Would you buy it???

way_out_there · January 17, 2007

I have a friend that is also looking to purchase a newer GM truck, just as I recently have. He has found an exceptional 2005, with low mileage, fully loaded. It was a truck returned under the lemon law. Documentation from GM was shown that the vehicle has been repaired, and the problem has not re-appeared. Truck still has remainder of new car warranty, about 18 months remaining.

Would you buy it,at the right price?

I said yes. I have bought two vehicles already that were in this situation. Both had minor problems, just as this one in question. I had zero reacurrances of the problem that forced a buy back. In fact, I think a lot of the buy backs are people trying to unload a vehicle they can't afford, or just don't care for.

What do you think?

Tim

david.mciver · January 17, 2007

I have a friend that is also looking to purchase a newer GM truck, just as I recently have. He has found an exceptional 2005, with low mileage, fully loaded. It was a truck returned under the lemon law. Documentation from GM was shown that the vehicle has been repaired, and the problem has not re-appeared. Truck still has remainder of new car warranty, about 18 months remaining.
Would you buy it,at the right price?

I said yes. I have bought two vehicles already that were in this situation. Both had minor problems, just as this one in question. I had zero reacurrances of the problem that forced a buy back. In fact, I think a lot of the buy backs are people trying to unload a vehicle they can't afford, or just don't care for.

What do you think?

Tim

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What was the complaint and what was repaired? I think that would have a significant impact on my decision. You also mentioned 18 months of warranty remaining. Will you make 18 months on the warranty based upon miles, 36K?

way_out_there · January 17, 2007

I have a friend that is also looking to purchase a newer GM truck, just as I recently have. He has found an exceptional 2005, with low mileage, fully loaded. It was a truck returned under the lemon law. Documentation from GM was shown that the vehicle has been repaired, and the problem has not re-appeared. Truck still has remainder of new car warranty, about 18 months remaining.
Would you buy it,at the right price?

I said yes. I have bought two vehicles already that were in this situation. Both had minor problems, just as this one in question. I had zero reacurrances of the problem that forced a buy back. In fact, I think a lot of the buy backs are people trying to unload a vehicle they can't afford, or just don't care for.

What do you think?

Tim

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What was the complaint and what was repaired? I think that would have a significant impact on my decision. You also mentioned 18 months of warranty remaining. Will you make 18 months on the warranty based upon miles, 36K?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

From the info I was given, the reported problem was an engine surge. The reported fix was a re-flashing of the ECM. The truck was dyno tested, and road driven, with no reported re-accurance.

Truck has less than 10K miles, I am not sure how many miles my buddy puts on per year, but he has a car for his daily commute to work. I would guess his annual mileage to be no more than 10K. That's why I said I would buy it, if the price was right.

david.mciver · January 17, 2007

I have a friend that is also looking to purchase a newer GM truck, just as I recently have. He has found an exceptional 2005, with low mileage, fully loaded. It was a truck returned under the lemon law. Documentation from GM was shown that the vehicle has been repaired, and the problem has not re-appeared. Truck still has remainder of new car warranty, about 18 months remaining.
Would you buy it,at the right price?

I said yes. I have bought two vehicles already that were in this situation. Both had minor problems, just as this one in question. I had zero reacurrances of the problem that forced a buy back. In fact, I think a lot of the buy backs are people trying to unload a vehicle they can't afford, or just don't care for.

What do you think?

Tim

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What was the complaint and what was repaired? I think that would have a significant impact on my decision. You also mentioned 18 months of warranty remaining. Will you make 18 months on the warranty based upon miles, 36K?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

From the info I was given, the reported problem was an engine surge. The reported fix was a re-flashing of the ECM. The truck was dyno tested, and road driven, with no reported re-accurance.

Truck has less than 10K miles, I am not sure how many miles my buddy puts on per year, but he has a car for his daily commute to work. I would guess his annual mileage to be no more than 10K. That's why I said I would buy it, if the price was right.

