I'm glad you've had luck. I have the tow truck company on speed dial. My neighbors say to me, "Again?" when they see it on the tow truck. This car cannot literally go more than 6 months with something going wrong with it beyond normal maintenance.
Junk!
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I'm glad you've had luck. I have the tow truck company on speed dial. My neighbors say to me, "Again?" when they see it on the tow truck. This car cannot literally go more than 6 months with something going wrong with it beyond normal maintenance.
No, not luck. I have a typical GM product that is serving me very well. Where as you and a few others have atypical experiences with your GM experience. Overall, and for the majority of people this little econobox is a rock star, especially the 1.4 turbo. But, you and a few others have gotten the lemons.... and I'm sorry for you. Unhappy people are always much louder than happy people. Good luck with your bad luck.
Tormach
Member
It's the one thing I don't get.. why keep it if it is such a headache. :sadbanana:
With the few thing's I've had go wrong with her, I have no complaints.. but more so that the platform has room for growth..
On a side, after finishing up inspecting and surveying two hospitals Thursday, I saw this little gem (even if it is a kit car, totally love seeming them) when I had lunch. Enjoy :banana::banana::banana:
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With the few thing's I've had go wrong with her, I have no complaints.. but more so that the platform has room for growth..
On a side, after finishing up inspecting and surveying two hospitals Thursday, I saw this little gem (even if it is a kit car, totally love seeming them) when I had lunch. Enjoy :banana::banana::banana:
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Llia
New member
I think collectively we are smart enough to solve all the issues GM has dumped on us. Wish it didn't have to be this way. I love the car so the extra effort to keep it running is worth it.
If all goes as planned
https://youtu.be/MQdD8jOsjDw
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If all goes as planned
https://youtu.be/MQdD8jOsjDw
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That's not saying much for good ol' GM if you have to trade a vehicle in after a year because it's a POS... Sorry man.. I'm not made of money. Like most little peons in this country, I simply can't get rid of a financed vehicle whenever the hell I feel like it.. Trust me, if I could I would've dumped it along time ago...
carsNskis
New member
I suppose complaining on an enthusiasts forum fixes the problem masterfully
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It's the one thing I don't get.. why keep it if it is such a headache. :sadbanana:
With the few thing's I've had go wrong with her, I have no complaints.. but more so that the platform has room for growth..
On a side, after finishing up inspecting and surveying two hospitals Thursday, I saw this little gem (even if it is a kit car, totally love seeming them) when I had lunch. Enjoy :banana::banana::banana:
I think when you buy something such as a car (the second most expensive item typically in your life), you have a right to expect reasonable quality and longevity from it. You shouldn't have to trade a car in after 5 years because parts that should last longer are falling apart. I don't think at 35k miles I should have had to deal with a blown head gasket and warped cylinder head. True, GM took care of it, but a car is better when it's working for you (transporting you) than at the dealer's service department. I have not gone 6 months straight without something knocking this car out of service. That's not good. I take care of this car. I do all the work myself as far as maintenance. The rest goes to the dealer under warranty. The fact I had to claw and fight GM to warranty this car until 2021 is not a testament to its quality.
The small car segment is very tight and competitive and I feel on the Sonic, GM didn't bring their "A" game to the battle. Partnering with Daewoo was a mistake. It didn't work in the 1980s, time to partner with someone else. How about Toyota like they did at NUMMI? Those cars were very good quality and the arrangement worked well for years.
If you're going to partner, at least pick your a good ally. Daewoo is not one of them. Daewoo tried selling cars in US market. We all know how good that went.
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You're going to find compliments and complaints on any forum for just about anything. It's human nature. Nothing wrong with it.
I believe that you have a reasonable right to expect the car to be reliable and not have parts that should last longer just fall apart that quickly. Every day it's out of service it's not of use to you, even if the dealer is fixing it for free. It's a hassle and something we don't need in our busy lives.
I believe that you have a reasonable right to expect the car to be reliable and not have parts that should last longer just fall apart that quickly. Every day it's out of service it's not of use to you, even if the dealer is fixing it for free. It's a hassle and something we don't need in our busy lives.
You didn't buy a 1982 car in 2017 and expect it to be brand new. You bought a brand new car and expect it to act like that. That's how I see it.
carsNskis
New member
Many of the recent complaints I've seen are from high mileage drivers. Should they expect the car to last to the same standards? If you push an economy car double it's expected miles in the same time frame your average driver does wouldn't it be reasonable to expect premature fatigue?
I know that's not the case for all those who have issues, but I'm seeing a trend. I happen to run 18k a year and haven't experienced any issues with mine (but I did anticipate my driving style and mileage would impact reliability)... at 60k (started driving it in January 2015) I've only had an o2 sensor and the valve cover replaced...
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If you have such "nice" things to say about GM, then why purchase the car in the first place? I'm sure any other manufacturer would love to listen to you bitch about their car as well. You pay $20k you get a $20k car. You pay $100k, you get a $100k car.
All vehicles have their issues, this is a very cheap, reliable car. In 5 years of ownership with my 2012, since new, I had to replace a Torque Converter seal and Axle seal, both of which will begin to leak on any vehicle. Those are the only "majors" that come to mind.
But, people like you will always find something to bitch about. You fall into the 10% of customers who will never be happy and will always complain.
