New Car Purchase

[zybysco]

So, long story short.

I live in Chattanooga and have been looking for a new Wrangler. I finally found exactly what I wanted at a dealership in Birmingham, Alabama. I got a check from my credit union and headed down there on 4.9.16.

My experience at the dealership wasn't the best during the negotiation process, but that is a different dicussion. I bought the Jeep and started the two hour drive home. Stopped at a rest area 40 miles later to have the tie rod fall off. It was towed to the nearest dealership where the tie rod, wheel, and tire are being replaced. There is a chance I will get it back this week. It is supposed to be delivered to me.

I've called Jeep customer service. They say they are going to do something for me, but that was a week ago. I'm still waiting to hear their offer. I still want the Jeep as it is exactly what I wanted. However, I feel I deserve some compensation.

Thoughts?

[Ugly]

Wow, that sucks!

My thoughts? American automobile manufacturers have become jobs programs that put employee above product. (Unions)

I've got a Dodge Ram, two Harley's and am unimpressed with the effort of value.

Back to your deal, you should be repaired for free of course and hopefully compensated for extra charges incurred due to someone's incompetence

Sad state of affairs for our country.

[WindHawk]

Sounds like you're luck to be uninjured and posting on TGO.  A critical part of the steering system fell off a new vehicle after 40 miles of use??  Great advertisement for Jeep products.  Personally, I'd be expecting some significant action from the manufacturer and wouldn't be waiting calmly a week later to receive "it" and my new car.  Also, it takes a week and counting to replace a tie rod, wheel and tire??.  I think I smell a fishy odor!

[TacoBubba]

Jeep has gotten pretty crappy since Fiat took over. I had a 2010 JK. It was great for me, I just missed my truck, so I bought a Tacoma instead. I'll buy another Jeep someday, maybe an older one.


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[Tncobra]

I've owned Fords my whole life until the last (2013) Fusion. Recall, after recall and finally the trans went bad with 40k on the clock. Apparently Ford is suffering from bad transmissions right now. I replaced the Ford with a Subaru and couldn't be happier.

Glad to hear your jeep didn't kill you. Did the nut fall off or did it come out of the rack?

[Trekbike]

If you still want to keep the Jeep, I'd push for them to give you an extended warranty package for free or heavily discounted. If you bought one at the time of purchase, get them to credit that back.

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[peejman]

If you still want to keep the Jeep, I'd push for them to give you an extended warranty package for free or heavily discounted. If you bought one at the time of purchase, get them to credit that back.

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Yep, free extended warranty sounds about right.  Or at least a couple years free service.

[Capbyrd]

You aren't entitled to anything other than having your vehicle repaired and at most, a rental car covered while they repair yours.  Outside of that, they don't owe you anything.  

[monkeylizard]

You aren't entitled to anything other than having your vehicle repaired and at most, a rental car covered while they repair yours.  Outside of that, they don't owe you anything.  

 

That's 100% true, but don't let that keep you from asking for something more for your trouble. You won't get it if you don't ask. But don't be disappointed if you don't get anything other than your warranty-covered repairs.

Edited April 19, 2016 by monkeylizard

[Capbyrd]

That's 100% true, but don't let that keep you from asking for something more for your trouble. You won't get it if you don't ask. But don't be disappointed if you don't get anything other than your warranty-covered repairs.

 

 

 

No-one is entitled to 15 dollars an hour or free everything.  But don't let that keep them from supporting Bernie Sanders.  You can't get free stuff if you don't ask! 

[Hershmeister]

That's 100% true, but don't let that keep you from asking for something more for your trouble. You won't get it if you don't ask. But don't be disappointed if you don't get anything other than your warranty-covered repairs.

Nailed it - might ask for a free initial service to make sure everything is still connected - lol

[musicman]

For a short period of time I worked in consumer affairs at Nissan. In cases like this, we would often offer an extended warranty to "restore faith" in the vehicle and brand. Also, depending on the case, a service program (oil changes for a year or two, etc) might be offered.

I agree, you may not be "entitled" to goodwill. However, a major part falling off your BRAND NEW vehicle should warrant some gesture on behalf of the manufacturer, imho. It will also show up in their financials eventually. High goodwill costs will put pressure on them to find problem areas and work to "stop the bleeding." Edited April 19, 2016 by musicman

[Obiwan]

Nailed it - might ask for a free initial service to make sure everything is still connected - lol

 

Exactly.

 

I bought my Jeep in 2011 in Columbia. The wife of one of my employees was working there at the time. I was working with Will Harrison on finding the Jeep I wanted. (I was initially looking at a tan Sahara, found one in Mississippi, but it was already in negotiation. The buyer finally came through with the downpayment and I had to start looking again). We found a tan 2-door Mojave edition on a lot in Atlanta in the configuration I wanted. Columbia did a dealer trade with the dealership in Atlanta and got the Jeep up here free of charge. I completed negotiations, paperwork and drove it off the lot here. I loved the Jeep from the moment I saw it on the lot.

 

That love turned sour about 3 weeks later when the manual transmission disintegrated on the Interstate. I called Chrysler and had it towed back to Columbia. There the guys found the transmission to be nearly dry. It turned out that the dealer in Atlanta apparently did not perform the required dealer inspection upon receipt of the vehicle from the factory. So the guys here replaced the transmission, performed the inspection and checked the vehicle out, including all fluid levels.

