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#425559 - 05/14/07 10:19 PM
Solstice Story - Chapter 2
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Art Griffin
Member
Registered: 06/30/00
Posts: 108
Loc: Melbourne, Florida, USA
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God must not be finished with Arlene and me! Today, as we were returning from the New Bern meet, we were traveling south on I-95 just below St. George, SC when there came a sudden grinding and popping noise under the 2006 Pontiac Solstice that we won in the AACA Raffle last year. Being in the right hand lane (fortunately) I moved toward the shoulder to see what was wrong. Then all of a sudden the rear wheels locked up with clouds of smoke from the tires. The car spun around out of control and came to stop on the paved shoulder facing perpendicular to the highway. Trucks and cars were rushing by as the smoke and dust cleared. After we looked at each other in horror and amazement, I got out to look under the car. I saw some dripping oil but nothing else in particular. After restarting the vehicle and getting it to move backward, I straightened it on on the edge of the paved shoulder.
Then I called the GM Roadside Assistance number on the cellphone. About a half an hour later a tow truck showed up and took the car to Bilton Chevrolet Pontiac GMC in St. George. On the lift the mechanic said the rear end had gone out and locked up. He figured it would have to be replaced, and there might be other damage. The Solstice has 5048 miles on the odometer, and it hasn't even come due for its second oil change. So to make a long story short after a close call with death among the trucks on I-95, GM's warranty rented us a car for the trip back to Melbourne, FL., a 7-hour trip.
We don't know how long until the Solstice can be fixed ..... parts probably have to come from the factory rather than an area warehouse. Whenever it is fixed, we are facing a 14-hour round trip spread over 2 days to get the Solstice back home.
WOW! What a day! Well, anyway, we really enjoyed the AACA Meet at New Bern. The First Capital Chapter did a great job.
Art Griffin
(artgriffin@yahoo.com)
Attachments
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#425560 - 05/14/07 10:44 PM
Re: Solstice Story - Chapter 2
[Re: Art Griffin]
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DaveBerg
Member
Registered: 12/23/00
Posts: 249
Loc: Harmony, Pa. USA
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Art, the good news is of course that neither of you were hurt. Nothing else matters. However, in the interest of good sportsmanship I have instructed headquarters to take the car back and refund your $50. 
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#425561 - 05/14/07 10:54 PM
Re: Solstice Story - Chapter 2
[Re: Art Griffin]
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Art Griffin
Member
Registered: 06/30/00
Posts: 108
Loc: Melbourne, Florida, USA
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DAve,
Thanks. You are a real friend! However, with Federal Income Tax, State Sales Tax, License Fees, Insurance, Airline tickets to Philadelphia from Orlando, Train Tickets from Philly to Hershey, etc., etc., our investment in the car is a little more than the cost of the winning ticket!
Art
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#425562 - 05/15/07 09:03 AM
Re: Solstice Story - Chapter 2
[Re: Art Griffin]
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R W Burgess
Long Time Member
Registered: 06/13/02
Posts: 10080
Loc: Warsaw, Va.
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Gee, "give" the guy a brand new car and he fusses because a few parts fall off!  
Then the "factory" (AACA) offers to return his money which he isn't happy with either. Gosh Art, you're hard to satisfy!  
Glad to hear both of you are safe.
Wayne
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#425563 - 05/15/07 10:18 AM
Re: Solstice Story - Chapter 2
[Re: Art Griffin]
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Packin31
Member
Registered: 10/09/01
Posts: 1922
Loc: Woodridge, IL
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Art,
Glad to hear that you two are okay after that ordeal.
And they wonder why the big 3 are having trouble.
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#425564 - 05/15/07 09:09 PM
Re: Solstice Story - Chapter 2
[Re: Packin31]
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Rick Lay
Member
Registered: 02/22/00
Posts: 170
Loc: Athens, TN
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Dawne and I just finished reading the account of this ordeal with grateful hearts that our friends are safe! I hope you don't have nightmares about all this.
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#425565 - 05/16/07 08:33 AM
Re: Solstice Story - Chapter 2
[Re: Art Griffin]
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Brenda Shore
Member
Registered: 08/02/03
Posts: 111
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We are all so glad that you are both alright. Regardless of our hobby a car is just a car but the people are the important thing.
On a lighter note - of course it isn't your time yet - you have many more car meets to host!
