This is the future of cars I've warned everyone about

Super-Cuda said
I'm in the business and this post is 100% accurate.

Techs are now mostly computer technicians.

Warranty labor costs are so high for the manufacturers that they now require the vehicle to be plugged into a dedicated online system that steps the tech through each step of diagnosing a problem. These procedures are designed to fix the vehicle as cheaply as possible and, even if the tech finds the problem, he can't proceed without the factory's say so.

Here's how crazy its gotten..

If an engine has to be torn down, GM is one I know of, they will reuse the coolant , and the engine oil and filter if they have not been scheduled to be changed!

If you want fresh coolant, oil and filter, you have to pay for it, even though the engine parts were replaced under warranty!

I have a good story regarding my 2008 Jeep Wrangler I bought new. It had a persistent oil leak. Dripping from right around the oil filter. The filter screwed into the timing cover. I kept seeing oil seeping out of the cover when I'd clean it and restart the engine. I put a magnifying glass on it and SAW where the aluminum cover was porous and right where the leak was coming from. I also looked it up on the internet and what do you know? Porous timing covers were a problem. There was at least one run from Mexico that had porosity issues and mine was one.

Armed with that information printed out, I went to the dealer. I SHOWED the service writer and tech BOTH where the leak was and showed them both the information I had printed out. They STILL replaced the OIL PAN. They insisted that the oil pan was where the FACTORY REP said it was coming from.

Of course I got the Jeep back still leaking. I took it back. Again. Again I insisted the leak was in the timing cover and I had shown them. To cut this short. THREE REPLACEMENT OIL PANS LATER and they finally relented and put a timing cover on it. That fixed the issue. Talk about totally wasting a customer's time. They don't have mechanics anymore. Just parts replacers and not very good ones.

Oh and at 18K miles, the engine started knocking. They put a new engine in it and it was never the same after that. New cars SUCK.