Just got a call....

[papooses]

Warning: here goes my rant!

Back in AUGUST my '05 Escape Hybrid went in for it's 1st oil change - the morons at the dealership treated it like a normal Escape & so 1 hour out of the shop (& many miles from home as I was on my way to NYC) the RPMs surged into the red, then stalled out on the thruway & a huge electric ! flashed on my dashboard, telling me to "Pull over safely now" :eek: The back window was covered with oil! I still have my manufacturer warrantee so they towed it to the closest dealer who later towed it back to my local deadler; the tow guy also took me to the nearest bus station so I could continue on my trip @@

I was given a regular Escape loaner, which I had for 2 months ... when I got my car back I asked them to thoroughly test it out because I had to go down to NYC again - sure enough the same exact problem :mad: So, now they've had it another month & I decided to contact an attorney, then called the dealership & told them what I'd been advised - they have to refund my $ or make a fair exchange.... They're willing to make an exchange & I'm going down to look at their options - I'm pretty much planning on only settling for another AWD hybrid or the Freestyle :o But, really, I just want my $ back!!!!! Then I could pay off my other loans & get a cheaper AWD car from my fiance's BIL who is a dealer without accruing any debt *SIGH*

[papooses]

So, I don't know if the problem with my Escape Hybrid is a freakish occurrance or what - I believe it's just a matter of me being the 1st to bring it in for the oil change & the dealership failed to properly train the employees ... but, they sure know now! :o

Anyway, I went down last night & told them right off the bat that my choice is to get a refund or the same exact vehicle. They don't have anymore hybrids & actually, I don't have legal standing to force them to give me a refund yet because as it turns out the manufacturer told them it is fixable, but they just want to use it for Research & Design purposes - so since this was only their 2nd attempt to fix (not the 4th as applies to the Lemon Law) my only choice was to get the exchange or refuse it & keep using their random loaners until I got mine back.

I decided to look at the options of vehicles for exchange - they only had 2: a really stripped down 2005 Escape with the same miles as mine or a fully loaded 2004 Escape with only 10 thousand more miles than mine ... I went for the fully loaded :rolleyes: Rear sensor, moon roof, leather, heated seats, theft package, rust/salt package, 6 disk changer, etc. - none of which mine had ... I figure that when I'm ready these will be great selling points & I'm just so much happier having my own vehicle than loaner after loaner after loaner *SIGH* Plus they gave me a $3,000 refund check after I complained about the lack of side curtain airbags & lap only belt rear center - it does have side airbags for the front, but not the back like mine did =( It also have 3 top tether anchors for the back seat, though & a net attached to the tie down hooks in the cargo area, plus tinted windows =)

When I test drove it we only had the Husky & the sales guy was really impressed by it, LOL & actually asked if I could show him how to install/use it :p But, then I got the Boulevard out of my vehicle & that's what's installed now, rear-center. Since we'll be handing that down to preemie baby Elfie & my fiance is getting an older vehicle with lap belt & no side airbags, too, I decided to buy the Recaro Young Sport combination seat - the Husky will be outboard in his car until she outgrows the Recaro harness, then the Recaro will be used as a spare in his ... I have some questions about seating arrangement of the Recaro with 2 other kids in mine, but will be posting in the carseat forum instead....

[KeikiHula]

Well, I'm glad you at least got some closure to this whole mess. Are you still going to try and sell it now that you have a tenant? I think for the average person, all the extra do-dads are more of a selling feature than all the safety features, sad to say...

[papooses]

Exactly. I will be selling it eventually, but not until I move & before I can do that (in a year or so) I need to find someone who will rent-to-own my house....

[papooses]

Aaaargh!!!!!

My lawyer called me yesterday to tell me that he forgot to say that part of the Lemon Law here is that I should be given a refund or exchange if the vehicle is in the shop for over 30 days - I told him the 1st time that it had been in for 2 flippin' months & he said that didn't matter! :mad:

So now I've exchanged vehicles - same monthly payment, buying gas almost twice as often & the insurance premium actually went up $50 more a month :eek:

The lawyer said he'll review the paperwork I signed to see if I might still be able to give them back this vehicle & get a total refund for my Hybrid (minus normal wear & tear).... Please wish me luck as I can NOT afford to keep this vehicle now & only just realized (DUH!) that if I sell it I won't make nearly enough to pay off my loan on it yet I also won't qualify for a loan to pay off the different - renting out part of my house isn't going so well :(

Ugh!!!!!