C7 self destructs on drive home
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
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From: Missouri City, TX
It sounds like you have found two dealer extremes; a stand up selling dealer and a clueless servicing dealer. It is bad enough when you have to tell owners to RTFM but in this case the person at the dealership needs to hear the same. It isn't like dry sump cars are new to a Corvette dealer but there sure are a lot of dealer personnel who are clueless about them. The only way to have any reasonable idea of the amount of oil in a non-operational dry sump engine is to carefully drain the oil from both the drain locations and measure the amount. You still won't get all of the oil out but it will be fairly close and I am confident it won't be 3 quarts under system capacity.
On a dry sump vette which has an enormous oil capacity for just daily driving, even if the engine truly was 3 qts low, I can't remotely imagine that the engine would be starved of oil with just freeway driving as there would still be 7 or 8 qts still in the system. The servicing dealer is just looking for excuses.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
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From: Missouri City, TX
Never in 50 years of driving have I heard of a starter bendix gear stuck in the engaged position with the flywheel unless it occurred during a start of the engine.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Watertown CT
The dealer never got to car to run. They blew the main fuse onot the battery which I was told is a 350 amp fuse. They also told me that even with a bar on the crank bolt that they couldn't get the motor to spin.
They then continued to tell me that because I was low on oil that now my engine warranty is voided.
I tried to explain to them that you can't check the oil without having run the car to temp first.
The service manager then replied to me that what I told him isn't true and that they are refusing to warranty the car.
I immediately called the Michigan dealers general manager and told him what was going on and fortunately for me he said that whatever is wrong with the car he will personally see to it that it gets fixed free of charge.
He continued to let me know that if they cant work something where I can get the car warrantied where the car is now that they will pay to have the car trailer ed back to Michigan swap the motor and then pay shipping costs back to CT
hopefully I can get this all sorted out tomorrow and I will let you guys know what's going on
They then continued to tell me that because I was low on oil that now my engine warranty is voided.
I tried to explain to them that you can't check the oil without having run the car to temp first.
The service manager then replied to me that what I told him isn't true and that they are refusing to warranty the car.
I immediately called the Michigan dealers general manager and told him what was going on and fortunately for me he said that whatever is wrong with the car he will personally see to it that it gets fixed free of charge.
He continued to let me know that if they cant work something where I can get the car warrantied where the car is now that they will pay to have the car trailer ed back to Michigan swap the motor and then pay shipping costs back to CT
hopefully I can get this all sorted out tomorrow and I will let you guys know what's going on
Dan
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From: Meriden CT
It is not a cpo vehicle the dealer I bought it from informed me that they could not certify the car due the fact that it had previously hit a mailbox.
I found that to be an acceptable answer considering it was still under a full factory warranty.
I contacted another local dealer and they told me that the servicing dealer is probably looking for a way out of swapping the motor due to the fact that I didn't buy it from them and also that the amount of money that gm will payout to the dealership for tge warrenty cllaim is barely enough to cover the cost of the work that would need to be done.
I found that to be an acceptable answer considering it was still under a full factory warranty.
I contacted another local dealer and they told me that the servicing dealer is probably looking for a way out of swapping the motor due to the fact that I didn't buy it from them and also that the amount of money that gm will payout to the dealership for tge warrenty cllaim is barely enough to cover the cost of the work that would need to be done.
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From: Meriden CT
On a dry sump vette which has an enormous oil capacity for just daily driving, even if the engine truly was 3 qts low, I can't remotely imagine that the engine would be starved of oil with just freeway driving as there would still be 7 or 8 qts still in the system. The servicing dealer is just looking for excuses.Corvette Stories
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From: Meriden CT
Well unfortunately the servicing dealer told me they won't do anything so I called AAA and got it towed back to my house for the time being. I also got it in writing from Moran that they are footing the bill for the transport and service back in Michigan.
I feel that they should but it's just nice to see that they are stepping up to the plate here. Once things all get sorted out I wouldnt think twice about recommending them to someone more local to the dealership so long as everything goes well and they don't try to blame me for it too.
Last edited by tjg9493; Sep 22, 2016 at 09:50 PM.
Instructor
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Well unfortunately the servicing dealer told me they won't do anything so I called AAA and got it towed back to my house for the time being. I also got it in writing from Moran that they are footing the bill for the transport and service back in Michigan.
I feel that they should but it's just nice to see that they are stepping up to the plate here. Once things all get sorted out I wouldnt think twice about recommending them to someone more local to the dealership so long as everything goes well and they don't try to blame me for it too.
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From: Meriden CT
My father has had his 76 for 35 years and it's been in a few parking lot hit and runs and one good head on collision about 20 years ago he's got over 200k on the clock and the driveline is all original and problem free. Now granted it's far from mint but he's never had to have anything major done besides body work so I took the chance.
I'd say I learned a lesson but I'd probably buy another one because it does still have a clean title. And if I get rid of it in 10 years I shouldn't take that big of hit on resale. And that's unlikely because I have a bad habit of hoarding my toys.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Watertown CT
Yeah I was nervous about it at first too but the car seemed to look mint and it ran great. And the price seemed right for the options it had. Had it not been under a full factory warranty when I was looking I would have passed it in a heartbeat.
