NHTSA Complaint #747265 — 1988 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

ON APRIL 17TH, 2001,I PURCHASED A 1989 CHEVY GMC FOR $4,200 AFTER LEAVING A $100 CASH DEPOSIT THE DAY BEFORE. I PAID $3,000 CASH AND $1,129 IN A CHECK. I DROVE THAT TRUCK FOR ALMOST 3 WEEKS. I KEPT HEARING A RATTLE. IT SOUNDED LIKE THE TRUCK WAS GOING TO THROW A ROD. I TOOK THE TRUCK BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND TOLD DREW THE SITUATION. HE SAID HE WAS GLAD I CAME AND TALKED DIRECTLY TO HIM. I SAW THIS 1988 CHEVROLET SILVERADO ON HIS LOT. I TRADED THE CHEVY GMC FOR THE SILVERADO FOR AND ADDITIONAL $1,600 AND PAID THE DIFFERENCE. THIS WAS ON MAY 14, 2001. ON MAY 15TH, WHEN I DROVE MY 'NEW' TRUCK TO A FRIENDS' HOUSE, WE NOTICED A LEAK. WHEN WE LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD, WE FOUND THE TRUCK LEAKED ANTIFREEZE. I TEMPORARILY STOPPED THE LEAK AND CONTACTED THE DEALER ON THE 16TH. HE TOLD ME TO BRING THE TRUCK IN. WHEN I GOT THE TRUCK TO HIS LOT, HE TOLD ME T TAKE THE TRUCK TO HIS MECHANIC. I TOLD HIM I WOULD NOT TAKE IT THERE; HE HAD TO DO IT. HE DID SO AND HIS MECHANIC REPAIRED IT IN TWO DAYS. I PICKED IT UP ON THE 19TH. ON THE 20TH, THE ALTERNATOR WENT OUT. I CALLED HIM AGAIN. HE TOLD ME TO GET THE TRUCK TO HIS MECHANIC. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO THE MECHANIC (ECKE'S TOWING -$40.00). HE KEPT THE TRUCK FOR TWO DAYS AND CHARGED ME $140.00, BUT TOOK $130.00. DREW (MY SALESMAN) REFUSED TO HONOR THE SALES WARRANTY OF 50/50. HE SAID HE WOULD ONLY GUARANTEE THE TRANSMISSION AND THE MOTOR. THIS IS NOT ON THE SALES ORDER. ON MAY 26TH, THE HEATER CORE WENT OUT. THERE WAS WATER INSIDE THE TRUCK. THE HOSES HAVE BEEN PLUGGED TEMPORARILY. DREW REFUSES TO MAKE REPAIRS. I HAVE RUN OUT OF GAS TWICE BECAUSE THE GAS GAUGE IS INACCURATE. I THOUGHT I HAD A FULL TANK OF GAS WHEN I RAN OUT OF GAS ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS ON I-77 BETWEEN RICHFIELD AND CLEVELAND. I CALLED M&M TOWING, WHO TOOK ME TO A GAS STATION. THAT'S HOW WE FOUND OUT THE TRUCK WAS OUT OF GAS. I THOUGHT THAT TIME, THE PROBLEM WAS MECHANICAL UNTIL THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER SUGGESTED WE PUT GAS IN THE TRUCK. *