Hummer Happening RIP OFF DAMAGE

[MisterE]

I went to the Michigan Hummer Happening last weekend and I had what I thought was a good time. We had gone through a lot of deep puddles and my battery light came on, hmm. Checked with the guys hosting the event..no biggy just a wet belt or connection don't worry it will drive out. Got 10 miles into the hour drive home my vehicle drive, had to have it flat bedded to the dealer $75. Today bill for $500.00 for new alternator. Heard that the 3 participating dealers have already had 5 H3 and 1 H2 in with same problem because the event hosts took us through too deep of water, and of course not under warranty!

Hey, I'm all up for fun and I know I signed a disclaimer \ waiver but lets get real. Isn't the REAL intent of that if I slide into a tree or do something wrong and damage my vehicle. Not when I am in the middle of one way line of 30 trucks going through a trail and they (a HUMMER EVENT) are telling me to cross this water it is OK?? If I was the only truck I wouldn't be complaining too much, but 5-6 trucks on Monday AM since Saturday, GM get real? Your guys messed up big time, scouted in appropriate trails too deep for your vehicles and now you don't want to admit it!

Fix the problem!! If I would have slammed \ slid into a tree I would have paid to fix it out of my pocket no complaints...but this...UNFAIR! I couldn't have turned around if I wanted to.

I am ticked off!

[NEOCON1]

thats sucks , if you keep complaining enough they might step up , see if you can get a GM regional rep on the phone and explain it to him . hope you get a better outcome than with the dealer

[RubHer Yellow Ducky]

Originally Posted by MisterE

I went to the Michigan Hummer Happening last weekend and I had what I thought was a good time. We had gone through a lot of deep puddles and my battery light came on, hmm. Checked with the guys hosting the event..no biggy just a wet belt or connection don't worry it will drive out. Got 10 miles into the hour drive home my vehicle drive, had to have it flat bedded to the dealer $75. Today bill for $500.00 for new alternator. Heard that the 3 participating dealers have already had 5 H3 and 1 H2 in with same problem because the event hosts took us through too deep of water, and of course not under warranty!

Hey, I'm all up for fun and I know I signed a disclaimer \ waiver but lets get real. Isn't the REAL intent of that if I slide into a tree or do something wrong and damage my vehicle. Not when I am in the middle of one way line of 30 trucks going through a trail and they (a HUMMER EVENT) are telling me to cross this water it is OK?? If I was the only truck I wouldn't be complaining too much, but 5-6 trucks on Monday AM since Saturday, GM get real? Your guys messed up big time, scouted in appropriate trails too deep for your vehicles and now you don't want to admit it!

Fix the problem!! If I would have slammed \ slid into a tree I would have paid to fix it out of my pocket no complaints...but this...UNFAIR! I couldn't have turned around if I wanted to.

I am ticked off!

I think a dealer or 2 or 3 and a manufacturer may have screwed up !!

YOU THINK...

Please keep us informed

RYD

[f5fstop]

Originally Posted by MisterE

I went to the Michigan Hummer Happening last weekend and I had what I thought was a good time. We had gone through a lot of deep puddles and my battery light came on, hmm. Checked with the guys hosting the event..no biggy just a wet belt or connection don't worry it will drive out. Got 10 miles into the hour drive home my vehicle drive, had to have it flat bedded to the dealer $75. Today bill for $500.00 for new alternator. Heard that the 3 participating dealers have already had 5 H3 and 1 H2 in with same problem because the event hosts took us through too deep of water, and of course not under warranty!

Hey, I'm all up for fun and I know I signed a disclaimer \ waiver but lets get real. Isn't the REAL intent of that if I slide into a tree or do something wrong and damage my vehicle. Not when I am in the middle of one way line of 30 trucks going through a trail and they (a HUMMER EVENT) are telling me to cross this water it is OK?? If I was the only truck I wouldn't be complaining too much, but 5-6 trucks on Monday AM since Saturday, GM get real? Your guys messed up big time, scouted in appropriate trails too deep for your vehicles and now you don't want to admit it!

Fix the problem!! If I would have slammed \ slid into a tree I would have paid to fix it out of my pocket no complaints...but this...UNFAIR! I couldn't have turned around if I wanted to.

I am ticked off!

Was the Hummer Happening sponsored by GM or the dealers? Most are dealer sponsored, so stop blaming GM. If GM sponsored it, blame GM.

