MM One-Year Ownership Review
11-09-18, 03:12 PM
#46
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Service called me late this afternoon. They will probably have it till Monday. They replaced the actuator.......still a 23-degree difference between left/right side vents on the same settings, and they aren't satisfied with it, still out of specs. So, they are going to replace the control head as well. In the meantime, I've got a free-rental Malibu to run around in this weekend, though they said I could also have an Equinox if the weather got bad and needed AWD. Buick is going to be in the red for the year after they get finished with all my warranty costs LOL.......(just kidding). 
My Service Advisor, however, is superb......one of the reasons I am a repeat-owner at that dealership. He gets a lot of four and five-star ratings in Yelp and other business-reviews, even from people who, for whatever reason, otherwise dislike or distrust that dealership.
My Service Advisor, however, is superb......one of the reasons I am a repeat-owner at that dealership. He gets a lot of four and five-star ratings in Yelp and other business-reviews, even from people who, for whatever reason, otherwise dislike or distrust that dealership.
11-09-18, 09:25 PM
#47
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
Assume you meant 2 to 3 degree difference, not 23? 
11-10-18, 01:24 AM
#48
Lexus Test Driver
I wouldn't feel the need to defend your car simply because you have one issue. In fact, I'm pretty sure no one would even go down that road based on hearing about your one item.
11-10-18, 06:48 AM
#49
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
No. 23 means 23. That's why there is a problem....and why one side of the windshield clears while the other stays foggy, and why one side of the car warms up and the other doesn't, even on sync-settings. And that's after the new actuator was installed...it was worse before I bought it in. That's why they are going to replace some more parts as well.
(a 2 or 3 degree difference, BTW, might be within engineering-specs. 23 isn't).
11-10-18, 06:50 AM
#50
Lexus Fanatic
Wow, thats weird...
11-10-18, 06:52 AM
#51
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
This is Car Chat, Fizzboy. Everybody, friend or foe, likes to toss in their $.02.
And I'm not really defending it. Defective parts are defective parts, no matter who builds a vehicle or what plant it come out of. And I knew, when I bought it, that American-designed Buicks are generally not as reliable as the rebadged Opels.
Last edited by mmarshall; 11-10-18 at 06:55 AM.
11-10-18, 07:07 AM
#52
Lexus Fanatic
Agreed, issues happen. As long as its just one thing here or there and not a laundry list of things its just par for the course
11-10-18, 10:23 AM
#53
Lexus Fanatic
Service called me late this afternoon. They will probably have it till Monday. They replaced the actuator.......still a 23-degree difference between left/right side vents on the same settings, and they aren't satisfied with it, still out of specs. So, they are going to replace the control head as well. In the meantime, I've got a free-rental Malibu to run around in this weekend, though they said I could also have an Equinox if the weather got bad and needed AWD. Buick is going to be in the red for the year after they get finished with all my warranty costs LOL.......(just kidding).
My Service Advisor, however, is superb......one of the reasons I am a repeat-owner at that dealership. He gets a lot of four and five-star ratings in Yelp and other business-reviews, even from people who, for whatever reason, otherwise dislike or distrust that dealership.
My Service Advisor, however, is superb......one of the reasons I am a repeat-owner at that dealership. He gets a lot of four and five-star ratings in Yelp and other business-reviews, even from people who, for whatever reason, otherwise dislike or distrust that dealership.
If I were you, I would also just out of curiosity and just to find out, I would ask them what the cost of the repair would of been out of warranty. My Toyota location always shows the prices of the parts when it comes to warranty work on the invoice.
11-10-18, 12:17 PM
#54
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Hopefully, they get this thing fixed sooner than later. It is always a hassle when something that you own and something that is yours is not available to be used.
If I were you, I would also just out of curiosity and just to find out, I would ask them what the cost of the repair would of been out of warranty. My Toyota location always shows the prices of the parts when it comes to warranty work on the invoice.
If I were you, I would also just out of curiosity and just to find out, I would ask them what the cost of the repair would of been out of warranty. My Toyota location always shows the prices of the parts when it comes to warranty work on the invoice.
BTW, the base-level, rental/loaner Malibu I have is OK as a commuter car or base transportation, but I notice the difference between it and my Lacrosse in ride comfort and quietness. They apparantly hadn't checked the tires on it in awhile (30/31 PSI when I picked it up), even though it was almost new and had only 1000 miles on it. I aired them up to the recommended 35 PSI front and rear (I'm not going to second-guess Chevy's recommendation, but 35 PSI does stiffen the ride quite a bit). They were cheap Firestone all-seasons, and did produce quite a lot more road noise, especially in the rear, than my Lacrosse, which is like a soundproofed cocoon on smooth asphalt. Other than that, with the 1.5L turbo, it felt and drove a lot like my old Verano 2.4L non-turbo did (though noticeably louder)....and its 6-speed automatic, which has been in production for a number of years, was like clockwork compared to the newer 9-speed on my Lacrosse, which is usually quite smooth but occasionally has a flare or bump. The 9-speed, though, is very efficient, and, with the engine start/stop (which the Malibu also has) helps contribute to the good MPG my Lacrosse gets. For those in the market for a Malibu, though, or interested in one, I'd say pay the higher price and get the top-line Premier version (which I've also sampled).....it is a much nicer and quieter car, and, IMO, is worth the extra money. The base version is essentially a commuter car.
