Advice: Brand New Maxima

[chnco]

So guys, here's the scoup which I was hoping to get the best plan of action.

My sister recently purchased a brand new '09 Maxima off a dealership. Awesome car. She purchased the car on Saturday, August 30th. Drove the car until she discovered there was an oil leak on the car. The car was brought into the dealership on Tuesday the 2nd of September. She had an Altima as a loaner. The car was then returned to her possession on the following Saturday, the 6th. The car was driven normally up until the following Tuesday when the check engine light came on. Car was brought into the dealership September 9th.

She has not had the car since that date and has been driving her loaner Altima the entire time. The first diagnosis was something minor, as I didn't get the details on it. My sister is not car savvy and couldn't explain to me what the current diagnosis is. She mentioned that the car now had been inspected by their master tech and now has to have Nissan USA inspect the vehicle and will require the entire motor to be replaced.

My sister is requesting a totally brand new vehicle and simply does not want to deal with the hassle. She has spoke with the service manager and dealership manager. They are both refusing to replace the vehicle. Keep in mind she has not been able to drive the car for approx a week or so.

Do you think she is out of line for asking for a replacement vehicle, or deal with a motor being replaced on a brand new car? When she first told me, I told her to get a new car as well.

So far the dealership is not cooporating, what would the next plan of action be? Keep in mind, this is a brand new vehicle off the showroom floor.

[BKgen®]

you'd have better luck (and less flaming) in Car Talk.

[chnco]

Cliffs:

-Sister purchased brand new Maxima.
-Car has oil leak, brought to dealership within couple days
-Car returned to sister, has another problem, and brought in a couple of days later
-Diagnosis is vague and has to have Nissan USA diagnosis.
-Entire motor is being replaced
-Sister does not want to deal with hassle for new car, requesting new car.
-Dealership refusing, next step?

[chnco]

Does a mod want to move my thread?

[alpine_aw11]

I doubt she would be able to get a new car if the warranty is going to cover the repairs, which I'm sure it will. I would want that too, but I don't see that coming from a stealership.

[BTLFED]

I doubt she would be able to get a new car if the warranty is going to cover the repairs, which I'm sure it will. I would want that too, but I don't see that coming from a stealership.

"Stealership?" Do you have ANY idea what goes on in a "Stealership" when it comes to new cars and maintenance and warranty claims? Have you ever even owned a brand new car, or a Japanese one at that?

Stop talking out your ass. If you saw the sh!t we "warranty" and give away on a daily basis you would be amazed. Things like replacing seat switches under warranty because a customer spilled sh!t in it, replacing floor mats because a customer rubbed a hole in it with their high heal, replacing floor mat clips because they gorilla'd the mat and broke them etc. Don't believe everything you hear or read on the internet.

[Alan®]

"Stealership?" Do you have ANY idea what goes on in a "Stealership" when it comes to new cars and maintenance and warranty claims? Have you ever even owned a brand new car, or a Japanese one at that?

Stop talking out your ass. If you saw the sh!t we "warranty" and give away on a daily basis you would be amazed. Things like replacing seat switches under warranty because a customer spilled sh!t in it, replacing floor mats because a customer rubbed a hole in it with their high heal, replacing floor mat clips because they gorilla'd the mat and broke them etc. Don't believe everything you hear or read on the internet.

X2 The service department really is the most honest part of a dealership. It's the sales people you gotta worry about.

[Whiteboy572]

"Stealership?" Do you have ANY idea what goes on in a "Stealership" when it comes to new cars and maintenance and warranty claims? Have you ever even owned a brand new car, or a Japanese one at that?

Stop talking out your ass. If you saw the sh!t we "warranty" and give away on a daily basis you would be amazed. Things like replacing seat switches under warranty because a customer spilled sh!t in it, replacing floor mats because a customer rubbed a hole in it with their high heal, replacing floor mat clips because they gorilla'd the mat and broke them etc. Don't believe everything you hear or read on the internet.

I agree! The only reason people get pissed at dealers is cause they are higher than billy rays garage down the street. Ive had to replace the entire a/c system in a prius cause a woman said it made a noise switching from ambient-recirculate.

ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR AND IF YOU HAVE A PROB AT A DEALER THEY WILL ALWAYS FIX IT AND MAKE IT RIGHT, BILLY RAY WILL SAY "I NEVER DUN DID WORK ON DAT THERE CARR YOO GONNA PAY ME DA WORK ON AT TOO!"

[BTLFED]

1. No, I don't want to move it.
2. I need to know what the actual problem is before I can make a decision here.
3. What dealership is it at?
4. They are not going to replace the car because it doesn't fall under the lemon law. It would have to have the same problem 3 times within a certain amount of time before it will be considered a lemon. We have put engines in G's, Transmissions in G's, engines in QX56s, etc. You know what that did to the reliability of the vehicles? NOTHING. We have never bought back a new car.
5. Okay I'll move it.

