Very long rant about Toyota problems and crappy GMC
10-12-2006, 07:09 PM
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Very long rant about Toyota problems and crappy GMC
I'll start with the crappy GMC. My mother-in-law buys this 91 GMC Jimmy and is raving about what a good deal it was and it's in such good shape bla bla bla. She paid $800 She lives in Tampa and she wants to drive it up to NC and leave it at her house here. So my boyfriend's Tacoma needed a clutch so they decide that she will drive this GMC up to East TN where we are at so he can drive it while replacing his clutch.
When she drops it off, she is talking about what good shape its in and what a deal she got on it and she is obviously very proud of this thing so I just didn't say anything. This thing is ghetto, really ghetto. It has the black limo tint on all the windows but it is all scratched up and you can hardly see out, the paint is oxidized and it's supposed to be black but the hood and bumpers are almost white. Everything underneath has been spray painted silver and the rust is showing through. There is a gaping hole in the muffler (like it was pryed open with a crow bar) The differential and all underneath the engine block are soaked with fluid. The shocks are way gone, there's not even any bushings left. There are neon lights that shine down beneath the truck. The passenger door handle on the outside is broken so you have to open it from the inside. There are no interior door pulls so you have to roll the window down and grab the door to shut it. The driver's door you have to slam as hard as you can about 5 times before it shuts. Someone has painted some pieces of the interior neon green.
And then as I'm walking around marveling at what a piece of crap this thing is I notice the tires. WTF? There's brand new Michelin LTX freakin tires on this thing. What's the point of $600 tires on a piece of crap $800 car. So then I decide to drive it. First it won't start. Hold the key on for 15 seconds and it starts. The guages come on and the odo reads 238,000. I am not going to trust this thing as far as I can throw a rock at it. The steering is really loose. How to emphasize really? I don't think I would be able to keep it in one lane passing someone on the highway. So much for your $600 wasted on Michelin tires.
Anyway, to get to the story portion, my boyfriend says "I'm not driving that thing, I don't care if I have to walk, take it to NC and leave it." So I set off on the 2 hour trip to NC and it seems to do okay. I thankfully jump back in my Toyota and start it up and there is a new noise coming from under the hood. I check it out, the fan is wobbly and it seems to be the fan clutch. The auto parts store is 15 minutes away and I consider taking the GMC but it doesn't seem too dire, I think I'll make it there and back. As I'm about to pull into the store the fan locks up, screeching, and the engine stalls. I barely make it into the parking lot, purchase the parts that I need and start wrenching in the parking lot. Get it all put back together, start it up, screeching, stalls out, but fan was turning. Crap that's the water pump, now I know I can't make it back home. Call AAA for a tow. Turns out that I'm not coverd by AAA. Everyone else in my family is but me. Call my friend who has AAA and she comes out to save me with a free tow (at least that worked out)
Tow the Toyota to the repair shop, now I'm stuck driving the GMC again. I go out in the evening and have a few beers with my friends then drive home (something I never do, I don't know why I did it that time) I'm almost up the driveway when the GMC starts acting like it is running out of gas. Guage says 1/4 tank. I try to push it but it's dead. Park it and walk the rest of the way. It's pitch black, on a gravel driveway, I'm wearing heels and I have to look up at the sky just to navigate where I was walking on the road.
Next morning, get friend to bring gas, rescued again, go to take the trash, GMC won't start, stuck at the dump. Finally starts after 20 minutes of fooling with it. Go back home, repair man calls: "Oh, it's not the water pump, get this, it's a thing called the fan bracket. It has a sealed bearing, the timing belt runs through it, the fan clutch attaches to the front of it, and the Toyota dealership wants $600 for one. While we have all this taken apart, you might as well replace the water pump and the timing belt because it would be the same labor charge. All parts and labor minus fan bracket $600." Ok, I'll call you back. Locate the $600 fan bracket used for $100 1 1/2 hour drive away. Guess I have to drive the GMC again. Stop to get gas on the way there, GMC won't start. Pour gas in carb and it starts. Get part, come back home with no incident.
Next day, finally I can get my Toyota back! Park the GMC with the intention of never driving it again. (but I bought a can of starter fluid just in case) Driving in the Toyota the same day...hmmm my brakes are slipping, buy brake pads, attempt to change brake pads, stuck piston, take C clamp and jam it back in there. It will work for now, I'm not driving the GMC again.
