NHTSA Complaint #10201598 — 1998 BUICK PARK AVENUE

GREETINGS, I PROCURED A CAR FROM THE TWIN CITY BUICK DEALERSHIP ON 3046 AIRPORT HIGHWAY [ALCOA TN 37701] TO PURCHASE A NICE USED CAR FOR MY SON. THE SALESMAN, WAS NICE ENOUGH TO SHOW ME / STEER ME IN THE DIRECTION OF A 1998 BUICK PARK AVE WITH 30K ORIGINAL MILES. WE RAN A BACKGROUND CHECK ON THE MILES AND CAR HISTORY REPORT AND WITH A HANDSHAKE CALLED THE DEAL DONE. MY SON USED THE CAR FOR ONE YEAR AND PUT ABOUT 10K MILES ON THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED THAT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS GETTING A LITTLE WARMER THAN NORMAL. THE CAR WAS CHECKED OUT AT CLIFTON BUICK DEALERSHIP IN ROCKWOOD TENNESSEE MY SON WAS AT SUMMER CAMP IN ROCKWOOD TENNESSEE AS A BOY SCOUT LEADER FOR THE LAST TWO SUMMERS AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE PLENUM GASKET DEVICE WAS DEFECTIVE. IN ADDITION, ANTI-FREEZE WAS DISCOVERED LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE AS WELL. THE BILL TO GET BEN'S CAR BACK ON THE ROAD WAS IN $568.06 ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AND I HAD TO GO BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. IT WAS A FAULTY SENSOR DISCOVERED AND MOST LIKELY ATTRIBUTED TO THE ANTI-FREEZE LEAKING THROUGH THE TAILPIPE AS WAS SUGGESTED BY THE DEALER. THIS COST WAS $315.66. FINALLY, ABOUT A WEEK GOES BY AND NOW THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON. AGAIN WE ARE AT THE DEALER AND DISCOVERED IT WAS NOT THE ANTI-FREEZE BUT DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE FROM THE PLENUM ISSUE. THE COST TO TROUBLE-SHOOT THE CAR WAS $82.60. ADDITIONAL DETAIL PROVIDED BY THE DEALER IS $3,360.00 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A USED ENGINE THAT HAS 68K MILES AND 1 YEAR WARRANTY OR $4,453.00 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A REBUILT ONE THAT HAS A 3 YEAR 100K MILE WARRANTY. THE DEALERSHIP RECOMMENDED THE REBUILT ONE. *JB UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR