Hey all.

Here's my situation.

I made a deal on a "new truck" (to me that is ) the truck in my sig.

Two weeks ago yesterday, I signed the paper and gave the deposit. I wanted a few issues corrected before I took delivery. (mostly small things. ie. cruise not working) the major one was truck wanted to grind going into third unless you double clutched or really took your time. They said no problem, will pull tranny first of the week send to tranny shop, have them correct the problem and reinstall. Okay great. Dealer promises to have truck 100% but will take 1 week. Can pick up the following friday.

The dealer is a good 2 + hour drive from home as well. The are a relatively high volume lot, deal mostly in used diesel trucks. (lots of Fords )

Talk to them several times the following week, yes yes, always coming along nicely. Go through the whole financing nonsense etc.

Friday comes, trucks not ready, don't have tranny back try again tommorow.

Saturday same deal, will be ready by monday night.



Cut to the chase;

another week goes by still not ready. Now the story is truck is back together working good but check engine light was on.

Said they could not reset with their scanner, booked into Chrysler for Friday aft.

Now I'm loosing my patience, plus, I've badly needed the truck.

They happened to drop the names of the shop doing the tranny work as well as the Chrysler dealer.

So I call to enquire at both shops.

Tranny shop says yep, replaced third gear syncros and threw an input bearing in.

okay fine. good.

Chrysler service department tells me they brought truck in and were told to reset all codes. Tech says there were numerous codes in both Dodge and Cummins ECM.



No work was done to truck, just reset.

So I phone salesman back; (he doesn't know I've talked to Chrysler service department)

He says yep truck is running good, almost ready!!!!!



Head mechanic at their shop has taken it home for the weekend to make sure everything is working right 'cause they don't want me to have to come back after I've driven all that way to pick it up.

I ask him what happened at Chrysler. He hums and haws says all they did was reset ECM because they replaced a wheel speed sensor to fix the cruise control.

I say oh really eh?? and hang up the phone.

Now I'm getting really hot!!!!!!!

Get home, call dealership back ask for the owner and almost blow my stack!

He promises a list of the codes it was showing at Chrysler, promises if they reccurr they'll fix the problem.

Will be ready monday or tuesday

WHAT DO I DO????????????

I never dreamt of this hassle.

Who can you believe?

Worst part is I can't find another truck I'm interested in.

Truck has third party warranty for 1 year unlimited melage.

one of the codes was injection timing error.

does that mean Vp44 is dead eveytime??
Do I just take the truck, let it go and have it replaced under warranty?

I'm at a loss.

Truck ran fine the 2x I test drove it.

 

I know good trucks are sometimes far and few between, but I would back out of the deal. The old man used to say some things were not meant to be. I would still push it, and always was sorry.
The dealer Knows nothing about 99% of the cars they sell. If its a local trade in they will ship it elsewhere to be sold, so the prevoius owner wont mess themselves when they see what there now selling it for. I have seen a top rated local dealership take a toyota truck that looked like is was abondoned in a field for months with the doors open and detail and dip in armor all and try to say its 1 owner, excellent cond ,well maintained. There is a reason its on the lot. someones headache. I have purposely investigated our local dealers, there all the same, lying crooks, Sorry to offend anyone who is honest out there, but you are one in a million, and thank you for being that way. But the fact still remains, KEEP LOOKIN

 

Boy, tool, that's a tough one! I'm afraid that I side with apache. Every time I've pushed a deal like that, I've wished I would have backed out when I had the chance. I call a deal like yours a "JDFL." Just Doesn't Feel Right. Most of the time, the right thing to do is the hardest thing to do.

DeWain

 

i think im with them all so! i have gotten the wrong end of the deal a few times cause i wanted it so bad but end the end i ended up not being happy!!! sounds like a cool truck in all. it just sounds like a big mess and a big mess waiting to happen when u get the truck! hate to be negative sorry! come back and tell us ur decision!

 

You know, YOU are the customer. And that would leave you with two choices. 1. Take their **** and bit your lip, If you go this route you must really want the truck, or you are a push over.
2. Walk away.

