My Car is A Lemon- Help!!

[A-Train]

03 SRT-10 with 4000 miles - when rained, both footwell soaked in 2 inched of water. The car has been in the shop for 45 days. Vehicle was purchased w/ 500 miles, used, from out of state dealer with manufacturer's warranty. Fellow member had the same problem (leaked through A pillar) and got his money back. Same information was provided to service dealer but they claimed it is not the same problem. They say water is coming from the airduct (???). Parts has been ordered, still waiting. It has been 45 days in the shop.

Should I contact a CA Lemon law attorney and let them pursue the case? Or what is the best recourse for me? I do not want to wait anymore and even if they say it is fixed, who knows when the problem might repeat again. I'd just want my money back. Please advise if there is any legal gurus out there, or if members might have gone through the same unfortunate experience for best advise.

I still love my ride, but what good is it if it is always in the shop?



AHS

 

[Skip White]

If they kept my car for 45 days, I'd use any legal means to make them buy the car back. Sounds like the dealer could care less about fixing your car. Maybe he's passing blaim on DC. Never heard of such.

Skip

 

[Janni]

I believe that lemon laws only apply to original owner relationship with the manufacturer. His beef is with the used car selling dealer.

 

[A-Train]

Checked out the CA law and as long as the vehicle is under manufacturer's warranty is constitute as applicable. At least that's my online findings so far.

AHS

 

[Bone Head]

45 days is just ridiculous. I agree w/ Skip. Get a lawyer. Good luck.

Hooman

 

[STUGOTS]

45 days is just ridiculous. I agree w/ Skip. Get a lawyer. Good luck.

Hooman

Ditto.

Good luck bro.

 

[MAVERICK]

Get a lawyer and file a suit!

 

[PaViper]

Lemon law can apply to used car if it is within 15 months of original purchase date....just my understanding of what I read, may be different depending on State

 

[DSR207]

I have to ask, you bought the car used with 500 miles on it, and it has 4000 miles on it now,I'm sure it has been washed many times, no leaks ?
Is this your first rain drive ?

 

[Kelly06]

Good luck

 

[Hisserman]

The cars are extensively tested for water leaks at the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant where they are built. They are very particular about being sure there are no problems. Could that car have been wrecked or for some other reason had the front fenders taken off? I would check that out very carefully.

 

[redsrt03]

Ahem. It is politcally incorrect to mention "lemon" and "viper" together in this forum. No matter how many (or how severe) problems you encounter in your first year of ownership, many on this forum continue to talk about how "bullet proof" (maybe if you're shooting blanks) the viper is. I'm convinced it actually is the apogee of dodges quality and workmanship (that's really sad).


Well, good luck and I hope you have better luck with old dodge (the warranty) than I did.

BTW My Viper (with 4k miles) spent the last 2 weeks of OCT, all of November, and the first 2 weeks of December 2004 in the service bay of the friendly dodge service department.

 

[EXECMALIBU]

MY 2001 RT-10 IS ALSO A LEMON!

IT WAS IN THE SHOP 15 TIMES AND ALREADY FOR OVER 5 MONTHS WITH SEVERE OVERHEATING PROBLEMS..

D/C HAD THE ENGINE FOR OVER 3 MONTHS FOR THE REBUILD... WHEN IT FINALLY CAME BACK IT STILL RAN VERY HOT!

THE ENGINE FINALLY BLEW UP AND D/C SAID GIVE IT BACK TO US FOR ANOTHER 3-4 MONTHS..

I INSISTED ON BEING COMPENSATED FOR 10 M0NTHS OF LOSS OF USE, D/C SAID NO WAY!

I LIKE THE CAR AND WOULD KEEP IT IF I COULD DRIVE IT WITHOUT CONSTANTLY STARING AT THE TEMP GAUGE..



I ALSO BOUGHT THE CAR USED OUT OF STATE WITH 8,500 MILES.. IT NOW HAS ONLY 10K MILES.. 500 MILES OF FUN THEN 1,000 OF AGGRAVATION!

