Why some people are too stupid to own a car

[BravoXray]

A guy has a Youtube channel called Wrenching With Kenny. He recently told a story about when he ran a full service gas station and repair shop about a man that came in, asked for a fill-up. As was his routine, Kenny asked if he should check the oil, man said sure. He popped the hood, pulls out the dipstick and there's no oil on it. Sticks it back in and pulls it out again, nothing. He walked over to the driver and said "you're at least two quarts low, want me to add oil?" "Why? the man said, it came with oil when I bought it." Kenny noticed the car had about 30K on it, and doubted that the oil had ever been changed.

 

[Dftodd]

My aunt used to be a service writer for a Kia dealer when they first started the 100,000 mile warranty.

She had a few customers come in with blown engines and oil pans full of tar because they couldn't be bothered with getting the oil changed.

Needless to say warranty didn't cover the blown engine.

 

[5030]

Kenny has a good YT site. I follow him quite a bit. My old boss leased a Chrysler Pacifica and ran it until the engine blew then had the shop install a new rebuilt engine. Never lifted the hood.

 

[Hay Dude]

Something I always wondered:

You buy a new truck with a 100K powertrain warranty.
Let’s say the truck has 50,000 miles on it and the tranny (transmission) fails.
In the owners manual it says the transmission fluid must be changed every 25,000 miles.
However, records show the owner waited until 25,500 miles for first transmission fluid change.

Is the warranty voided?

 

[scootr]

Something I always wondered:

You buy a new truck with a 100K powertrain warranty.
Let’s say the truck has 50,000 miles on it and the tranny (transmission) fails.
In the owners manual it says the transmission fluid must be changed every 25,000 miles.
However, records show the owner waited until 25,500 miles for first transmission fluid change.

Is the warranty voided?

Potentially yes. But it's not always so cut and dry. Plus there is arbitration available if the dealer is being sticky.
I had a honda that threw a timing belt at 53k ruining the engine. Dealer said the manual says to change the belt at 50k so the warranty is void. I walked across the street and traded it in on a Toyota.

 

[Hay Dude]

Potentially yes. But it's not always so cut and dry. Plus there is arbitration available if the dealer is being sticky.
I had a honda that threw a timing belt at 53k ruining the engine. Dealer said the manual says to change the belt at 50k so the warranty is void. I walked across the street and traded it in on a Toyota.

but didn’t you take a beating on the repair?

 

[NoTrespassing]

We have a lifetime powertrain warranty on my wife's SUV from the dealership. We have to report each maintenance visit to an 800 number with a copy of the receipt in order to keep the warranty current. We're doing that so far for about 1 1/2 years. I'm not sure if we'll be able to keep it up or not. There is no provision for doing your own maintenance.

 

[scootr]

but didn’t you take a beating on the repair?

Oh yes. Lesson learned.
But the beating was less from Toyota when I told them I had just walked out of the Honda sales office and they could take their Toyota badged wrecker over there and get the shiny red car in front of their competition.
I still buy Honda today.

 

[kenmbz]

When I drove a van doing liquor delivery for my friends dad, the van was running poorly. I ask my friends dad when it was last serviced, he said about 2 weeks ago.
I pulled the stick and it had no oil.
That van died at 30K and I still think my friends dad kept going back to that station.
He knew nothing about cars, and the station people knew he had money...

 

[dodge man]

I had a co worker who bought a used low mileage Jeep Wrangler and drove it several years without changing the oil. The engine ended up being toast because of lack of oil.

Some people don’t understand how things work. My son had a friend who was taking the rack out of a gas grill to light it. My son told him it had a hole you could light it without having to remove the rack. Then he showed him and electric sparker button to light it.

 

[5030]

Most of it is because today, people don't bother to read the owners manuals.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

FYI...this is a Tesla

 

[fidowanttobe]

I don't understand how in todays world someone can be so uniformed and yet they spend a hundred hours a week on the internet. Never been easier to find something out and there is usually even a video to help.
Ignorance is bliss I guess as long as they know what kind of puppy the Kardashians just got.

 

[tacticalturnip]

Potentially yes. But it's not always so cut and dry. Plus there is arbitration available if the dealer is being sticky.
I had a honda that threw a timing belt at 53k ruining the engine. Dealer said the manual says to change the belt at 50k so the warranty is void. I walked across the street and traded it in on a Toyota.

The dealer could and should have covered that timing belt; they chose not to, and for that they got to see you buy a Toyota.

You gave them exactly what they asked for.

 

[Jstpssng]

A woman I knew was having brake problems... soft pedal and the kind that make a sound commonly known as "metal on metal." Her boyfriend added brake fluid to the master cylinder and all was good.

 

[lman]

FYI...this is a Tesla

Just drop some gas in the charging port. It could be an explosive experience.

 

[plowhog]

I had a honda that threw a timing belt at 53k ruining the engine. Dealer said the manual says to change the belt at 50k so the warranty is void.

I owned a 2-seat Mercedes 380SL sports car. At 66,000 miles it threw the timing chain. Ruined the engine. No recommendation in the owner's manual about it.

Dealer quoted $7,500. I researched and found the "450" engine used to have a double row timing chain but they changed to single row to save weight when changing it to a 380. After that, lots of reported problems.

It was out of warranty but Mercedes of North America paid half. With urging by me of course.

After repair, I sold it. The other beef was brake jobs. That vehicle recommended a brake job every 10,000 miles. And it was very expensive to do those even if you didn't use the dealer. The brakes were fantastic-- but not "that" fantastic.

 

[jjeff]

Extended warranties sold to some folks are ripoffs also countless vehicles towed from dealerships where warranty was sold, towing the vehicle to less expensive repair facilities because a of extended aftermarket warranty claims were denied. I often wonder if these annoying service reminders I get in emails from car fox or whatever are going to eventually hurt the resale if I don't keep up with updating the account with diy service I perform. A dealership I used for warranty work apparently put me in the websites database.

 

[scootr]

I owned a 2-seat Mercedes 380SL sports car. At 66,000 miles it threw the timing chain. Ruined the engine. No recommendation in the owner's manual about it.

Dealer quoted $7,500. I researched and found the "450" engine used to have a double row timing chain but they changed to single row to save weight when changing it to a 380. After that, lots of reported problems.

It was out of warranty but Mercedes of North America paid half. With urging by me of course.

After repair, I sold it. The other beef was brake jobs. That vehicle recommended a brake job every 10,000 miles. And it was very expensive to do those even if you didn't use the dealer. The brakes were fantastic-- but not "that" fantastic.

My Brother bought my Dads 10 yr old SL-something when Dad got too old to drive a few yrs ago. The retractable roof acted up. He took it in for an estimate. They found a few other things the low mileage MB needed and the estimate was just a bit over $20k
Would love to have a MB but honestly stories like yours and his will keep me away. I have more sense than money

 

[5030]

Most engines today are 'interference' fit, that is, if the timing chain or belt fails, the valves impact the pistons and the motor is junk. Planned obsolence.