altenator checked. When they test drove it they blew a head gasket. It is under 18000 mile warranty. I went to dealership and they would not give me a loaner car. Car rentals were closed or out of cars. I lost $177 in wages as I couldn't work Sat and Sun night. Do I have grounds to get a lawyer?
2006-10-28 17:25:17 · 8 answers · asked by TomT 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Hey, I've seen lawsuits with weaker grounds than what you've got. Go for it.
2006-10-28 17:29:56 · answer #1 · answered by kamaole3 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I wouldn't bother for that small amount of money. It will cost you more than that probably to hire the lawyer. However I would ask them to deduct that from the balance owed on the car. But if not, life isn't always fair.
But on the same note, I don't know how old your car is, but even if the head gasket is fixed, a car usually doesn't survive long after that. When a car blows a head gasket, it overheats. In a nutshell- overheating causes other serious damages to a car, even if they aren't noticable at first.
Best wishes :]
Oh, the the girls answer up there is wrong- a blown head gasket isn't caused by driving too hard or wrong gear. It really isn't anyone's fault. It would have still done it the next time you drove it.
A blown head gasket is a breach in the gasket that forms a gas-tight seal between the cylinder head from the engine block. This failure occurs typically in older cars that have experienced severe overheating or in vehicles that have been rebuilt or repaired incorrectly. During severe overheating, the head warps allowing the gasket to fail. This results in exhaust gasses escaping from the cylinder into to water cooling ports and often into adjacent oil ports.
2006-10-29 00:36:04 · answer #2 · answered by MedeivelReign 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My first thought is that there was a major problem with the car in the first place-head gaskets can be weak from age or if the engine gets hot enough they can blow,so there was something wrong there.Recommend you take the car to an independent mechanic before you follow through on purchase.
That said-I agree that for $177 a lawyer is not cost effective.Check out small claims court instead.
Lastly-for future reference-$177 will pay a heckuva cab fare. A lot of cab cos. will make a deal with you for a flat rate to get where you need to go.
2006-10-29 00:38:22 · answer #3 · answered by barbara 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There's a certain unspoken "procedure" before you escalate to a lawyer. First, call the dealer and ask for the manager or owner and discuss the situation. After the phone call, if you don't get it your way, write a letter summarizing the conversation and send it to him and the Better Business Bureau. If this doesn't work, file a claim in Small Claims Court - I don't think a lawyer would do any thing for a situation worth less than $5,000 anyway. The SCC judge will probably see it your way...they're pretty fair to the underdogs as long as you're honest.
2006-10-29 00:33:00 · answer #4 · answered by sunseekerrv 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes! And I would. They were fault so they owe you for lost time and repairs. As well as the cost of a future rental car. And if they blew a head gasket, chances are that they were driving your car either to hard or in the wrong gear. They should give you a written warranty for the repairs, and I would ask how they caused the gasket failure in front of the judge. Make these bastards pay. I hate third rate dealers.
2006-10-29 00:32:24 · answer #5 · answered by It All Matters.~☺♥ 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
it all depends on if the car dealership is willing to fix everything for free or not if not then you should contact a lawyer and have them give you an idea of what your legal options are but for the 177 you are pretty much out of luck since you would spend more money retaining a lawyer then what you would get back
2006-10-29 00:32:12 · answer #6 · answered by wrenchbender19 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
slam dunk,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,the vehicle was in their control when it failed.
This one is delicious......If the dealership is smart, you get a new car.
Free.
It is much less expensive to give you a car than it is to go to court.
Advice: do not sue....THREATEN to sue, but do not. Too expensive, and you will not see a penny.
First: deal with the Manager of the shop. Odds are, you will come out smelling like a rose.
2006-10-29 01:56:44 · answer #7 · answered by d_cider1 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have a perfect case for small claims court, be sure to bring all your paper work.
2006-11-01 23:52:49 · answer #8 · answered by cal72036 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