Have you ever had a vehicle that was a Lemon?

[JohnBoy45]

Hi, Have you ever owned a vehicle that turned out to be Lemon?

http://www.autotrader.com/research/shared/article.jsp?article_id=3437&refpage=buyingtips&restype=used

Terry

 

[6or7dazeaweek]

Terry: Only had one which could be classified under the lemon law. 1991 Chevy S-10 ext cab, long box with manual tranny. Had trouble changing gears...like the synchro's were shot and gears clashed between 1&2 as well as 3&4. Dealer installed a new heavy duty clutch which made it worse. Then the GM tech rep says change the tranny. Same problem. Dealer said I had two options. One I could take them to litigation and win OR they (the dealer) and GM would help me get into another gm vehicle of my choice. I chose the later....ended up with a brand new Chevy S-10 ext cab, auto, Air & all the bells & whistles. Payments decreased $50 a month. So I'm really glad I didn't have to hire an attorney to take them to litigation. That's the only time I've got a lemon vehicle and for me I think it turned out in my best interest.

Jon

 

[PitbullMidwest]

Never had a "lemon" per say. I did have a vehicle that sold me against a brand though.
I bought a year 1 (1986 1/2) Nissan Hardbody 4x4 assembled in Tennessee (big selling point at that time). 2 months later the steering started acting "sloppy". Dealership replaced the steering drag link under warrenty and informed me that the truck hadn't been fully greased at the factory or the dealership where I had bought it /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif. Later the same month the a/c idler pulley froze up and had to be replaced. The electronic lockout hubs failed twice in 2 years along with other minor things that seemed to keep it in the shop regularly.

After our daughter was born we decided to traded it off and the engine started making a horrific sound. The machanic found the problem and asked if the motor had ever been torn down, it hadn't and I asked why. He told me the sound was caused by a broken timing chain guide rubbing against the chain. The part broke at a spot weld and appeared to be a assembly line "rework" of the part. I traded it off at a different dealership. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

About a year ago a girl applied for a job where I work and she was driving my Nissan. I struck up a conversation with her about the truck and asked how it was running. Her reply? "Ok I guess, it always seams to be something, the 4WD doesn't work right now because the lockout hubs quit working last winter."

For some reason it didn't surprise me.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

1971 Ford Pinto...junk

 

[hayden]

Yes. Volvo Cross Country Wagon. It would stop running randomly when it had less than 1/4 tank of gas. It stranded my wife multiple times including in several very dangerous situations. Volvo refused to replace/swap it, no after 20 years of owning Volvos - never again. Traded it for a Subaru and have never been happier.

 

[Bird]

I've had many vehicles in my lifetime; cars, pickup trucks, motorhomes, motorcycles, and a couple of tractors. Some were bought new and some used. And I've had one true "lemon". That was a new 1966 Ford Fairlane 500, 289 V-8, automatic transmission. Unfortunately, that was before the advent of lemon laws or it definitely would have been a buy back. I kept it 2 years and managed to put 24k miles on it, and one day when it was running on at least 6 of the 8 cylinders, I traded it for a new Plymouth. Two weeks later, I happened to meet the lady who bought it from the Plymouth dealer, and the first thing she said was, "Did you ever have any trouble with the transmission?" It had gone out again. No one could have sold me a Ford for the next 25 years, but I've owned nothing but Fords now for the past 15 years. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[PILOON]

In the '70's I had a Dodge (Plymouth) FURY III.

Would not track right, would always leap off to the left when passing a vehicle.
Factory alignment was incorrect.
They replaced 3 or 4 oil filters and oil would just flow right out.
Wrong factory PNs.
Various other problems.

After 5 hrs for an oil change in 'quick service' (?) I was stranded over lunch hour and very PO'd.

I lowered the lift, opened the 'boot' and took ot my salesman sample case.

Now I was selling artists supplies at the time and had a fair 'painter's hand'.

Amazing what a brighty painted lemon (about 4") centrally spaced on the rear of a car will do for service!
(well I was pratically in the dealer showroon)

The zone manager was brought into the picture as I sort of took the position 'of if the shoe fits---'

I immediately was offered a 'loaner' and within 24 hrs all the 15-20 item list was well taken care of.

It did then become a good car. (until the fan blade departed the water pump and sort of trashed the rad and kinda messed up the engine)

Fortunately it was a company leased car from Chrysler leasing so they just reolaced it.

Also had 2 GM incidents:

New Pontiac, about 3-4000 miles and I feel like I'm running on bulldozer tracks so I pull over at first service station doing a right turn to align with the service bay.
The left front wheel plain falls off and rolls away from the car!
Totally void of grease!

Another time ( new Pontiac, again this time about 1200miles) I feel and hear what sounds like the differential is going so I pull over to the shoulder and as soon as I hit the gravel both rear wheels lock up with the ugliest growl and clunk.(and skid nicely in gravel)
Diff was assembled empty!

On a new Dodge with 60 miles on it I left dealership and essentially drove to a restaurent to have lunch.
I closed the driver door and the rear window EXPLODED!

 

[HGM]

Kyle,
I have no intention of debating your Pinto, though I have heard a comment or two like that before before.. My question is why was it junk? I know two people that had them and loved them. Up untill 4yrs ago one of my college instructors had one he drove every day.. I wouldnt care for one, but think they got bad press and it rubbed off on some.. Just curious...

The closest I came to lemon law was my current JD150 mower(no mower laws, so I've dealt with it) /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif...Been there,explained that story in the past.... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Things are getting better so I wont harp on it.. Been really lucky with vehicles I guess... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[johndeere2210]

Yes and all three of them were Chevy pickups. Two S-10's and a 1975 Scottsdale. Been driving Fords ever since until the recent acquisition of a 95 Geo Tracker. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[ToadHill]

I had 2, both GM products. A 1964 Chevy BelAir 6 with a standard trans. I couldn't keep a clutch in it for more than about 4000 miles. The other was a 89 Pontiac Bonny, it would just shut itself off, you then lost power steering, and power brakes, you costed to the side of the road and sat, sometimes it would start 5 minutes later sometimes 20 minutes later and sometimes the next day. No one ever found out what the problem was. I traded it in on a 93 Jag.