Not recommending GM cars anymore

[cletus8269]

i have a 2004 colorado ls crewcab z71. since owning it the following has had to be done.

1. the cd player ate a cd and wouldnt eject it. replaced under warranty.

2. passenger tail light mount broken from factory. RUW.

3. Safety recall, possible faulty wiring harness for tail lights. RUW

4. Blower fan bearing went out (tried to get it fixed but the service people at the dealership are idots. i just ignore it now.)

5. power steering squeaks when turning left only (started at 1500 miles) once again the service department cannot fix it (idoits). i have been told that replacing the fluid in the saginaw unit will fix it.

6. both front tie end rods replaced (under extended warranty)

7. tail housing seal on transmission replaced under ext warranty

8. two speakers replaced under warrenty (cant handle the volume i guess )

9. There is a service bulletin that i got in the mail about the headgasket failing prematurely. warrenty extended to 7 yrs and 100k miles in such an event.

i have owned this vehichle new. it had 54 miles on it when i took delivery (came from NC dealership) it has 72K miles on the clock.

i would own another chevrolet in a heartbeat (no pun intended) and would love a 5.3 crew cab or extended cab colorado in the new black granite metallic but for the cost, you might as well step up to the 1500's.

i understand where advant 1963 is coming from. the chevys my family has owned have been excellent to us ( except for the pos 1985 cavalier station wagon we had with a 4cyl). my uncle has nothing but terrible luck when it comes to them though. he always gets the lemons. he bought used once so that may explain that one but he states he would own one except for his bad luck with them.

i think however with any car or any brand the maintenance on the vehicle has to be kept up. you want her to last 150K miles and 10 yrs? wash it at least 3 times a month. rotate the tires, keep check on your brakes and suspension, regularly change the oil and filter, and run some fuel additives every once in a while. if you take care of it, it will return the favor.

[FAPTurbo]

But then I recall that in school the kids who got the "improved" awards were often dumb as bricks both before and after the award.

:[

Well, at least my mom still thinks I'm smrt.

[daves87rs]

i think however with any car or any brand the maintenance on the vehicle has to be kept up. you want her to last 150K miles and 10 yrs? wash it at least 3 times a month. rotate the tires, keep check on your brakes and suspension, regularly change the oil and filter, and run some fuel additives every once in a while. if you take care of it, it will return the favor.

So very true...the only thing that I had to replace in 50k and 6 years is the fuel pump. And it is a "POS" cavailer.

Anything will last if you take care of it...

[regfootball]

the aztek turned over 100k recently. its at about 101.5k as of this evening.

GM is unreliable? WTF?

Here is the history on the vehicle.

Oil changes on average every 3000-3500 miles. A couple air filters. No plugs or fuel filters yet even.

I did brakes and tires with alignment at about 70k miles. Yes, OEM tires went to 70k. A bit noisy, but they made it. Brakes only needed pads and the discs needed to be turned.

Radiator and tranny fully flushed at 50 and 100k.

OK, here are the defects so far.

Some electrical part fixed under safety recall. Never affected vehicle operation.

Both front wheel bearings replaced under warranty.

...............

struts could stand to be replaced but its not entirely needed. Battery might be suspect but batteries are after 5 years. Fuel pressure regulator?

this is it folks. we beat on it, just gas it up and go, its survives without much love and its been way reliable.

And GM vehicles are supposed to be 'unreliable'?

In the FWIW department, all my Fords that i have purchased new or a year old have been the same sort of thing.

My friend is a toyota mechanic at a dealer, i always love it when he tells stories about the toyos that break down after the warranty ends. stuff like backup cameras going bad 1000 miles after the warranty dies and the pissed off customers having to shell out hundreds having to get annoying stuff fixed.

[Croc]

This thread is a prime example of why I got out of the car business. Consumers today are way too demanding and expect perfection at every turn. A perfect example is the $h!ty quality rankings of MB over the past few years: nothing to do with their quality but everything to do with the me-first attitude of the yuppies that lease them.

I can say that the actual poor quality of MB had everything to do with the car and not my expectations of it. Plastic interior parts falling off after a mild bump in the road, grab handle coming off in hand when it was just unfolded--no downward pressure applied whatsoever, ~75% of the spark plugs having to be completely replaced every 9 months, poor exterior build quality--I could fit my finger through the gap between the rear bumper and the sheetmetal, radio that failed intermitantly, radio where the volume would randomly go to full blast and couldn't be turned down until turned off and then back on, body creaks and rattles, etc.

The thing was a POS, and it is the only vehicle I have ever had or been familiar with that has had anywhere near the number of problems it did. And they were all $$$ because it has the Tristar on the hood.

[Croc]

The problem is that you have associated perceived quality with reliability. Although that is what Ford (and to a slightly lesser extent GM) wants you to believe, of course there is no actual relationship. If you want examples that don't offend any pro-GM feelings, consider BMW, Mercedes, or VW... all of which seem to have excellent quality but have generally poor reliability.

Same goes for car reviews.

Well, when you go to Walmart and get the appliance for $20 when other brands at other stores offer comparable items for $80, you pretty much know you're buying crap, especially when it feels flimsy to use.

G6 is a price-leader, especially compared to Camry and Accord. Its interior is cheap and flimsy-feeling. Yes, that's perceived quality...but guess what? The G6 has proven to be an unreliable car.

The new Malibu feels a lot more quality, and again while that is perceived quality, its overall reliability has proven to be superior to that of the previous generation, despite anecdotal evidence by Walt.

