Blu-ray.com Car Maintenance, Repair, Detailing, and DIY Thread

[DonRSD]

Originally Posted by DonRSD

here is the deal
i bought my 2002 deville dts in august 2009
when i bought it the car needed a head gasket
the caddy dealer (dealer A) did it for free (i bought gm warranty).
the gm warranty didnt kick in for this fix as the dealer said they would fix any issue that was found as the check engine light was on.

well come a week ago (feb 2010) the car is shaking when i start it & smoking white from the exhaust, not starting for 2-3 key turns & the smoke is sweet smelling

as most know, this is a head gasket issue

i bring my caddy into a different dealer (dealer B)
my head gasket bolts are leaking (same as 1st time) and now have cracked the engine block.

the new dealer is frustrated at the old one because this shouldnt have happened.

long story short....gmpp approved my warranty and im getting a brand new long block engine

my caddy now has 50k miles but the engine will be at 0 miles when i get it back next week with a new long engine block.

im very pleased with the gm warranty i bought with my car.

plus since i put in my kenwood ddx 512 dvd/radio in the dash, my rear ac hasnt worked (it only blows vented air).
they fixed that too plus a few other little issues.

in all i dont pay a penny as they retro'd everything back to dealer A head gasket job plus waived the fees of my warranty ($200 deductible per visit) due to me expressing my displeasure with the old dealer and now having to have my car serviced again.

word to the wise.......if you buy a caddy buy it from a caddy dealer and/or get the gm warranty.
this job alone would have cost me 5k or so, but its all free

so when IF sell my caddy at 100k miles (i cant reset the odometer due to a new engine) i present my paperwork of the new engine and my car will only have 40k miles on it

well today is FINALLY the day that i get my caddy back.

the dealership gave me a 2010 dts to drive around since my 8 day gm rental car expired.

ill report back how the engine rides.

im also getting a new ac compressor, new acuators for my ac controls (front pass only worked off main ac & rear only 'vented')

they also gave me a new starter, and fixed something around the left front tire as it 'rubbed' when i 1st started the car and turned the wheel.

oh and they are starting ym engine off with synthetic oil.

in total i will pay about $240 for EVERYTHING!!!!

i guess im one of the lucky.
59k miles on the caddy, 0 miles on the engine

[MaCruz]

Originally Posted by DonRSD

well today is FINALLY the day that i get my caddy back.

the dealership gave me a 2010 dts to drive around since my 8 day gm rental car expired.

ill report back how the engine rides.

im also getting a new ac compressor, new acuators for my ac controls (front pass only worked off main ac & rear only 'vented')

they also gave me a new starter, and fixed something around the left front tire as it 'rubbed' when i 1st started the car and turned the wheel.

oh and they are starting ym engine off with synthetic oil.

in total i will pay about $240 for EVERYTHING!!!!

i guess im one of the lucky.
59k miles on the caddy, 0 miles on the engine

Nice! So when they replace the engine everything is reset to 0?

[DonRSD]

Originally Posted by MaCruz

Nice! So when they replace the engine everything is reset to 0?

no. the engine is brand new so thats 0 miles.
the car itself has to stay @ 59k miles

but if say i sell the car @ 100k miles. i can show the paperwork and the engine only has 40k miles on it

i have a couple of pics posted in my profile of my caddy HERE

[mikejet]

We got the HKS HI-power exhaust installed on my wife's brother's Subi wagon

Man it sounds nice now. He's going to get a STi intercooler next then a tune. I told him he needs stickier tires though.

[MaCruz]

^ We need some pics of that exhaust!

[mikejet]

Originally Posted by MaCruz

^ We need some pics of that exhaust!

We are planning a photo shoot once I get my new camera lens. Hopefully sometime in April.

[LeAnn]

AH, Woe is me.
I went to get an oil change/trans. flush at the dealership AND I have been having this odd duck quack sound when I brake. Not all the time, and only when I brake kind of hard. Not slam on brakes, and it only happens just as you are almost stopped.
SO, long story short, they were able to replicate the sound, THEN found out there was a service bulletin on it.
USUALLY this work would be done for free if my car was still under warranty. HOWEVER, it is not since I did not get the extended warranty and have over 51k on it (warranty 3yr/36k).

SO, the really painful part was seeing that the part alone was $2086.00 yes, no additional numbers added, and then including labour, out the door would have been $2502.00. Just kill me now.

What could this horrible part be? Why it is my Advanced Hydraulic Booster. They need to replace the Master Cylinder and the servo unit. GASP. Naturally I have my handy shop manual and know exactly what this is now, but I also can now open my hood and give the piece the evil eye.

Naturally I called BS on the cost of the part, and (asians unite) the service guy immediately started to do the paperwork for filing a "goodwill" claim to see if America Honda would pay part if not all of the bill. He did not charge for any of the diagnostic tests for it, and further discounted my transmission change to $50.00 instead of $80. I got a discount on my wiper blades too. I told my mom that we should have gotten an additional discount for having to talk to one of their salesman for 1.5 hours because he just would not go away. I now know all about his mom, his sister, his life here since he came from Vietnam and all the restaurants he has gone to in Jacksonville. I also know his mom is a vegetarian and that he and his sister rotate the days she lives with them...
But we did get to go to lunch with the shuttle driver and the customer relations manager. We went to eat cheese steaks at the beaches. I was at the dealership for 4 hours btw...

