May 21, 2009

• I disabled two cars in a week to the point of undriveablity.  How’s that for a record?  My Toyota is at the dealer because of a variable valve timing actuator.  I regulates the pistons and oil flow, my car was dripping oil everywhere and the I could hear the pistons moving (scary!).  Still under powertrain warranty, so no cost to me.  I dropped the car off on May 6.  MAY 6!  Today is May 21.  The part still hasn’t come in yet.  WTF. 

  In the interim I was driving a Mercedes 320 CLK that was just sitting around the house.  I park the car at my friend’s house one day and it starts but won’t shift out of park.  I have to get AAA to tow it back to my house.  I look online to see if I can trouble shoot.  Some forums recommend switching out a $25 brake switch plug that’s below the dash.  I pray hard that the cheapest Mercedes part ever made will be the fix.  It takes me exactly 10 minutes to unscrew the panel, pull out the plug, push in the new one.  Easiest fix ever.  I’m almost positive that if I had to take it to the dealer, they would’ve charged me $200 for labor, part, and running a diagnostic. 

  Now I’m driving the dealer provided rental.  I can’t believe that it takes over 2 weeks to get a part.  This seems unreasonable.  It’s not on my bill (I still have to pay the $10/day insurance on the rental), but I would prefer to be driving my own car. 

  What’s the longest that it’s taken for a dealer to get something fixed for you? 

  • 3:18 pm
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