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Given that no mechnaical problem was found I agree, I think I would consider the truck provided the price was right.

Rolandd · January 17, 2007

I would have the dealer provide all documentation on the problem and then provide a 3-yr/36,k miles warrenty for the problem or have the dealer throw in an extended warrenty. I would also have some sort of condition allowing cancelling the sale if the condition recurred in the first month so that you frien does not get stuck in the same spot as the first owner.

mrsilv04 · January 17, 2007

No. I wouldn't. And I wouldn't care how good the deal was.

Why?

Do you think the first owner would recommend that your friend buy the truck?

The "lemon" term will follow it forever. When it comes time to trade in the truck after he's done with it, it might as well have a salvage title, because the term "lemon" will show up.

There's too many trucks to choose from out there that aren't lemons. OK, so the problem has gone away... for now. What happens when it comes back? This is an electrical issue. I'd rather buy something that DID have some sort of mechanical problem, or something like a paint issue.

My boss had to lemon law an Aztek, because it was posessed. No car could have been built THAT badly. We're talking three transmissions (it would lock into first gear and stay), several ECM replacements, the alarm would go off while it was inside the garage at 3am. Several times while he was driving it, the power locks would start locking and unlocking continuously and for no reason. He didn't have it for weeks at a time, because it was at the dealership.

Would you want this vehicle?

I'm sorry, but I refuse to believe that GM buys these vehicles back for a simple little problem that goes away easily.

Friends don't let friends buy crap like this...

Wingnut · January 17, 2007

I'd be REALLY REALLY careful.

It's not a cakewalk getting GM to eat it using lemon laws in most states. It's downright impossible in some.

You have to have demonstrably repeatable (and serious) problem. They don't buy them back because your radio dies 3 times.

I'd want to see every single work order, every complaint, the works. Not that they're going to give it to you (they'll just sell it somebody not as smart as you)...But it's worth a shot.

Better be a DEEP discount off of NADA too. Because if I'm not mistaken, that shows up on Carfax, and resale on it is going to to be low enough to suck goose gonads.

I'm pretty handy, and I'd have to say that I'd almost rather buy a salvage titled truck than a lemoned one...Because of things like ^^ Aztek guy and his "Christine's ugly cousin" problems.

pm26 · January 18, 2007

I'd be REALLY REALLY careful.

It's not a cakewalk getting GM to eat it using lemon laws in most states. It's downright impossible in some.

You have to have demonstrably repeatable (and serious) problem. They don't buy them back because your radio dies 3 times.

I'd want to see every single work order, every complaint, the works. Not that they're going to give it to you (they'll just sell it somebody not as smart as you)...But it's worth a shot.

Better be a DEEP discount off of NADA too. Because if I'm not mistaken, that shows up on Carfax, and resale on it is going to to be low enough to suck goose gonads.

I'm pretty handy, and I'd have to say that I'd almost rather buy a salvage titled truck than a lemoned one...Because of things like ^^ Aztek guy and his "Christine's ugly cousin" problems.

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I agree. GM can be very reluctant to release the documentation, though. About 6 months ago I was interested in a brand new 4X4 Vortec Max crew cab that was on eBay being sold by a Chevy dealer in Missouri. It was being sold at an attractive price, but there was a note saying that there was damage done to the truck in transit and that it was repaired, and the repair costs were $ 850. I called the dealer talked to the salesman and requested the damage and repair details. I was given a bunch evasive nonsense, such as "GM did not release this to us", it is probably something minor like a hood", "I see nothing at all wrong with that truck",etc.

Would you buy this truck? Not knowing the nature of damage, I wouldn't and didn't.

If they had told me that it was a chain dropped on the hood and that they replaced it with a new hood, I would have bought it without hesitation. As it was, their evasive answers only confirmed my suspicion, that it could have fallen off the truck partially when unloaded, and who knows what damage was done to suspension that they did not see. It would be devastating to buy a truck like this, and have bad drive line or steering wheel vibration that nobody can fix, etc.