Brenda
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#425566 - 05/16/07 10:11 AM
Re: Solstice Story - Chapter 2
[Re: Art Griffin]
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Art Griffin
Member
Registered: 06/30/00
Posts: 108
Loc: Melbourne, Florida, USA
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Hey folks,
Pontiac Customer Service should be calling me within the next hour to discuss what they might be able to do to help me get the Solstice back to Florida after completion of the repairs. As I may have said, they are putting a new rear end under the car rather than trying to repair that one. I'll let you know what happens.
In the meantime, the memory of the failure and the close call with possible death is still fairly vivid, but at our morning prayer breakfast everyone joined me in thanksgiving for being safe.
Art
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#425567 - 05/16/07 12:06 PM
Re: Solstice Story - Chapter 2
[Re: Art Griffin]
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Dynaflash8
Member
Registered: 03/03/01
Posts: 838
Loc: Sebring, FL USA
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Glad you and Arlene are okay Art. Although I had four chances on the car, my plan had been to take the money instead if I won. Naturally nobody would have expected the sort of thing you experienced. My logic was more simply that I just like big cars, and I wouldn't have wanted to pay any of those costs out of my pocket except the income tax.
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#425568 - 05/16/07 01:47 PM
Re: Solstice Story - Chapter 2
[Re: Art Griffin]
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Art Griffin
Member
Registered: 06/30/00
Posts: 108
Loc: Melbourne, Florida, USA
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Well, GM called, and so far they haven't agreed to bring the Solstice back to us here in Florida. But, they are still trying for approval and will call me back tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon. I talked also to Skip Lane, an AACA member with some great cars and the owner of Lane Pontiac Buick GMC here in Melbourne. He believes that GM should return the car to us and would be willing to have one of the employees at his dealership make the trip if GM would reimburse them. We all feel that a potentially fatal failure in a new car is not good publicity for GM.
Art
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#425569 - 05/16/07 05:11 PM
Re: Solstice Story - Chapter 2
[Re: Art Griffin]
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Rick Lay
Member
Registered: 02/22/00
Posts: 170
Loc: Athens, TN
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I hope they are still paying for your rental.
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#425570 - 05/17/07 08:18 AM
Re: Solstice Story - Chapter 2
[Re: Art Griffin]
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Ron Green
Member
Registered: 05/24/00
Posts: 1826
Loc: Camp Hill, PA. USA
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Having just been through negotiations with GM on a new vehicle that the front end paint was rapidly chipping off for no apparent reason, they ruled it was my fault for some unknown reason. Even after it was discovered that the front end was repainted due to some kind of damage somewhere. I believe whomever did the repaint didn't use enough flex agent in the paint.
Good luck hopefully your outcome will be better.
_________________________
Ron Green
AACA Member #337715
AACA Gettysburg Region (board member)
President Amphicar Club (IAOC)
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#425572 - 05/17/07 11:42 PM
Re: Solstice Story - Chapter 2
[Re: Steve Moskowitz]
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Dynaflash8
Member
Registered: 03/03/01
Posts: 838
Loc: Sebring, FL USA
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I actually did just have some good service through Buick customer relations. They contacted the dealer here and got them to fix a "in warranty" brake problem with no fuss. This was with a dealer who has every brand of GM, Ford, and Chrysler, to say nothing of all the foreign makes, for miles around. It used to be that a dealer couldn't do that, but no more. Anyway, I was happy with Buick customer relations.
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#425573 - 05/18/07 10:03 PM
Re: Solstice Story - Chapter 2
[Re: Art Griffin]
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Art Griffin
Member
Registered: 06/30/00
Posts: 108
Loc: Melbourne, Florida, USA
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Well, tonight I'm in a little bit of a quandary. Bilton Chevrolet Pontiac GMC in St. George, SC called just at quitting time today and said our Pontiac Solstice is fixed and ready to be picked up. Since I was at work, they asked me to call them Monday morning. But the Pontiac Customer Service representative assigned to our case will not be back in the office until Tuesday. As of yesterday he did not GM approval to deliver the car back to us here in Florida, and they haven't even agreed to pay our expenses for a round trip to SC and back. Clearly, the car failed due to a serious defect, and it is a new car with only 5000 miles on it. Anyway, I will call the dealer Monday and see what he recommends.
I may have to see if any of my friends with GM connections can pull any strings for us.
The story continues.......
Art Griffin
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