Its kinda funny actualy. Im in a new area so I dont know of any private shops around that I can have my car towed to, so I though id bring it in to the nice neighborhood Mr. Goodrench that Ive seen on the boob toob. The guys said if my car has over 100k or is over 10 years old they will refuse service ( if it hansnt been serviced there before). I told the guy that I had the seat belt recall fixed there but he didnt seem to care. WAY TO GO CHEVY FOR LETTING ME DOWN!!!! So now im screwed cuz I spent most of last night trying to fix it w/o luck and now i need to find a shop. Maybe someone here can help me. The car idles fine like it normaly does. over about 2k it seem to missfire like its not getting spark or fuel. for example i can hold the acelerator in one spot like at 3k and it will drop 500 or so ....catch..go back to 3k drop...(vrooooom...sputer..sputer...vrooooom...sputer..sputer..)_it is perdicatable and not speradic. If i just mash the peddle it will do the same thing but just at a higher rev and be more dramatic. Th first thing that went though my mind was the tps but I got no codes. Then I though the IM and went to the auto zone to have it check...it was fine(the guy ran it 7 times to get it hot). Replaed the cap/roter and plugs for giggles too. any thoughts!!! (*** I need a smoke....gunna have to walk to the corner store..)

 

Coil, or icm been replaced?

 

Mine kind of did that, but i was speradic. I replaced coil and ICM at same time and fixed it.

 

lot of shops are like that, older cars have more problems, like rusted or broken bolts. fix a weak master cylinder and the next weak link in the system fails. doesn't make it right or fair but that's part of the reasoning behind it.

 

The problem is most GM shops get their employees straight out of tech school. And the tech schools only teach them about cars 10 year old and newer, tech schools are the same, they won't work on anything more than 10 years old.

The local GM shop is not the place to go, unless you like fresh out of school kids working on your stuff. The GM body shop is the same way.

Now not all are like that but in each town one of the dealers will be the tech schools drop/dump point for fresh faces.

 

Fuel pump, pressure regulator, coil, icm, tps, maf/map...

Ask SW regional board about shops in phx.

 

this sounds alot like my problem, you can read about it here:car dies if i give it gas!!

 

I looked in the phone book for a private shop near by..found one. Took it in and they told me it was the MAF. I asked the guy why it wouldnt throw a code. He told me that it can still go bad w/o giving a code and that the computer wont throw the code cuz it doesnt know that its being fed bad info. so $200 later the car runs like a champ....

 

that statement couldn't be further from the truth

 

Well they do in my area. Everyone goes straight out of penta county high school and into either the GM body or service shop. Why? GM is the schools sponsor for both and both will not let a car older than 10 year in the shop.

But I said not all are like that. Some wont deal with the schools because they don't teach them any more than how to pass the tests, do the basic services needed and let the employer teach them the rest.

Two neighbor kids were working at DUNN even before they were out of school. Most of the seniors only do half days.

 

Never heard of a dealer refusing to service ANY vehicle...esp not an older one, since the potential for expensive repairs is pretty great. Redraif is a GM service advisor, and absolutely LOVES it when older cars come in (esp 3rd gens of course...). They're out of warranty (more $), usually need more repairs (more $$), and their owners typically aren't making payments and are more willing to do the necessary repairs. Her dealer doesn't emissions test older vehicles (dont have the dyno necessary here for pre-OBDII), but anything else they welcome. BTW, anybody who can fix a new car should be able to easily fix a 3rd gen. They're pretty simple.

 

Ede hit it.

Theres soo many junk cars (not saying Lukes car is junk) that people have problems fixing them or they were fixed before and that person left somthing out or assembled it wrong and the person working on it hasent a clue what the person before did. This is true especially on older cars that you dont see very often.

Example
I just did head gaskets on a 87 ranger. Someone did one head gasket before and they had mix and match bolts, rusted broken bolts, missing brackets missing vacuum lines.
It was a nighmare and it took me alot more then book time to re assemle it right and make it run half way decent. I had to fix these other things because the owner could come back and say "it wasent like that before" and possibley take me to court for doing something wrong even though it came in the shop that way. This is why some shops and most dealers wont touch cars older then ten years old or 100K miles. Some will even say they will work on it find somthing missing close the hood and call a tow truck at the owners expense.

 

I can understand what Ede and SSC are saying and it makes sence, but none the less it still leaves a slight bitter taste in the mouth and I imagine for others also who were turned away like me. Its like mom telling you that you cant come home, but for the car. Its not exactly how you keep customers for life. Im not saying that I would never get an other GM...of every one I know my car has given the least amount of problem and has been darn reliable over the years, but some may not be as easly forgiving..

 

Luke, you could try and make a change. Call TV station and ask them for help cause the dealer will not service their own cars. i mean every station has that one person who just goes after business. Can you see the headlines, GM refuses to service it own vehicles forcing said GM owner into going to the local Ford dealer for help.

That does happen to. Ford dealers sell any kind of used car. Call CORP headquarters and say your local GM dealer will not service your GM car but the local Ford dealer will and you and the local TV station would like to know why???

Maybe even a dodge dealer would help? They all sell any kind of used car and then would service them to keep you around.

 

My dad had the same problem, but he had a 98 grand prix. he took it to the dealer 4 blocks from where we live, and they were hesitant to work on it because we didn't buy it there. That's a load of sh*t. it's rediculous why GM won't back their products. I've worked at enough dealerships to know that most of the time, they blow off people because they don't want to be bothered with squeezing it in with other customers cars because they'd rather take the other idoits to the cleaners and know that there may not be a chance of return service, especially if your car is in good shape. Then again maybe the service writer didn't know how to make a R.O.