WE HAVE FILED A LEMON LAW AND FIT FOR PURPOSE INTENDED LAW SUIT IN CALIF...

LETS SEE HOW D/C WILL TRY TO EXPLAIN TO A JURY ABOUT A NEARLY NEW CAR THAT NEEDS TO BE IN THE SHOP FOR ALMOST YEAR... I HOPE THE JURY WILL AWARD TRIPLE DAMAGES FOR D/C FAILING TO ACT IN GOOD FAITH..


CALL ME, I CAN HELP YOU WITH INFO AND RECOMMEND AN ATTORNEY

(310) 456-8833

 

[George Farris]

Just get the car back and drive it on sunny days. Then when the parts come it, take it back and get it fixed.

 

[BobK898]

I see you still have that "Caps Lock" problem on your computer, hope you can get that fixed eventually along with your Viper. Good luck.

 

[Lee00blacksilverGTS]

Typotard will never fix his caps key. Here's CAPSCLOWNS LOGIC....I WOULD RATHER SPEND MONEY ON LAWYERS THAN GET THE CAR FIXED BY USING THE VCA ORGANIZATION. I BLEW MYSELF COMPLETELY UP WITH THE OTHER THREAD MAKING THREATS AGAINST DC AND PI$$ING OFF THE ENTIRE BOARD AND SO I NO LONGER HAVE RECOURSE TO ANY HELP FROM THE VIPER COMMUNITY TO NEGOTIATE WITH DC. OH, BY THE WAY, I ALSO PI$$ED OFF DAN CRAGIN, ONE OF THE BEST AND NICEST VIPER TECHS/TUNERS IN THE COUNTRY WHO HAD BEEN TRYING TO HELP ME, SO I AM ALL ALONE NOW WITH MY LAWYER IN A SMALL ROOM, HE TELLS ME I WILL PREVAIL IN A LAWSUIT AGAINST DC, THE ONLY PROBLEM HE SEES IS I WILL NEED EXPERT WITNESSES FROM THE VIPER COMMUNITY.....AND I HAVE NO FRIENDS THERE BECAUSE I INSIST ON KEEPING MY CAPS KEY ON, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE BEEN ASKED MANY TIMES IN MANY THREADS TO TURN IT OFF.

A Train....where do you live? First contact your VCA Region president...this is your first and absolutely best line of defense in working this out....just do it. Don't call either execmalibooboo OR your lawyer, unless you want to spend more than the car is worth to prove a point.

 

[Rocket65C]

Great post (I love "Typotard"!). I think lawyers should be a last resort. In my experience, lawyers tend to be a means to lose money, not one to right a wrong.

 

[EXECMALIBU]

LEE,
STOP BEING SUCH A ***** AND READ WHAT I HAVE POSTED NUMEROUS TIMES!

I DID EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO AVOID A LAW SUIT..
I HAVE EVERY ATTEMPT TO WORK THIS OUT EVIDENCED IN LETTERS AND EMAILS FROM D/C, DAN CRAGIN, THE DEALER AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE VCA, JOE HAUSS..

I HAD THE ENGINE REBIULT BY ARROW..(DOWN FOR 3 MONTHS) IT FINALLY CAME BACK AND IT OVERHEATED THE FIRST TIME I RAN IT AFTER WE GOT IT BACK!

I DID CONTACT THE PRESIDENT OF THE VIPER CLUB!!! JOE HAUSS!! HE SAID THAT MY CAR CLEARLY HAD SERIOUS OVERHEATING PROBLEMS.. JOE WAS VERY HEPLFUL AND FORWARDED MY COMPLAINTS TO THE TOP VIPER REP AT D/C..

D/C SENT A LOCAL REP "DAN RUPP" TO INSPECT MY CAR..HIS RESPONSE WAS THE CLASSIC PARTY LINE.."VIPERS ALL RUN HOT" ..."245 DEGREES AND NEAR THE RED IS NORMAL FOR A VIPER" " THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE....3 WEEKS LATER I STARTED THE CAR AND THE ENGINE BLEW UP!! (THE CAM OR TIMING CHAIN BROKE?)

