MM One-Year Ownership Review
11-14-18, 09:43 AM
#61
Lexus Fanatic
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.
My buddy is more realistic--he said there's no way you'd pay $1k for an alternator. If you didn't have the GMPP, you would have diy'd it with a used or even an internet new part. He's right, I wouldn't have paid it, but I prefer to use the Doug Demuro method of justifying ownership of an unreliable vehicle under extended warranty!
11-14-18, 09:51 AM
#62
Lexus Fanatic
I'll give just one of many examples: Some guy with a Buick had an electrical issue, and the older gentleman was very annoyed in the lounge. The service writer came in to tell him he needed some work, and his response? "I'll be dead before you guys ever fix my problem."
The service writer just walked away. What that guy said was a hint that he was not happy--it should have been acknowledged.
11-14-18, 01:25 PM
#63
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
11-14-18, 01:29 PM
#64
Lexus Fanatic
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.
:
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.
11-14-18, 01:36 PM
#65
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Hard to really tell.
I don't want to go out on a limb and predict something I'm not really sure of. The Detroit (Hamtramck) plant, where the American-market Lacrosse is built long with several other large GM sedans (and the Chevrolet Volt), turns out a mixture of some very reliable and some very unreliable products by today's standards. Johnhave430, along with some of the GM forums I've read, points this out as a fairly common failure on some GM vehicles, but it doesn't seem to happen with the Opel-sourced Buicks because they have different parts-content and engineering.
11-16-18, 07:06 PM
#66
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Consumer Reports, BTW, has upped the reliability rating on the 2017 Lacrosse from much worse than average (1 out of 5) to average (3 out of five). They still don't have enough reliability data for the 2018's or 2019's (perhaps from low sales?) The engine lineup was changed in 2018 from the standard 3.6L V6 and Aisin-built 8 speed transmission in 2017 to a standard four-cylinder hybrid and GM's 6-speed (with a drop in base price), with the 3.6L V6 and GM's new 9-speed automatic optional (which my car has). Other than powertrain differences, the 2018 was the same as the 2017. Most of the complaints in 2017 were with the Aisin-built 8-speed transmission shifting-quirks, and dash electronics going blank*...2018 got a new transmission. As I stated above, I've had one significant issue on my 2018......the climate control temperature problems. That is now repaired.
* Just recently, CR changed the two most common complaints on the 2017 to minor transmission-shifts and the climate-control system.....which mirrors the climate-issue I had on my 2018. No significant issues yet with the new 9-speed transmission on my 2018, though it has a couple of very minor quirks with the way the spinning dog-clutch in the unit engages on shifts every once in a while (it is a very complex unit), and in starting from a dead stop, with the engine idling, on upgrades, nose-up, when the engine is not at idle cut-off. Most of the time, though, it is like silk.
The engine lineup was changed in 2018 from the standard 3.6L V6 and Aisin-built 8 speed transmission in 2017 to a standard four-cylinder hybrid and GM's 6-speed (with a drop in base price), with the 3.6L V6 and GM's new 9-speed automatic optional (which my car has). Other than powertrain differences, the 2018 was the same as the 2017. Most of the complaints in 2017 were with the Aisin-built 8-speed transmission shifting-quirks, and dash electronics going blank*...2018 got a new transmission. As I stated above, I've had one significant issue on my 2018......the climate control temperature problems. That is now repaired.* Just recently, CR changed the two most common complaints on the 2017 to minor transmission-shifts and the climate-control system.....which mirrors the climate-issue I had on my 2018. No significant issues yet with the new 9-speed transmission on my 2018, though it has a couple of very minor quirks with the way the spinning dog-clutch in the unit engages on shifts every once in a while (it is a very complex unit), and in starting from a dead stop, with the engine idling, on upgrades, nose-up, when the engine is not at idle cut-off. Most of the time, though, it is like silk.
Last edited by mmarshall; 11-16-18 at 07:25 PM.
11-16-18, 07:37 PM
#67
Lexus Fanatic
Consumer Reports, BTW, has upped the reliability rating on the 2017 Lacrosse from much worse than average (1 out of 5) to average (3 out of five). They still don't have enough reliability data for the 2018's or 2019's (perhaps from low sales?) The engine lineup was changed in 2018 from the standard 3.6L V6 and Aisin-built 8 speed transmission in 2017 to a standard four-cylinder hybrid and GM's 6-speed (with a drop in base price), with the 3.6L V6 and GM's new 9-speed automatic optional (which my car has). Other than powertrain differences, the 2018 was the same as the 2017. Most of the complaints in 2017 were with the Aisin-built 8-speed transmission shifting-quirks, and dash electronics going blank*...2018 got a new transmission. As I stated above, I've had one significant issue on my 2018......the climate control temperature problems. That is now repaired.
* Just recently, CR changed the two most common complaints on the 2017 to minor transmission-shifts and the climate-control system.....which mirrors the climate-issue I had on my 2018. No significant issues yet with the new 9-speed transmission on my 2018, though it has a couple of very minor quirks with the way the spinning dog-clutch in the unit engages on shifts every once in a while (it is a very complex unit), and in starting from a dead stop, with the engine idling, on upgrades, nose-up, when the engine is not at idle cut-off. Most of the time, though, it is like silk.
