I'm sooo glad I own a Benz
Captain Canuck
TO: Neon Owners experiencing gasket/oil leaks
FROM: William K. Sites
DATE: March 22, 2000
re: This info. may help you save repair $$$$
Dear Neon Owners:
Thank you for being patient with regards to my reply. I have recently
received over 75 e-mails regarding the Neon gasket problem. As a former law
student, present-day journalist, and pissed-off consumer, I have researched
the Neon's 4 cylinder SOHC engine gasket problem extensively. When my wife
started experiencing severe oil leaks and gasket problems with her Neon (at
72,000 miles), I inquired as to why? Well, looks like we have a lot of
company - I mean, A LOT OF COMPANY!!!!!!!!!
This is what I found and this is what we can do - if not collectively, at
least on an individual effort:
1: Identify the fact that your head gasket is leaking and note the mileage
when you noticed it. Obviously, very high-mileage cars don't have much of
an argument.
2. Are you the original owner of the Neon? If so, you're better off.
3. Do you live in relative proximity to the dealer from which it was
purchased? If so, you will need to set the stage for an argument between
the dealer and Chrysler Corp. (I'll show you how, later - keep reading).
4. Have you had any problems with the Neon since Mile 1? If so, what kind
of problems and are they engine related? (Note: The Neon has a history of
brake problems and possible air bag problems - but we are concerned with
engine problems, leaks, etc.).
5. Know your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), located on the dashboard,
front of driver at windshield base - or on your insurance papers. Have the
VIN ready when the bitch-session begins with Chrysler Corp, the dealer, and
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) - the recall arm
of the Dept. of Transportation. Also, know the dates (of purchase, first
notice problems, contacts and complaints with dealer, etc.).
6. MOST IMPORTANT - (BURN THIS INTO YOUR BRAIN!!): DOCUMENT EVERY NAME,
DATE, AND NATURE OF CONVERSATION!!!!!!!!! Can't stress this one enough. If
you ever go to court over anything, the most documented complaintant wins!!!
Really, every single time --document, document, document!!!!!!
7. If you are a drinking person, mix one up - we are about to begin: If
not - well, you will be soon.
After you have all of your Neon documents in hand, grab the phone and do
this:
- Chrysler Customer Service: 1-800-992-1997. Beware of Tania - she appears
friendly, my fellow Neon owners, but beware - she is a snake. And she
doesn't give a damn if you buy another Chrysler product or not - but she
does have the ability to make deals. Although I ended my conversation with
Chrysler Customer Service on a bad note, they saved me a lot of money when
I retrieved my (repaired) Neon from the dealer. Anyway, don't try to get
Tania - she is just one of many that answers the phone. And DON"T mention
me or this newsgroup - ACT LIKE A ROOKIE, BUT ACT PISSED-OFF (but willing to
deal and willing to hang with Chrysler products - if they fix your problem
to a satisfactory level.)
-Play it cool and play it smart. Chrysler is catching a lot of hell over
the Neon and its gasket problem.
-When you are talking to Chrysler Customer Service, make sure you get a
"File Reference Number" - this is your "official complaint" file number that
they will send to the dealer working on your car. Depending upon what
Chrylser Customer Service thinks, the bill on your car will be adjusted
accordingly.
-Ask Customer Service if there is a "Goodwill Warranty" existing on your
Neon. This type of warranty exists when a lot of people bitch about a
specific problem (that has not been recalled).
-If you have a good history with your dealer, use it to your advantage. If
they won't budge, tell them Chrysler products suck and that you are buying
Japanese from now on. And by the way, you are contacting local media about
how you got stuck with a "piece of crap car" and that the dealer "left you
out in the cold". Give 'em hell and go to another dealer.
- ALWAYS LET THE DEALER KNOW THAT YOU ARE WILLING TO PAY SOMETHING, BUT NOT
ALL OF IT.
I went from $700 to $170 - all because I bitched at Chrysler Corp. DON'T
GIVE IN WHEN TALKING TO CHRYSLER CORP. - KEEP THEM ON THE PHONE AND KEEP
NEGOTIATING AND BITCHING!!
THEY WILL ASK YOU, "HAVE I SATISFIED ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS?"........You say,
"No, I still want to know why I have to pay for a defective design and a
design that a lot of Neon owners are experiencing - what are you going to do
to help me out?"
AND TELL THEM THAT NEGATIVE NEON NEWS IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET - THEY HATE
THAT!!!
At the very least, call 1-888-327-4236 and file a complaint with the federal
govt. - maybe they will recall. If not, maybe we should file a class action
lawsuit. I am compiling a list of plaintiffs - if you would like to be
considered (at no cost to you, ever) - let me know.
Hope I helped.
wks...@fidnet.com
Harvey Louzon
Captain Canuck <som...@somwhere.com> wrote in message
news:KfEC4.16369$Xk2....@tor-nn1.netcom.ca...
