My New $100K Sierra EV Arrived with a Door Dent, Dealer Says 'Wait for Another Dent' Before They'll Fix It

We were promised silent torque, chrome-delete minimalism, and enough digital horsepower to fry a Tesla’s CAN bus. The GMC Sierra EV, riding high on General Motors’ Ultium platform like a suburban war elephant, is the automaker’s all-electric salvo against the gas-guzzling past, a six-figure Denali designed to haul, flex, and whisper along the interstate in electrified grandeur. 

Powering the Future of Electric Trucks

The Ultium platform, GM’s billion-dollar bet on scalable EVs, has already spawned monsters like the GMC Hummer EV and Silverado EV, and soon the Cadillac Escalade IQ. The Sierra EV is meant to be the refined face of this tech revolution. But as one unfortunate buyer has learned, GM may have dragged its battery tech into the future, but it left its dealership experience languishing in the Jurassic era.

“I want your opinions. I pick up my Sierra EV two weeks ago from a dealer in Lakeland, Florida. Everything went well until I got home. I noticed a small dent in the drivers door inside lower rail near the Denali name. I called them and sent them a couple pictures of the dent, they never answered me back, so I stopped by, one of the managers came with the bodyshop man. I was told that it must happened in transport or from factory.

Then I was giving a pep talk in what it takes to get it fix and that they had to drill holes to make it look right or have it filled. After that they gave me two options, learn to live with it or that if I was to get another dent anywhere in the vehicle bring it back and they'll fix both for free. I rejected the offer because I am not looking around to get hit or hoping to get a new dent to have them both repaired, I paid close to $100k for this new truck. I also thought about that if I was to get another dent the'll probably filed an insurance claim. I am still waiting for a response from the big boss. I called GM they are no help at all I was told to take it with the dealer who sold me the vehicle. In the pictures you'll see my five year old dent free trade and the dent in the new truck. What do you guys think I should do next?”

That quote, posted by Franklin Paz in the GMC Sierra EV Group on Facebook, reads like a masterclass in frustration. A six-figure vehicle, a first impression marred by a dent, and a dealer who, rather than address the issue outright, offered the kind of back-alley compromise that belongs in a bad sitcom: wait until another dent appears, then we’ll fix both. It’s almost laughable, if it weren’t such a stark reminder that a premium badge and cutting-edge tech don’t always guarantee a premium experience. And therein lies the rub: GM is trying to sell the future, but its customers are still being treated like they're shopping for a fleet-spec work truck in 1993.

The GMC Sierra EV’s Troubled Dealer Experience

Unfortunately, Paz isn’t alone in this electric purgatory. Other owners chimed in with their own variations on this dealership dysfunction. Ryan Socal reported the same exact dent on his truck, but in a twist of dealership competence, his was repaired pre-delivery. Others, like Tim Radke, noted similar transit damage that dealers handled without drama. 

GMC Sierra EV Key Features: Innovation, Range & Versatility

• The GMC Sierra EV is built on General Motors' innovative Ultium Platform, which integrates the battery system directly into the vehicle's body structure. This integration enhances the truck's design flexibility and structural rigidity. ​
• Leveraging the Ultium Platform's modular battery architecture, the Sierra EV offers an impressive range of up to 400 miles on a single charge, providing drivers with extended driving capabilities. ​
• The Ultium Platform's versatility allows the Sierra EV to support various configurations and performance options, enabling GMC to cater to diverse customer needs and preferences.

But for every smooth handoff, there’s a story like Paz’s, ignored calls, passive-aggressive body shop advice, and corporate finger-pointing.

Some commenters, like one Erich CM, even turned the blame inward, suggesting Paz should have caught the dent at delivery. That may be practical advice, but it's also a damning indictment of how low the bar has been set for post-sale support in the legacy auto world.

The Sierra EV Dilemma

And that’s the point. This isn’t a flaw in the Sierra EV, it’s a flaw in the dealership experience. On paper, the truck is a revelation. Built on the Ultium platform, it boasts 754 horsepower, 785 lb-ft of torque, a projected 400-mile range, and tech features that would make a Silicon Valley product manager weep with envy. Four-wheel steering. Air suspension. Denali luxury. It’s all here. 

From Cutting-Edge Engineering to Customer Care

But none of it matters if the first interaction an owner has is a service manager treating them like they’ve just complained about a sticky cupholder. There’s a chasm between the excellence GM is building in its engineering labs and the mediocrity customers encounter at the point of sale.

And if GM doesn’t figure out how to bridge that gap, the competition certainly will. Tesla’s Cybertruck may be an alien wedge with the refinement of a kitchen appliance, but its sales and service model, direct, streamlined, and relatively free of middlemen, is increasingly attractive. Rivian’s R1T may not have GM’s brand heritage, but its digital-first ownership experience feels like it belongs in the same decade as the product it’s selling. If General Motors continues to deliver cutting-edge vehicles wrapped in outdated customer experiences, they’ll find themselves losing ground not on capability, but on trust.

What’s particularly maddening is that this should be the easy part. GM’s engineers already did the heavy lifting: they built a platform that works, a truck that performs, and a flagship that can go toe-to-toe with anyone. What’s left is a soft skill, a cultural shift. Customers paying $100K for a new truck shouldn't be playing detective at delivery or negotiating dent repairs like they're haggling at a flea market. The dealership experience should rise to meet the product it represents. Until then, GM risks letting something as trivial and as symbolic as a dent become the defining mark of its electric future.

Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.