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Saturday, August 30, 2008

Yuck, yuck, yuck

If you've read my blog since last year or know me in real life, you know the troubles we had with our previous car, the Pacifica. If you want to catch up on the car saga, read this then this then this. A year ago we bought a new Nissan Quest, and we love it. We've never had any problems with it. Until now. About three weeks ago, smoke started coming out of the exhaust when we started it. It would only last like 2 or 3 seconds, just one big puff. There's never been any change in the vehicle's performance, no strange sounds, none of the lights have ever come on like the engine light, oil light, etc. Other than the smoke, there's been no change. We brought it to the dealer on Wednesday to have them look at it. They called on Thursday to tell us that we need a new engine. And it's not covered by our warranty. I'm sorry, what? That's right. Chris, honest to God, was homicidal I think when he heard that. We picked the car up yesterday. With the old engine. According to the dealer, the engine is "full of sludge honey. It's like molasses in there." They claim it's not covered by our warranty because it's due to a "lack of maintenance." What? We've had all scheduled maintenance and oil changes done. Of course we've gone a little over our mileage for oil changes occasionally, but not like 20,000 miles over.

1. If you're not my parent, grandparent, or husband, Don't. Call. Me. Honey. I mean honestly, do I strike you as someone a stranger would call honey? I'm not sweet.

2. How does a brand new car with just over 20,000 miles have an engine so full of "sludge, honey" that it needs to be replaced?

3. We JUST had the oil changed, literally last week, and they never indicated that anything was even slightly wrong.

4. Chris just came home with some additive to put in the engine to clean it. When he opened the gasket cover (I could totally have just made that term up!) there was a smooth layer of dust on the underside of the cover like it hadn't been opened recently. Did they even look to see what was wrong at the dealer???

I'm SO frustrated. I hate dealing with car crap.

4 comments:

lisagh said...

Any type of misfunctioning machine drives me bonkers. Sorry your car's not behaving.

And btw - I'm totally with you on the "honey" thing!

Stephanie said...

OMG! What a nightmare! You hope with a brand new car that wouldn't happen!! What are you guys going to do?

Kelly said...

Ughhh...I hate car crap too! Need a new engine? I highly doubt that!!

Briana said...

Oh I hate stuff like that!

I took our Corolla to get a flat tire fixed (not to the dealership) and the tire place told me that no one in town sold the tires we wanted (so it would match the other 3) I even said, "What about the dealership where we got it!?" They said, Nope! Turns out, the tire place right across the stree from them, that's all they sell is that specific kind of tire! Good thing I didn't fall into their lie. I now have 4 matching tires on my car. Do they think because we're women that we're dumb?