I'd like to tell you all about the nightmare I just went through with the new used car I bought. I got a 00 SS Vert that I have been looking for many months for. It is a GM certified vehicle but that obviously means they certify the price and never look at the car at all. It was bought at a certain dealership in West Hartford, Ct, that has a very good reputation (on New Park Ave, but I wont mention any names...). The day after I picked it up I noticed the tranny was especially hard to shift and 4th ground a little when shifted at any angle and speed. Then I actaully drove it with the top up and heard all kinds of noise coming form the rear end (my bad for not testing it with the top up), and was shocked. I called the dealership and talked to the sales manager and he blew me off. He said all the trannys are different and the noise in the rear was the tires. The 3rd brake light was broken too. So I brought it in and 3 days later they told me everything was fine and they replaced the light. They did nothing for the tranny or rear end. So the next day I went there and got into it with the sales manager again. He said they'd fix it. I said "great, but I didn't buy a certified vehicle to have in the shop for stuff that supposedly had been done before selling it". I never would have bought the car if I thought it hadn't been made like new as the advertising stated on the car. He got angry with me and made a scene so I asked him what a certified vehicle was and if it meant they certified the price before they immediatly put the car on the lot. He was none too happy. So finally after calling the owner of this dealership and 5 others in CT. many times and telling him of the situation I got results. They took the car and in 5 days replaced everything inside the rear end and the transmission. Funny how that tranny was "different" than others but now is the same as my 99 SS was.... I am sad to learn that a certified vehicle means nothing at all except they'll fix whatever YOU find wrong with it. I paid 20g for a car that should not have even been for sale and I feel robbed now. The day I dropped it off, it took them 2 hours to get me a ride home and they actually had to rent me a car for me to get home. I am less than impressed with this dealership and it's a shame because so many told me how good these guys are. It took them 8 days total to make the car right with jobs I have done in 1 day flat not withstanding parts (which can be had in 1 day delivered). I know this is not a long time but the car should have been as it was promised when delivered. I will have a car "certified" by a real mechanic next time before I do anything with a dealer. Sorry to have taken up so much room here but I had to warn you guys. This particular dealer sells Chevys and Hummers too. He has about 15 Vettes there but he won't be selling me one, that's for sure.

 

Yup, GM Certified means nothing. I've got my own long story about problems with a GM Certified vehicle and trying to get the dealer to address the problems within the first week of purchase. What a pain.

 

Sorry to hear about your misfortunes with your new car.

Used car buying tip #1: Certified or not, GM or any other manufacturer, never under any circumstances believe one single thing the seller says to you. Plain and simple...

At least you got is squared out now and can start enjoying it.

TS

 

Damn, sorry guys about hearing that.

I bought mine last year with the Certified warranty, and I had several things replaced under warranty after the fact. Power antenna, power window motor, Monsoon head unit, rear pinion seal. And some of these were after I had the supercharger installed.

I guess it just depends on which dealership you go to. The one I went to was cool as hell about everything.

 

Sorry To hear the problems you had but I guess it just depends on the dealer though.. When I bought my Car from a Chrysler Dealer, the car was perfect untill about a month when I found out my Driver's Side T-top was leaking and my pinion Seal was leaking, took the car down to Chev Dealer 60 miles from my house, and it took them 6 weeks to get the t-top leak fixed, pinion seal fixed and even that same dealer did not even do the Recall(The problem with Cold Spot Weld problem) that was on my car at that same time. Then about a month later I take my car in to local chev dealer in my town for rear tranny seal, they fixed it in under an hour!! 2 weeks after that I get a letter stating about the Spot Weld Recall, and took my car back to the local dealer (Graham Chevrolet) and they fixed that problem with in 4 hours..

So you can see which dealer will be doing all warranty work to my car..

Charlie

 

Sorry to hear of your problems, but glad it finally worked out.


(The problem with Cold Spot Weld problem)
I'd like more info on this please.

 

me too.

 

This is from what I did get over http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/pr...callsearch.cfm

Make: CHEVROLET
Model: CAMARO
Year: 2002
Recall Number: 01V381000
Summary:
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION," AND NO. 214, "SIDE IMPACT PROTECTION." THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE WELDS NEAR THE LOWER DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HINGE THAT DO NOT MEET SPECIFICATIONS.
Consequence:
IN A CRASH, AN OCCUPANT COULD RECEIVE SEVERE INJURIES.
Remedy:
DEALERS WILL INSTALL STRUCTURAL RIVETS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN DECEMBER 26, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020 OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-762-2737.
Notes:
ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Funny thing was Paradise Chevrolet was supposed to do this but never did, so Graham Chevrolet in Santa Barbara took care of the recall... And on the paperwork from Graham Chevrolet, said the problem was Factory Recall called Cold Spot Welds..

Charlie

 

Thanks for the info.

 

I almost had that problem with a '97 SS I nearly bought from a private seller. Instead, I turned down the sale after having the car checked completely from a local dealerships service garage that I trust.

 

No Problem..

Charlie