"Chrysler Makes Them, We Just Sell Them"
Back in late January I bought a new 2009 Jeep Wrangler. It has problems. From the get-go the roof — a three piece hard-top with two removable panels that's supposed to emulate a convertible — leaked. I didn't get around to taking it back for repairs until mid-May (somehow, every year from Christmas to Easter I always have way too much to do), and by then I'd discovered a second problem. When warm weather appeared and I first turned on the air conditioning I just got hot air. Thus the saga of my experience with the underbelly of the U.S. automobile industry began...
Keep in mind, I live in NW DC. The dealer I went to — through a USAA buying program — is fairly far away in Northern Virginia, a good run down 395. Many commuters around here are used to 395, but I'm not. I hate driving it, particularly during morning rush hour.
Anyhow, the dealer fixed the air conditioning first. Evidently the factory had installed 1/2 pound too much gas in the compressor; the shop replaced the gas. That was one trip, which involved a wait of about three hours at the dealer. I had to make a second trip for the shop to inspect the leak. At that time the leak was limited to a trickle falling onto the middle of the dash, whenever it rained. The shop verified that the leak indeed existed. Then I made a third trip for them to attempt to fix the leak. Their attempt not only failed, but produced a new, additional, and much worse leak over the right rear seating area (the dealer is lucky, in a way, that I'd taken out the rear seats to make extra room for my dog, otherwise the new leak would've ruined the rear seats, requiring their replacement). At this point I was getting pretty fed up. But on May 27th I made my fourth trip out within a six week period for the dealer to again attempt to repair the leak. Once more, they failed.
After a rather heated conversation with the dealer's service manager on Friday, the dealership says it will pick up my Jeep in DC on Monday, take it back to the dealership and try again to repair the leak, possibly by putting on a new roof. They inform me that one of Chrysler's regional representatives will be there to inspect the vehicle when they attempt repairs.
In order to protect my options as best I can, today I'm sending a certified letter with return receipt to Chrysler, notifying them of the defect. This follows statutory requirements to invoke Virginia's lemon law, giving me the option if I later choose to do so. There are several additional steps I can take, which may well culminate in hiring a lawyer and filing suit. (One lawyer who handles such things actually wrote the Virginia lemon law, and I believe he's available.) A lot depends on what the dealer does next and whether their third attempt at repair is successful.
I'm afraid that the dealership has underestimated my determination to achieve my objective of a satisfactory resolution.
Oh, and the title of this post? That's an exact quote from one of the dealer's service representatives.
Perversely, despite this experience I'm still a big Jeep fan.
One last thing: I was dumbfounded when I learned that it's impossible to telephone Chrysler headquarters directly. Not only is there no direct listing for a general operator in the Detroit phone book, but all listings, even for various Chrysler factories, either aren't in service or default to an 800 number. Calling the 800 numbers for Chrysler gets a call center in India. If one complains, as I did, one can be transferred to a U.S. call center. But the U.S. call center is still not much help, limited mainly to reading off of a prepared script.
Out of curiosity I then checked a couple of other large U.S. companies but found that normally it is possible to reach a domestic general operator. Which makes me wonder: if Chrysler is as completely cut off from the American public as it seems to be, how can any efforts to revive it really work?
I intend to complain about this latter outrage, too, to the office of Governor Granholm and to the offices of several U.S. congressmen.
Posted by George Kenney on June 7, 2009 6:27 AM 
Comments
Well, don't give an inch. I don't figure you intend to.
I went through similar (less inconvenient dealer location) antics with my 1998 VW. Manufacturing defects and problem-displacement passed off as repair. Bogus. I wrote several letters, called VW of America several times (they were fairly nice). The dealers were, as I believe them trained to be, not personable or in any way ready to admit wrongs.
So, for my troubles and my efforts, VW of America offered to write me a check for $2,500. This being more than 10% of the purchase price. I asked how this worked and they said to go make a deal on the car I wanted, then they would step in so I wouldn't have to front the cost of their assistance. Good. FINE.
You might not be surprised that they said no when I asked if a Subaru would be OK.
I am still driving the replacement 2000 Passat and I like the car. I like VW's. My car has some annoying manufacturing defects but I drive on. I am not under warranty, obviously, and I can't see paying for a consistent functionality of my heated seat, for instance. It goes on, but cars are complicated and the ride is great, the first 117,000 miles have been good enough.
I'm sure, after shrieking (figuratively) yourself hoarse, you will be made "whole." Count on them being a bit "hole" during the process.
Posted by: Peter | June 7, 2009 9:27 AM
Oh dear. When I read that you had decided to make this purchase I had a premonition of trouble. This did not require second sight! Just years of experience with North American brands.
I bought a Honda Accord five and a half years ago. I was quite worried initially, since this thing had virtually every gizmo available on it. A lot to go wrong.
So far, the worst problem has been the windshield wipers. I have had to replace 3 sets so far.
With competition like this, it is hard to see much future for the North American car industry.
Posted by: David Ford | June 8, 2009 12:58 AM
Do you think George, that you would get service and a better Jeep, including from that service representative, if the American workers and American managers who made and sold the Jeeps, owned the company?
[I don't know. But talking with a friend who owns a Toyota (and I had had a pretty nice 4Runner at one point — that was shipped to Africa and which I later sold there) I'm convinced that I wouldn't have anything like this kind of trouble with a Japanese brand. If things reach the point where Chrysler buys back the vehicle I doubt that I'll buy another Jeep. The dealer's service department, btw, was looking at it yesterday, together with a regional Chrysler representative, and they'll all get together again today to decide what to do. If they opt for putting on a new top (about $2,000 retail) that might well fix the problem. If they opt for trying to stick on another 'leak kit' I'm skeptical that that will work. Legally, things are kind of in limbo with the Chrysler/Fiat deal but I'm optimistic that Fiat will assume Chrysler's warranty liabilities. g.]
Posted by: Flip Ross | June 10, 2009 4:11 AM
The Japanese make money by making cars; the Americans make cars to make money.
Posted by: Hammersmith | July 23, 2009 3:31 AM