JoesC5

And a bunch of lawyers wrote lemon laws because sometimes the manufacturer's warranty doesn't get the damn car fixed correctly, every time stuff breaks.

redzone

Almost every day a new bar is set for a sense of entitlement on this forum. OP, while I do wish you luck, you are legally (and that's what really matters) only due what the warranty calls for. Full stop.

And before you ask how would I feel if it were my car. I'd let the warranty fix it and not worry about tomorrow's problems today. Just like I did in 2012 when my Z06 dropped a valve and just like I did in 2008 when my GT500 spun a bearing.

These are very much first world problems. I'd hate to see how some of you guys act when something really serious happens.

PatternDayTrader

I didn't get that impression from the OP at all …

Steve_R

I didn't either. The OP seems to be pretty level headed.

Some others in this thread obviously do feel they're entitled to special treatment from GM because they bought a Vette.

iclick

...and I would compromise between GM's offer and your quest for a buyback.

cv67

Kent1999

entitled: believing oneself to be inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment

I see plenty of it here regarding warranties, minor paint flaws, etc. "BUT ITS NOT PERFECT! I SPENT $80,000 AND HAVE BOUGHT A HUNDRED GM CARS! THIS IS A HALO CAR!" Ad nauseam...

Having to get a repaired (or new) engine at such low mileage is a bummer, but you are NOT ENTITLED TO A BRAND NEW CAR OR BUYBACK just because of it. Period. End of Story.

Things happen. This is exactly what warranties are for.

You say you want GM to do the "right" thing. Well, repairing/replacing the motor IS the "right thing" as spelled out in your warranty.
Then GM went above and beyond "the right thing" by making a payment for you, and extending the warranty -- NEITHER of which they are required to do.

And yet you still are demanding a buyback -- why? Just based on what you feel? If not just 'feelings', please show us all in your warranty (or in any US statute/law) where it says if you have an engine failure in the first x,xxx miles or xx months, you are within your rights to a buyback.

Bill Dearborn

They may only be putting a bottom end kit in the engine. I lost the main bearing on an Olds engine while on a trip. They ordered a bottom end kit and once the parts were in had the car back together in two days.

Putting an engine together doesn't require as much experience as properly setting a diff. However, there are plenty of people that do both themselves at home without all the tools a shop has and don't have any problems. Then you still have the original engine with the proper VIN stamped into it. Why butcher the originality of a car by replacing the engine.

Bill

PatternDayTrader

The problem here is that dealerships service departments are set up for productivity, hence the flat rate pay scale. This sort of engine repair requires precision, and those two forces don't get along. The probability of this getting effed up is kind of high. I mean who here thinks the tech making this repair is even going to verify the big end of the connecting rod is still round ? I'm betting not one single tech even owns an inside micrometer. No, they will slap it together and hope for the best knowing full well that if it fails again, then they will just fix it again, because its just their job, and not their problem.

TSLAVette

Steve_R

Personal insults always get a point across better.

Kingtal0n

It isn't uncommon for high quality machine shops to make grievous errors. It isn't even slightly rare. It seems like 9/10 of every engine that I've "followed" through local machine work, including all the friends I know in a myriad of applications (2jz, sr20, rb25, LS, 4g, 1zz, 3sgt) has come back with ridiculous errors.

Here's an example I found recently
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...e-parts-2.html

Just mistake after mistake this guy finds in a "professionally built" engine. Ridges that break off with the force of a fingernail for example. Owning the machine to do the machine work doesn't guarantee the work will be done right.

Kevin A Jones

Feeling Entitled? Expect special treatment? I assume I’m one of those you are referring too.

I’ve never felt entitled or thought I deserved special treatment from anyone. I’ve always worked my *** off to get what/where I am today.

However, if purchasing a new car (a fairly expensive one) which includes a factory new engine with an expectation that it’s not going to have to undergo major engine work at less than 5000 miles by someone who may or may not know what they are doing is feeling entitled then I guess that’s me.

IMO, in an unfortunate incident such as this, a warranty should make the owner as whole as possible, regardless what the fine print and legal Es state. And it's doesn't have anything to do 'with buying a Vette' as you say, it has to do with a major automotive company providing good customer service.

Is the opening poster 'entitled' to a new factory engine? Perhaps, perhaps not. However installing a new factory engine in a C7 this new comes much closer to making him 'whole' than making a repair that may or may not be successful.

As I stated early on in this thread, I would push for a buyback without expecting it, but more to strengthen my position to ultimately settle for a new factory engine. Even though not idea as there will be documentation that the C7 doesn't have original engine, it raises the chances that the owner can put this unfortunate incident behind him and move forward without further issues.

JALLEN4

The definition of entitled is "believing oneself to be inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment". If you in fact think you deserve a different treatment than the one you agreed to by contract when you made the purchase and the same one every new Corvette buyer makes...then Steve R would be right and you do exhibit signs of entitlement. Good we got that out of the way by your own words as that was his point to begin with.

Jaycajun

I agree. Put in a new crate engine....

JimS007

In the corporate worlds where I have lived there has always been a concern in the legal departments of 'setting a precedent'. If GM chooses to go above and beyond their stated warranty for whatever reason, cust service, goodwill, etc, they may be setting themselves up for many more requests for buybacks, upgraded trade values, etc. Word travels quickly about deals being made in the age of the Internet. If I had been the OP I would have handled this on my own / with my attorney without putting GM on the spot of attempting to resolve this problem in public.

I believe this case is simply a warranty matter. If GM would not abide by the warranty then the OP would have a case. Personally I hope the OP gets exactly what he wants and more from GM and the dealerships he is working with - then we will all have ammunition to use against GM if we are not happy with the way our warranty work is handled.

Kevin A Jones

Then yes, I feel entitled and proud to be such. Just glad my GS has been trouble free.
Again, no surprise your always taking the dealer's position with your being one or haven been one.

PatternDayTrader

The buyer has the reasonable expectation and belief that the car he bought was assembled with the correct components. The factories agent (the dealership) has admitted this is not what happened (an important distinction) and therefore the buyer cannot be the party in default. Knowing this, the onus is on the manufacturer to make the owner financially whole, and not just repair the vehicle.

Foosh

Then by extension, I should have been entitled to a new car because one of the O2 sensors on my car failed at 1K miles. Where does one draw the line? This is not a complete engine rebuild, it's replacement of a couple of components.

After reading through all this, I agree that a buyback is a ridiculous expectation, and a new engine is also unrealistic. An incorrectly installed journal bearing on one cylinder may have damaged (scored or gouged) the crankshaft in that one area only. The rest of the engine is unaffected. Thus replacing the crankshaft and journal bearing is an entirely reasonable approach.

Somehow I doubt the engine is in a thousand pieces. It sounds like a pretty simple bottom end repair/component replacement. There's a lot more complex disassembly required to replace any number of components than this one likely is.

You have a 5y/60K powertrain warranty. If they don't get it right, you'll know soon enough, and then you might well be entitled to a new engine. If it takes them too long in cumulative shop time, or multiple attempts, then you might be able start thinking lemon law, but I doubt that will be the case here.

pdiddy972

Everyone is on a "fixed income" unless they work for sales commissions.