 

I just purchased the same model truck last march, I also had the same problem with the tranny, but i bought privately. Since then I had to replace the clutch, third gear, the syncros, and the main shaft, bearings and seals. Came to 1800 Cdn.

I also had to replace the fuel filter assembly because it was leaking fuel out of where the heater wires enter the top of the unit. replaced that with a 2001 model.

I have had to some brake work, and replace the AC Core as it was leaking inside the heater unit, MAJOR PITA.

But I really love the truck, and am glad I purchased it. It had 230,000km on it then and i paid $22,000. I think I got a good deal.

But I had the same problem with a brand new 97 Dakota, dealer messed around alot with leaking axel, and it did turn out to be lemon. It had bad everything right after warrenty ran out, tranny started slipping, would not run in the rain.. The dealer was so mad at me he was litterally spitting on his desk. But thats another story..

If the deal feals bad RUN RUN RUN. Or low ball them till its absoulutly worth it..

Good luck,

 

I feel your pain. I work in a dealer and it took me nearly three years for that "right" truck to come in the door on trade in. It's hard to find a used CTD in decent shape that you know the whole history of.

 

Oh yeah,

to throw another twist into the story, the truck I'm trading them (96 Ford) is pretty much toast.

Leaking oil like a sieve in numerous places, pan is shot.

Ball joints are done! Bangs something terrible.

So I need a truck now! as I don't want to spend anything on the old one if I'm just going to trade it.


I guess all I can do is wait and see if it is actually ready in a day or two like they claim.

Go check it out again. VERY CAREFULLY!!!!!!!

See what they will put in writing etc.

Then make a decision.

I'm thinking an O.K by a Cummins mechanic may also be a rider to the agreement.



I dunno.

I may or may not still be looking for a truck.

One thing is for sure, either way they or gonna get some earfull in a day or two!!!

I don't think I usually get too wound up, but I am MAD!

 

Tool,

You also want to check for the "53" block. If it has one of them, don't walk, RUN away from it. Yes, it is possible to never have a problem with a "53" block, but do you want to take the chance? That truck is just about out of factory warranty (5 years), even if it has less than 100K on it. That means YOU'LL buy the block if it cracks.
The dealers, no matter who they are, are in this for a buck. Soem just do it in a less scrupulous way than others. Why do you think used car dealers have the reputation they do?
This whole deal sounds hinky to me. I suggest you spend as little as you can get away with on your current ride, and wait until another one comes along.

http://www.Stamey.nu/Truck/Cummins53BlockFAQ.htm

Chris

 

1. Confront your dealer about the codes. Tell them you want the VP44 & liftpump tested. And all the other codes addressed (not just erased) by the dodge dealer.

2. check for the "53" on the block.

good luck.

 

I searched and searched and searched for a truck , walked away from several trucks dealers tried to push but i told them i bought a truck with problems before and was told all would be fixed and when my diesel mechanic kept looking to see if they did what they said always the same nope . so i got into an argument with the gen. sales manager got nowhere. so we wrote a letter to the owner threatin to sue them and bring the issue to the local papers. they quikly said how much do we owe you and sent a check. we had had the truck fixed at my mechanic one we trusted and new it would get done .

WALK AWAY RUNNNNNNNIGGGGGGGGGGG

 

tool,

Sounds like a sticky situation. I am probably one of the most impatient people on the planet. When I have made up my mind to do something it's hard to change it. If it were me I would do what others have suggested and get in writing what the erased codes were, and have them adressed by a competent shop, and or have the dealer pay to take it to a Cummins shop and given the complete once over like you mentioned. Get it all in writing and don't count on the 3rd party warranty. I feel your pain, good luck.

 

This is why I always rec'd people have an independent 3rd party look at a used vehicle. If someone says no you can't take the vehicle to another 3rd party, then they might be hiding something. Gotta remember with used vehicles that someone got rid of it for some reason, whether to upgrade to a better year, or their is a problem with it. Hope all works out for you.