3 days later, driving the Toyota, clutch is not disengaging, WTF? Check it out, the freakin' bracket is cracked. Take it apart, get the pedal out, have to take it to get it welded. Guess what, driving the Piece-O-Crap again. Won't start, spray starter fluid, won't start, more starter fluid, won't start, more more more! Finally it starts, drop pedal off cause guys not there. 4:30 he calls me, get in GMC, spray starter fluid, won't start, more, won't start, more, won't start, try gas, won't start. I'm stuck again.
Next day, maybe it will start today. Nope. Try for 30 minutes, won't start. Call friends again, "Please get my pedal for me" Forgot to ask for cigarettes. Putting stuff back in, it was not welded right, bolts for clutch master will not fit through holes in firewall--no cigarettes--no drill--only a chainsaw file to widen hole, scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape. Finally get it all put back enough to drive to the store for cigarettes. Now here I sit, waiting for tomorrow to ge my truck put back together again.
So in total with repairs to my truck, the clutch in the Tacoma, new tires that I got a few days before this whole debacle we spent about $1400 and I still have to fix my brakes. Plus I was stuck so many times in the stupid GMC. I will not be attempting anything with a vehicle except driving for at least a week.
When she drops it off, she is talking about what good shape its in and what a deal she got on it and she is obviously very proud of this thing so I just didn't say anything. This thing is ghetto, really ghetto. It has the black limo tint on all the windows but it is all scratched up and you can hardly see out, the paint is oxidized and it's supposed to be black but the hood and bumpers are almost white. Everything underneath has been spray painted silver and the rust is showing through. There is a gaping hole in the muffler (like it was pryed open with a crow bar) The differential and all underneath the engine block are soaked with fluid. The shocks are way gone, there's not even any bushings left. There are neon lights that shine down beneath the truck. The passenger door handle on the outside is broken so you have to open it from the inside. There are no interior door pulls so you have to roll the window down and grab the door to shut it. The driver's door you have to slam as hard as you can about 5 times before it shuts. Someone has painted some pieces of the interior neon green.
And then as I'm walking around marveling at what a piece of crap this thing is I notice the tires. WTF? There's brand new Michelin LTX freakin tires on this thing. What's the point of $600 tires on a piece of crap $800 car. So then I decide to drive it. First it won't start. Hold the key on for 15 seconds and it starts. The guages come on and the odo reads 238,000. I am not going to trust this thing as far as I can throw a rock at it. The steering is really loose. How to emphasize really? I don't think I would be able to keep it in one lane passing someone on the highway. So much for your $600 wasted on Michelin tires.
Anyway, to get to the story portion, my boyfriend says "I'm not driving that thing, I don't care if I have to walk, take it to NC and leave it." So I set off on the 2 hour trip to NC and it seems to do okay. I thankfully jump back in my Toyota and start it up and there is a new noise coming from under the hood. I check it out, the fan is wobbly and it seems to be the fan clutch. The auto parts store is 15 minutes away and I consider taking the GMC but it doesn't seem too dire, I think I'll make it there and back. As I'm about to pull into the store the fan locks up, screeching, and the engine stalls. I barely make it into the parking lot, purchase the parts that I need and start wrenching in the parking lot. Get it all put back together, start it up, screeching, stalls out, but fan was turning. Crap that's the water pump, now I know I can't make it back home. Call AAA for a tow. Turns out that I'm not coverd by AAA. Everyone else in my family is but me. Call my friend who has AAA and she comes out to save me with a free tow (at least that worked out)
Tow the Toyota to the repair shop, now I'm stuck driving the GMC again. I go out in the evening and have a few beers with my friends then drive home (something I never do, I don't know why I did it that time) I'm almost up the driveway when the GMC starts acting like it is running out of gas. Guage says 1/4 tank. I try to push it but it's dead. Park it and walk the rest of the way. It's pitch black, on a gravel driveway, I'm wearing heels and I have to look up at the sky just to navigate where I was walking on the road.
Next morning, get friend to bring gas, rescued again, go to take the trash, GMC won't start, stuck at the dump. Finally starts after 20 minutes of fooling with it. Go back home, repair man calls: "Oh, it's not the water pump, get this, it's a thing called the fan bracket. It has a sealed bearing, the timing belt runs through it, the fan clutch attaches to the front of it, and the Toyota dealership wants $600 for one. While we have all this taken apart, you might as well replace the water pump and the timing belt because it would be the same labor charge. All parts and labor minus fan bracket $600." Ok, I'll call you back. Locate the $600 fan bracket used for $100 1 1/2 hour drive away. Guess I have to drive the GMC again. Stop to get gas on the way there, GMC won't start. Pour gas in carb and it starts. Get part, come back home with no incident.