As far as the good will service. my hopes were not high since they turned me down last time (you guys may recall the whole spoiler incident) and so I went home, wondering gee... just how important is this..lol.. totally j/k.

Got home and Honda called. Mix good and bad. American Honda agreed to pay only 40% but hey, that is better than me paying the whole thing right. So on the 18th, I will be dishing out $1516.00 to get this done.

[MaCruz]

^ Yeah it bad news when you called yesterday. They should of address this issue earlier.

[LeAnn]

So I am to drop my car off today... sucks that I know the Master Cylinder is only $162.73 but I can't find the servo unit or an advanced hydraulic booster brake system for sale.
RAWR. Totally dissapointed that America Honda is not paying for more of this when there was a service bulletin out on it.

[MaCruz]

Originally Posted by LeAnn

So I am to drop my car off today... sucks that I know the Master Cylinder is only $162.73 but I can't find the servo unit or an advanced hydraulic booster brake system for sale.
RAWR. Totally dissapointed that America Honda is not paying for more of this when there was a service bulletin out on it.

Hopefully this will be the last issue until you reach 100k.

[PrivatePixel]

OK, my story isn't as exciting as LeAnn's or DonRSD's, but this is what I had done at my dealership over the past two days:

• oil & filter change
• replace air filter
• power steering fluid flush
• replace oil pan gasket
• replace drive belt
• replace front rotors & install new brake pads
• adjust rear brakes
• throttle body service

Cost? Just under $1500 (including tax & 10% discount applied)

Done today: tire rotation and wheel balancing (free at Discount Tire)

Next week: replace tint on my rear window - $169

It's days like these I wish the city had better public transportation.

[MaCruz]

Originally Posted by PrivatePixel

OK, my story isn't as exciting as LeAnn's or DonRSD's, but this is what I had done at my dealership over the past two days:

• oil & filter change
• replace air filter
• power steering fluid flush
• replace oil pan gasket
• replace drive belt
• replace front rotors & install new brake pads
• adjust rear brakes
• throttle body service

Cost? Just under $1500 (including tax & 10% discount applied)

Done today: tire rotation and wheel balancing (free at Discount Tire)

Next week: replace tint on my rear window - $169

It's days like these I wish the city had better public transportation.

You couldn't change the air filter yourself to save some money? I'm no mechanic but I will change my own cabin, and air filter to save some dough.

What's up with your tint? Peeling?


I spent over $2,000 on my 2005 TL from December-Feb.
T-Belt
MT Fluid Change
Coolant
Water Pump
Oil Change
Replaced Master Cylinder on my Clutch Pedal
Changed corroded Battery Terminal
Spark Plugs

My car was bought brand new and I have 112,000+ miles right now.

My car is Paid Off This Friday!!!! WHOHOO!!

[PrivatePixel]

Originally Posted by MaCruz

You couldn't change the air filter yourself to save some money? I'm no mechanic but I will change my own cabin, and air filter to save some dough.

It's in a really tight spot, and a number of panels and clips have to be removed before one can get to it (the engine bay is small and really cramped). Besides, the dealership offers free installation with purchase through their parts department, so I don't bother with the hassle.

What's up with your tint? Peeling?

I scuffed part of the tint film when I was moving furniture last week; it's noticeable at night, when someone's behind me with their headlamps on. I haven't encountered any peeling issues on any of the windows for as long as I've had the vehicle.

Quite frankly, I don't know why folks bother with the cheap stuff (i.e. tint that peels or develop air pockets because it was a DIY project in their garage).

[Polygon]

Originally Posted by PrivatePixel

Quite frankly, I don't know why folks bother with the cheap stuff (i.e. tint that peels or develop air pockets because it was a DIY project in their garage).

Don't forget the stuff that turns purple. That's my personal favorite.

[LeAnn]

Indeed... Purple tint is not sexy...

Update on my car...

So I dropped it off Wednesday at about 12:30, took a half day at work to do this since they said I needed to drop it off before 2pm... Got a really poo-poo corolla rental (Honda paid) that was bare bones and made a weird sound... Had to fuel it up which was irritating. Honda told me they would have the car ready at around 2pm, 3 at the latest, but to make sure I got the rental back by 2pm so they could avoid the 2 day charge.
No big deal.
12pm Thursday Honda calls and lets me know they are JUST starting to work on the car, my mechanic is not available and before I could get all flustered, he told me he had the foreman on it, so not to worry.... BUT that the car would not be ready until 4pm. I reminded him of the 2pm deadline at the rental and he told me to bring it back at 2:30 no issues... riiiight...

SO, I drop the rental off around 2pm, they take me to Honda and of course the car is not ready. I am naturally not happy since I did not get a call until Noon telling me of the changes, and so they give me a voucher for a free oil change, no expiration date.