[jlgolden]

GM repurchased my 2001 Oldsmobile Alero under the guidelines of Texas Lemon Law. After a lengthy, time-consuming, frustrating battle, I swore off GM and replaced that car with a 2002 Nissan.

I felt stung, and I was embarrassed in front of my import-loving peers. They advised me to shop Toyota and Honda when I bought the Alero.

However, I'm back to GM (and would consider any domestic brand) since the quality gains are so obvious.

Additionally, some of my import-loving peers are slowly migrating into domestic products...such as a 2008 Wrangler, 2008 CTS, 2009 Avalanche, and a 2009 Challenger SRT8.

The reality is that every manufacturer's product has an issue at some point.

[enzl]

Anyone in the business will tell you it isn't the problems, but how they're handled...at both dealer and manufacturer levels.

I have found that good dealers, regardless of make, will work with customers and 'red flag' a repair 'comeback' immediately---cab rides, rental cars and the token gift usually work at non-lux dealers to appease a disappointed customer.

I have also noticed that other than Lexus, there is wide variation as to how manufacturers respond to problem vehicles, even within the same make.

Cars are simply too complex to be perfect. And A#@hole customers are who they are, regardless of class, race, religion, etc...there's nothing that's going to please some people.

[avant1963]

This thread as run amok as if I said I was never buying GM ever again. It was more of frustration for the multiple times my 2006 Malibu has been back to the shop (Broken rear sunscreen, warped interior a-pillar cover, kinked ac drain which caused all condensation water to drain into the passenger-side floor, steering clunks, and finally with 4 months left of warranty, replaced the radiator) plus replacing the front brakes and rotors myself at 10,000 miles because they were warping and squealling.

I just felt like a schmuck when after 5 days of ownership my friend calls me from the dealership with a limping Malibu.

I'm not recommending any cars to anyone again, GM, Ford or other.

I still lust for a Camaro SS and a G8 GXP, and hopefully GM will be around to supply them when I am ready.

[cletus8269]

well that i can understand... i recommended a car for a friend once. he wanted basic transportation pickup to go from home to work and back. nothing fancy just the gas crunch was on and his 3500 6.6 gmc dually wasnt cutting it. i told him how about a pain jane colorado ext cab. can get it in a stick with the 4 banger and get good hwy return or get the inline 5 and get a little less and be able to pull some stuff if you have too. went over it with him on the web. we built him one, printed it out so he could take it to the dealer if he wanted too. we compared to the tacoma and he was impressed how closely matched they were as far as MPG they were. he comes back to work the next week in a toyota tundra crew cab 4x4 with the 5.7 with an offroad kit...

so at least when you tried to be a voice of reason for someone they listen to you

once they get it worked out they may decide they love the car.

[cletus8269]

Anyone in the business will tell you it isn't the problems, but how they're handled...at both dealer and manufacturer levels.

I have found that good dealers, regardless of make, will work with customers and 'red flag' a repair 'comeback' immediately---cab rides, rental cars and the token gift usually work at non-lux dealers to appease a disappointed customer.

spot on. i hate to even hear the name of the dealership that i got my truck from. they are idiots. i have gone there several times to get things fixed only to go home and come back the very next day in order to get it fixed...

[MyerShift]

The problem is that you have associated perceived quality with reliability. Although that is what Ford (and to a slightly lesser extent GM) wants you to believe, of course there is no actual relationship. If you want examples that don't offend any pro-GM feelings, consider BMW, Mercedes, or VW... all of which seem to have excellent quality but have generally poor reliability.

Same goes for car reviews.

True that. In one year, my VW Golf V has had (not in order):

1.) Transmission replaced after total failure (and NO RENTAL FOR ME; NOTHING)

2.) Rear sub speaker replaced

3.) Driver's side mirror replaced to fix signal repeater

4.) Has to have steering gear replaced due to graunching sound (waiting on parts). They sent me on my merry way, and when I inquired if it was dangerous, they said, "Well, if you notice anything change, call us right away."

Damn right I am not happy with how this car has been and it has nothing to do with whether or not I am an asshole customer or not, it has to do with the fact that the Golf is a $h! poor car.

[BuddyP]

GM repurchased my 2001 Oldsmobile Alero under the guidelines of Texas Lemon Law. After a lengthy, time-consuming, frustrating battle, I swore off GM and replaced that car with a 2002 Nissan.

I felt stung, and I was embarrassed in front of my import-loving peers. They advised me to shop Toyota and Honda when I bought the Alero.

However, I'm back to GM (and would consider any domestic brand) since the quality gains are so obvious.

Additionally, some of my import-loving peers are slowly migrating into domestic products...such as a 2008 Wrangler, 2008 CTS, 2009 Avalanche, and a 2009 Challenger SRT8.

The reality is that every manufacturer's product has an issue at some point.

And irronically my daily driver is a '00 Alero with 259,XXX miles on it. Just had to replace the alternator 2 weeks ago. Wifey bought this car in '01 with 30k on the clock. We met when it had 50k on the clock. I took it over at around 230k miles. Had a fuel pump harness that kept it from starting a couple times a couple years back. Found out it was a recall (from prior owner) that was improperly installed. Had it corrected and no problems since. Had a oil sending unit seal leak and had that replaced at around 180k. Other than that we've done front struts, front wheel bearings and then the usual tires and brakes. Can't complain, it's been a good car.

Edited March 28, 2009 by BuddyP

[bobo]

It seems like the earlier Epsilons are just troublesome overall. I talked to two owners of Saab 9-3s recently, and they had all sorts of electrical and computer glitches.