Car dealership is a crook.

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Depending on model.and options, that jeep is blue booked for 21k. More then I would spend, but we shouldn't assume she got a horrible deal.
They are expensive new.

What model? Even the 2008 Hemi Limited retails for around 15K if it's a Grand Cherokee. On the trade, who knows what they gave.

 

[tractorshopper]

It's a trust issue to me. Dealer does umpteen point inspection and tells youngster this thing is cherry. Look, we just did this and this so you're good to go with this vehicle. Youngster believes them. Buys vehicle, decides not to get warranty because dealer assured them they are getting a reliable vehicle and any work that needed done was already done by them.

Legally obligated to fix; no. Ethically obligated? Depends on who you are I guess. For me, I'd feel bad about selling a youngster this vehicle with the claims that it's reliable and it wasn't. But hey, I'm not a dealer.

I've had issues too with dealership service dept doing my brake-job. They didn't put one of the bolts back into the caliper or put it in and didn't tighten. Basically skidded it back to them. They look at it. No issues, here you go. I drive off and all is fine. Later find my rim is burred from the caliper riding around it and one of the 2 caliper bolts has a different head than all the others and looks very new.

I call dealer to say hey, I'm worried about my rim. Huge argument ensues. Somehow it's my fault or I took it some other time to a shadetree mechanic. Couldn't have been their fault.

Guess who will never sell me another vehicle or perform service on another one of my vehicles?

 

[wawoodwa]

I am due to change mine in my 07 Jeep Commander. Every 30k is the service manual to change, no interval to check. And it also uses MOPAR required fluid, no other equivalent.

In looking at the Alldata, the last step in replacing the seal is to check the fluid level. So either they did, and the repair did not fix the leak, or they didn't check, and it was empty. Either or, according to the manual, you shouldn't have had to look at it for another 23k miles. The dealer is culpable.

I had a problem similar. This is how I fixed it. I bought my 07 Commander new, with the lifetime powertrain warranty. Your cousin's vehicle came with the same, but it is not transferable. When my vehicle was acting up, I brought it in and they said I needed new heads. As a gear head, that didn't sound right. Said it would be 4k. A new short block would be 7k. I said, Ok. That is fine, but have the LPW cover it. They said it was no longer covered as I missed a scheduled dealer inspection.

Needless to say, I was incensed. So I wrote a formal complaint to FCA's CEO, CFO, and VP of service. I won't go into the details (PM me if you want that) but the warranty was reinstated. They replaced the heads and lo and behold, wasn't the problem. Turned out to be the computer, a $300 part. Chrysler took care of it all. It took my formal written complaint to get it moving. When I called "Corporate" I got the same round around. When you threaten action, you will get a response.

In this case, did your cousin see and read the Used Car Buyers Guide? It must have been conspicuously posted in the vehicle per the FTC Used Car Rule. Otherwise a $40k penalty it applicable per violation. Get facts on your Cousin's side and write a formal complaint.

 

[LD1]

It's a trust issue to me. Dealer does umpteen point inspection and tells youngster this thing is cherry. Look, we just did this and this so you're good to go with this vehicle. Youngster believes them. Buys vehicle, decides not to get warranty because dealer assured them they are getting a reliable vehicle and any work that needed done was already done by them.

Legally obligated to fix; no. Ethically obligated? Depends on who you are I guess. For me, I'd feel bad about selling a youngster this vehicle with the claims that it's reliable and it wasn't. But hey, I'm not a dealer.

This is exactly how I feel. Only I do honestly believe that the dealer did think the vehicle was cherry, and that they fixed everything. Because they did. Just so happens, one of their repairs failed in 3 months and now she's stuck.

Don't know how this thread has nose dived into questioning the value and price they paid, to how she's not very bright, and now her parents aren't very bright. What the **** does any of that have to do with anything?

Is she young and lack some real life experiences as a result of being young, that someone who is 50 or 60 has experienced many times over....Absolutely. but that isn't to mean she's "not that bright" so don't know where the personal attacks come from.

Remember, I have no dogs in this fight. The Jeep was cherry and perfect when when got it. The noise didn't develop til a few weeks after ownership. So the question about why buy it if it was making noise...Baseless. I have bought many used cars. Never an extended warranty, never a second opinion. And in this case what would a second opinion have accomplished? They just replaced the seal, and assumed they had the area all cleaned up good. And even if there were still oily residue around the t-case, it can easily be dismissed because the dealer "just fixed" that problem.

Regarding opening up the case....A rebuild is gonna be just as pricy as a direct swap. And it's not the 231. It's the nv245. Used 80k mile cases are $400. The chain is jumping. I can hear/feel it. Know 99% certain that's what it is. And it's been driven about 100miles dry. So I wouldn't trust anything less that a complete rebuild, all bearings seals, chain, gears, etc. So a used one is the easy answer.

Hindsight always 20/20. It's easy after the fact to say should have done this or should have done that. But tractorshoppers first two paragraphs summarize exactly how I feel as an outsider not directly effected by this situation. I am not gonna judge her on her age, character, or weather or not I think she paid too much. I am looking at the facts in front of me. And making my own conclusion. The dealer had a great opportunity to do what was morally right and would have likely reaped the benefits of the good PR. The decided they wanted to do just the opposite. And will reap the consequences of the negative PR.