I APPEALED TO THE HEAD REPRESENTITIVE AT D/C FOR THEM TO FIX THE CAR PROPERLY AND ASKED FOR MINOR COMPENSATION FOR THE 15 TIMES IN THE SHOP AND OVER 8 MONTHS OF DOWN TIME AND NON-MATCHING SERIAL NUMBERS....D/C SAID **** WIND!!

THE SERVICE WRITER AT THE DEALER TOLD ME GET A LAWYER..HE SAID THE ENGINE IS DEFECTIVE AND THAT D/C IS JERKING ME AROUND! THAT WAS BEFORE IT BLEW UP!!

I CONTACTED A HIGH POWERED LEMON LAW ATTORNEY WHO REVIEWED THE SITUATION SAID THIS WAS A SLAM DUNK CASE AND TOOK THE CASE ON CONTINGENCY..( I PAY NOTHING!!)

THE LAWYER CONTACTED D/C PRIOR TO THE LAWSUIT TO TRY AND SETTLE ..BUT D/C BLAMED THE ENTIRE SITUATION ON DAN CRAGIN.. "IF A DEALER HAD DONE THE WORK I WOULD NEVER HAVE HAD ANY PROBLEMS".. THAT IS TOTAL BULLSH'T DAN CRAGIN IS A GREAT MECHANIC..THE ENGINE WAS JUST UNREPAIRABLE..

THEY ORIGINALLY MADE US AN OFFER TO SETTLE THEN THE SAID THAT THEY CHANGED THEIR MINDS..

D/C THINKS THAT ALL DODGE OWNERS ARE IDIOTS..THE DONT TREAT THE MERCEDES OWNERS THE SAME..THE SERVICE ON OUR CLK IS AMAZING!

THEY WILL ONLY RESPOND WHEN FORCED..SO WE FILED THE LAW SUIT..

 

[luc]

CAPHOLIC is back!!!!


Luc 00GTS

 

[ssssssnake]

Hey EXEC,

If you knew anything about message board etiquette you would stop using caps. Didn't your mom teach you any manners???? Do you really need the attention that bad?

 

[Lee00blacksilverGTS]

KeyboardCretin....While reading between the very hard to read lines of your big letters I believe I have had a small epiphany regarding DC's lack of interest in your problem.....You have bared your soul so painstakingly about this problem in more than one thread. Do you recall several people advising you to just blow the engine up? Did you just say the engine blew? Do you realize DC monitors this board? Did you just say the engine blew? The net result is what happens when you go public with a longwinded whine about a manufacturer and some bad advice on how to cheat them, they tell you to stuff it. By the way this is what Dan Cragin said on your last rant here.

With the amount of attention this thread has attracted I think that I should make so sort of comment.

Mr. Mohr, as you are aware we agreed to look at your vehicle because of our respect for Daimler Chrysler and your insistence to help you. We dealt with you professionally and made every effort to accomadate you (with great personal expense). Only after your insistence for personal compensation for a warranty related complaint we referred you back to the dealer network.
In our effort to help you (because of our respect for the product and commitment to customer service) our ties to Daimler Chrysler have been compromised, our business compromised and our integrety questioned. All this for trying to help.
I do not believe it is fair for you to mention us in this public forum for a complaint that is not with us. I respectfully ask that you exclude us from this discussion.

I felt kind of obligated to go find that because I mentioned Dans name, and I don't want anyone to be confused. Everyone should be clear that Dan had nothing to do with BOOBOOS problems.

 

[Yves]

Time for a group hug ?

 

[STUGOTS]

LEE,
STOP BEING SUCH A ***** AND READ WHAT I HAVE POSTED NUMEROUS TIMES!

I DID EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO AVOID A LAW SUIT..
I HAVE EVERY ATTEMPT TO WORK THIS OUT EVIDENCED IN LETTERS AND EMAILS FROM D/C, DAN CRAGIN, THE DEALER AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE VCA, JOE HAUSS..

