Having worked as a Chevy dealer line tech 18+yrs [retired] .looking at your repairs looks like the techs are the ones causing the oil leaks ! !
Seatbelt sensor, headgasket, belt tensioner. are GM's [belt tensioner] What happened to that? was it bad before the head repair or started after the head was done.
You do have some problems with the dealer

 

[quote=bdubsee]You may have issues because you bought it using GMS. There is a mandatory arbitration clause attached to the discount. You may want to look at this and decide if it is time to start the arbitration.


Your very right on that one. I looked myself and found the same thing. Though I am forced to go to arbitration, that does not mean that I can not have a lawyer do my talking for me. It just means I can not file a law suit against GM without first going through arbitration. I am going to get a lot further if I don't try to represent myself.

 

As for the belt tensioner replacement, when they have to pull the tensioner, they must replace it with a new one according to the the book. No idea why, just what GM recommends on that part. Even if it is the dealer that I need to be focusing on, the main problem is I will never be able to sell this car without getting sued for not disclosing the problems it has had. If I do disclose them, who in the right mind would buy a car with all this on the previous history. If I trade the car in, I will loose money right off the bat because I have only made 3 payments on it and I owe way more than it's worth at the moment. If I can do anything it will be getting a substituion of collateral.

 

The only thing you have to disclose is accident history if a police report was filed or if the vehicle was salvaged or flood damaged. Sounds like they didn't torque that new head down correctly and warped it, so it prolly needs another tear down.

The only problem you're going to have is that with the GMS discount you have to keep the car for like, 6 months before you can transfer it. Here's what I would do:

1. Drive it as little as possible to keep the mileage under 1,000 a month
2. Make double payments to reduce your negative equity over the next few months
3. Clean up the engine and take it to Carmax in three months and sell the sucker off

 

As far as disclosure goes, in CA, you can get sued for just about anything, very easily. I would rather not take the chance of lying to someone just to get rid of the car. Not to mention I am not a mean enough person to try to pawn the car off on some unsuspecting sucker.
If I was able to make double payments, I still would not want to. The deal is for 0% for 72m, and sinking money into it just doesn't seem smart just to get rid of it sooner.
GM is more than likely going to offer a substitution of collateral and I will just take that. At least at that point, I know I can sell that car when the time comes without having to lie about anything to the next owner. At the moment, the ball is in GM's court and I just have to wait to see what happens.
The lemon law lawyer I have spoken to said that was a good chance that GM would either buy the car back or give me another one, it would be my choice at that point. I just don't like the idea of having a lawyer in the first place, and I am not going to retain one unless I am out of options and have no way to settle this on my own. Consultation is free.
The car is at the dealer right now getting fixed, I am sure they will fix the problem, and then I will deal with GM from this point on.

 

Sounds like a good plan. My problem with things like this is my emotiona not making the matter worse. Sounds like you've done your homework and now just have to see it through.

 

I have had to be very careful of making the distinction between what I want and what I need to do. I have some grandiose ideas and they can get the best of me when I am not paying attention.

 

as they say, "you're preaching to the choir"

 

Without going through arbitration and dragging my family through the mud, it looks like I am going to be stuck with the extended warranty and protection plan.
Nothing like having a car that keeps having problems with a longer warranty.

 

Please don't take this wrong, I do know what a pain in the neck it is to go through the repairs you have, and the aggravation, but as kindly as I can put this, I don't mean it harshly, I think you have a bit of an over reaction here. And believe me no one over reacts more than me :). But I calm it all down eventually.

I personally do NOT think the problems you have had warrant the lemon law nor a lawyer and if I were the arrbitrator I would not totally side with your view..but that said..I would hammer the dealer.

You say the crappy car, the crappy GM parts, etc., etc. Welp, there are what, how many tens of thousands of HHR's out there running around and they are not having the gasket/leak problems you have..so it is not likely crappy gaskets, etc..it is a crappy mechanic/dealer.

Second, the lemon law is not so easy as to simply say four chances (here in new york it is 4 chances) to fix a problem within a year and then they must take the car back. The car must have less than 18000 miles on it. The problem must lessen the value of the car (not just be a pain in the neck). Here is the wording:
If, within the period specified in subdivision (b) of this section (4 tries in new york), the manufacturer or its agents or authorized dealers are unable to repair or correct any defect or condition which substantially impairs the value of the motor vehicle to the consumer after a reasonable number of attempts, the manufacturer, at the option of the consumer, shall replace the motor vehicle with a comparable motor vehicle, or accept return of the vehicle from the consumer and refund to the consumer the full purchase price or, if applicable, the lease price and any trade-in allowance plus fees and charges. Any return of a motor vehicle may, at the option of the consumer, be made to the dealer or other authorized agent of the manufacturer who sold such vehicle .

That is where so many dealers win out (even though they should not), they will say that this does NOT devalue your car. You say it does, that you will not be able to sell the car because you have to disclose it had an oil leak/etc..here in new york we have no such disclosure other than body damage, not mechanical.

My advice, for what it is worth to you, take it to another dealer..this should be something easily fixed in one try by someone reputable.

I will relate to you a similar situation I had on a Grand Prix (and my father had the same year/model GRand prix and had same problem). There was an oil leak around the pan. We both had it in three times each for the dealer to fix. They honestly did their best...trying new gaskets, sealers, different mechanics..just could not stop it..after xxx miles it would start to leak. Finally a TSB came out from Pontiac (after we had this problem for a couple of months). Turns out there was a bunch of pans manufactured not up to specs..they shipped out new pans, was replaced one visit, never a problem again.

Call GM (they have a number on the website and in your owners manual). Tell them the problem, calmly, and/or ask at your dealer to see the local area representative (a GM rep who travels from dealer to dealer to solve such problems) on his next visit. I bet you you will get instant gratification from the dealer rep..give it a try.