Maybe you should stop throwing Wal-Mart brand oil into your car that you "baby" and actually put some quality into it. Most of the problems with these vehicles can be corrected with proper oil change frequencies, allowing the car to warm up before driving, and allowing it to idle before shutting down.
You do realize that Daewoo is a subsidiary under GM and is now GM Korea? So they did not partner with anyone but themselves. The Vibes are an absolute nightmare of a vehicle. You need any sort of major services done, good luck getting parts for them, GM has no stock anymore on most. And brakes on a 07+? Good luck.
Blue Moon Sonic
New member
I actually know the feels with the Pontiac vibe. Especially Since I still own an AWD model which is even harder to find parts for. Fortunately, Toyota actually sells all of the drive-train parts needed for the Pontiac vibe/Toyota matrix as they are the same car. Just different body and badges. Though if that car get's into an accident. It's as good as totaled for a minor fender bender.
Oil is another debate. Just because Walmart sells it, that doesn't make it "inferior". The test results on the Walmart Supertech oil prove you completely wrong, let's leave it at that. I used the ST full syn in my sister's Edge, my nephew's Malibu and my other nephew's Mustang. No problems whatsoever at all. If you use approved fluids and change it when you should, oil brand is seldom an issue. You know that.....if you don't, now you do.
Think back to 1988 with the Pontiac Lemans and Daewoo. It failed back then. Then Daewoo and GM do the Sonic---things have not changed.
Yes, I'm well aware of the GM parts system as I worked for a parts manufacturer for 11 years, and I'm an ASE Certified Parts Specialist. Of course, we all know that Delco's Durastop is Raybestos PG Plus in a GM box for double the price. I stay in contact with folks at AC Delco all the time. Just because GM drops support for a vehicle doesn't mean the world stops. If the vehicle is popular enough, the aftermarket picks up the major items for it. You can get just as good of quality of brakes from the aftermarket as you can from GM.
You do realize that GM doesn't make their own brake pads? (Of course you do). There are aftermarket equivalents just as good.
At one point I owned THREE discontinued GM brands: Saturn, Oldsmobile and Pontiac. LOL. The Saturn got tough (but not impossible) to get certain parts for. You just have to know how and where to look.
So at 55,000 miles, I should have all the following go wrong?
Head and head gasket
Three sets of stabilizer bar links
RF window motor
Shifter assembly
Two thermostats
Brake pedal position sensor
Power window switch
Air intake duct
That's not counting some of the items I did myself such as the washer fluid bottle and redoing the recall of the windshield washer hose that the dealer didn't do right under recall.
Sorry, at 55k, there shouldn't be problems like that. You can think what you want about the Sonic, I will think what I want. My experience supports my thoughts.
If the Sonic was a barn burner as someone else said, why isn't it advertised and promoted?
I fall into the customer class that if I have a problem with your product, I will call you out on it. Period. I don't care if it's a car, a service, a computer, whatever. I pay for it, it should work. I'll tell you what, we'll switch cars
.Your logic is faulty. Because it's a $20k car, it shouldn't be reliable? Isn't that how the Japanese and Koreans started eating our lunch years ago and got a foothold in our market? Sure is.
Why did I buy it? First, the car belonged to my late mother. She wanted a small car. She would have bought whatever type of car fit her needs, but I suggested we stay American to support our country and jobs here. I then got the car at 892 miles when she stopped driving. I've put the remainder of the mileage (currently 55k) since that time.
So, it wasn't my choice per se. I wanted a Cruze (which had the same powertrains as the Sonic), but it was too big for her liking. So, the Sonic fit the bill as being small and American assembled.
This car has more Korean content than a Hyndai or a Kia does and unfortunately, it's the foreign made parts that went bad on it.
GM built/builds the Sonic on a labor compromise with the UAW to keep costs down. Otherwise it would have been assembled in Korea. I would have rather seen a partnership with Toyota on the Sonic, would have been better off.
Also, since GM recommends "semi-synthetic" AC Delco oil that's Dexos1 compliant. I've used Quaker State's Full Synthetic in it and just now I'll use the WM ST full syn as it's Dexos1 approved. I've only also used Delco PF2257G filters (which are reboxed Hengst filters). The next generation of Dexos oil (Gen 2) will of course replace the Gen 1 and the WM ST will follow suit on it. Just because a company doesn't pay to slap their name on a race car doesn't mean it's not good oil. That's silly to think that. Testing proves if it's good or not.
So yes, I do put "quality" in my vehicles. A full synthetic motor oil is a leap ahead of what GM recommends and I never let the oil percentage go below 30%.
Also, Warren Oil Company makes WM's synthetic oil for the Northeast WM stores. Warren Oil is an old time company and has been a repackager and manufacturer for years and years. Look at any oil bottle and if you see WPP on the bottom, that's Warren Performance Products.
If you want to speak to a good oil guy, talk to Dietz Brock at Warren. He's very well known to the "Bob's the Oil Guy" forum where the discussion of motor oil is beat to death. Dietz is a very nice guy and tells it straight.
I'm not plugging their oil, as I use different brands depending on what's on sale, but I always use oil equal to or better than the standards that the manufacturer recommends.
Anytime you want to talk parts, you've got your guy. I might teach you a thing or two...
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