $7.80 more than what they get for an oil change and take about half the clock time to make it in. It's MORE profitable for them to change out the burned out lightbulbs right there while the vehicle is in the bay for an oil change than to bring in the next oil change. And it takes less actual effort to swap the bulbs than to do an oil change.

And that's why it's not going to work to walk up to someone like me and with a perfectly straight face say that it's going to cost $115 (parts and labor) to change out those bulbs.

But I guess there are suckers out there who it does work on and people who, for whatever reasons, simply cannot change a light bulb to take advantage of.

[Tubaryan12]

The sole purpose of the $29.99 oil change is to get the customer used to coming back to the dealership for this and other services. It's the same thing as the supermarket putting ground beef on sale. Just another way to get you in the door to buy more expensive items that are not on sale.

[iiipopes]

The sole purpose of the $29.99 oil change is to get the customer used to coming back to the dealership for this and other services. It's the same thing as the supermarket putting ground beef on sale. Just another way to get you in the door to buy more expensive items that are not on sale.

Bingo! I was waiting for someone else to say this. The purpose of a car dealership is to sell cars. The service department is there not primarily to make money for the dealership, although it does, but to keep people coming back with good service so they will be encouraged to purchase another bright shiny new car there and not elsewhere when the time comes.

A new car dealer in my area, now retired, (not where I purchased the Aveo) used to have an an annual "service" fair where they invited everybody who ever so much as had an oil change or other small service on whatever make or model car they had, not just the brand the dealer sold. They took three whole days and turned the dealership into a carnival, and life was great. You took in your "invitation," the mechanic took your car around and hooked it up on the diagnostics, while you enjoyed ice cream, soda, balloons for children, etc. Yes, the purpose was to tell you how many things you had wrong with your car so you'd consider a new one, but they were up front about it, that's why they did it, and but for a five minute report about your car, no pressure was ever put on anybody to do anything, whether repair or service. He and I had a standing joke -- he'd ask me how my car was running. I'd grin and say, "Just like a new one." He'd grin and snap his fingers. Then we'd both laugh, knowing I would be back to purchase a new car eventually. And among my extended family we bought dozens of autos from him over a period of about forty years. I even had a great uncle who worked for him as a salesman for a few years in mid to late '60's. And I had another second cousin worked for another local dealership all his life until he retired some years ago. And I used to work for a finance company whose primary business was purchasing at a discount on the secondary market portfolios of automobile consumer retail installment contracts from used car dealers, including collections where it was my job to sort out the real complaints and get the dealer involved, or just ship the delinquent contracts out to collection attorneys. So I am rather informed when it comes to what is and is not reasonable from an auto service perspective, as I've heard it and worked it from all sides all my life.

So you keep the auto purchaser happy as best as you can, or he or she stops paying the contract, then the finance company has a default that not only hurts the bottom line, and even if you have a "buy back" provision with the dealer for the contract, it hurts the business relationship, and he may not want to give you the same discount on a bundle of paper next time, and gets regulators criticizing your asset portfolio as well. Now, the combined "incentives" of losing money, losing a source of purchasing paper, and a regulator write up gets just about anybody up into a service mode.

[lgb&dtuba]

The sole purpose of the $29.99 oil change is to get the customer used to coming back to the dealership for this and other services. It's the same thing as the supermarket putting ground beef on sale. Just another way to get you in the door to buy more expensive items that are not on sale.

So, in your supermarket analogy light bulbs = caviar?

I'd consider light bulbs more like a pack of gum.

[cjk]

If I had a nickel for every word written in this thread, I could buy a Chevy Aveo.

[steve_decker]

The purpose of a car dealership is to sell cars. The service department is there not primarily to make money for the dealership, although it does, but to keep people coming back with good service so they will be encouraged to purchase another bright shiny new car there and not elsewhere when the time comes.

Your statement is great in principle BUT, in most dealerships, the sales dept. does well to break even. Parts and service typically cover the overhead and bring profit to the business. I've worked at the dealer and manufacturer/supplier level with all of the Big 3 and a few imports. In all cases, their dealership finanicial statements are structured as such. The most balanced model has each dealership dept. covering overhead according to the % of facility square footage they occupy. Most others load the backshop even heavier. The reason being is that, like I mentioned earlier, the sales department does well to break even.

[steve_decker]

If I had a nickel for every word written in this thread, I could buy a Chevy Aveo.

A couple of years ago, there was a dealer in Texas that would give you an Aveo with the purchase of a new Suburban!

[Rick F]

Another revenue stream dealerships have is reprogramming keyless entry remotes. A few years ago, most cars you could do yourself. Now, on most cars, they must be taken in to the dealership to be programed.

Oh yeah,...and the keys with the chip in them.

My wife and I own 2 Toyota Camrys, a 2002 & 2005 (my wife drives the newer one of course). I didn't want to have to carry 2 FOBs or remotes on my keychain. I wanted one FOB to open/lock/pop trunk to both cars. So about 4 years ago when we first got the '05, I asked the tech @ Toyota if I could progam the remotes myself. He said sure, just follow this... Then he wrote down the instuctions on a piece of paper. It turned out those instructions were for earlier year Camry. But I found the instructions thru a web search. If you happen to drive a '02 thur '06 Camry, these instructions below should work.

[Tubaryan12]

True Rick, but most cars made after 2007 have a system where you can't program them yourself anymore. I had a 2005 Vibe and I programed them myself. If I loose the remote for my '08 Rondo, a trip to the dealership would be in my future.

[iiipopes]

The purpose of a car dealership is to sell cars. The service department is there not primarily to make money for the dealership, although it does, but to keep people coming back with good service so they will be encouraged to purchase another bright shiny new car there and not elsewhere when the time comes.

Your statement is great in principle BUT, in most dealerships, the sales dept. does well to break even. Parts and service typically cover the overhead and bring profit to the business. I've worked at the dealer and manufacturer/supplier level with all of the Big 3 and a few imports. In all cases, their dealership finanicial statements are structured as such. The most balanced model has each dealership dept. covering overhead according to the % of facility square footage they occupy. Most others load the backshop even heavier. The reason being is that, like I mentioned earlier, the sales department does well to break even.

Your experience is obviously different than mine. My perspective includes having done due diligence on dozens of dealerships, analyzing their contracts and performance, default ratios, etc., albeit mostly used car dealerships, which I concede have a different business model, in several states. If a new car dealership can't make money off the sales, then the dealership should not be in business.