My father has had his 76 for 35 years and it's been in a few parking lot hit and runs and one good head on collision about 20 years ago he's got over 200k on the clock and the driveline is all original and problem free. Now granted it's far from mint but he's never had to have anything major done besides body work so I took the chance.
I'd say I learned a lesson but I'd probably buy another one because it does still have a clean title. And if I get rid of it in 10 years I shouldn't take that big of hit on resale. And that's unlikely because I have a bad habit of hoarding my toys.
My father has had his 76 for 35 years and it's been in a few parking lot hit and runs and one good head on collision about 20 years ago he's got over 200k on the clock and the driveline is all original and problem free. Now granted it's far from mint but he's never had to have anything major done besides body work so I took the chance.
I'd say I learned a lesson but I'd probably buy another one because it does still have a clean title. And if I get rid of it in 10 years I shouldn't take that big of hit on resale. And that's unlikely because I have a bad habit of hoarding my toys.
Dan
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From: Meriden CT
I know that your original dealership is going to take care of the car but I would get on the horn with GM. That car should be warrantied at any GM dealership. You should not have to tow that car anywhere. That is insane and I feel like they may be taking advantage of you as they are probably thinking, "He's just a kid" It's absolutely absurd that any GM dealership wouldn't stand behind this. It really sucks any dealership would do that. Sorry for your troubles man. I'm sure you were looking forward to ripping on it and enjoying it!
Dan
Dan
Last edited by tjg9493; Sep 23, 2016 at 01:43 PM.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Spring Texas
You got me to wondering just how much oil level varies depending on when you check it. Here is what I found on my 2016 ZO6. Car still warm after about 3 hours sitting in garage. Level was down 1 quart! Started car and ran for 5 minutes. Waited 5 minutes and rechecked level. Level now full at top of hatch marks! Checked this morning with engine cold. Level now down 2 1/2 quartz!!! Tell your second dealership that they do not know how to check oil level in a dry sump system.
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From: Meriden CT
When all of this is over I'm driving my car to McDermott and I'm giving them some **** for all of the trouble that they put me through. It was bad enough when the car had a clunking noise. But to then have them refuse to work on my car because they don't know how to check the oil and say it's low. And tell me my warrenty is worthless and tryEd to convince me that the only way I could get this done is to pay out of pocket upwards of 20k
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From: Jacksonville Florida BWO Dayton, Cincinnati, Bloomsbury NJ, Cincinnati
2015 C7 of the Year Finalist
When all of this is over I'm driving my car to McDermott and I'm giving them some **** for all of the trouble that they put me through. It was bad enough when the car had a clunking noise. But to then have them refuse to work on my car because they don't know how to check the oil and say it's low. And tell me my warrenty is worthless and tryEd to convince me that the only way I could get this done is to pay out of pocket upwards of 20k
If you have a lawyer, it'd be a much more "fun" trip to the dealer.
Elmer
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2015
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From: LaGrange KY
When all of this is over I'm driving my car to McDermott and I'm giving them some **** for all of the trouble that they put me through. It was bad enough when the car had a clunking noise. But to then have them refuse to work on my car because they don't know how to check the oil and say it's low. And tell me my warrenty is worthless and tryEd to convince me that the only way I could get this done is to pay out of pocket upwards of 20k
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2002
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From: MI
Your servicing dealer is ignorant of the method of checking a dry sump engine's oil level. The owners manual should have been enough for them to understand the proper procedure.
With the engine locked up, the only way to properly check the fill would be to drain the oil from BOTH plugs and measure what was removed. Since the servicing dealer didn't know how to check the oil, I would bet they don't know how to properly drain the system by removing two plugs.
I would go back to the dealer and present the facts on the oil system and ask for a refund of the diagnostic service fee. If they don't refund you, contact GM customer service and provide them the facts.
The good news in all of this is Moran has a great reputation in this area. When they do the work, it will be done right.
With the engine locked up, the only way to properly check the fill would be to drain the oil from BOTH plugs and measure what was removed. Since the servicing dealer didn't know how to check the oil, I would bet they don't know how to properly drain the system by removing two plugs.
I would go back to the dealer and present the facts on the oil system and ask for a refund of the diagnostic service fee. If they don't refund you, contact GM customer service and provide them the facts.
The good news in all of this is Moran has a great reputation in this area. When they do the work, it will be done right.
I feel the same way and I have started contacting GM about all of this yesterday. Then when I came to pick up the car they charged me a ******* 116 dollar diagnosis fee before they would release the car. Later last night I talked to a buddy of mine who's a tech at Subaru and he informed me that they can't charge you for anything if you're under warrenty. As if I wasn't pissed about the whole situation already now I have McDermott charging me money for something that should have been covered by warranty. Now I am a very unconfrontational person especially for my age but I'm going back there and if they refuse to refund me my 116 I'm going to loose my head