[Kevykev]

Your sister needs to get in touch with Nissan USA. I'm sure she'll never buy a Nissan again depending on her experience. No one want their BRAND NEW car to have faults. Part of purchasing a new car is for the "piece of mind" that it gives you and that's gone far down the drain!

We have put engines in G's, Transmissions in G's, engines in QX56s, etc. You know what that did to the reliability of the vehicles? NOTHING.

Elaborate on that statement for me my friend. Reliability was still compromised or engines were replaced when no solid issues were found.

[BTLFED]

Elaborate on that statement for me my friend. Reliability was still compromised or engines were replaced when no solid issues were found.

No it's not compromised. From what I am getting here is that Alan wants his sister to get a new car because it is apparently getting an engine (of which he has not elaborated on the symptoms or what went on with the car) which means it is going to be a heap of sh!t and have problems forever. That's not true. Example: The QX56 we put an engine in (we have only done one which is why I remember it) has yet to be back for anything but services and regular maintenance items since the engine, and it has been over a year. My point is that just because a vehicle has one issue doesn't mean it is going to be a total piece of sh!t forever.

[Kevykev]

No it's not compromised. From what I am getting here is that Alan wants his sister to get a new car because it is apparently getting an engine (of which he has not elaborated on the symptoms or what went on with the car) which means it is going to be a heap of sh!t and have problems forever. That's not true. Example: The QX56 we put an engine in (we have only done one which is why I remember it) has yet to be back for anything but services and regular maintenance items since the engine, and it has been over a year. My point is that just because a vehicle has one issue doesn't mean it is going to be a total piece of sh!t forever.

Got Ya man!

[chnco]

**** you Chris!!

It's at Town Center Nissan off Barrett.

[BTLFED]

**** you Chris!!

It's at Town Center Nissan off Barrett.

Why? Because I am the voice of reason? Because I work at a dealership and see all this crap go on?

I've heard all kinds of good things about Town Center so I'm sure they will do anything to make it right BESIDES give her a new car. Hell, I wish I could get into the parts department there....badly.

[chnco]

Why? Because I am the voice of reason? Because I work at a dealership and see all this crap go on?

I've heard all kinds of good things about Town Center so I'm sure they will do anything to make it right BESIDES give her a new car. Hell, I wish I could get into the parts department there....badly.

Voice of reason? I understand you work at a dealership. That is not my point. This is from a run of the mill consumer standpoint. Would you personally be happy if your car that you shelled out a good amount of money for a car that has to have the motor replaced within a week of ownership? Would you be happy that the dealership has had it in the service bay longer than you have owned the car?

Mine or your knowledge base is much different from the average consumer. You must put yourself in other people's shoes. I personally would like nothing more for her to get a new car and be done with it. This is not a new cell phone that needs to be replaced nor a set of clothes that needs to be exchanged. It's something that has a considerably higher price tag.

Either way, it's not my car. I'm trying to help her get this resolved.

BTW: read through the sarcasm in my original reply.

[alpine_aw11]

Whoa, calm down. I just call them stealerships, most dealership salesmen are what gave them that name. Service departments are very generous, I've known of a lot of things being replaced that were completely the owners fault, but I know there's no way in hell they would just replace a brand new car. Not saying they should, just didn't think that would happen. And no, I've never owned a new car and don't ever plan on it.

[FreeMyndz]

...as has already been said (just tryna get my post count up...lol) she will NOT get a new car. But what she WILL get is her new car back in as good of condition as any new car on the lot. Dealers dont like bad press, so they will make sure she is treated with some level of professionalism...

dont fret my dude...she will be ok...

[Whiteboy572]

So guys, here's the scoup which I was hoping to get the best plan of action.

My sister recently purchased a brand new '09 Maxima off a dealership. Awesome car. She purchased the car on Saturday, August 30th. Drove the car until she discovered there was an oil leak on the car. The car was brought into the dealership on Tuesday the 2nd of September. She had an Altima as a loaner. The car was then returned to her possession on the following Saturday, the 6th. The car was driven normally up until the following Tuesday when the check engine light came on. Car was brought into the dealership September 9th.

She has not had the car since that date and has been driving her loaner Altima the entire time. The first diagnosis was something minor, as I didn't get the details on it. My sister is not car savvy and couldn't explain to me what the current diagnosis is. She mentioned that the car now had been inspected by their master tech and now has to have Nissan USA inspect the vehicle and will require the entire motor to be replaced.

My sister is requesting a totally brand new vehicle and simply does not want to deal with the hassle. She has spoke with the service manager and dealership manager. They are both refusing to replace the vehicle. Keep in mind she has not been able to drive the car for approx a week or so.

Do you think she is out of line for asking for a replacement vehicle, or deal with a motor being replaced on a brand new car? When she first told me, I told her to get a new car as well.

So far the dealership is not cooporating, what would the next plan of action be? Keep in mind, this is a brand new vehicle off the showroom floor.

