Bad luck with vehicles.........

[Diamondpilot]

I have said this before in another post but I have no problem saying it again.
I worked for a guy who bought used pipeline trucks, they were all 1/2 ton 4x4 trucks, ford, dodge, and gm. when the company would get around 100k on them they were sold to him in as a "lot" we had to buy 50 at time.
We would bring them into the shop and "recon" them to resell to the public.
80% of the fords were sold as scrap, engines smoking, transmissions burnt up, leaking differentials.
50/50 on the dodge units, most had broken frames right under the drivers left foot that beat the floor pan up into the brake pedal.
gm units can only remember one that we scraped and it was because the body damage was so bad.

We are talking 2 -3 year old trucks put through the worst driving conditions around the country and not 1 or 2 trucks, 100's of them. Everyone knows someone who bought a unit and had "bad luck" with it.

Funny you say that. My college roommate works for a large construction company that buys fleet vehicles. They got 12 GM's, 12 Fords, and 12 Dodges all at the same time in about 2004. They were trying to make everyone happy. He is a GM man and got stuck with a Ford. None of the Dodges made it past 2007 due to bent frames and tranny issues. The Fords and GM's lasted about the same. His Ford got rolled and he drove it home after resting the fuel pump and topping off the fluids. He had to tied the door shut but it was totaled the next week by the insurance company. Anyway, all the trucks were used and abused then disposed of. Probably loaded 2-3 times over the payload day in and day out and towed as much as twice the limit. I can remember going to his house on weekend and he had 2 Bob Cats on a tandem dual trailer with a pintle hitch behind the F-150 before it was rolled. The trailer alone probably weighed 6,000#. The Dodges were the only ones according to him that had glaring consistent problems.

Chris

 

[Builder]

I have said this before in another post but I have no problem saying it again.
I worked for a guy who bought used pipeline trucks, they were all 1/2 ton 4x4 trucks, ford, dodge, and gm. when the company would get around 100k on them they were sold to him in as a "lot" we had to buy 50 at time.
We would bring them into the shop and "recon" them to resell to the public.
80% of the fords were sold as scrap, engines smoking, transmissions burnt up, leaking differentials.
50/50 on the dodge units, most had broken frames right under the drivers left foot that beat the floor pan up into the brake pedal.
gm units can only remember one that we scraped and it was because the body damage was so bad.

We are talking 2 -3 year old trucks put through the worst driving conditions around the country and not 1 or 2 trucks, 100's of them. Everyone knows someone who bought a unit and had "bad luck" with it.

"Built Ford Tough" until it breaks, right?

That example speaks volumes to me compared to the old sing/song story "My neighbor's brother's cousin's doctor's preacher's dodge, ford, gm blew up after he drove it off the lot" story.

 

[workinallthetime]

I guess all i was trying to say is yes I am very bias twords GM but it comes from years of being in the business. If anyone should say GM is junk it should be me all I see is broke GM products all day.
BUT i was there 10 years ago working 12-14 hours a day hanging intake gaskets on everything, swaping out transmissions on 5 or 6 differetn models, swaping out batteries on cars every year, window motors, injectors, ignition switches, blower motors, rear diffs ( 1 out of 3 built by the factory was good) all kinds of stuff i did.
What do we do the most of now days? reprogram for software glitches, fix a leaking seal here and there, and fix all the problems with the old ones that never got driven enough to get in and get fixed back then.
90% of what comes in the door before 10am is back out that night, we used to keep things for 3-4 days.
Our most busy guys in the shop are the trim guys, trim guys do interior work, driveabilty (tune ups, ses light, engine miss) 5% of his work load is new cars under warranty, heavy line (engines, transmissions, diesel) good thing there are lots of used cars to work on, those guys dont have alot to do anymore. The 99 model change was huge in the quality department, the 07 change however not as big was also a change for the better. I would not own anything gm made from 96-98, who ever was in the Quality control center at that time should be shot as im sure that time frame burnt alot of people on GM.
As to what I think about the current GM line up, I have never seen so many units that will turn 250,000 miles with only minor work.
-I spec out everything I buy and order it as i want with the options I want cause i drive things over 100k miles, I have not bought used in years because everything i bout used was used up no matter how many miles were on it. Seems when I buy new they last alot longer.
- One more insider tip for EVERONE, dont buy an extended warranty from anyone but the company who has their emblem on your unit. The coverage is 10 times better and that why it cost more, you get new parts not used parts, you get it fixed much faster, and there is no hidden Bull Butter to deal with.
- When your salesman says your warranty covers everything "bumper to bumper" thats more Bull Butter, its a LIMITED WARRANTY AGINST DEFECTS, not a warranty to cover that pot hole that your kid hit and knocked the alignment out, or to replace the wire harness your "trailer light riggin job" burned up.
the best way to win this argument in your head and should you get into it at the dealership is to ask yourself one question, Did I do this or did they do this? cant expect someone to cover something you did. an example would be - putting gas in a diesel engine.
This "lack of work" is one of the reasons i got out of the shop. If i have to take a used ford or dodge to the dealer for repair its always 3-4 days.

I feel for the original poster, its a real drag taking your pride and joy to a shop and getting the run around by the ones in charge or a writter that just see's $ signs when a smoker (diesel) pulls in. Its in everyones best interest to find a dealer you can trust and do business with him because in the new age of dealerships after warranty help, assistance, goodwill what ever you want to call it is all based on a good business decision. I am always willing to help those who do a little service work with me from time to time with a "freeby".

Gm building junk, i dont think so, public opinion about GM now thats junk.

sorry guys for the long rant, fragmented sentences, spelling errors, i have been passing kidney stones left and right for a week now and not feeling real well.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Workinallthetime

I am really glad you are so honest and forthcoming. I am also glad you have pride in the company you work for and what you fix. Its hard to find that. I was born and raised on GM products and like you said the quality, especially the fit and finish items, were horrible in the 80's and 90's. I bought my first new vehicle, a 89 S-10 4x4 Blazer and was burnt. It was in the shop right and left and I dumped it at 36,000 miles. As you stated its that time era and stories like mine that led me away from GM although I currently own one, a Saturn with 120,000 miles on it now. For the most part its been good but still many little items like power windows, power locks, sunroof, tranny issues, broken horn, ect. I will say last week I had a Kia with 20,000 miles as a rental car and my Saturn was 10 times the car.

I have given most manufactures a try. I have owned a Nissan, Honda, Toyota, Dodge, and many many Fords. Had tons of issues with the Dodge but none of the others were ever in the shop but for routine maintenance for the most part. The Toyota went 160,000 miles only needing normal fluid changes, brakes, and a clutch before being traded. My Fords have had a few recalls, one power window out on a Mercury Mountaineer, and a bad dash cluster on a F-350 and that's it on over 10 units. Like you said the most important part is getting a good dealer. I found a good GM dealer this spring called Sam Pierce Chevy in Daleville Indiana and spent over $3,000 on behalf of my father getting his Corvette back up to par and fixing small item that added up. They did a great job and I was more than happy.

Anyway, I think you hit the nail on the head. People were burnt in the 80's and 90's and the imports and others were making strides. GM seemed to have the attitude that they were big and would always have loyal customers. That bit them in the ___. They are now making the best products they have in 25 years but its hard to change minds, especially when you spent $35,000 and got bit.

Chris