WWDD - Car Warranty Question

[simpdog]

You take your car in for an oil change. They notice two things wrong with it (ball joint and some engine seal which can cause oil leak).

Ball joint replacement = ~179
Engine Seal - removal + re-seal is an 8 hour job and is > 1000

You had warranty on your car to 100,000KM. You're currently at 104,800 and also were in for an oil change at around 98,000 but they claim both issues were not around then.

They offer to try to do the engine seal as "good will" still under the warranty. The ball joint replacement they say you need to pay if you want it completed.

Would Druff accept their offer or somehow get both under Warranty?


Part 2:
While they were figuring out if anything would be covered, somehow they didn't assign the ball joint replacement to any mechanics so the car was just sitting outside for 1-1.5 hrs. They did call to update that they had messed up.

Does Druff press for any freebies here? Or it's just the cost of doing business and they screwed up but are still being nice about putting through the engine seal for 1000+.

[hongkonger]

Sounds fishy but hard to prove. Normally I'd say get a second opinion and if both issues are confirmed take the offer, because you can't prove they saw the issue and waited until it was no longer under warranty. So getting the $1100 item covered and paying $179 isn't bad.

See how much a second opinion will cost you though.

[wrenchjockey]

Need more info to give you a good answer RE warranty claim/payment/good will adjustments, but I'll say this.

Oil leaks if they're bad can obviously be disastrous, but the worst case scenario is you run out and sieze your engine for a huge bill. Best case scenario, you add a quart of oil here and there, and have stains where you park.

Ball joints that are bad can separate, which means you have zero steering, zero braking if your brake line rips off, and most likely body damage. Check out http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/lowerballjoint/ (just found it randomly on google). Check out his pics and ask yourself what would have happened if it were the driver side that went, with oncoming traffic.

Don't fuck around if the ball joints are truly bad. Second opinion, then fix it if it's bad.

Also, $179 for a ball joint replacement seems like a great deal. Make sure they're including an alignment in that quote, which you need after replacing ball joints (or any suspension related component).

[Dan Druff]

Guys like wrench are better to answer the car mechanic questions, but regarding the 98k mile oil change, did it come with a full inspection?

Because that makes a big difference.

100km is a good warranty btw

[NaturalBornHustler]

LOL bro the car has 104k on it needs work (ball joints around that time are PRETTY common BTW) and you are crying about them comping you over a $1000 but not the $179? GTFOH.


Honestly you are lucky they even comped you that, take it an be grateful you are only shelling out 200 instead of 1200.

[JACKDANIELS]

Really it depends if you think the mechanics are shady fuckers or not. If you think they are legit then snap pay the $180 and be grateful they aren't dickhead mechanics who are trying to charge you the full $1200

The fact they called you to own up to leaving the car sitting there is a good sign, if you have used them a few times in the past with no issues its really not worth kicking up a fuss and ending up having to go elsewhere in future.

[simpdog]

Guys like wrench are better to answer the car mechanic questions, but regarding the 98k mile oil change, did it come with a full inspection?

Because that makes a big difference.

100km is a good warranty btw

Canadian warranties are generally 5 yrs or 100,000 km these days.

Which is only 62,137 miles.

[Hockey Guy]

I'm gonna go out on a limb & say Jiffy Lube?

[NaturalBornHustler]

Oh and pretty sure that the reason they aren't covering the ball joints is they aren't covered period under the warranty. Just like brakes etc. That is a part that can be easily abused and usually those are not included, unlike an engine defect or something.

[simpdog]

Oh and pretty sure that the reason they aren't covering the ball joints is they aren't covered period under the warranty. Just like brakes etc. That is a part that can be easily abused and usually those are not included, unlike an engine defect or something.

When they first said ball joints I was surprised they even said they would do it under warranty.

Brakes definitely are not, I did some brake work in ~April.