NHTSA Complaint #10062038 — 2002 PONTIAC FIREBIRD

I PURCHASED THE 2002 PONTIAC COLLECTORS EDITION FIREBIRD AS MY FIRST NEW CAR. I REGRET TO SAY THAT I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE PERFORMANCE AND CONSTRUCTION OF THIS VEHICLE. MY FIRST COMPLAINT IS A SEVERE VIBRATION THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING OVER 55 MPH OR AFTER IT WARMS UP. THIS VIBRATION IS FELT THROUGH THE SHIFTER AS WELL AS BEING APPARENT WHEN YOU STAND BEHIND THE VEHICLE NEAR THE EXHAUST WHILE IT IS RUNNING. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED FROM TWO SEPERATE DEALERSHIPS THAT THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM BUT GM WILL NOT APPROVE THE REPAIR DUE TO THE MILEAGE AND THE LACK OF A COMPUTER CODE, EVEN THOUGH THE GM MECHANICS HAVE AGREED THERE IS A PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS NOW GONE OVER THE MILEAGE REQUIRMENT AND IT IS WORSE. I ALSO WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WITH THIS CAR DUE TO A DRUNK DRIVER DAMAGING THE DRIVER'S DOOR. WHEN THIS WAS BEING REPLACED IT SEEMS THAT GM NEVER PAINTED THE BOTTOMS OF EITHER DOOR. I WAS AGAIN INFORMED BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT GM'S RESPONSE WAS "NO ONE SEES THE BOTTOMS OF THE DOORS AND THEY WONT RUST, THEREFORE IT DIDNT NEED PAINT." THE ORIGINAL YELLOW PAINT JOB WAS VERY THIN OVER THE BLACK PRIMER USED. THE PAINT CODES ON THE CAR DOESNT MATCH FOR REPAIRS DUE TO THIS THIN PAINT COAT, WHEN APPLIED IT IS TWO DIFFERENT SHADES. THE CAMARO IS ALSO NOT PAINTED ON THE BOTTOM OF THE DOORS, HOWEVER, THE CORVETTE SEEMS TO BE PAINTED. I AM VERY DISCOURAGED WITH GM FOR THE ISSUES LISTED ABOVE, I HAVE PUT FORTH A LOT OF MONEY FOR MY FIRST TIME CAR AND IT SEEMS THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAS TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE NORMAL CONSUMER PURCHASING THESE VEHICLES. GM ALSO SEEMS UNWILLING TO MAKE THE CORRECTION NEEDED. HOW DOES A COMPANY GET AWAY WITH CHARGING THIS MUCH MONEY FOR MERCHANDISE AND THEN NOT EVEN GIVING A FULL PAINT JOB, LET ALONE IT NOT WORKING PROPERLY.*AK