Car advice- update post 35

[dakcp2001]

I purchased a car in April, and have put about 11K miles on it. I have a long commute and need a safe reliable car. I travel early in the morning (4am) and need something that will not leave me stranded. Since purchasing this car, it has been in the shop 3 times for minor issues (but a brand new car should not have them) and now my check engine light is on.

How do I trade this lemon in without taking a huge loss? I just feel like if it is having so many problems this early in, it will only be worse later on. I want something more reliable.

Advice on trading in a fairly new car without get taken? Do I have any recourse since it has had so many issues?

 

[mrudman]

I'd look into the lemon law for your state and see what can be done.

Here's a link summarizing how many repairs within what time frame to be considered.

http://www.carlemon.com/lemons.html

 

[dakcp2001]

Thank you! Well I meet the 3 repairs in under 12K. I am at 11k and this will be the 4th time in the shop. Now to go about using the lemon law.....researching...

 

[msmayor]

Thank you! Well I meet the 3 repairs in under 12K. I am at 11k and this will be the 4th time in the shop. Now to go about using the lemon law.....researching...

Don't be so certain that the lemon law will apply...the car has to have the SAME issue all times, and the shop has not been able to repair it.

When you say "minor" issues...what do you mean? And with respect to the "check engine" light, that normally means a problem with emissions. It can be something as insignificant as a gas cap not being screwed on tight enough. They need to pull the codes off the computer to see what the issue is.

 

[dakcp2001]

The code says "emissions leak, minor" but the shop was closed today and will be closed tomorrow. I am working Tues & Wed so It wont get looked at until Thursday. My car does not have a gas cap, it is a 2011 Dodge. I had autozone read the code.

 

[fireflymedic]

I purchased a car in April, and have put about 11K miles on it. I have a long commute and need a safe reliable car. I travel early in the morning (4am) and need something that will not leave me stranded. Since purchasing this car, it has been in the shop 3 times for minor issues (but a brand new car should not have them) and now my check engine light is on.

How do I trade this lemon in without taking a huge loss? I just feel like if it is having so many problems this early in, it will only be worse later on. I want something more reliable.

Advice on trading in a fairly new car without get taken? Do I have any recourse since it has had so many issues?

Try talking to the owner or manager of the lot, tell thim you want another car and you want credit for the full price of the car you just got, of course you are still out the tax and tag money but they may help you out, will not cost you anything to ask

good luck

 

[Judique]

The code says "emissions leak, minor" but the shop was closed today and will be closed tomorrow. I am working Tues & Wed so It wont get looked at until Thursday. My car does not have a gas cap, it is a 2011 Dodge. I had autozone read the code.

How do you put gas in it if it doesn't have a gas cap? Is it electric?

 

[ScottOKW2K]

I purchased a car in April, and have put about 11K miles on it. I have a long commute and need a safe reliable car. I travel early in the morning (4am) and need something that will not leave me stranded. Since purchasing this car, it has been in the shop 3 times for minor issues (but a brand new car should not have them) and now my check engine light is on.

How do I trade this lemon in without taking a huge loss? I just feel like if it is having so many problems this early in, it will only be worse later on. I want something more reliable.

Advice on trading in a fairly new car without get taken? Do I have any recourse since it has had so many issues?

Actually a brand new car is not immune from issues, major or minor. Generally speaking if something is going to fail it will do it very early in its life cycle or will last till what is considered a normal lifetime for that part/item. This is why when you purchase something new it comes with a warranty - to correct what failures do occur early in the items life.

A good example is our own experience. We purchased a 2008 Accord new. It developed a problem where it would suddenly run very rough. First time at the dealership they thought bad gas - not an unreasonable assumption. Second time they found a problem and a cylinder head was replaced and other associated work was done. Third time - they replaced the engine. We still have the Accord - recently paid off (Yeah !!) - and it has ran like a top since then. All that was done under the manufacturers warranty and the only money we have paid out on this vehicle was for routine maintenance.

I do wish you luck. You might bring up your concerns to the service rep at the dealership when you bring it in and request that they give it a good "once-over" to check out the vehicle.

