I mean, I love it - but really, I just hate it. I think I made a hasty decision when I bought it. I usually do my research and know exactly what I'm getting in to, but I was so frustrated with the position I was in. Let me explain....
In October 2006, I bought my first brand new vehicle. A 2006 Hyundai Tucson GLS - loan was somewhere around 20k (330 a month). I was so excited, and the dealership was right next to my work. I couldn't have been happier. A week later, the dealership closed. I was the last car they sold and they knew they were closing - but did not inform me. The nearest Hyundai dealership was now 30 mins away. BUMMED. I was so disappointed. How inconvenient. Oh well.
2009 I took a refi and lowered my payment to $200 a month (That was dumb too, but I was broke). September 2011 the vehicle started running a little rough - I had never had any issues with it prior and I still owed about $7k on it. I took it to the dealership and they at first said nothing was wrong with it. They insisted that "this is what vehicles at 60k miles sound like". I told them no, no way, go look again. He looks again, comes back and says the same thing. I argued so he went and looked a 3rd time. At this point I was so irritated, I went a took a walk through the used cars. Naturally a salesman found me and started trying to sell me. I found a car I liked, but wanted to hear about my car.
I go back to the service department and they tell me that my car needs about $2500 worth of work. Some filter behind the glove compartment that no one ever knew about and never got changed, this and that needed to be flushed, really a bunch of nonsense that most mechanics throw at female drivers to sucker them out of money. I told them to go ahead an quote me for a trade in - They quoted me $7k - how convenient, exactly what I owe on it.
I go and find my salesman and ask for a test drive of the 2007 Saab 97-x that I had been eyeing. 10k less miles and a year newer than my current vehicle - double the msp as well. I figure it's a great deal. He tells me It had one previous owner, and he knew the lady, she was good to the car. We work out a price around $16.5k (and add in the gm powertrain warranty at roughly $2500), I call up my trusty CU to see what they can offer - she tells me the vehicle meets blue book value and gives me her int. rate. The dealership says they can do 72 months @ 330 a month where my CU will not do 72 months on used, so I take a little higher int. rate of 5.19%. I think, hey, alright - I'm back at my old payment for a nicer vehicle. Sounds good.
Fast forward 3 months - Check engine light comes on - middle of a snow storm on a Friday night - again service dept. at the dealership is not open on weekends and I have a 1.5 hr round trip drive planned the next day and they are 30 mins the opposite way, anyway.
The next day I stop at my fav. oil change place and he says its a cam shaft sensor error, but that the oil looks black thick and chunky - like it's never been changed - shows me, and sure enough, It was pretty nasty. All the other fluids looked great. He turns off the check engine light, flushes my engine and sends me on my way.
2 weeks later the check engine light is back on so I call up my dealership, take it in, they confirm the sensor is bad and change it out at a future appointment once the part comes in. More time off work, and 1hr round trip - what was I thinking buying ANOTHER car at a dealership that IS NOT CLOSE TO HOME!?? Dumb.
Another week after they change the faulty sensor - on my way home from a 5hr round trip, guess what! Check engine light is on, again! Of course it's a Saturday. Service deparment is closed. Sunday I go out, start up my car, put it in gear and IT STALLS! ARGHHH
Call them up Monday - I don't have time to take off work again, so we set the appointment for their late night - Thursday. By Tuesday, the vehicle is running fine and the check engine light has gone off on its own. So, I cancel the appointment because I really don't want to spend dinner time sitting in a service department, paying a $120 examination fee - or whatever they call it- just for them to tell me everything looks fine.
To get to the point - I'm really regretting this car. Because of the warranty, I'm about 4k upside down on this loan. I'm frustrated because my credit union is offering 2.74% on new and refi loans and I'm in the middle of waiting to get approved for a mortgage, so I can't do anything about it anyway.
Why didn't I just keep my crummy yet reliable 06' Tucson, with the missing driver door panel, that sells for way more than the dealership gave me for it?? Why? I'm so mad at myself for that. Thanks for letting me rant.
In my wallet:
Discover More / Chase Amazon / Chase Freedom /Chase Business Ink / Chase Slate / Capital One Cash Rewards / Walmart Discover / Kohls / JCPenny / Home Depot / Art Van
Experian Direct PLUS scores: Experian 744/ Equifax 763/ TU 744
Sometimes we all make decisions that we regret later. Make the most of it for now. The problems are not that serious. Perhaps you can find a reliable independent mechanic who works on Saab's closer than the dealership?