I would contact the dealer and find the other five vehicle owners and write a serious letter to the sponsoring dealers. If that didn't work, sue 'em in small claims court. I would be mad too, but I would make sure I blame the right entitiy first.

If GM actually sponsored the event and not the dealers, contact GM customer assistance and bitch at them.

[HummBebe]

Agreed, if it was a HUMMER Dealer HUMMER Happening, you most likely signed a damage waiver when you registered. Check into it.

Still a bummer tho.

[bjc]

It's funny this doesn't come up more often (maybe it does and people just don't write about it here). The Dealer sponsored Hummer Happenings I've attended have been chock full of what, in my mind, constitutes 'negligent' behavior including:

Terrible spotting / line recommendation
Advice as to the proper selection of 4-low / 4-Hi / Locker
Poor construction / maintenance of obstacles

I stay (far) away now, because you're right - they're more interested in just getting everybody through and keeping the line moving so that tempers don't start to flare. My advice to anyone new to the off road scene would be to go out with a small group where you've got at least one seasoned vet to show you the ropes and help you protect your truck. If you want to go to a Hummer Happening, get there early, eat the lunch, then leave before you end up with damage you didn't bargain for.

I would definitely write your dealer a complaint letter.

[MisterE]

Well, my dealer is saying that they didn't sponser this event but I did contact them and they were the ones that told me about the event and told me how to register... This is my first my Hummer I honestly didn't know the difference (as far as dealer sponsered vs non dealer sponsered) but they sure didn't say they were not sponsering it during our emails and they DID have a vehicle there.

My service guy who is cool said he would state the altenator was exposed to deep of water etc in court when I said I wanted to sue in Hummer Happening but what I am having trouble doing is A getting in touch with someone who will tell me 1. Who to locally to serve I did sign a waiver but where did it go? 2. While this wasn't dealer sponsered they obviously were not totally clueless they had to know these folks somehow who worked with them? so I can get in touch with someone to serve them?

Any ideas how to get this idea?

Sorry that I was quick to blame GM, but I was under the impression that these events were much more closely tied together with dealerships and such. However, when they said the GM Rep would denied the warranty claim based on all the information I provided I still beleive it is terrible PR on GM's part, make the customer happy work with the Dealer and Hummer Happening on fault behind the scenes.

I still LOVE my HUMMER think it is a GREAT vehicle I'm just saying I can do things that void the warranty all on my own with out waiting in a line of 50+ trucks! I went to this because EXPERTS were there to guide me along the way.

PS

I have been to the Sand Dunes many times and avoided the deep water all on my own

Sorry, I think my bitch fest is over..

[BlueHUMMERH2]

I have seen salesmen trash used Hummers at Happenings. Then everyone follows and does the same thing. Probably not good. I think bjc is very correct in his assesment. Spotting can be very bad, and damage is likely if you're not being sensible. There's a certain local dealer who I know says the H3 steps can stay on but not the H2 steps because the H3 chrome steps "don't hang lower than the frame". When I was there last, they had a "new" H3 in the showroom that had a bent tube step on it. I don't know if they just didn't see this or what. But whatever. I try to stay far, far away from the dealership.

[DDWH]

Originally Posted by MisterE

I know I signed a disclaimer \ waiver.

Their disclaimer/waiver means jack shit....signed or not!!!!!!!!! Tell them to take care of your stuff or take them to small claims!!!!!!!!!!!

[whaaaaT]

i seen this happen at my hummer event. Someones battery light came on and then they were stuck on the side of the road on the way home. Its kinda wierd. I dont understand. I've actually had to spray water into my alternator to get mud out of it and it doesnt short out. I actually dont even care when i wash the engine and spray it anyway. Its fine. how come yours broke?

[dеiтайожни]

Originally Posted by DDWH

Their disclaimer/waiver means jack shit....signed or not!!!!!!!!!

It means even less when you sign your name, Robert De Niro. And even less if you aren't him!

[2xtreme]

who was the dealer who spondored the event?

[Huck BB62]

So what's happening to the alternator? I've had mine REALLY deep and nothing happened.

[MisterE]

Well,

My Dealer is Suburban Hummer of Troy and they are working with GM on behalf at this point. Other dealers were Hummer of Novi and Friendly Hummer of Detroit. Apparently they were very loosely involved with the event it was actually put on by GMRWorks and from what I can tell they are disappointed that have customers who damaged their vehicles at the event.

