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Top 20 "Lemon" Cars - READ ONLY

30 messages,  Last post on Jun 25, 2006 at 6:23 AM

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#21 of 30 Whew! by m1miata

Jun 21, 2006 (10:12 am)

Whew, barely got out of the Buick forum with my life! They get irritated and defensive quickly. Someone had posted a site on so called Lemon cars. So I simply replied. Was just trying to see how a Buick got on the list and suggested that the gasket problems ( yes can occur with those used in Buick LeSabre ) may be the key. I assume there were many complaints as this does cost them money, and the mechanic may be explaining to the customer why the failure occurred. Pointed out that this is not a current issue with the car. In other words that Lemon post did not apply to the current models. Still feel GM should do the repairs. Well this set off rants about me attacking GM. I guess the loyal fan on GM likes all the product, even when it fails, then blames the consumer if they complain about the cars, or having to pay for those repairs. Heaven forbid if someone sees both sides of any story on a Buick site.
 
Evidently no talk of repair bills, and no talk about warranties are a good thing with them, so it is best to avoid that forum.
 
The original post of the Lemon list, I would think would have appeared on the LeSabre site, if that was the focus of this persons post. They do use the same engine though. I suppose that means something.
 
With the modifications, the 3.8 V6 is most likely to be a pretty bullet proof engine. Lucerne should move along the highways and bi-ways just fine. And I am sure there will be plenty of happy customers of that model of car.
-Loren

#22 of 30 that list by qbrozen

Jun 21, 2006 (11:47 am)

I'm not sure I can swallow it. The Odyssey??? I find that so hard to believe.
 
Passport? Well, since it was just a rebadged Isuzu, that's easier to accept.
 
Its just that, being on the internet alot, you hear a great many lemon stories. Yet, I can't recall a single one about an Odyssey. Maybe I just wasn't looking for it, I dunno. And here I've seen quite a few reports of people getting their 350z lemoned, but no nissan whatsoever on the list?
 
And, according to Terry, who is probably one of the most experienced car professionals on Edmunds, Hyundai and Kias are the number one buybacks he sees at auctions.
 
Ah, ya know, I just realized my mistake. Its a Lemon Law site, but they aren't saying "these are the top 20 lemon law'ed cars," they are merely saying "these receive complaints," which, of course, is COMPLETELY different.

#23 of 30 Is this for real??? by anythngbutgm

Jun 21, 2006 (11:50 am)

That site looks oddly familiar to a list that was posted something like a year and a half ago. As I recall it was dismissed as nothing more than a promotion for the law firm that handles lemon law cases...
 
Excursion? Cougar? Pisspoor? Rodeo? C'mon you can't even buy these things new and haven't been able to for years! I'll take this with a grain of salt Thank you.

#24 of 30 Re: that list [qbrozen] by m1miata

Jun 21, 2006 (12:44 pm)

Replying to: qbrozen (Jun 21, 2006 11:47 am)
Well I think the Odyssey did have some problems. Automatic transmissions have an extended warranty. I agree the list that was posted is likely a list of cars getting complaints. Like the Odyssey, there is likely to be a fix to get the car up and running again.
 
I tried to find, on the Internet, a list of lemon cars. Seems like there is not a list of cars or manufacturers for this issue. So the cars are being bought back, and re-sold? And no one really knows which cars are bought back the most. Hummm?
I understand if you go to arbitration to get an issue with your car resolved it comes out in favor of the car manufacturer something like 75% of the time - is that true.
Are you better off getting a lawyer then?
 
What is wrong with the 350Z, other than the tire eating situation, which I was told may have been fixed by using the proper revised alignment settings. Was it not fixed? What problems are they having?
-Loren

#25 of 30 Re: that list [m1miata] by qbrozen

Jun 21, 2006 (12:49 pm)

Replying to: m1miata (Jun 21, 2006 12:44 pm)
the tire thing was the majority of complaints and the main reason in the majority of posts I've read claiming Nissan bought the Z back from the owner. i don't mean to pick on the Z or anything, that just happens to be one I've read alot on and recall seeing an abnormal amount of "lemon law" claims by supposed owners.
 
I think cars that are bought back can be hidden (?). What I mean is, since many lemon law cases seem to be settled in arbitration, they only ones who know are the manufacturer and that particular owner (and the lawyers), so unless the manufacturer openly states "we bought XX number of cars back this year," there really is no way to know. That's just a theory of mine, anyway. I have no idea if it holds any water.

#26 of 30 Would you call a car which you could not fill by m1miata

Jun 21, 2006 (6:44 pm)

Would you call a car which you can not fill with gas a lemon?
Ya know, there are some cases where people are pretty much stuck. No recall, and no fix that has worked for their car. And they wonder why people jumped ship to some foreign make of car. Go figure.
 
If the car is inoperable, then what could you do short of lawyers and arbitration ( does it work? ). I guess you turn around and sell for a loss on a trade-in for another car at the dealership or another dealership of the same make. I have not been in that bad a situation. Won't a lawyer cost you more money? And the arbitration board is stacked in favor of the companies -- or was that rumor? Anyone out there know if there is a chance for the consumer if they do take a complaint to arbitration, or do you need a lawyer? Or just bite the bullet and trade-in at another dealership which sells the same junk?
-Loren

#27 of 30 yeah, but.. by ghulet

Jun 21, 2006 (11:56 pm)

...what's a 'foreign make' at this point? Hondas made in Ohio, Nissans in Tennessee, Toyotas...can't remember where, but stateside, anyway? Never mind, let's not go there for the millionth time.
 
Some of this list is predictable, while others (Number One is Mazda MPV? How many of these things did they even sell anyway, and are all the owners chronic complainers? Honda Odyssey, the holy grail of minivans?) are strange. Interesting that six of twenty are Ford products, not coutning the Range Rover, but not a Jaguar, Volvo, BMW or Mercedes-Benz in the bunch?
 
The list, for the most part, doesn't jibe with ANY data from any other source that I've seen, YMMV.

#28 of 30 Re: yeah, but.. [ghulet] by m1miata

Jun 22, 2006 (10:58 am)

Replying to: ghulet (Jun 21, 2006 11:56 pm)
Just avoid the 2000-2003 Odyssey, due to transmission problems. ConsumeGuide is pretty good at tracking problems. Look at the Reliability Tab on each car.

#29 of 30 Re: Would you call a car which you could not fill [m1miata] by corvette

Jun 24, 2006 (3:33 pm)

Replying to: m1miata (Jun 21, 2006 6:44 pm)
Would you call a car which you can not fill with gas a lemon?
 
Which car is this?

#30 of 30 The Source of the List by habitat1

Jun 25, 2006 (6:23 am)

Is an ambulance chasing law firm doing business in NJ and PA. Consider that. And clicking on a link on the site, produsces "best bets for 2003". Consider that as well.
 
My 2002 Honda S2000 was probably the best car I've ever owned - short of my 3x the price 911S - and when a roof latch broke under warranty ($30 part), I was contacted personally by the Vice President of Marketing for Honda NA to make sure I was satisfied with my treatment. My dealer replaced every 2000/2001 transmission that had any issue about "gear grinding" from those early models with the 2002 transmission - no questions asked.
 
I work with and employ a lot of highly qualified real estate and corporate lawyers in my business, but by and large the ambulance chasers are the law school near dropouts that couldn't make it any other way. Kind of like the MBA dropouts trying to sell you another home equity loan.

Messages Page 3 of 3

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