Next day, finally I can get my Toyota back! Park the GMC with the intention of never driving it again. (but I bought a can of starter fluid just in case) Driving in the Toyota the same day...hmmm my brakes are slipping, buy brake pads, attempt to change brake pads, stuck piston, take C clamp and jam it back in there. It will work for now, I'm not driving the GMC again.
3 days later, driving the Toyota, clutch is not disengaging, WTF? Check it out, the freakin' bracket is cracked. Take it apart, get the pedal out, have to take it to get it welded. Guess what, driving the Piece-O-Crap again. Won't start, spray starter fluid, won't start, more starter fluid, won't start, more more more! Finally it starts, drop pedal off cause guys not there. 4:30 he calls me, get in GMC, spray starter fluid, won't start, more, won't start, more, won't start, try gas, won't start. I'm stuck again.
Next day, maybe it will start today. Nope. Try for 30 minutes, won't start. Call friends again, "Please get my pedal for me" Forgot to ask for cigarettes. Putting stuff back in, it was not welded right, bolts for clutch master will not fit through holes in firewall--no cigarettes--no drill--only a chainsaw file to widen hole, scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape. Finally get it all put back enough to drive to the store for cigarettes. Now here I sit, waiting for tomorrow to ge my truck put back together again.
So in total with repairs to my truck, the clutch in the Tacoma, new tires that I got a few days before this whole debacle we spent about $1400 and I still have to fix my brakes. Plus I was stuck so many times in the stupid GMC. I will not be attempting anything with a vehicle except driving for at least a week.
10-12-2006, 07:27 PM
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Wow! Sounds like you had some fun. J/K Sorry to hear about the troubles, did you fix the fan bracket? As I remember the fan bracket can be changed without removing the timing belt. So they just wanted some extra $$ huh? Do you like your manual tranny better?
Last edited by hektikwon; 10-13-2006 at 02:13 AM.
10-12-2006, 07:33 PM
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Ouch, sounds like a rough few days.
I never had that much trouble with a yota, that really sucks. I wonder why it happend is the bigger question?
As for the GMC, junk from day one unless you took real good care of them.
For 800 bucks that thing is worth maybe 200! How can anyone buy such a pos, simple they have no idea about anything and think it looks cool. Thats why you get kids with civics that have huge Formula 1 racing wings on them.
Good luck with the yota, leave the keys in the GMC and hope it gets stolen and not recovered.
I never had that much trouble with a yota, that really sucks. I wonder why it happend is the bigger question?
As for the GMC, junk from day one unless you took real good care of them.
For 800 bucks that thing is worth maybe 200! How can anyone buy such a pos, simple they have no idea about anything and think it looks cool. Thats why you get kids with civics that have huge Formula 1 racing wings on them.
Good luck with the yota, leave the keys in the GMC and hope it gets stolen and not recovered.
10-12-2006, 08:39 PM
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Yeah, lousy luck for you. But I'll bet I'm not the only guy here turned on by a chick that can wrench on her own Toyota! Especially one who wears heels, too!
10-13-2006, 03:27 AM
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rofl yea right when I saw the "my boyfriend part" I was like hey this is a chick, then I saw the "wrenching in the parking lot" part and i was like he this is an awesome chick!
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10-13-2006, 04:34 AM
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Sorry you had such a bad time with your vehicles. We've all been there. At least I have. BTW, it's not just that Jimmy. My buddy has a 1995 S10 Blazer and it's been nothing but a money pit. Another good deal.
10-13-2006, 05:43 AM
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Man I glad I'm not in your heel's. Is' really cool to see a grease monkey chick. I wish my wife got into things like this. She cant even put break fluid in the dam car. I do hope all your problems are over, and as far as the GMC, Park it, leave it, and set a match to it.
Last edited by keithguts; 10-13-2006 at 05:44 AM.
10-13-2006, 06:04 AM
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I hate civics sooooooo much.
one of my apartment-mates got one and thought he was the coolest guy ever. I wanted to slash his tires.
ANYWAY!
Toyotas >> GM vehicles. and ford. and hyundai. and mercury.
You sound like you have about as good luck with cars as I do.
I feel sorry for you
10-13-2006, 06:05 AM
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Alright, here's the pics of the POS. The black limo tint is just not right for this area since you are usually in the woods and it is pitch black everywhere you go. Also notice the wiring job in the third pic. (Wires coming out of the vent. Genius.) I don't know how to turn the neon on or I would because THAT would be entertainment!
