GXP Maintenence - where?
 

I have a new GXP with 7000 miles on it (since June '04).

It's due for an oil change (well, overdue IMHO, but system monitor says 30% oil life)

It also has a few problems:

1. Driver door speaker is either loose or blown. Rattles on base freqs. I've never cranked the volume past 3-4 bars so I think something is just loose.
2. HUD sometimes shakes on LA's sh*t freeways, I think it's loose
3. Driver door has another small but annoying rattle
4. There is some cable harness hanging too low just over the gas pedal, I often bump it making me nervous.
5. The passanger side-view mirror often points 'down' when unlocking the car with keychain remote. I have to lock and unlock a couple times to get it to go back to my saved orientation.


The problem is, where can I take it to get these fixed? I live in Santa Clarita, CA and am not thrilled with the local GM dealer (Parkway - had bad sales experience with them and bad service experiences with others in that "Auto Mall"). Plus, they may not have much experience with GXP/Northstar. I do NOT want to get into the "theres a strange new problem 3 weeks after each visit to the service center" mode.

Rattles drive me nuts so I want to be sure that whoever fixes the speaker (i.e. pulls the door apart) does it right to elliminate the rattles, not create a dozen new ones that will make me hate driving the car!

I bought the car in Ventura since they were the closest dealer that had one (and I mean ONE!) when I decided to buy. They seemed really good, but it's too far to drive (50-60 miles) for normal maintenence.

Can/should I take it to a Cadillac dealer? Will they treat it better than a Pontiac dealer?

Does anyone know a good/reliable/trustworthy GM service center in my area?

sigh. I hate the thought of shady service depts screwing up (intentionally or otherwise) my new GXP and causing repeated service visits :cry:

any thoughts/recommendations appreciated...

I see from reading the VW Touareg FAQ that my item #5 below is "as designed." :oops: The Touareg also has this feature.

When placing the car in reverse, the passanger mirror angles downward to give you a better view of the curb. As soon as you start to drive in forward, it moves back to your saved position.

Pretty cool feature if you know about it!

Which brings up a point - is there a GXP FAQ anywhere? That VW Touareg site has a nice FAQ compiled from users posts that has all kinds of neat "tips & tricks", undocumented features etc.

Coyote, the bouncing HUD has been a problem on the GXP's. Do a search in the GXP section here for 'HUD'. When you have that (trust me, read it first), go back to your dealer and have all that work done under warranty. Stick to it until you're satisfied, and let us know if you have problems with them.

The last GXP Hud issue was a tough one, but we got it done. You'll see what I mean when you read it. I just drove a 2005 GXP last week, and it also had the problem, but it is fixable.

How much is too much?
 

My HUD vibrates at high speeds and on the crappy central Florida highways. The problem is my windshield mounted radar detector vibrates at about the same time. So my question is, what is a realistic expectation of stability for the HUD? Should it be rock solid or is it reasonable to assume that high speeds on not so smooth surfaces should cause a little vibration? I am caught in the service loop that says mine is fine.

On another note... My gas door is missing the gas cap hanger. The only other GXP on the lot is missing the hanger as well. Can any of the other GXP owners take a pic of their gas cap hanger so I can show it to the dealer for repair? They told me the replacement they ordered was missing the hanger as well and it is not broken out as a separate part in the parts list.

Thanks

Yeah, I'm nervous about complaining about the HUD - once they pull the dash open, it will rattle and shake, I just know it :( How was the repair? I'll go read the posts.

chuckwi11 - your pic is my car exactly (except I also have heated seats - like I need those in the socal desert! LOL). It's beautiful !

I joined the gmlink "mygm" thing. They don't whoe any recalls for the GPX, but have there been many/any TSB (service bullitens?) Anyone have a list?

I'd like to know what to expect for my first service - and what to request in teems of TSBs...

So no takers on service/maintence advice?

Anyone in the Los Angeles area that has a dealer/service center they trust?

Coyote,

The mirrors angling down is a programmable feature through the information center. You can turn it off if you like. I hate it because I'm rarely parked next to a curb. The owners manual and the quick start insert that came with the car explain how to modify this and the other features.

Update:

Last Monday I took the car in for service to Rydel in San Fernando, CA.

Standard 7500 mile service (oil, filter, tire rotation). Great price ($20 cheaper than the local dealer in Santa Clarita!)

Had HUD tension bar tightened (to try and resolve the HUD display bouncing on bumpy roads). - appears to have worked.

They ordered the replacement speaker for the drivers door (blown speaker).

Got a card in the mail Saturday that speaker is in. Driving into work this morning, getting ready to call dealer to schedule speaker replacement and what the - my speedometer just went to 0. HUD speed at zero too. Reset trip meter - no miles accumulating and I'm doing 70-75mph on the highway.

&%$#

SO I have to wonder.

Paranoid response: They unplugged the speedometer during service and took my shiny new GXP for a "test ride" (svc guy was wet w/excitement: first GXP they had seen in service).

Angry response: The incompetent tech tightening the HUD F*'ed up the speedometer cable/wiring.

Unlikely response; It was sheer coincidence.

sigh. Self fulfilling prophesy? Did my disgust and mistrust of dealeship/service dept's cause a failure?

At an offramp, I put car in park, turned off, restarted and the speedometer is working again. Great. Intermittent problems are always fun to find - and cause lots of service visits (hey, warranty $$ for dealer! hmmmm...).

:x

sounds like an electrical gremiln that effected the hud and the speedo almost like the VSS didnt pick up anything or register, that is weird. did the tach work properly?

A GOOD DEALERSHIP TO TRY
 

If you live in Santa Clarita maybe you could call Rally Chevy in Palmdale CA its about 30 mins north of you. I have had 5 GM cars in the last 6 yrs and Rally has taken great care of all of them. Most recent was a 2002 camaro ss with SLP package and they took great care of it even with major warranty problems. Next time try calling Rob Sowinsky in the service dept. he is great with my new GXP. their number is 661-947-6000