This Caprice is a $ Money Pit!

General topics relative to the Caprice and associated vehicles. For items not fitting into other sub-sections in addition to general chat.
ejf2461
Posts: 132
Joined: Mon Feb 15, 2016 4:18 pm
Location: Indianapolis

This Caprice is a $ Money Pit!

Post by ejf2461 »

Got a call yesterday from Stanley Chevrolet asking for permission for more $$$ to fix a long list of issues on my 2013 Caprice. I had a check engine light that had been cleared 3x and and replacing the gas cap didn't fix it. I guess it was the evap canister which is $700 out the door since you have to lower the rear end to get to it. My stereo will not shut off when I shut the door and the power window switch wont operate the driver door window unless you grab the rubber covered wiring harness coming from the door...ready for this. 12 wires have been sliced by the previous police agency...new wiring harness $700 out the door. I also had a horrible noise coming from what I thought was the a/c blower motor when the a/c was on. It went away a few seconds after I turned the ac off. They said one of the engine fans had a bearing out and recommended replacing both engine fans $450 out the door. They big $ items they found was both motor mounts $1200 installed. They said you have to drop the engine to replace them and both are ruined. They also recommended replacing the transmission mount/bushing $250 out the door. The clunk in the suspension was the sway bar links. I also told them to do the strut mount bushings/bearings and the camber adjustment kit and a 4 wheel alignment. My front tires lasted 3 months and toasted a set of Goodyear RSA's inner tread on both sides. If you are going through tires you need to look at the Camber Kit that GM makes for this car. Only way to get a true alignment. Front Suspension $750 out the door. My shifter wasn't going all the way into park and had the light bulb that illuminates the gears out. $700 out the door but then they saw that it had been repaired under a recall and said it would be free except $32 for the light bulb. I'm sure I left a bunch of stuff out but to finish they recommended plugs, wires, air filter, cabin filter, serpentine belt and clean fuel systems & synthetic oil change/filter $800 out the door. The total bill was almost $7k with the Police Discount on parts & labor $4600 out the door. For a car that was 10K delivered I'm at almost $27k for a vehicle thats worth half that! Grrrr
2013 Impala 9C1
2013 Caprice PPV 9C1 V8
CrashTestDummy
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Location: Pearland, Texas

Re: This Caprice is a $ Money Pit!

Post by CrashTestDummy »

I didn't read this entire paragraph, but there's a recall on the engine cooling fans. Sounds like you may need to find another dealer.

And I'd personally inspect the sway bar bushings. Common source for the clunk is the upper strut mounts.
Gene Beaird,
Pearland, Texas
2012 Caprice 9C1
1992 B4C 1LE Camaro
2018 Tahoe PPV (her car)
1995 DGGM Impala SS
1985 Firebird - 310 LS1 C Prepared autocross car.
1980 Bluebird Wanderlodge
And some others
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smwalker
Administration Staff
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Location: Azusa,CA

Re: This Caprice is a $ Money Pit!

Post by smwalker »

Man they are bending you over on those mounts. They have to lift the engine not take it out for Christs sake. Doing both sides should be 2 hours max. I believe the "rear" listed below is the trans. Half hour plus parts would be something like ($70 + a $30 part) = $100 Assuming $140 an hour which many dealerships are at now.

Image

And me I would spend 2 hours repairing 12 wires on a harness before plunking down $700, BUt that's me. I would ask to see them cuts.

Actually I would just my shit out of there, but that's me.
Steve Walker
Azusa, CA
'11 PPV 9C3 Huron White
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elc32955
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Re: This Caprice is a $ Money Pit!

Post by elc32955 »

Now you're into the down side of purchasing an old police car. Unfortunately a lot of these cars are beat to hell before they get sold, and the unknowing buyer on the receiving end can get shafted very easily. If I'm really hot on a car, I think nothing about calling the agency up, getting the fleet maintenance supervisor on the phone, and asking him "Hey XXX, what's the deal on unit 721? I see it's being sold, anything really bad on the car?" And so on and so forth. Unless the agency service people are being deliberately disingenuous to get rid of a lemon out of their fleet, usually they'll talk to you - especially if approached nicely. If they want to be pricks and stonewall you, pull the hard copy maintenance records on a vehicle under your state's public records law. I've had to tighten up at least one fleet operation in the past like that which refused to give me the service records on a car I'd purchased. Tut tut, never mess around with a career bureaucrat. :twisted:

On the fans, I'd point out the factory service extension on them to your dealer, they may not be aware there's a GM extension out on those. ALSO.... unless your car is not drivable, don't be afraid to shop the service to two or three dealers. Car dealer service operations are like attorneys, go see three and each one will give you a slightly different answer. And try to charge you out the wazootie to do it - it's a profit center for the dealer's bottom line. Bad economy equals hungry dealer service departments. Again, shop the repairs to keep fingers out of your hard-earned wallet stuffing. Also, there's some private garages out there that will put dealer service departments to shame. Especially if they're used to working on later series LS stuff. Redline Motorsports anyone?

Keep us posted how things go for you.