>I got this from rec.auto.makers.chrysler and it makes me very glad I own a
benz!!!
<SNIP>
>they won't budge, tell them Chrysler products suck and that you are buying
>Japanese from now on. .......
What would you recommend? Mitsubishi?
h
quote for the day:
"Can the entire group kill file him so that his post don't even show up on
our group? Because he is getting about as stale as three day old
fish."--Lynda
Daniel the Red
> I got this from rec.auto.makers.chrysler and it makes me very glad I
> own a benz!!!
> TO: Neon Owners experiencing gasket/oil leaks
> FROM: William K. Sites
> DATE: March 22, 2000
> received over 75 e-mails regarding the Neon gasket problem. As a former law
> student, present-day journalist, and pissed-off consumer, I have researched
> the Neon's 4 cylinder SOHC engine gasket problem extensively. When my wife
> started experiencing severe oil leaks and gasket problems with her Neon (at
> 72,000 miles), I inquired as to why? Well, looks like we have a lot of
> company - I mean, A LOT OF COMPANY!!!!!!!!!
<snip>
I find it kind of amusing that right after this post in alt.auto.mercedes
was the following:
From jsg...@home.com Fri Mar 24 03:20:56 2000
Date: Fri, 24 Mar 2000 06:41:15 GMT
From: jsgjlee <jsg...@home.com>
Newsgroups: alt.auto.mercedes, alt.autos.mercedes
Subject: M-Class Poor Quality and consumer report
Is Mercedes Benz planning to do anything to fix the quality problem
of the 1998 M-class they sold? If not, how are they going to fix
the image problem? Don't they feel shame to sell a vehicle like that?
Yes, they might have fix 2000 and on M-Class. But they have left a
lot of 1998 and 1999 M-Class vehicles in the world.
The April 2000 issue of Consumer Report documents this, with JD Power
in the past. It might be too early to tell the 1999 M-class quality
level, but basically 98 & 99 all have the same panels, trims, latches,
etc. that have the problems. It has a great AWD system, but it has
the poorest quality record Mercedes Benz ever had.
Jose Barroso
crapy Benz.
Jose
Daniel the Red wrote:
> On Fri, 24 Mar 2000, Captain Canuck wrote:
>
> > I got this from rec.auto.makers.chrysler and it makes me very glad I
> > own a benz!!!
>
> > TO: Neon Owners experiencing gasket/oil leaks
> > FROM: William K. Sites
> > DATE: March 22, 2000
>
> > received over 75 e-mails regarding the Neon gasket problem. As a former law
> > student, present-day journalist, and pissed-off consumer, I have researched
> > the Neon's 4 cylinder SOHC engine gasket problem extensively. When my wife
> > started experiencing severe oil leaks and gasket problems with her Neon (at
> > 72,000 miles), I inquired as to why? Well, looks like we have a lot of
> > company - I mean, A LOT OF COMPANY!!!!!!!!!
>
CarlNez
>of the 1998 M-class they sold?
See what happens when they let americans build their cars for them? <grin>
Harvey Louzon
Jose Barroso <j...@igtcard.com> wrote in message
news:38DBA202...@igtcard.com...
> Not only that, I'm sure that I can buy many Neons with the price for the
> crapy Benz.
>
Indeed, and just as likely that you would HAVE to.
h
quote for the day:
"Who gives a rats ass." -- lynda
eraser
those headlight wipers, very innovative idea - wish the Big 3 would use
em.
--
---------------------------
charlie
era...@cybernex.net
http://www2.cybernex.net/~eraser
Harvey Louzon
eraser <era...@cybernex.net> wrote in message
news:38DBA64A...@cybernex.net...
> The one thing I like about Benz is that some of the luxury models have
> those headlight wipers, very innovative idea - wish the Big 3 would use
> em.
With the new quad oval headlight treatment of the past few years it seems as
if this is being phased out. Also, for some reason they delete the wipers
if you go for the xenon lights on the SL (and possibly other models).
h
quote for the day:
"Any chance you rich imbeciles could set a better example for us po folk?
" -- Richard Sexton
Lloyd R. Parker
:
: eraser <era...@cybernex.net> wrote in message
: news:38DBA64A...@cybernex.net...
: > The one thing I like about Benz is that some of the luxury models have
: > those headlight wipers, very innovative idea - wish the Big 3 would use
: > em.
:
: With the new quad oval headlight treatment of the past few years it seems as
: if this is being phased out. Also, for some reason they delete the wipers
: if you go for the xenon lights on the SL (and possibly other models).
Actually, the washers are included when you order Xe headlights on other
models. Perhaps the wipers scratch the Xe light lenses, or the
temperature is too high, or something. It could be the Xe, which emits uv
radiation, degrades the rubber on the wipers.