Stuff happens. I work at toyota and i had a 09 corolla with 616 miles on it and it was making a noise, kinda sounded like a wheel bearing or something when you drove it. I get it on the lift and ran it to about 60mph and the diff was screaming like a s/c cobra! I replaced the tranny under warranty. As long as you dont have to pay for it id let them fix it, if they tell you to pay for some say hell no! Nothings gonna be perfectly built no matter what, it will eventually have something go wrong, but what happened to her doesnt happen very often. New 5.7l tundras cams were smapping when they first came out and then they recalled all the ones that had them in it. Hell, sounds like a goober luber left the plug loose to me, going from leak to replacing motor?

[Gutling]

Lol there was a recall on altimas to replace the engine. I used to do 2-3 a week. It will be next to impossible to get a new car. Some of the altimas I would get right off the new lot, like 5-10 miles on them. So there are a crap ton of altimas that had the engine replaced, sometimes before even buying it. And they arent laden with problems, most people don't even know.

[umairejaz]

Let them take care of it, wait it out. She should be riding in no time. If problem presists then escalate the situation. Unless she paid in cash, Nissan is still in the hole by ALOT.

[BTLFED]

Just think, there are RX-8s running around on their third engine under warranty lol

[X-Runner]

Let them fix it, like said before its not going to be a total piece of crap because of that. I had my 2008 Fusion less than a DAY, with less than 50 miles and it had to have an engine put in it because it started knocking on the way home with the car.

[tony]

To bring a voice of reason to this.. I understand your sisters position completely. You spend a good amount of money on a vehicle, you dont expect to have problems the minute you drive off of the lot.

To get the resolve your sister wants she has to be tough and persistent on the issue. G35's had an engine problem when they came out and I do know of one owner that did get Nissan to take his car back, but he had to hire a lawyer and go through the whole litigation process.

I'm not 100% sure of the lemon law in Georgia but I found a short summary:

During the "lemon law rights period," (which generally ends one year after the date of delivery of the vehicle or after 12,000 miles) if a condition arises that substantially impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle, then the dealer/manufacturer must correct, at its own expense, the problem so that the cor conforms to any express warranty.

The manufacturer is allowed a "reasonable number" of attempts to correct the problem. The law defines reasonable number of attempts as follows:

At least one repair attempt on a serious safety defect in the braking or steering system during the "lemon law rights period."

At least two repair attempts on any other serious safety defect during the first 24 months or 24,000 miles with at least one repair having occurred during the "lemon law rights period" without being corrected.

At least three repair attempts on any other nonconformity during the first 24 months or 24,000 miles with at least one repair having occurred during the "lemon law rights period" without being corrected.

During the first 24 months or 24,000 miles, the vehicle is out of service for a total of 30 calendar days due to attempted repairs of nonconformities with at least 15 days having occurred during the "lemon law rights period."

[LightningSpeed]

/\-- GET A LAWYER, FAWKING DEALER****S ARE RETARDED. they are very stubborn about ****. Get yourself a lawyer and talk about some options.

[X-Runner]

/\-- GET A LAWYER, FAWKING DEALER****S ARE RETARDED. they are very stubborn about ****. Get yourself a lawyer and talk about some options.

Really? Dont be stupid... you have no clue how much free crap service gives away daily to keep customers happy. Ok, yes this situation sucks. Ive been there but Im also a tech. Do you think there just gonna say opps heres a new car for you? No, they have a chance to make it right.

[BTLFED]

/\-- GET A LAWYER, FAWKING DEALER****S ARE RETARDED. they are very stubborn about ****. Get yourself a lawyer and talk about some options.

You are a fuking idiot. You have no idea WTF is going on. ----------------->

At least Tony had an intelligent option, albeit not really a feasible option, I understand where he is coming from.

[tony]

You are a fuking idiot. You have no idea WTF is going on. ----------------->

At least Tony had an intelligent option, albeit not really a feasible option, I understand where he is coming from.

Me personally.. I'd be satisfied with the engine (I actually took that option with the previous G) but just laying out the options. 9 times out of 10 what I posted is very VERY difficult to do and requires deep pockets.

[alpine_aw11]

Me personally.. I'd be satisfied with the engine (I actually took that option with the previous G) but just laying out the options. 9 times out of 10 what I posted is very VERY difficult to do and requires deep pockets.

Yea to actually get a replacement car might end up costing half of what it's worth in the first place. Wouldn't be worth it over waiting a week or two to get the car back with a shiny new motor.

[BTLFED]

Me personally.. I'd be satisfied with the engine (I actually took that option with the previous G) but just laying out the options. 9 times out of 10 what I posted is very VERY difficult to do and requires deep pockets.

That's what I was thinking. I mean, I could see it if they had a bunch of continuous problems with it, but it's not really worth the money it would take to get them to buy it back for one issue.

[Elbow]

It's a Nissan....

I would just let them fix it, and beat the **** out of the donor car.

[2turbo4u]

Just take the new engine and cross your fingers that's the last time you have the engine replaced. My boss have a 03 Maxima and the engine started knocking and the dealer put in a 06 motor for free(is was 06 when it went). My bud haves a 04 350z and the motor was consuming oil and they replaced his motor twice so far.