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They don't make them like they used to....
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Pierre
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Joined: 08 Feb 2003
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Location: CA

Post subject: (Sat May 05, 2012 10:20 pm) Reply with quote

No, they didn't fill the tank. Pretty sure I didn't take it in full though. They didn't wash it either.

Minus this headache, indeed I like my Caliber as well. It is roomy, has helped me move. The front passenger seat folds down too as well as the rear so you can get a long 2x4, pipe, etc in it. With just the rear seats down I was able to transport a new in box 10" table saw with mobile stand.

The CVT took some getting used to. It is super quiet... if your not careful you look down at the speedo and suddenly your going twice as fast as you were and didn't realize it. Wish it had more oomph tho. Too bad no more SRT4 version. I think 2012 was the last year for it (the Caliber overall, that is).




Last edited by Pierre on Sat May 05, 2012 10:44 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Pierre
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Post subject: (Sat May 05, 2012 10:38 pm) Reply with quote

Dan, I just feel burned is all. For an evap code they replaced the main computer, someting called an ESIM (evap integrity system monitor?) - canister - purge valve - gas cap - everything in the evap system just about. Apparently the gas tank has a pressure sensor in it and the connector leading to that was the one fubared. Parts wise, its not "practically as new" as it was. It's brain was replaced! lol

I guess it was just a bit naive to expect a new car to be perfect before its first oil change. Hopefully they'll use this as a learning experience so next time if this issue happens again it will be a 12 minute not 12 day fix. I'm slowly moving back to enjoying the car. On the plus side, it seems the oil change may be somewhat more enjoyable, the filter's right side up. I shouldn't speak too soon though until I see how hard it is to snake out. Hmm, I need to start gathering metric tools.


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slantzilla
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Post subject: (Sun May 06, 2012 5:30 am) Reply with quote

My brother worked at a Ford dealership in the '70's. It was always a contest on new car deliveries to guess what parts would be in the trunk. Line workers would throw whatever didn't get put on there. Shocked

I worked for an equipment dealer for 13 years. You'd be amazed at some of the crap we had to fix on brand new trucks before delivery. Shocked



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Rick Covalt
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Post subject: New not perfect! (Sun May 06, 2012 6:08 am) Reply with quote

For sure ,some new stuff is problem prone sometimes. But like Dan said it is almost all much better than it used to be! I too worked at a Ford dealership, and when the 1980 Escorts came out, there were 8 recalls due on them before they were even unloaded off the truck! Bad part was, some people had ordered them had and been waiting for them, and then they came in and we could not sell them the cars until the recalls were fixed. One recall was for leaking water pumps! On brand new cars! And guess what, this was a new car, new design, new engine and there were no water pumps to be had. They had set on the lot for over a week until Ford sent them from the factory!

At least you got yours home before it needed fixed!!! Laughing Laughing

Good Luck,
Rick



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Slanted Opinion
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Joined: 22 Feb 2005
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Post subject: (Sun May 06, 2012 3:14 pm) Reply with quote

Sadly enough, it was Japanese cars that forced Ford, GM & Chrysler to rethink how much they paid attention to quality control. While the '76 Volares were rusting on the dealer's lots, Honda and the like were just starting to wow people with hood gaps that actually looked like the parts we put on by someone who cared about fit and finish...


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Pierre
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Post subject: (Sun May 06, 2012 9:07 pm) Reply with quote

Ok, I get it, new doesn't mean perfect. But why should a consumer sit and accept it? If one buys a toaster and it goes poof before you make it through the first box of waffles, what are you gonna do? Send it back to the manufacturer to get fixed, or take it back for a refund / exchange for new? Not sure why one would treat a car differently in that regard vs any other consumer item. Any retailer typically offers a "will take any item back within xxx days of purchase" type of policy, eh?


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SlantSixDan
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Post subject: (Sun May 06, 2012 9:16 pm) Reply with quote

Dude.

No, seriously: Dude. Stop. It's not a toaster. It's been repaired. You're not getting a new replacement car. Stop asking; they stopped listening long ago. If you want to make productive use of your time, ask for the warranty coverage to be extended by 200 miles.



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Pierre
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Post subject: (Sun May 06, 2012 9:38 pm) Reply with quote

One has to wonder if its attitudes like that from consumers that have allowed car manufacturers to become complacent and allowing stuff like this to happen.

I'm a bit shocked Dan to find you take a tone like this towards the situation when you of all people demand perfection from everything else.

We agree on the part that it's not a toaster.It would be quite difficult to fit a model that big on my kitchen counter. That being said, now dude, tell me why I should treat it differently then one?


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coconuteater64
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Post subject: (Mon May 07, 2012 12:55 am) Reply with quote

Pierre wrote:
I know officially speaking I don't have a lemon law case. That part is pretty black and white. If it had 10 or 15k miles maybe, but 3k is like it happened the first day off the lot. Even then i wouldn't have a case eh? Grrrr, I bought a new car to avoid hassle. Too bad I didn't shop more.... A cr-v was only like 3k more.

Eh, it happens. I bought a new GMC truck. Middle of the line, not fully loaded but nice. But at a whopping 220 miles the pittman arm broke, causing me to put it in a ditch. Apparently, it had an undetected crack in the casting. They rebuilt the front end and all was well for another thousand miles, when the driver window would not roll down. Meanwhile, the rear engine seal let loose, and wouldn't ya know it the radio quit working about then too. Naturally, I was 500 miles from home when all this happened. Dealer said it would take a week or two to fix all this, might be operator error, not going to give you a loaner, yada yada yada. I wanted to drive the thing to the dealer, set it ablaze, and crash it into the showroom. But I held my mud, called the person highest up the food chain I could find, and got it back in 2 days all fixed. Racked up another 50K miles trouble free.

Morale of the story: hang in there. The joy of new car ownership isn't what it used to be, but if the dealer fixed it and it runs for a while without trouble, that shouldn't be a big deal if they racked up some miles testing it.



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SlantSixDan
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Post subject: (Mon May 07, 2012 10:48 am) Reply with quote

Pierre wrote:
One has to wonder if its attitudes like that from consumers that have allowed car manufacturers to become complacent and allowing stuff like this to happen.


It's people rewarding companies who put out "meh...that's good enough" products by continuing to buy mediocre, uncompetitive cars instead of voting "no!" with their wallets.

Quote:
We agree on the part that it's not a toaster.It would be quite difficult to fit a model that big on my kitchen counter. That being said, now dude, tell me why I should treat it differently then one?


Toaster: Costs $3 to make. Not considered durable goods. Not repairable.
Car: Opposite of all of the above.

Look, I understand how you feel, and I'm not trying to rub salt in your wound, but take a couple steps back and look at the broader picture: you bought a kind of car that is generally unrecommended as not very good and thoroughly uncompetitive versus just about everything else in its class. It experienced a minor failure (one bent connector pin) which your dealer chased their tails and threw parts at for awhile. Along came the zone manager and found and fixed the problem, which is almost certain not to happen again. You are just not being realistic or reasonable with your demand for a buyback.



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