This post was actually longer but I took about 3 parpgraphs out before I posted it. I took out the part about how stupid my mother-in-law is because she thinks this is a quality vehicle and then she spends close to $2000 total on the thing and it is not even worth it. The part I don't get is that she constantly complains how her husband buys crappy cars and thinks he has gotten a good deal. They thought I paid too much for mine.
Changing the timing belt was my suggestion since I have never changed it, probably should have been done soon anyway. I don't have a pic of the $600 fan bracket but that thing was a rip-off. I guess because it is aluminum and it has a bearing in it they think they can charge out the butt for it. I'm glad I know where to get my parts at or I would have really been screwed on that.
As for all the wifes/gf's who will not check the oil...let them buy a car, never maintenance it, spend tons of money getting the repair shop guys to fix it when needed, just you guys don't touch it. Then eventually they won't have enough money to buy their fake nails and heels or maybe they will just chew their nails off. My sister was like that until her Saab blew up becuase it had NO oil in it whatsoever. Wrenching on my own truck (for at least somewhat simple stuff) is how I afford to buy my heels.
This post was actually longer but I took about 3 parpgraphs out before I posted it. I took out the part about how stupid my mother-in-law is because she thinks this is a quality vehicle and then she spends close to $2000 total on the thing and it is not even worth it. The part I don't get is that she constantly complains how her husband buys crappy cars and thinks he has gotten a good deal. They thought I paid too much for mine.
Changing the timing belt was my suggestion since I have never changed it, probably should have been done soon anyway. I don't have a pic of the $600 fan bracket but that thing was a rip-off. I guess because it is aluminum and it has a bearing in it they think they can charge out the butt for it. I'm glad I know where to get my parts at or I would have really been screwed on that.
As for all the wifes/gf's who will not check the oil...let them buy a car, never maintenance it, spend tons of money getting the repair shop guys to fix it when needed, just you guys don't touch it. Then eventually they won't have enough money to buy their fake nails and heels or maybe they will just chew their nails off. My sister was like that until her Saab blew up becuase it had NO oil in it whatsoever. Wrenching on my own truck (for at least somewhat simple stuff) is how I afford to buy my heels.
10-13-2006, 09:30 AM
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a good deal with that truck would've involved putting it in neutral and on a steep hill with a lake at the end of it.
I'm fairly certain that is one of the crappiest cars i've ever seen. Is that your 4runner in the back?
I'm a wrenching girl too, in fact I got my 4runner because I'd just bought a new car and I hated that I didn't have to do anything to it. I fixed just about everything that was wrong with this one and the whole time my boyfriend bitched about it because he thought I was spending more time on the car than with him... what a tool.
I know what you mean about those girls with fake nails and no clue about cars whatsoever... my roommate in college first drove her car about 5 miles with a flat tire... then ran her car til it was out of oil not once but TWICE... somewhere in between the oil incidents she ran out of coolant.
I guess that's what happens when you never have to do anything for yourself...???
I'm fairly certain that is one of the crappiest cars i've ever seen. Is that your 4runner in the back?
I'm a wrenching girl too, in fact I got my 4runner because I'd just bought a new car and I hated that I didn't have to do anything to it. I fixed just about everything that was wrong with this one and the whole time my boyfriend bitched about it because he thought I was spending more time on the car than with him... what a tool.
I know what you mean about those girls with fake nails and no clue about cars whatsoever... my roommate in college first drove her car about 5 miles with a flat tire... then ran her car til it was out of oil not once but TWICE... somewhere in between the oil incidents she ran out of coolant.
I guess that's what happens when you never have to do anything for yourself...???
10-14-2006, 11:15 AM
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10-14-2006, 11:46 AM
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03-01-2007, 01:18 PM
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Very long rant about Toyota problems and crappy GMC
I can't believe people let their vehicles reach that point. A friend of mine was going for a road trip, and she got it in her head that she needed an oil change. She called me and asked me where to go. Seeing as I was wrenching on the 4runner at the time anyways, I told her to come over and I'd do it for her, just to get the oil and filter. She managed to get the right stuff, but then when I undid the drain plug, it only dropped maybe a litre of oil. I wouldn't even give it that much. I said "uh oh..." She asked why I said that. I told her the engine had barely any oil in it, and she actually asked me if that was a bad thing. I don't expect everyone to be able to rebuild a differential or something, but at least enough knowledge to know that cars need oil. Yeesh... Then there's the people who just don't care, but thats a whole different rant i don't want to get into.
