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I just about dropped the phone this morning when I was informed that they had found yet another problem with my car and this one is not covered by warranty. They estimate $1000 to fix it!
So far, in the three years I have owned this car I have had to replace a gear shift cable that snapped, a heater fan that died, have a burned valve and a piston replaced, and now they are saying that the ball joint is "loose" and needs to be replaced! That car is a 2007 and I bought it when it was one year old.
The gearshift cable got covered by my extended warranty because I fought Chrysler corporate about it. The heater fan was covered by my extended warranty, so I was able to deal with that. Both those repairs were done at my local dealership and they were (for the most part) painless enough except is is just a huge PITA to have car trouble. This most recent go-round, however, has moved this to an entirely new level...
Jan 3 we were about 200 miles from home visiting family. We'd filled the tank with gas and were getting on the highway to come home and the check engine light came on. I'd thought the car did sound like it was running rough, and we'd noticed decreased mileage on the trip there, so when the check engine light came on, I figured it was a bad plan to drive the car too far. After a debate, we decided to take it to the nearest Dodge/Chrysler dealership to get it checked out. We pulled in there about 1 in the afternoon.
The first diagnosis was a bad fuel injector. They had none in stock, could order the part and have the car done in three days. I explained that we were from 200 miles away and needed to get home. They offered to try some kind of super duper power wash thing on the fuel injector system and said it would cost about $300, but they couldn't guarantee that it would fix the problem. It was after I pulled out my checkbook and offered to pay them for the shop time to diagnose the problem that they suddenly thought about raiding the part from another Caliber that they had in dealer stock. Hubby and I decided that might be ok, and we said do it.
I call my local dealership (that I trust and know) and tell them I think I'm getting bent over and I want to know if they think it is safe to drive the car with the check engine light on. Based on what I tell them they are reluctant to tell me it is safe to drive 200 miles to get home.
At 4:30 in the afternoon they tell us that the problem is not solved, and that he car is not drivable. They say they suspect that there is a burned valve on the car. They will have to keep it to do further work. I start chewing my way up the food chain, and suddenly they produce a really nice Sebring (dealer car) for us to drive home. They tell us to come back on the following Saturday and the car will be fixed.
Thursday of that week they call and say that the car will not be ready by the weekend, just keep the dealer car one more week. When I press for answers, they admit that the burned valve was only part of the problem--that they thought they needed to replace a piston as well. They had ordered the part and it was not gonna arrive until midweek the next week. (Are you seeing a pattern here?)
Today, I call the dealership to see IF my car is done, and they tell me that the piston and valve are done, but that I need to know that the ball joint is loose and THAT will not be covered by my warranty. They estimate $1000 to fix the problem.
I told them I'd be bringing their car back on Saturday, and the I expect my car to be running and drivable. I'll take the car to the regular dealer to check that ball joint...
Now, the $64,000 questions:
Given how screwed up this mess has been, would YOU trust anything these guys say?
IF they are telling the truth does it seem like this car of mine is one huge freaking lemon?
WTF do I do? Do I unload that car on some other poor sod, or do I figure the worst is behind me and hang onto it?
I'd like to hear YOUR opinions!
Laura
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