Bob Yarem

Review of Jim Ellis Buick GMC

****Sorry for the wordiness I think the whole st...

****Sorry for the wordiness I think the whole story warrants telling.*****

I bought my 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 brand new in December 2018 from Jim Ellis GMC in Chamblee, Georgia. This truck has the L83 5.3L Gen-V small block V8 with the 8L90 eight-speed transmission. At the beginning of this week, I brought this truck back to Jim Ellis because it was having transmission issues - it was displaying a shake/shudder under light throttle at steady speed. At the same time it lost its firm shift going 1-2 or 2-1. Being an ASE certified mechanic trained by General Motors many, many years ago, I am 99% sure there s an issue involving either the torque converter or the planetary gearset. At 38,000 miles and a year and a half in, I d be severely disappointed if there was a mechanical transmission problem.

So I go in and tell the service advisor about what s happening and wait to see what they come up with. In the meantime, I discover there s a Technical Service Bulletin (18-NA-355) that addresses this very issue. So now, I am VERY curious as to what the dealership comes up with.

Here s the important part of the story: the service advisor, Tim Brown, did everything right. From the moment I showed up at 7:00 in the morning to the time I picked it up, he was I. Constant communication with me. Very professional, very efficient, but mostly very honest. He explained that there was an issue with these transmissions and it s something GM has addressed.

So here s the point: it s hard to find that level of honesty sometimes especially when dealing with a known problem or a well-documented problem like this. And it s even harder to find a group such as Jim Ellis that can practice that kind of honesty.

Well done, Tim Brown and the Jim Ellis team!!! I walk away being a bit disappointed in GM, but absolutely thankful for your team!!