But Audi and Porsche have used just high-pressure wipers, no washers, for
a good many years now, and the E-class has been around for a while too, so
they must work OK.
:
: h
:
:
:
:
:
Lloyd R. Parker
: The one thing I like about Benz is that some of the luxury models have
: those headlight wipers, very innovative idea - wish the Big 3 would use
: em.
Well, Saab and Volvo are part of the Big 3 these days, as is Mercedes.
BTW, Chrysler offered headlight washers and wiper brushes on the Imperial
for a year or two in the early 70s. The idea was concealed headlights
often didn't get washed at gas stations or in car washes.
:
: Harvey Louzon wrote:
: >
: > Jose Barroso <j...@igtcard.com> wrote in message
: > news:38DBA202...@igtcard.com...
: >
: > > Not only that, I'm sure that I can buy many Neons with the price for the
: > > crapy Benz.
: > >
: >
: > Indeed, and just as likely that you would HAVE to.
: >
: > h
: >
: > quote for the day:
: >
: > "Who gives a rats ass." -- lynda
Steve Lacker
Lloyd R. Parker wrote:
> Well, Saab and Volvo are part of the Big 3 these days, as is Mercedes.
And Jaguar. And Lotus. And Lamborghini was for a while, now it isn't again.
-- Stephen G. Lacker
sglacker at texas dot net
"Turn off your blinding fog lights, hang up, and DRIVE!"
lynda janzen
made you take the wipers off. Now they are all the rage. If any one
had ever thought about it. If you are driving at night and your
windshield is getting dirty your head lights are getting just as dirty.
Lynda
eraser wrote:
>
> The one thing I like about Benz is that some of the luxury models have
> those headlight wipers, very innovative idea - wish the Big 3 would use
> em.
>
Lloyd R. Parker
:
:
:
:
: > Well, Saab and Volvo are part of the Big 3 these days, as is Mercedes.
:
: And Jaguar. And Lotus. And Lamborghini was for a while, now it isn't again.
No, Lotus is independent once again. Lambo is part of VW-Audi now, so
maybe the "Big 5"?
BTW, if DC and Mitsu merge, it will be #3, ahead of Toyota and VW.
Eugene Nine
to the ground one day! He still didn't get any wiser though, he bought a
lexus.
Eugene
"Captain Canuck" <som...@somwhere.com> wrote in message
news:TUPC4.16569$Xk2....@tor-nn1.netcom.ca...
Yeah, i find that ironic as well. Maybe i should re-post with the title
"I'm sooo glad
I own a Benz
i hope the picture worked.
Daniel Stern Lighting
> The one thing I like about Benz is that some of the luxury models have
> those headlight wipers, very innovative idea - wish the Big 3 would use
> em.
Not so "innovative" as it seems. Headlamp cleaning systems have been
mandatory under ECE (European) auto safety regulations for many years.
Wipers were first required in Sweden in '74 and high-pressure spray type
washers in Germany not long after that; the current ECE regulation permits
either or both systems to be fitted, but one or the other (or both) MUST
be fitted and must be capable of restoring the low beam performance to 80
percent of the output from a perfectly clean headlamp within a certain
number of seconds of operation, when the lamp is glooped-up with a
specified test gunk.
Headlamp cleaning systems aren't just for the benefit of those driving
behind them, but also for the benefit of those driving towards them.
Lightly-soiled headlamps emit far more glare towards oncoming traffic
because of diffusion of the beam.
We in the USA not only still get inferior headlamps, but we have no
requirement for headlamp cleaning systems. Nor for headlamp levelling
systems, also required by ECE for nearly a decade now.
--Daniel
TO WRITE TO ME: Remove the headlamp from my return address.
.______DANIEL STERN LIGHTING______.
| http://lighting.mbz.org |
---
dastern "at" vrx "dot" net
Automotive Lighting and Signalling Services
NBCS b6f+wg++rp
Daniel Stern Lighting
> With the new quad oval headlight treatment of the past few years it seems as
> if this is being phased out. Also, for some reason they delete the wipers
> if you go for the xenon lights on the SL (and possibly other models).
Wiper systems tend to be troublesome and prone to jamming in ice, snow,
etc. High-pressure spray wash systems are also permitted under the ECE
(European) requirement for headlamp cleaning equipment. On late Benzes
with the quad round headlamps, a small rectangular panel between the outer
and inner lamps shifts forward to reveal a high-pressure, double-headed
squirter. Of course, this is not required in North America, land of the
world's most ass-backwards auto "safety" regulations.
Note that while we only see this sort of safety equipment on high-end cars
in the USA, and then even only as an option in some cases, it's
*mandatory* in Europe. European Chrysler Stratus, Neon, Voyager, Jeep
Cherokee, etc. all have this equipment.