The engine lineup was changed in 2018 from the standard 3.6L V6 and Aisin-built 8 speed transmission in 2017 to a standard four-cylinder hybrid and GM's 6-speed (with a drop in base price), with the 3.6L V6 and GM's new 9-speed automatic optional (which my car has). Other than powertrain differences, the 2018 was the same as the 2017. Most of the complaints in 2017 were with the Aisin-built 8-speed transmission shifting-quirks, and dash electronics going blank*...2018 got a new transmission. As I stated above, I've had one significant issue on my 2018......the climate control temperature problems. That is now repaired.* Just recently, CR changed the two most common complaints on the 2017 to minor transmission-shifts and the climate-control system.....which mirrors the climate-issue I had on my 2018. No significant issues yet with the new 9-speed transmission on my 2018, though it has a couple of very minor quirks with the way the spinning dog-clutch in the unit engages on shifts every once in a while (it is a very complex unit), and in starting from a dead stop, with the engine idling, on upgrades, nose-up, when the engine is not at idle cut-off. Most of the time, though, it is like silk.
The refreshed 2020 Lacrosse has leaked.
11-16-18, 08:08 PM
#68
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Yeah, looks like that will probably be just for the Chinese market....and even that is not huge changes. Because of low sales here in the U.S., I don't see Buick putting much time or money into the American version text year....it will be lucky to survive, period. They made some major driveline changes, for 2018, only a year after the current-generation 2017 introduction, and sales went nowhere. For 2019, there is a new Sport-Touring package, which probably won't sell either......few people buy a car like this for sporting purposes, though even with the comfort-oriented 18" base tires, handling is still decent for a car of this size and class. The days of Buicks (especially big Buicks) being nothing but Roly-Poly couches on wheels are over...that went out with the Lucerne.
11-17-18, 09:51 AM
#69
Lexus Fanatic
I have 7 years of experience with GMC over 5 local dealerships, and sometimes it's better to accept small things from GM being defective, or wait until next time. They are not that good with loaner cars so it wastes a lot of time, and they move at a snail's pace as far as getting customers written up. BMW, of course, because the only time wasted is driving to the dealer to get the loaner, so we'd want every job to be perfect.
I'll give just one of many examples: Some guy with a Buick had an electrical issue, and the older gentleman was very annoyed in the lounge. The service writer came in to tell him he needed some work, and his response? "I'll be dead before you guys ever fix my problem."
The service writer just walked away. What that guy said was a hint that he was not happy--it should have been acknowledged.
I'll give just one of many examples: Some guy with a Buick had an electrical issue, and the older gentleman was very annoyed in the lounge. The service writer came in to tell him he needed some work, and his response? "I'll be dead before you guys ever fix my problem."
The service writer just walked away. What that guy said was a hint that he was not happy--it should have been acknowledged.
11-17-18, 11:06 AM
#70
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
11-18-18, 03:42 PM
#71
Lexus Fanatic
My Service Advisor is going try and order the trim-piece (that wood-tone flip-cover lid)....but, it may be part of the assembly that can't just be pulled off and replaced like that. If it is an integral part of the flip-assembly itself, the whole side of the console may have to come apart and re-assembled.....and screw that, just not worth it, as it takes a chance on them scratching something else. Besides, the scratches are so small that you don't even see them unless you are looking directly at them, up close (SCRATCH-OUT helped). I agree that one should not accept a damaged vehicle after service, but there is such a thing as being overly-nit-picky, and carrying things to extremes. Not being personal or rude (and don't take this the wrong way), but I'd bet, for example, that your two kids probably put more scratches and stains on the inside of the Pacifica in one day than I get in my car in a year.
If it were my car, I'd make them replace the whole console if that's what they have to do.
01-19-19, 07:17 AM
#72
Lexus Fanatic
I remember just recently you said your Lacrosse had a new issue that you would need to adddress. Did you get it looked at? This was not the heater issue. My 4Runner needs a repair, CEL keeps coming and going, so it just came on this morning and made me think of you.
01-19-19, 11:12 AM
#73
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Not really....just keeping an eye on the 9-speed tranny. Got a couple of small quirks...nothing serious. Research shows that some of the early-production units had an undersized plate in the valve-body that may contribute to it, but no recall or TSB yet.
As for your 4Runner's CEL, first thing to check (and usually the cheapest) is that the gas cap is not worn out and securely-attached. The CEL is programmed, among many other things, to come on when you have a bad cap-seal, which allows gas-fumes to escape into the air......it's an EPA requirement. If it's not the cap, then you can go on from there.
01-19-19, 11:13 AM
#74
Lexus Fanatic
As for your 4Runner's CEL, first thing to check (and usually the cheapest) is that the gas cap is not worn out and securely-attached. The CEL is programmed, among many other things, to come on when you have a bad cap-seal, which allows gas-fumes to escape into the air......it's an EPA requirement. If it's not the cap, then you can go on from there.
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