 

[undertheradar]

11K miles in roughly 5 months is a lot of driving. You need to get a service program that helps you manage the correct service points for such high mileage driving. If your mileage continues at your current rate, you will put over 26k miles on your car in one year.

 

[herdtoDisney]

The code says "emissions leak, minor" but the shop was closed today and will be closed tomorrow. I am working Tues & Wed so It wont get looked at until Thursday. My car does not have a gas cap, it is a 2011 Dodge. I had autozone read the code.

Can you buy a new gas cap at Autozone? Not having the cap on can make the light go on. Grab one today and see if the light goes off after you drive awhile.

 

[Tistal]

My car does not have a gas cap

That's probably why the light is on. Not having a gas cap will make the light turn on.

Unless it's like the new Lincolns (sorry I'm not familiar with Dodge vehicles) where there is no gas cap (and it says inside where the gas cap would be in huge letters that it does not have one), but there is a valve that is moved when you insert the gas nozzle.

 

[dakcp2001]

That's probably why the light is on. Not having a gas cap will make the light turn on.

Unless it's like the new Lincolns (sorry I'm not familiar with Dodge vehicles) where there is no gas cap (and it says inside where the gas cap would be in huge letters that it does not have one), but there is a valve that is moved when you insert the gas nozzle.[/QUOTE


It is not supposed to have a gas cap, it is a new design by Dodge. It has a fuel door and a metal thingy (not the technical term) that only opens with a gas nozzle. I don't know how to post a pic, but if you google it you can prob find it.

So it is not the gas cap. I did find online a lot of people seem to be having this issue, and they are saying it is a solenoid, now to google that. lol.

 

[dakcp2001]

11K miles in roughly 5 months is a lot of driving. You need to get a service program that helps you manage the correct service points for such high mileage driving. If your mileage continues at your current rate, you will put over 26k miles on your car in one year.

I have a very long commute, I have all scheduled maintenance done on time as scheduled to avoid problems.

I am really thinking of trading this in though. I don't like that this will be the 4th time in the shop (in addition to all the visits from all scheduled maintenance) in 5 months. I am thinking of looking into a Ford. They seem to score much higher in reliability. The Dodge ratings on reliability seem to mirror my experience. Sad, because it is a beautiful car and the gas mileage is great about 26mpg right now highway.

 

[msmayor]

You still haven't mentioned what the three issues were that you said you had to take the car in for...only the "check engine" light.

What were those issues, and why do you think they make the car unreliable?

 

[mrodgers]

What were those issues, and why do you think they make the car unreliable?

Walk out in the driveway to go to work. Where's the car? Oh, it's in the shop, now how do I get to work?

Sounds pretty unreliable to me in 5 months.

I am use to doing routine maintenance every 4 years or so. Even my Ford throws me for a loop with having normal routine maintenance needing done in a quarter of the time than I am use to with my old Toyotas. When a car needs a full brake job every 2 years, I call that unreliable. Also, when a vehicle needs to go to the shop 4 times in 5 months (nearly once a month), I call that unreliable.

 

[dakcp2001]

The other issues were the keyless entry system, the keyless entry system a second time, and after both times it was "fixed" it still does not work today. The other issue was the start button (it has a push button start) malfunctioned.

So when the car does not start, I can't get in it, or it is in the shop more than it is out of the shop it is unreliable.

Oh and being afraid to drive to work tomorrow, considering I will be driving 65 highway miles at 4am in the dark, that makes it unreliable. The REASON I bought a brand new car instead of a used car, is so I can get up go to work without being afraid to get stuck on the side of the highway in the dark. If it is having this many problems this early on, it will only get worse.

Sorry I am totally stressed out about this. I am dreading my drive tomorrow. But I can't keepin calling and saying car trouble when I have a brand new car.

 

[msmayor]

never mind.

 

[dakcp2001]

never mind.

Nevermind what? You think it is a lemon or not?

 

[sureshsk]

I'd look into the lemon law for your state and see what can be done.

 

[dakcp2001]

UPDATE the check engine light is back on AHHHHHHHHHHHH! I want to start smashing things. I want to drive it through the showroom window. I hate this car. I want to take it to the dealer, throw the keys at him, and WALK home.