Just starting the WAIT

[DarthKarl]

I just placed my H3 order this afternoon, so the long, slow and painful wait begins. The Hummer dealers must sure be selling a lot of these. Despite the fact that I had taken a test drive and had $ in hand I couldn’t get the Denver, Colorado Hummer dealership (Medved) to even call me back about some simple questions. I guess they have plenty of other fish to catch.

So I took my business up to Casper, Wyoming (White’s Mountain) and have been treated like a real customer...how refreshing!

Lurking around here has been a tremendous education for me. I can’t wait to become a Hummer owner.

[DarthKarl]

I just placed my H3 order this afternoon, so the long, slow and painful wait begins. The Hummer dealers must sure be selling a lot of these. Despite the fact that I had taken a test drive and had $ in hand I couldn’t get the Denver, Colorado Hummer dealership (Medved) to even call me back about some simple questions. I guess they have plenty of other fish to catch.

So I took my business up to Casper, Wyoming (White’s Mountain) and have been treated like a real customer...how refreshing!

Lurking around here has been a tremendous education for me. I can’t wait to become a Hummer owner.

[HummerNewbie]

Congratulations Karl. Welcome to the waiting club. From what I have heard here on the forum, Medved is a terrible dealership to deal with.

[richk]

Wow how funny, I did the exact same thing! I bought mine from White's Mountain as well. I dealt with David Swanson. They treated me great! I drove up from Golden this past Saturday and picked mine up after waiting about a month. My wife and I both agree that it was the best new car buying experience we have had. And between the both of us we have bought at least 10 new vehicles. I'm sure you will have fun on their test track as well, I know we sure did.

If you go to their site you can print a $400 coupon after scheduling a test drive. And they honored the coupon for my H3. They also paid for my one way rental car for the drive up there.

[DarthKarl]

I dealt with Swanson too. It sure has been a better experience than the Denver folks. They didn't seem to give a hoot about selling me a H3. What a way to run a business!

I'm really looking forward to trying out White's Mt.'s track in a few weeks.

[GrimReaper]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">
I couldn’t get the Denver, Colorado Hummer dealership (Medved) to even call me back about some simple questions </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'm having the same problem with the Orlando dealer. It has been 10 days since I asked them to order my H3, and they still (as far as I know) have not placed the order. Repeated phone calls get no response. Earlier in the week I had tracked down the person who actually places the orders, and she somewhat annoyingly told me she would know on Thursday (yesterday) if GM would accept my order. She said that she had my phone number, and my understanding was that she would contact me Thursday and let me know if the order went through. She did not. This was after my salesman told me that the order was "probably already placed". When I called yesterday and again asked for the order entry person, the sales manager told me (via the receptionist) that I should be working through my salesman, but that he was off for the day. They would not let me talk to the order entry person. The only thing that they would tell me was that they would leave a message for my salesman. He hasn't returned any calls previously, and so I will be quite surprised to hear from him today.

I get better service when I am buying a $40 part for my Harley. I guess spending $40,000 just means that the dealer has to deal with one more pain in the ass customer. This seems to be an industry in which, unless you are writting a check at that very moment, you have no meaning or value as a potential or past customer. I have talked to three dealers now, and they all have taken my list of colors/options, and "tried to match it up as closely as possible" to something on the lot. Seems like, if I don't settle for something that I don't want off of their lot, then I'm not worth the time to them. Sorry for venting, but after ten days of being snubbed I still don't have a vehicle on order, and I can't get anyone to tell me whats going on. I started the order process with a second dealer yesterday, but after I faxed him the printout from the web site, I did not hear from him the rest of the day. He was going to "see what they had that was a close match" and then get right back to me after I faxed the order. Very very frustrating. I'm thinking about going to look at one of those Pathfinders that I don't really want.

[HummerNewbie]

Grim,

Sorry you are having so much trouble. As I recall, you are getting the Superior Blue right? That could be part of the problem. H3Builder posted a day or so ago that they have not started building them yet. Could have something to do with not being able to place the order. Call the dealer back and tell them you want to talk to the sales manager. Tell him the trouble you have had and that you know other customers of theirs are having trouble too and that the reputation is spreading. See if he will step up to the plate and get you some answers. Unfortunately, with so few Hummer dealerships, they really don't have to compete very often. Of course there is the exception to the rule and there are some great ones out there.

[GrimReaper]

HumNewb,
You warned me about these guys. I thought that you were wrong because they all had smiling faces when I went there. The problems started as soon as I left without driving something off of the lot.

Your right, the Superior Blue is probably the problem. The order entry person earlier this week said that niether of the blues could be ordered last week, but of course other people here say that they have Slate Blue on order, and some people claim that they are available on the lots (where are the pics??). I will hold out if it will only be another week or so, but if its going to me several months, I would consider changing colors. Problem is that I haven't been able to have this conversation with them. Today I am owed a return call from Orlando and Tampa dealers. I will wait until after lunch to see if they call before I pick up the phone again.

[HummerNewbie]

Grim,

You might just call and ask if your salesman is in. If they are, then wait an hour for them to call you, could have just gotten in. If after an hour has past, call and lay into them, or the sales manager, about the terrible service. I can understand if they do not have an answer yet but at least call you to tell you that they are working on it http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[HummerNewbie]

BTW, I was hoping I was wrong an it was just my sales guy. Wish I was wrong, I could always switch salesman http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[GrimReaper]

Well HNewbie, my saga with the Orlando dealership has come to an end. I finally got my first call back from them. It was the Sales Manager calling me and asking why I was bugging his people. He said that everything had already been explained to me and that I was "just not getting it". I said that nothing had been explained to me and not one of my four calls had been returned over the past ten days, even when the salesman told me that he would check on my order and call me back. The SM suggested that I was lying and he repeated several times that I was just not getting it. I told him to cancel my order and he said that was fine with him. What a horrible experience.