I HAD THE ENGINE REBIULT BY ARROW..(DOWN FOR 3 MONTHS) IT FINALLY CAME BACK AND IT OVERHEATED THE FIRST TIME I RAN IT AFTER WE GOT IT BACK!

I DID CONTACT THE PRESIDENT OF THE VIPER CLUB!!! JOE HAUSS!! HE SAID THAT MY CAR CLEARLY HAD SERIOUS OVERHEATING PROBLEMS.. JOE WAS VERY HEPLFUL AND FORWARDED MY COMPLAINTS TO THE TOP VIPER REP AT D/C..

D/C SENT A LOCAL REP "DAN RUPP" TO INSPECT MY CAR..HIS RESPONSE WAS THE CLASSIC PARTY LINE.."VIPERS ALL RUN HOT" ..."245 DEGREES AND NEAR THE RED IS NORMAL FOR A VIPER" " THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE....3 WEEKS LATER I STARTED THE CAR AND THE ENGINE BLEW UP!! (THE CAM OR TIMING CHAIN BROKE?)

I APPEALED TO THE HEAD REPRESENTITIVE AT D/C FOR THEM TO FIX THE CAR PROPERLY AND ASKED FOR MINOR COMPENSATION FOR THE 15 TIMES IN THE SHOP AND OVER 8 MONTHS OF DOWN TIME AND NON-MATCHING SERIAL NUMBERS....D/C SAID **** WIND!!

THE SERVICE WRITER AT THE DEALER TOLD ME GET A LAWYER..HE SAID THE ENGINE IS DEFECTIVE AND THAT D/C IS JERKING ME AROUND! THAT WAS BEFORE IT BLEW UP!!

I CONTACTED A HIGH POWERED LEMON LAW ATTORNEY WHO REVIEWED THE SITUATION SAID THIS WAS A SLAM DUNK CASE AND TOOK THE CASE ON CONTINGENCY..( I PAY NOTHING!!)

THE LAWYER CONTACTED D/C PRIOR TO THE LAWSUIT TO TRY AND SETTLE ..BUT D/C BLAMED THE ENTIRE SITUATION ON DAN CRAGIN.. "IF A DEALER HAD DONE THE WORK I WOULD NEVER HAVE HAD ANY PROBLEMS".. THAT IS TOTAL BULLSH'T DAN CRAGIN IS A GREAT MECHANIC..THE ENGINE WAS JUST UNREPAIRABLE..

THEY ORIGINALLY MADE US AN OFFER TO SETTLE THEN THE SAID THAT THEY CHANGED THEIR MINDS..

D/C THINKS THAT ALL DODGE OWNERS ARE IDIOTS..THE DONT TREAT THE MERCEDES OWNERS THE SAME..THE SERVICE ON OUR CLK IS AMAZING!

THEY WILL ONLY RESPOND WHEN FORCED..SO WE FILED THE LAW SUIT..

your an idiot.

what did you do ******** in front of the computer so much the CAPS button is all sticky????? you keyboard_kum_quat

 

[LW VIPER]

D/C THINKS THAT ALL DODGE OWNERS ARE IDIOTS..THE DONT TREAT THE MERCEDES OWNERS THE SAME..THE SERVICE ON OUR CLK IS AMAZING!

THEY WILL ONLY RESPOND WHEN FORCED..SO WE FILED THE LAW SUIT..

I think that some of the resistance you are encountering is because using CAPITAL letters in posting has become equated with shouting all the time.
The perception is that you know this, but persist in using "caps" despite requests from other posters to conform to more common usage.

If you do go to trial, you may wish considering speaking in normal, respectful tones to the trier of fact. If you spend all of your testimony SHOUTING, you will not win your case, irrespective of the facts, as you will alienate your trier of fact.

Just a thought. Sorry to hear about your Viper having problems. It certainly takes the fun out of ownership to have ongoing mechanical problems. I know my 96 was running hot, but then I took it to a Viper Tech (Ted May) who was recommended to me by other VCA members, and all of my problems were fixed in short order. Cost me a bit, but I still drive Vipers, and the fun is lasting far longer than the short term expense.