Please note I sense I may pursue legal action I can not comment for anyone at my local dealership but this is what I am gathering but I AM PLEASED with their actions thus far.

As far as the altenator I was told it had internally shorted out, it was indeed caked with mud and had (from what I inspected) been submerged in water. The battery also had been replaced, internal short, and had seal failure but GM did fix under warranty as they say it is a sealed battery.

As far as the altenator I was told it can be exposed to water such as splash running through say 10" of water at speed and perhaps even submerged briefly but we were fully submerged several times for several minutes at time.

Since GM was off today to vote should have an update for you tomorrow.

Thanks for all your posts!

[MisterE]

BTW

The Expert Guides did mention that often times their trails were set up man made on soccer fields in Miami because they couldn't get into the wilderness. I have no problem with Miami, but I DO HAVE A PROBLEM with an EXPERT guide if their time is on man made trails. Hell if I know exactly what every obstical is I can drive it w\o worry.

[RubHer Yellow Ducky]

Originally Posted by MisterE

BTW

The Expert Guides did mention that often times their trails were set up man made on soccer fields in Miami because they couldn't get into the wilderness. I have no problem with Miami, but I DO HAVE A PROBLEM with an EXPERT guide if their time is on man made trails. Hell if I know exactly what every obstical is I can drive it w\o worry.

Theres an event schedualed for Miami this month that I'm trying to get invited too (didn't buy from that dealer)...

Now I have doubts about going, even if it is a set up (man made) run.

RYD (2nd oldest)

[SR1355]

I was at same event but with a smaller group, we had the H1 with us. I could tell that the guys running the event didn't have a clue. They went to recover an H3 and we're using 1" nylon webbing (not tow strap) and some 1/4" oval lcok rings. We let them use a 3" toe strap and proper hardware. Hummers stuck all over the place, to be expected, but to also have this many damaged vehicles with the same problem is not acceptable.

[2xtreme]

Well now I'm pissed off, I bought my H3 from hummer of Novi and I didn't receive any notification of the event. Not that it's a bad thing considering all the carnage I'm hearing of. Although I would have liked to see Rick, Dennis and some of the others I have wheeled with in the past year of so. Last years hummer happening at pine knob with the same dealers was a lot more organized (from the sounds of this one). I am sorry to hear of all the damage that occurred, but hope it doesn't detour you from wheeling your trucks.

[Agriv8r]

not all dealer sponsored events are bad. we have had three trucks damaged all due to owners being over confident in their skills and not following instructions of the spotters. this is over a 4 year period. we run the trails with our cars long before the owners, modify what needs to be modified and then run them again the morning of the event. hope you to get your rig fixed, i would like to believe if it was our fault we would stand behind it, but have not had to make that decision. good luck

[HUMMJAY]

Hi folks, I work at Friendly HUMMER. I am a product manager there, and all I can say is this whole thing is a real shame. The Mounds was by far the best venue to date for our local HUMMER Haps'. Unfortunately, all the event planners seemed to achieve was to create a whole group of people who will never wheel' their trucks again. I had gone on my own to the Mounds the week before the event to do a "dry run," and I knew the possible problems that we might face when we got there. When we first got there at 10 am, I introduced myself to the guys running the show, explained that I had been there the week before, and expressed my concerns about the condition of the park. They informed me that they had spent the whole day prior running the park and there would be no problems. They then quietly escorted me to the end of the line.
Friendly HUMMER has spent thousands of dollars sending me to driving schools in Indiana, Arazona, and Navada to be instructed by people with thousands of practice hours under their belt including Rod Hall. Every time I cought up with the pack I could not belive my eyes to see what these event planners had taken you through and the lack of guidance while running the trails... forget about your alternaters. Its amazing that no one was hurt and that, for the most part, we all drove away. You can't lead 30 trucks down a trail and expect that people beyond the fifth truck back can follow your instructions.
Now, I told my customers what we were in for, and they insisted that they be moved to the back of the line so that they could follow me through the rough spots. If you want to be upset with your dealers, ask them where their product managers were, because they could have helped you out a lot. But in my opinion, the event planners (who maybe had 50 hrs of off-road experience between them) are the guys you should be pissed at. Thank your lucky stars you got out with just a fried alternator.