Eric
System Manager and your tour guide for the day. 2015 Caprice w/LFX, former NC DPS staff car. Partial hybrid G8/SS/Camaro SS interior mods, SS MyLink radio upgrade, 2016 Camaro V6 rims, GMPP Malibu chrome exhaust tips, otherwise bone stock for now.
K9Vic
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Re: This Caprice is a $ Money Pit!

Post by K9Vic »

I have bought enough used police vehicles over the last 20 years to know what departments to stay away from for my long term personal vehicle. Low mileage detective, fire and take home Sheriff/Constable units are the best. My current 2011 had 15,000 miles from a Constable (they serve warrants, court documents, etc) and he only traded it in for a Tahoe. Mine is still under power train warranty until 11/23/2017, so you should register at My Chevrolet to see what yours is if under 100k miles. To me the dealer is trying to gouge you out of as much money as they can, motor mounts are no way $700 as noted. As noted, the engine fans should be under recall as the shifter.

Most good shops can do these repairs, find one that knows late model Camaro and G8 cars. That dealer is trying to rip you off in my opinion, this is why they are ONLY good for warranty work.
xcidmigs
Posts: 783
Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2015 8:12 pm
Location: SE PA

Re: This Caprice is a $ Money Pit!

Post by xcidmigs »

The title of this rant thread should be "MY caprice is a $ PIt" You have repeatedly come on here to post up about how much the car and projects you have done are costing you. Its clear the dealership you are going to has seen you coming with your deep pockets a long time ago, even with your "Police discount" they are crushing you as multiple people have pointed out on all kinds of jobs here and clearly have before 2. Not sure why you don't want to explore another dealer or if you have zero warranty left any other competent repair shop. Not to mention just do some of these things yourself. Yes we all recall you have to work ridiculous OT and can't find the time, but you certainly find the time to post up this type of rant again. Here's the cooling fan thread since you don't want to spend more time on this yourself...

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=917&hilit=cooling+fan" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
iboughtonetoo
Posts: 43
Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2015 11:47 pm
Location: GAWGA

Re: This Caprice is a $ Money Pit!

Post by iboughtonetoo »

Welcome to abused fleet cars. Im actually shocked that's all they found... You should see what the caprices that came out of the local county looked like. Flippers would get them direct at auction and list for 3k above their auction cost on the popular sites. and people would buy them fast. I cried knowing what they bought.

I've been through a similar nightmare with cough german engineering cough. Sometimes you just get a car that seems to hate you.
2015 0 days in service. Carpet, factory SL delete. purch @ 86, nov 2016 hit 13000. yeah!
http://i.imgur.com/W52rR3H.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
ejf2461
Posts: 132
Joined: Mon Feb 15, 2016 4:18 pm
Location: Indianapolis

Re: This Caprice is a $ Money Pit!

Post by ejf2461 »

Got some good news and Thanks to everybody for the input. After confronting the dealer about the cost of the motor mounts/labor and going over the recalls with the dealer they are fixing the Both Motor Mounts & Transmission Mount Under Warranty. My car has 90K. They are also going replace both engine fans under the recall. I guess my car had already had they transmission shifter pin recall done but since it failed to go all they way into park every time they are doing the recall again and while inside they are replacing the bulb that is out in the shifter. They found another recall for the seat belts and ordered the parts to fix. I usually have the worst luck but this was a Huge Blessing! I read some replies about why I use this dealer and all I can say that I get the same deal as my agency does which is 30-35% on parts and $30 per hour discount. If I went someone else I am sure that would not be the case.
2013 Impala 9C1
2013 Caprice PPV 9C1 V8
CrashTestDummy
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Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2015 2:31 pm
Location: Pearland, Texas

Re: This Caprice is a $ Money Pit!

Post by CrashTestDummy »

Yeah, the seat belt recall is just now starting to be addressed. We recently got word that our local dealership has the parts available to do that recall. We just need time to get it in.

And then, on another note, but still dealing with recalls, we got news that our 2010 Tahoe PPV is on the list for recall of the air bag. They don't have parts for that, yet, and claim it's not dangerous to use, but the truck is on the list...
Gene Beaird,
Pearland, Texas
2012 Caprice 9C1
1992 B4C 1LE Camaro
2018 Tahoe PPV (her car)
1995 DGGM Impala SS
1985 Firebird - 310 LS1 C Prepared autocross car.
1980 Bluebird Wanderlodge
And some others
Do YOU have my SPID?
xcidmigs
Posts: 783
Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2015 8:12 pm
Location: SE PA

Re: This Caprice is a $ Money Pit!

Post by xcidmigs »

Despite your great discount rates, (which if I were you I would not be on here proclaiming such deals offered to LE only, its clearly a grey moralistic area at this point and who needs to add more gas to the hate police lobby out there right?) It seems super shady that the dealer is not able to offer you up initially those fixes covered by the warranty, I mean on their end its as simple as putting your vin # into the GM system to see what warranty you have remaining. How many people have gone to the same place and were too ignorant to pay any more attention and left paying the bill that GM should be picking up? Good luck otherwise seems like the title to your thread perhaps needs a revision? "My stealership problems"
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