Personally, I like to buy from a dealer, weather it's auto, tractor, guns, or whatever....That has a track record of going above and beyond to make customers happy. NOT one who is only concerned with the bottom line, and worried more about a few bucks than doing with is morally the right thing to do.

 

[BigDog1956]

WOW this is a 9 yr old truck w/90k, I'am not a great mech-by anymean's BUT I will tell you that if the trans case had NO fluid in it from day 1 it would have never lasted 3 month's before making noise, I have owned and sold many vehicle's over 40yrs of driving and when I sell a vehicle on C.L. I tell them what's been done-and what might need done that I know of, but I'am **** about maint-so my stuff never need's serv----I could usually say I would take off anywhere without hesitation,,,,,,,,but it's a older vehicle could blow up 5 miles down the road, SO DON"T BUY IT IF YOUR NOT OK WITH THAT......
*******sometimes CRAPPY thing's happen--but I can't see how dealer (seller) is responsible 3 month's & 7K miles......

 

[Ford850]

Don't know how this thread has nose dived into questioning the value and price they paid, to how she's not very bright, and now her parents aren't very bright. What the **** does any of that have to do with anything?
Is she young and lack some real life experiences as a result of being young, that someone who is 50 or 60 has experienced many times over....Absolutely. but that isn't to mean she's "not that bright" so don't know where the personal attacks come from.

Well, I think the point is that LD1's family tree might have some twisted branches or something.
As for all the blame for not getting an extended warranty, I'm with her. I don't buy them. Ever. I consider myself self insured at this point, with the many thousands I've saved over the years by always answering "No" when asked if I want the extended warranty. I take my chances, and sooner or later I'll have a big expense, but so be it. I see far too many stories on here and other sites where people buy the warrantees and feel screwed when things aren't covered after all.
It's a shame her dealer won't do more for her. I'm lucky and have had very good relationships with dealers, and have had more than a few cover things they didn't have to cover.
I did have a learning experience when I was around 22 years old, with my current Ford dealer. It was a mistake I made, I learned from it, and they treated me well getting through it. The owner still greets me and my wife by name every time we walk in there, decades later. I hope she has similar luck.

 

[wawoodwa]

Quite simply, the crux of the issue is they performed work on the case for it to be functional to sell. It was a selling point of that vehicle. It was stipulated in the paperwork. If anything, anything else were to fail, yes, buyer beware. But they pointed out clearly that it was repaired to be functional to sell. They might have well said the entire car might fall apart as soon as you leave here, but by God, that transfer case will still be turning.

In which State did the purchase occur?

 

[arrow]

This is exactly how I feel. Only I do honestly believe that the dealer did think the vehicle was cherry, and that they fixed everything. Because they did. Just so happens, one of their repairs failed in 3 months and now she's stuck.

Don't know how this thread has nose dived into questioning the value and price they paid, to how she's not very bright, and now her parents aren't very bright. What the **** does any of that have to do with anything?
.

This turn by me was an association that if the dealership knew they got all the money for the car, would they be more prone to going for a fix? I thought perhaps they would and they would be absolutely stupid in a number of ways not to hold her hand on this as a result. Never meant to "judge" what she paid as what anything is worth is between buyer and seller. If anything else was meant by anyone else, I agree with you a 100%. All the other crp has nothing to do with anything.

 

[kenmac]

I don't know about extended warranties. I have always self insured. If you can't afford to self insure, you should look into buying a warranty , but always read the warranty fine print. You can be had with some of them too !

Being in the HVAC business for many yrs. I have seen many people get screwed. I have been screwed by customers as well.

It's all water under the bridge now. The dealer isn't going to repair, so only things I can think of she can do. Sue them and hope you win, make the repairs, or trade it in.

It wouldn't be that expensive of a repair to me, but it may be to this young lady it probably is.
She (like many of us have) will learn from it.

 

[Sigarms]

Don't know how this thread has nose dived into questioning the value and price they paid, to how she's not very bright, and now her parents aren't very bright. What the **** does any of that have to do with anything?

Is she young and lack some real life experiences as a result of being young, that someone who is 50 or 60 has experienced many times over....Absolutely. but that isn't to mean she's "not that bright" so don't know where the personal attacks come from.

Sometimes you can't protect people from themselves.

I might of missed it, but you never mentioned why it took her 2 months AFTER her warranty expired to have you look at the vehicle. You had mentioned she tried numerous times to get the dealership to look at the vehicle due to a noise it was making, yet it makes no sense if she tried so hard to get the vehicle back to the dealership, why she couldn't have you look at it in the meantime?

As I stated before, you yourself admitted that the dealership technically didn't have to do anything, yet YOUR the one calling them a crook. Admittedly the dealership could of handled the situation more in favor towards your relative, but they didn't.

There are generally 3 sides to every story.

I just find it amazing that her (or his) parents didn't get more proactive in the situation until is seems the problem comes to you after the fact.