If you want to increase your success rate, double your failure rate.

Sunday, May 17, 2015

The Dodge Saga

Hello there,

When we last met I was blathering on about my reflections of the A to Z challenge.
It is over.  I enjoyed it and now on to other things.


Update on my truck:
A few months ago I noticed a strange ticking noise coming from the engine compartment on my 2011 Dodge Ram.  This truck has always been my baby and I take care of it as such.  I was quite perturbed by the noise.

I first heard the noise at the tail end of the winter.  A cold snap had swept through the great mitten state and temperatures were down into the single digits.  My truck was due for an oil change (of course) and I braved the elements and performed the necessary work.  Crawling under the truck on a 2-degree concrete floor is not much fun but mileage is mileage. 

The very next day is when I heard the ticking noise.  The colder it was outside the louder the noise was.

I was troubled to say the least.  So I took the truck to the dealership, as it was still under warranty.  There were two recalls that had to be tended to as well.  I discussed the noise with the service lady and she said her tech would look into it.

She called me back the next day and said they couldn’t hear the noise.  I presumed it was too warm out.  It seemed to only make the noise when cold.  I picked up my truck and life went on as usual.  I heard the noise again a few times but only faintly and it went away quick.  The temps were warming steadily as spring approached.

Shortly after the temps dropped again into the 20’s and 30’s and the nose came back with a vengeance.  I made an appointment with the dealership again and this time they heard it.

It took them a week to make any repairs and I had to fight with them to get a rental car.  Chrysler is pretty stingy with money I guess, even under warranted vehicles.  After 4 days, they caved and gave me a rental mini-van.  (The guys at work were pretty hard on me for driving a mini)

So Chrysler tells the tech to replace the connecting rod bearings in the engine.  All 8 of them.  So he does.  I pick up the truck.  I don’t hear the noise again, for a while that is.  Within 150 miles, the noise comes back.  This time it makes noise cold or warm.  I get funny looks when I start it.

So I call them back.  Ok just bring it in and we will look at it.  Apparently they assume that it is super easy for folks to just drop their vehicles off at random and arrange for pick-up as well as rides to and from work.  I immediately ask her about a rental.  She says if you don’t hear from us by Friday then tell them to give you a rental because I won’t be here.  I’m on vacation in a couple hours.

So I call on Friday and I get the run-around.  They have not even heard from Chrysler on what to do next.  It has been 3 days now.  I need a car to get back and forth to work and I begin to get a little “scratchy” on the phone.  After speaking with three different people the manager gets on the phone and relinquishes a rental car to me.  I call the rental car place and ask them for a truck.  Not a mini-van.  I am right in the middle of spring projects like gardening and such and I need a truck to haul stuff.

Nope, I get another mini-van.  A week goes by without any progress at the dealership and while hauling bags of compost in the back of the dastardly min-van I discover the license plates have expired back in March.  I call the rental and ask them to swap it out with a truck. 

“Sorry sir, we don’t have any trucks right now.  I can get you one by Friday.”

“Ok, I’ll wait the two days and see you on Friday.”

The very same day I get a voicemail from the dealership.  It seems that Chrysler wants to replace the entire engine.  They don’t even know what is wrong or what caused it.  Just replace it.  The voice on the message tells me that the new engine will arrive on Monday and they should have it fixed within a day or so after. 

 I call the rental.  No, we do not have a truck, but we can put you in a car.  I don’t want to drive a car and haul lumber and mulch and topsoil in the trunk.  I’ll stick with the expired plate mini-van I tell the guy in my most snotty tone.  Such great customer service.
An entire week goes by again and I get another call from the dealership telling me that their service techs have been out sick all week and no one has even touched my truck, but we should have it done by early next week.

I call the rental place.  I have a trip to make, a couple hour drive and I don’t want to use expired plates.  I guess I’ll trade down to a car.  He tells me he has another mini-van he can put me in now.  I accept and I tell him that I will be there the next day for a trade. 

On my way there, he calls and tells me that a truck has just shown up and that I can have that.  Late, but oh well.  So now I have a brand new Dodge Ram 1500 loaded truck to drive.  Now I want to call the dealership and tell them to take their sweet time.  LOL

So anyways that is the current saga on my truck.  Not to mention all the other garbage that is taking place right now.  I think my hair might be totally gray by the time summer is over.


Stay tuned for part two of Bushman’s egregious beginning to summer.

Later,
Bushman

9 comments:

  1. What horrible customer service! Both of them. My sports car is my baby and I'd gone ballistic by the second day. Plus you need it for your work.
    Hope it doesn't make that noise when you finally get your truck back.

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  2. Oh wow! Makes you think twice about buying a Chrysler (although I'm sure its the same with any car model). Hubby had a truck about 30 years ago that had some problems with the shell leaking. Was back to the dealership a lot; I'm not sure it ever got entirely resolved, I think he just gave up and was careful what got stored in the back of the truck. However, in your case with an engine, one must be a bit more careful to get it working right. Its amazing they are putting in a new enginge. I do hope that takes care of the noise.

    betty

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  3. That sounds a lot like what happened to a jeep we had. CV joint went out and the dealership had it 5 weeks. It was under a warranty- from buying an extended warranty from another company- and it was a nightmare trying to get them to just get the part and like pulling teeth to get them to pay for a rental.

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  4. I would say "Wow, Dodge sucks" and "I guess I'll never buy a Dodge" but this is pretty much any dealership. They care about you when you're buying the car, but after that they really aren't going to bend over backwards so much for that free work you need. Especially if they have to put in an entire new engine (ouch). I hope everything ends well for you. People call them 'stealership' for a reason.

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  5. I woulda asked for a new truck. I hope the new engine works out for you. Perhaps a letter to Chrysler might be in order.
    We drive a Lexus and I have to say, their customer service is pretty outstanding. They provide loaners which they will deliver and pick up.

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  6. I had a 2005 Dodge truck for about eight years. I had one problem after another with it. I even clobbered a woman who cut out in front of me last September so I was without my vehicle for three weeks. Getting a state inspection (Pennsylvania requires yearly inspections) was ALWAYS an expensive adventure. The last straw came in February. It was snowing and I had it in 4 wheel drive. As I went to pull into a parking space, the truck locked up and would not move. Once I went back to 2 wheel drive, it moved. I decided then and there, "EFF THIS!" In less than a week, I had new car.

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  7. Ditto to all the emotions and well wishes above - any chance they might have some spare kidneys in that Chrysler place - seems there short on everything else! LOL

    Enjoy that new rental truck! I suggest giving them yours as a trade. Looking forward to Part 2. Cheers, JP

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  8. My blood was boiling when I read through this. I was about to go over there and kick some butt. (I might be small, but I'm tough, and I got your back, Bushman.) They're lucky you don't need my help...not yet. I'm on-call for ya. Alright?

    Sorry about all this aggravation. It truly was irritating to read through this - having been thru similar crap.

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  9. I hate those vehicle mysteries that go round and round. Dealerships can be the worst. Recently we took my wife's Nissan Maxima to the Firestone store to have a clicking noise investigated. They said the front bumper had been impacted and was loose. My wife insisted that she had hit nothing and nothing had hit her, but when the guy at the repair shop showed us it was obvious that he was right. My wife then admitted that she had scraped against something when she was parking and that's what it was. Mystery solved!

    We're just going to let the damage go since the bumper looks pretty secure to me and replacing the darn thing will probably cost several hundred dollars. Damn plastic cars!

    Arlee Bird
    A to Z Challenge Co-host
    Tossing It Out

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