I have to pick up my cat at 5pm from the complete opposite side of town, so I am not happy about any of these delays...

4pm rolls around, and they are still trying to bleed the brake lines but are having "issues" i get the whole "no worries ma'am, I will have it out in less than 20 minutes" 20 minutes roll by and I am now pacing, so they give me a voucher for a free balance and tire rotation.

4:30 comes and I am REALLY getting unhappy and lo-and behold they come up with a loaner car for me. YAY! about time, and they did say that they should have put me in a loaner car sooner.

Another corolla, this time with only 1/8 of a tank of gas... so now I have to rush onto the highway, get off to get fuel, then rush into downtown for my cat.

Friday I am finally able to get my car, they called and had to work on it until 8pm Thursday to get it right. I guess my car is sensitive... haha. anywho...

Got another free oil change out of the deal, so that is 2 free oil changes and 1 free tire balance and rotation. For some reason my dealership charges $50 for the hybrid oil changes... so that will buffer the $1517.01 cost of the repair.

Also, now I am considering an extended warranty because I would take a heavy loss on the trade is as now I have had 1 collision from the stupid girl on campus, and 2 from the stupid people in the garage.

so that is my rant/dilemma

[PrivatePixel]

Originally Posted by LeAnn

For some reason my dealership charges $50 for the hybrid oil changes...

I've been doing some research and it seems that the price you were charged is about right. The Civic Hybrid requires 0W20 oil, which is costlier than conventional grades of oil (e.g. 10W30).

Also, now I am considering an extended warranty because I would take a heavy loss on the trade is as now I have had 1 collision from the stupid girl on campus, and 2 from the stupid people in the garage.

Given the history of your vehicle, this may be a good idea, though there are quite a few questions that need to be answered before committing yourself to one. From ERATE.com:

• Who administers the coverage? Knowing who pays out on your policy can give you insight into the potential weaknesses of the coverage you're considering. Administrators act as claims adjusters, authorizing the payment of claims to the service repair facility under the contract terms.
  
• How does payment work? Do you need to pay upfront and get reimbursed, or does the plan take care of everything?
  
• What exactly is the extent of the auto warranty coverage? Extended warranties come in many levels of coverage with many different definitions on what the coverage will pay for. Some car warranties cover mechanical breakdown, while better warranties, often called "bumper to bumper," will cover wear & tear failures, seals & gaskets, the emissions system and not exclude damage due to overheating.
  
• What’s the deductible? And is the deductible charged per visit or per repair? Per visit means one deductible for any number of repairs on that same visit. Per repair means five items that are covered under warranty incur five deductibles.
  
• Where can you take your vehicle for repairs? How are claims handled? An extended warranty from the manufacturer will require that you obtain service only from them. You want to look for a warranty that gives you more than one service facility to choose from.
  
• Is the warranty transferable? A transferable warranty is extremely attractive for prospective buyers when you sell your car.
  
• When will the auto warranty expire?

[DonRSD]

Originally Posted by PrivatePixel

OK, my story isn't as exciting as LeAnn's or DonRSD's, but this is what I had done at my dealership over the past two days:

• oil & filter change
• replace air filter
• power steering fluid flush
• replace oil pan gasket
• replace drive belt
• replace front rotors & install new brake pads
• adjust rear brakes
• throttle body service

Cost? Just under $1500 (including tax & 10% discount applied)

Done today: tire rotation and wheel balancing (free at Discount Tire)

Next week: replace tint on my rear window - $169

It's days like these I wish the city had better public transportation.

that sucks to pay that much money to fix the car.......i feel for you

Originally Posted by MaCruz

My car is Paid Off This Friday!!!! WHOHOO!!

CONGRATS

[MaCruz]

For those of you with Performance Tires (Summer). How many miles are you getting out of them? I'm getting about 35K before buying new tires.

[My_Two_Cents]

Originally Posted by DonRSD

that sucks to pay that much money to fix the car.......i feel for you

I'd be happy to trade him repair costs. My '03 G35 (75K miles) started slipping out of gear on my way to work Friday a week ago. After pulling the transmission, they told me I'll need a near-complete rebuild as several clutches catastrophically failed and chewed-up most of the trany. Bill will be $3,700, not counting any costs associated with the (new-found) problems with the computer not allowing the trany to shift properly. I assume that will be on their dime, as there were no computer problems when I brought it in.

Add to this $300 in new breaks/rotors on kids' '99 Camry (and another $300 in tires a couple months ago). Son put our '08 Outlook in a ditch and clipped another car while doing it (ice) in January. This will be ~$800 to fix the fron-end plastic, which we'll need to do before the lease is up next Feb (but he's going to cover most of that expense).

It's not been a good year so far for auto expenses.

[Psybits]

hope I'm posting in the right thread..
but, I have been so bad to my car..I have not washed it in 3months and I noticed 2 days ago that there was already moss on it lol
so I washed it yesterday only to find out that there's also a bunch of tree sap mainly on the hood..and of course I didn't have the right cleaning materials..so I guess it'll have to hold on until friday..

my car probly hates me lol