 

It checked out fine and I took it back home. I had no major issues with the vehicle since (except the usual minor things Jeeps are known for, and some... ahem... off-road induced damage).

 

Everything was done and fixed for free, including towing. New Jeeps already come with 4 or so free oil changes.

 

Stuff happens, and I thought Columbia treated me fairly. Should you expect a new vehicle to be free of faults? Of course, any new equipment should be fault free. But again, stuff happens. And if dealers don't do their job inspecting vehicles when they receive them, all kinds of things can go wrong quickly. That's squarely the problem with a dealership and their lack of care. In other words, a lot depends on people doing their job properly. Sadly, quality or service is often where folks take shortcuts.

[monkeylizard]

It turned out that the dealer in Atlanta apparently did not perform the required dealer inspection upon receipt of the vehicle from the factory. So the guys here replaced the transmission, performed the inspection and checked the vehicle out, including all fluid levels.

 

Serious question becasue I really don't know: Is it normal for a manufacturer to ship a vehicle without fluids? Granted a proper dealer inspection would have discovered that before the damage was done, but isn't the real fault at the factory?

 

Either way, it's stories like these that keep me from buying anything in the Chrysler-family. I know all manufacturers have their goofs, but it seems like Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep have more than their fair share. As was said above though, an older Jeep would be a lot of fun. Wish I had a place to keep one. The '75 CJ5 that Robtattoo had up for sale looked super cool.

[gregintenn]

As much as I adore the current Challengers and Rams, I don't see me buying any Chrysler product in the foreseeable future.

[gun sane]

You've just exposed Jeep to bad publicity before 25,000 potential buyers.  Seems to me like they'd be very agreeable to giving you a little some-some to make things right.

Edited April 19, 2016 by gun sane

[Lumber_Jack]

There's only one real solution here.....take it back and buy a Toyota  :taunt:  :hiding:  :whistle:

[NRA]

There's only one real solution here.....take it back and buy a Toyota  :taunt:  :hiding:  :whistle:

yeah like they never have any problems http://www.japanesesportcars.com/recalls/toyota

[zybysco]

Serious question becasue I really don't know: Is it normal for a manufacturer to ship a vehicle without fluids? Granted a proper dealer inspection would have discovered that before the damage was done, but isn't the real fault at the factory?

Either way, it's stories like these that keep me from buying anything in the Chrysler-family. I know all manufacturers have their goofs, but it seems like Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep have more than their fair share. As was said above though, an older Jeep would be a lot of fun. Wish I had a place to keep one. The '75 CJ5 that Robtattoo had up for sale looked super cool.

New vehicles are not shipped full of fluids. The dealer has to fill them up. It is a way of passing on costs.

[Capbyrd]

New vehicles are not shipped full of fluids. The dealer has to fill them up. It is a way of passing on costs.

 

 

 

 

Considering, I watch them drive the cars on and off the carrier, that concerns me. 

[zybysco]

I've owned Fords my whole life until the last (2013) Fusion. Recall, after recall and finally the trans went bad with 40k on the clock. Apparently Ford is suffering from bad transmissions right now. I replaced the Ford with a Subaru and couldn't be happier.

Glad to hear your jeep didn't kill you. Did the nut fall off or did it come out of the rack?

Never found the nut. The tie rod was laying behind my right front wheel from me moving it. It damaged the tire/ wheel getting back there. The threads looked good on the bolt. I'm not sure what happened exactly. I can only guess it wasn't torqued properly.

[zybysco]

Sounds like you're luck to be uninjured and posting on TGO. A critical part of the steering system fell off a new vehicle after 40 miles of use?? Great advertisement for Jeep products. Personally, I'd be expecting some significant action from the manufacturer and wouldn't be waiting calmly a week later to receive "it" and my new car. Also, it takes a week and counting to replace a tie rod, wheel and tire??. I think I smell a fishy odor!

It falling off at the rest area was the best thing that could have happened. Had it been on the highway doing 80, then I know it would have been real bad.

The dealer repairing the Jeep were pretty upfront and honest with me. He told me he was behind on work and had an employee out. I can understand him not putting me at the front as he had his own customers. He also had to order the stuff. His communication has held my attitude in check.

[musicman]

New vehicles are not shipped full of fluids. The dealer has to fill them up. It is a way of passing on costs.

That's news to me. How do they do the test drive and inspection with no engine oil, transmission, or steering fluids? Let alone drive the vehicle onto a carrier, then off again at the destination?

Legit curious where this info is coming from.

I'd understand not being full of wiper or blinker fluid, ya know... the non-essentials. (Though I imagine they still lube the muffler bearings so the test drives are quiet.) Edited April 19, 2016 by musicman

[Lumber_Jack]

yeah like they never have any problems http://www.japanesesportcars.com/recalls/toyota

I was really just taking a jab at him, but I don't think we seriously want to start comparing reliability of Jeep vs Toyota. None are perfect, Jeep is at the top of the "non-perfect" list.

[peejman]

I used to work in the auto industry.  They're driven off the end of the production line and typically through some sort of test loop, so yes, all fluids should be present.  There's only a few gallons of gas in the tank.  The ECU/PCM is in a "delivery mode" that locks out virtually everything except what's necessary to drive it.  Cars that are imported are driven on/off the ships.