I ended up at Hart Chevrolet when my 2023 Chevrolet Blazer suddenly stalled during a road trip from…read moreCalifornia to Kansas. I was towed to Dalhart, TX, and was relieved to find there was a Chevrolet dealership in such a small town.
I arrived about 45 minutes before closing, and in hindsight, that may have contributed to my experience. Unfortunately, I didn't feel that anyone seemed particularly concerned about the situation my family and I were in.
My first interaction was with Lori in the service department. I explained that my Blazer, with fewer than 40,000 miles, had suddenly begun slipping and shifting harshly, the transmission warning light had come on, and the vehicle was rapidly losing power. Given the vehicle's age and mileage, this was completely unexpected.
I asked about transportation options, including a loaner vehicle, but none was offered. Instead, I was directed to a nearby hotel that provides a stranded traveler discount. For anyone unfamiliar with Dalhart, there are no rental car agencies or rideshare services in town. When I asked where I could rent a vehicle, I was told Amarillo--roughly 90 miles away.
After taking my information, Lori explained that they likely wouldn't even be able to inspect my vehicle until the following week. She also said it appeared to be a major repair that would be expensive and could take several days. Since they were closing, I was told to unload my belongings, figure out my next steps, and leave my keys in the overnight drop box.
As a result, my husband, my autistic daughter, and I walked to the hotel in 80-95 degree weather with all of our luggage and personal belongings. I had hoped the dealership might offer a short shuttle ride given our circumstances, but that wasn't available.
The following week, I called for an update and was told that parts had been ordered and could take a week or longer to arrive. At that point, the estimated repair timeline was approximately two weeks, leaving me effectively stranded in Kansas while waiting for updates.
It wasn't until nearly two weeks later that I learned, through my own research, that GM offers several programs for customers stranded by warranty repairs, including limited reimbursement for rental cars, hotels, and meals. They can also arrange to transport your repaired vehicle back to your home so you don't have to remain near the dealership. I opened a case directly with GM and began working with them. I wish someone at Hart Chevrolet had informed me of these programs from the beginning, as it would have made a difficult situation much easier to manage. I also learned that GM sometimes had difficulty obtaining timely updates from the dealership.
In the end, my vehicle wasn't returned to me for seven weeks. During that time, the updates I received were generally limited to "we're still waiting on parts," "we're hoping to start it next week," or "we're waiting on a special tool." It wasn't until later that I was informed several parts were on backorder.
I understand that supply chain issues and backordered parts are outside the dealership's control. My disappointment isn't with the length of the repair itself--it's with the lack of communication, guidance, and empathy shown throughout the process. Being stranded hundreds of miles from home with my family was incredibly stressful, and I felt like we were largely left to figure everything out on our own.
I sincerely hope others have a better experience than we did.
