Daily Driver Frustration Vent

[7991LXnSHO]

I have a Grand Caravan for a daily driver and for all the stuff and people that do not fit into a fox body hatch. For over a 100k miles, it will act like an electrical gremlin is in it - shutting off the AC, power windows and radio. The dealer kept telling me "bring it back when it does it consistently so we can really fix it." This is after replacing a part or three ea h time. Well, at the start of summer, it did it a dozen times in one day, and they have been messing with it since. They fix it, and we start it to the same problem each time. I finally insisted they switch techs for a second opinion. The old one had been booked up to Dodge central and still could not find it. After Dodge insisted I replace the fusebox, I think they found a bundle of wires they can move one way to shut stuff off and another to get stuff back on. So maybe they can finally track it down.

I have the receipts from the early attempts at fixing it that go back past the extended warranty to the factory one. I am scared of how bad this bill will be. The dealership changed service managers once and owners twice in the 100k+ miles, but I have the receipts. Anyone think I will at least get a discount on the repair? Also, any suggestions for what else will hold 7 people, a 28" bass drum, a suitcase of music and the instruments? I still want more than 20 mpg on the highway, and I was planning on putting another 100k on the odometer.

 

[stykthyn]

typical dodge bull. short of their 1500 series truck line they havent made anything worth buying in years. Honestly I doubt the dealership would put themselves on the hook for this one.
For the record a suburban will hold all that crap and it wont burn itself to the ground with electrical gremlins.

 

[95BlueStallion]

And a suburban will get 12 MPG. Sorry to hear about your troubles OP, sounds like you should trade it off for another.

 

[7991LXnSHO]

The problem is I can not sell what is that "broken" or posessed and I doubt a cliff dive is approved either. It has a nice interior and no rust so junking it out feels wrong too.

I wonder about a Ford Flex. An article listed them as the mini van replacement. Are they any good? And do they seat enough? I have drooled over a Suburban/ Expedition, but 12 mpg stinks on all our trips as the wife's DD. 4wd would be nice though.

 

[TrophyHead]

My suggestion stay away from Nissan if trading it in. My pathfinder has one issue after another and only 70000 miles. This company ruined me on all Japanese vehicles. My next one will be a 09+ Sierra I think. Or if I was made of money jeep srt8. Lol

 

[LarsD]

The problem is I can not sell what is that "broken" or posessed and I doubt a cliff dive is approved either. It has a nice interior and no rust so junking it out feels wrong too.

I wonder about a Ford Flex. An article listed them as the mini van replacement. Are they any good? And do they seat enough? I have drooled over a Suburban/ Expedition, but 12 mpg stinks on all our trips as the wife's DD. 4wd would be nice though.

I rode in a company Flex with a ton of miles and it was nice. Rode nice, lots of room, owner said it got good mileage.

 

[Mustang5L5]

My suggestion stay away from Nissan if trading it in. My pathfinder has one issue after another and only 70000 miles. This company ruined me on all Japanese vehicles.

My Infiniti has given me nearly 130K miles of reliable service. Just oil changes and brakes is pretty much all i've done. Even drives like new.


Every car make is going to have bad cars and good cars

 

[7991LXnSHO]

My Infiniti has given me nearly 130K miles of reliable service. Just oil changes and brakes is pretty much all i've done. Even drives like new.


Every car make is going to have bad cars and good cars

That is funny! Do you think we would be driving a Dodge if an Infinity was in the financial picture? Oh my. That is why I was wondering about a different Ford or even a Honda mini van. I would love it if she had a vehicle as reliable as my Grand Marquis has been, but without auctioning off a kid or kidney first.

 

[David Pepiton]

i owned 2 dodge grand caravans one the trans went out at 38k the other we sold at 86k with so many issues mostly electrical. we now have a small suv.

 

[Mustang5L5]

That is funny! Do you think we would be driving a Dodge if an Infinity was in the financial picture? Oh my. That is why I was wondering about a different Ford or even a Honda mini van. I would love it if she had a vehicle as reliable as my Grand Marquis has been, but without auctioning off a kid or kidney first.

That wasn't really a suggestion to buy an Infiniti, but more of countering trophyheads experience with Nissan being unreliable

 

[TrophyHead]

My Infiniti has given me nearly 130K miles of reliable service. Just oil changes and brakes is pretty much all i've done. Even drives like new.


Every car make is going to have bad cars and good cars

Your lucky my pathfinder has bad rings losing oil. Have to add a quart every 3,000 miles. The bushings are all toast had to change all control arm bushings front and rear. the exhaust had split catalytic converters. The rear quarter panels are rotting out. 70,000 miles is pathetic for this to happen. But yeah I agree must cars have bad and good cars. Just this one is pretty bad.

 

[7991LXnSHO]

My Infiniti has given me nearly 130K miles of reliable service. Just oil changes and brakes is pretty much all i've done. Even drives like new.

Saw one today and it looks like a nice vehicle. Not sure of the model, but I was mostly giving you flack. Sweet ride.

I got the van today and they asked me to call customer service before I even saw the bill. I am hopeful they will cover at least a good part of the bill, maybe the entire thing under the warranty or extended warranty. It was a well documented problem since 24k miles. Darn, we have been patient! The dealership changed hands twice, and I see no other way to be fair to the new owners or us. Almost two months in the shop is not a full bill I want to pay, especially when Dodge central had them throw a $500 fuse box at it, and a $300 ignition switch and key cylinder it did not need. It was supposedly a bundle of wires he could pull and make the gremlin perform on command.

So we will see the bill after the review.

 

[7991LXnSHO]

A Suburban/ Expedition with Eco boost is looking good if this ends badly. I just want to give them a chance to get reliability up first. I would be happy with a reliable euro van that is supposed to replace the old design full size ones.

 

[7991LXnSHO]

I got the bill settled. The dealer ended up charging not anywhere as much time as I bet they put in. I think I got the fuse block at cost too. So the dealer gets my continued business. I wish our Ford service dept. was as reasonable!

DODGE CUSTOMER SERVICE Number reps are HORRIBLE. After 154 k miles of DOCUMENTED NAGGING to get this fixed and purchasing their extended warranty, he saw no reason to help and nothing to help with. HOW useless it was to even send him receipts showing where they did not fix it!

But so far it is working.

 

[stykthyn]

I had one warranty issue with my ram and the dealership refused to fix it saying it was "wear and tear" (coil pack quit at 30k miles)then charged me 150 bones just to look at it.