[HummerNewbie]

OMFG!!!!

I can not believe that. What is there F*cking problem. I am sorry that you have had such a terrible time with them. I really think it has to do with the fact that they have no competition within a two hour drive from here. The first time I stopped by, there was a guy there that was talking like he was gods gift to Hummers. Saying crap like how he started the whole Hummer Happenings events and that dealerships like Lynch learned from him. Maybe some or all of it was true but I think maybe their heads are too swollen. I don't know if you care to or if it would make any difference but I would consider calling Hummer and tell them about it. This dealership absolutely SUCKS!

[usetosellhummer]

That is the big problem with the Hummer dealer network. Most of the people working in them are with another product line in GM. they are not used to the type of buyer the Hummer brings. When i was the Hummer Mgr. at my deaership i had to fight all the time with uppper mgmt. They keep saying it's just a car sell it! But when i had the GM show up to one of my hummer Happenings, he got it. Just in time for the owner to sell the franchise for 1.2 million with little investment from him. GM has to pull Hummer far away from the older GM dealers and way of doing busniess. Go to Swell

[MxHonda]

Grim,
If you would like a referal to a great SM @ Coral Hummer, let me know. I know its 3 hours South of you, but they have done everything correctly.

[HummerJim]

Your experience is awful! When you spend that much money you expect more. I agree with you though, that Hummer buyers are not your typical kind of buyers. I place them in the Corvette/BMW category of buyer, knowing exactly want they want, crawling under the car before delivery (I did), looking it over with a much more critical eye, and very knowledgeable about the product. I'd talk with Sewell and Lynch Hummer on the phone. They both have outstanding customer relations and reputations. Lynch is strictly a Hummer dealer and everyone eats, sleeps, and talks the Hummer talk there. It might be worth the $200 ticket on Southwest to fly up for the day and talk to the one you like best in person.

[aggiehummer...er]

We have lots of blues on order, some of them should be arriving extremely soon, then the floodgates open in August, we'll be getting lots in. PM me if you have any questions, I'm glad to help.


Andy Luten
Sewell Hummer of Plano, TX

[gc2488]

Let's all make sure Hummer knows which dealers are
hurting their image. The people I have talked to
at the Hummer phone number (800)732-5493 have been
very good, and they called a dealer and got a response
for me in a situation similar to what has been
described here.

By contrast, it looks like Sewell Hummer is helping
the Hummer image -- Keep it up, Andy and others at Sewell,
thanks, and by the way: please post a message to this forum
once the manual transmission problems are resolved!
(I'm waiting until then.)

[Hummer Guy]

Manual transmissions are off constraint now...

-brian
(Sewell Hummer, Dallas)

[DarthKarl]

For the Denver dealership (Medved), Hummer is just one of a large number of other auto lines they sell. They seem to treat all of their customers the same - like cogs in a machine. When I went there to order a H3, I felt like I was buying a Pontiac Aztek for God's sake.

Hummer customers generally aren't typical car buyers. When I wised up and went to Casper, Wy, the sales staff were far more knowledgeable and excited about the Hummer line. It made the buying experience far more pleasant. They knew that there is something far different in a Hummer buyer.

[GrimReaper]

Thanks to all of you guys who have offered to help me out by having me visit your dealerships out of the state of Florida. Unfortunately, I am looking to trade my M3, and so I have to be able to drive to the dealership. I have already contacted the Tampa dealership, and he was adamant that he would get right to work on my order and let me know something immediately, and so I faxed him the printout from the Hummer web site. That was four days ago, and I have still not heard back from him. I guess he found that he did not have anything on the lot that he could sell right at that moment. I will try the Jaxonville dealer this week, and if they do not respond, I will start looking south at West Palm Beach and Coral Gables. I will be making lots of trips down that way over the coming months because of football season. Coral Gables sounds like it might be the ticket.

[HummerNewbie]

What is up with these damn dealerships http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif

Grim, you could also take your M3 to a CarMax and see what they will give you. I could be the same as you would get from the dealer you are buying from and then you could fly and buy if you wanted. I sold a car to them a couple of years ago and got top dollar without buying anything from them.

[GrimReaper]

Thanks for the info Newbie. There is a local Mercedes used car dealer here that is always looking for quality cars. He once told me that he would buy my car if I wanted to sell. He is my backup plan in case the Hummer dealer doesn't want to give me Kelly BB trade in value, but I'll definately check into CarMax too.

[usetosellhummer]

It's a rough game but you got play and play hard.

[HummerNewbie]

CarMax actually gave me the top figure that KBB said I should get for trade in. I was happy with that. Good luck.

[MxHonda]

This whole BMW and Hummer thing seems pretty common...My wife drives a 2003 330Ci in Steel Blue (no M3 for her) and I ordered the Slate Blue H3. From the pics posted earlier, I think they will be a near match in color. I chose not to use the West Palm Hummer dealer, even though they are 40 miles closer to me. They tried to hard sell me on existing/incoming stock and the "test drive" consisted of the salesman diving fast through a puddle between their parking lots. They were nice to talk to and did give me a brochure.