Warranty Advice Needed
12-20-2006, 12:06 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: 05-05-2006
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Posts: 18
Warranty Advice Needed
I bought my HHR in February of '06, and have had nothing but problems with it ever since. It's been in the shop for one thing or another at least once a month since I bought it, and it was even in the shop for 37 consecutive days at one point.
None, not a single one, of the problems that I've taken the car into the shop for are from wear and tear - only manufacturer defect and overall poor build quality. I'm worried that once the warranty expires I'll be forced to pay for these problems to be repaired.
The car has the 30,000 mile warranty. I just passed 17k miles, and I'm starting to wonder what I should do about a warranty post-30k miles.
Ideally, because all of my problems with the vehicle have been the fault of the manufacturer, I believe that Chevy or the dealership should extend my warranty to 60k miles at no charge. I should not be forced to pay to have problems fixed that should not have been there to begin with.
The only other option I'm left with is to buy an extended warranty from the dealership at a ridiculous price, or go to another warranty service.
What would you do in this situation?
None, not a single one, of the problems that I've taken the car into the shop for are from wear and tear - only manufacturer defect and overall poor build quality. I'm worried that once the warranty expires I'll be forced to pay for these problems to be repaired.
The car has the 30,000 mile warranty. I just passed 17k miles, and I'm starting to wonder what I should do about a warranty post-30k miles.
Ideally, because all of my problems with the vehicle have been the fault of the manufacturer, I believe that Chevy or the dealership should extend my warranty to 60k miles at no charge. I should not be forced to pay to have problems fixed that should not have been there to begin with.
The only other option I'm left with is to buy an extended warranty from the dealership at a ridiculous price, or go to another warranty service.
What would you do in this situation?
12-20-2006, 12:22 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: 01-13-2006
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 1,059
I would complain to Chevy Customer service and tell them just what you told us and tell them in light of your situation that you should recieve an extended warranty to at least 60k for free if not then next to nothing. Your problem sounds horrible. I wouldn't have lasted 17k miles! My fiero was in the shop twice for the axles and both times it was there for almost a month. I told them to keep the car the 3rd time. I'm just not sure why you haven't tried getting another HHR? Did you buy this one with a few miles on it or brand new with 0? Hope your problem gets rectified!
12-21-2006, 09:14 AM
#4
Banned
Join Date: 10-24-2006
Location: The Show-Me State
Posts: 1,761
Actually, your car has a 36,000 mile warranty, so chill, you're not even halfway through it.
My advice: trade the car in. Whatever you get from a buyback offer isn't going to cover the full value of the car and I think you already hate the car as it is now. Why keep something you're never going to be satisfied with?
BTW, what kind of problems have you been having?
My advice: trade the car in. Whatever you get from a buyback offer isn't going to cover the full value of the car and I think you already hate the car as it is now. Why keep something you're never going to be satisfied with?
BTW, what kind of problems have you been having?
12-21-2006, 10:22 AM
#6
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Join Date: 05-05-2006
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Posts: 18
It had been in the shop three times for an "Engine Power Reduced" warning. The problem was never technically fixed, it just stopped happening. The dealership could never replicate the problem, and it seemed to magically fix itself.
It's also been in the shop for warped rotors, a defective door latch, the rear bumper becoming misaligned, various rattles and creaks, and it's going in next week to have the power window motors in the two rear doors replaced, the ignition does not like to let me have the key from time to time when I turn the car off, there is a wonderful 'clunk' coming from the front end when I go over bumps (entering a parking lot, going over speed bumps, etc.), the guides in the front doors are scratching the windows when I roll them down, and there's something else that I'm forgetting at the moment.
I'd LOVE to trade the car in, but it's high mileage and has a pretty significant dent in the side from where some ***** hit me in a parking lot. The Blue Book value at 11,000 miles was about 17-18k, which is well below what I owe on this car. I would unfortunately be rolling over a fairly hefty amount onto any subsequent loan. Sitting at 17k means that I'll get significantly less.
Buying this car was a huge mistake on several levels.
It's also been in the shop for warped rotors, a defective door latch, the rear bumper becoming misaligned, various rattles and creaks, and it's going in next week to have the power window motors in the two rear doors replaced, the ignition does not like to let me have the key from time to time when I turn the car off, there is a wonderful 'clunk' coming from the front end when I go over bumps (entering a parking lot, going over speed bumps, etc.), the guides in the front doors are scratching the windows when I roll them down, and there's something else that I'm forgetting at the moment.
I'd LOVE to trade the car in, but it's high mileage and has a pretty significant dent in the side from where some ***** hit me in a parking lot. The Blue Book value at 11,000 miles was about 17-18k, which is well below what I owe on this car. I would unfortunately be rolling over a fairly hefty amount onto any subsequent loan. Sitting at 17k means that I'll get significantly less.
Buying this car was a huge mistake on several levels.
12-21-2006, 12:42 PM
#8
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Thread Starter
Join Date: 05-05-2006
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Posts: 18
The lemon law in my state says that I have to give them a "reasonable amount of attempts (usually four) to fix the problem." I've taken it in three times for this problem and it hasn't happened again. Next time, though, I'll qualify.
Also, the problems with the car have to render it inoperable. Clunking from the front end, rattling on the interior, windows being scratched, etc. do not make the car inoperable.
Also, the problems with the car have to render it inoperable. Clunking from the front end, rattling on the interior, windows being scratched, etc. do not make the car inoperable.
12-21-2006, 05:22 PM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: 07-21-2006
Location: Ft Walton Bch FL
Posts: 1,708
They may have disconnected the sensor that gave you the message. That will keep the problem from qualifying for the lemon law. Check your paperwork to see exactly what they did.
Last resort is to call the Zone Office and complain. It worked for me a few years ago.
Last resort is to call the Zone Office and complain. It worked for me a few years ago.
12-21-2006, 05:36 PM
#10
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Join Date: 04-30-2006
Location: Maryland Heights, MO
Posts: 9,149
Originally Posted by lopper
The lemon law in my state says that I have to give them a "reasonable amount of attempts (usually four) to fix the problem." I've taken it in three times for this problem and it hasn't happened again. Next time, though, I'll qualify.
Also, the problems with the car have to render it inoperable. Clunking from the front end, rattling on the interior, windows being scratched, etc. do not make the car inoperable.
Also, the problems with the car have to render it inoperable. Clunking from the front end, rattling on the interior, windows being scratched, etc. do not make the car inoperable.