Last edited by mmarshall; 11-10-18 at 12:41 PM.
11-10-18, 01:50 PM
#55
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
your wording made me think they weren't satisfied with 2-3 so would try to tweak some more. 23 is ludicrous and something's obviously broken.
11-10-18, 02:50 PM
#56
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
No, bit, they weren't just giving me a bunch of hot air.
How's your G90 so far? Any issues? I still like the Lacrosse when it comes to comfort for the buck, but I also have to admit I like the way that Korean vehicles are built nowadays.
11-10-18, 03:45 PM
#57
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Kind of ironic that I'm driving a rental-car named for Malibu, CA. That town, right now, in real life, is suffering some of the worst wildfire destruction it has seen in its history. Gotta feel sorry for those who have lost homes, property, and vehicles....and there have also been casualties. 
11-13-18, 01:24 PM
#58
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
It's sure nice to have my Lacrosse back from the shop
That Malibu rental was a nice car for a 25K base-level mid-size sedan (I can't complain, because I got it six days for free except for filling the gas tank), but it is clearly no match for a Lacrosse in comfort....in comparison, the Lacrosse is just like silk.
The warranty-repair took several days longer than expected because of the Sunday dealer-closing and delays in getting more parts from the GM warehouse(s) than were initially figured. And the tech had to take apart the right/lower dash and part of the console. He did a good job on the repair itself ....the air-temperatures through the dash and defroster vents seem to be working OK now with the rotary ***** and fan speed. But he apparently rushed the re-assembly some, and left a lot of smudge marks on the ivory-colored lower-door panels, glove box lid, lower-dash, and some small scratches on the wood-tone console trim (which aren't noticeable unless you look at them very close-up)...again, I'm not complaining about it too much since it isn't a real wood-trim marring....just wood-finished plastic. So, I spent some time with a damp rag, tar-remover, and some old-fashioned elbow grease cleaning the inside back up to my standards (which, as you might guess, are generally high). And, I had to reset the clock and all of my personalized convienience-settings through the video-screen....they somehow got all reversed during the work. My regular Service Advisor (who I like so much, and gives me such excellent service, wasn't there today.....I assume he is at home with his sick wife (who, poor lady, has had a lot of problems lately)...I'll fill him in when I see him. One of his colleagues did my ticket for me today.
Jill, you asked about the repair price, had it not been under warranty. The invoice said just under $1500 ($1486). GM's policy is that, for warranty repairs, the defective parts are shipped back to the factory for the engineers to examine and determine, if possible, why they failed early (and that it was a legitimate warranty repair, not a scam). I turned in the paperwork for the Malibu-rental (free, of course) and the Malibu's fob....they apparently made no mention of that in the warranty-bill itself, so I don't know if that $1500 would have included the cost of the Malibu under the "Miscellaneous" part of the invoice or not.
That Malibu rental was a nice car for a 25K base-level mid-size sedan (I can't complain, because I got it six days for free except for filling the gas tank), but it is clearly no match for a Lacrosse in comfort....in comparison, the Lacrosse is just like silk.The warranty-repair took several days longer than expected because of the Sunday dealer-closing and delays in getting more parts from the GM warehouse(s) than were initially figured. And the tech had to take apart the right/lower dash and part of the console. He did a good job on the repair itself ....the air-temperatures through the dash and defroster vents seem to be working OK now with the rotary ***** and fan speed. But he apparently rushed the re-assembly some, and left a lot of smudge marks on the ivory-colored lower-door panels, glove box lid, lower-dash, and some small scratches on the wood-tone console trim (which aren't noticeable unless you look at them very close-up)...again, I'm not complaining about it too much since it isn't a real wood-trim marring....just wood-finished plastic. So, I spent some time with a damp rag, tar-remover, and some old-fashioned elbow grease cleaning the inside back up to my standards (which, as you might guess, are generally high). And, I had to reset the clock and all of my personalized convienience-settings through the video-screen....they somehow got all reversed during the work. My regular Service Advisor (who I like so much, and gives me such excellent service, wasn't there today.....I assume he is at home with his sick wife (who, poor lady, has had a lot of problems lately)...I'll fill him in when I see him. One of his colleagues did my ticket for me today.
Jill, you asked about the repair price, had it not been under warranty. The invoice said just under $1500 ($1486). GM's policy is that, for warranty repairs, the defective parts are shipped back to the factory for the engineers to examine and determine, if possible, why they failed early (and that it was a legitimate warranty repair, not a scam). I turned in the paperwork for the Malibu-rental (free, of course) and the Malibu's fob....they apparently made no mention of that in the warranty-bill itself, so I don't know if that $1500 would have included the cost of the Malibu under the "Miscellaneous" part of the invoice or not.
Last edited by mmarshall; 11-13-18 at 01:30 PM.
11-13-18, 02:24 PM
#59
Lexus Fanatic
I wouldn't accept any damage to my vehicle...I'd want that trim replaced.
11-14-18, 09:12 AM
#60
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)