We found the "one", then walked away

dja4260

dja4260

Joined
May 16, 2011
Messages
1,521
Location
Greenville, SC via Chicago, IL
We found the exact minivan that my wife had wanted, down to the color, mileage, condition, etc. We've been casually looking for months. It was priced right were I wanted be so I brought my checkbook ready to close the deal. It drove just like I expected until.....I aggressively went through the gears and the car had a noticeable shudder shifting from 3rd to 4th. I was able to get the van to duplicate the shudder when braking and the trans would downshift from 2nd to 1st.

I was very disappointed...The salesman didn't seem too concerned... Some poor family without any mechanical knowledge is going to take the dive on this thing...

Van was a 2019 Grand Caravan GT, 32k miles, ex enterprise rental.
 
It should still be covered under the 5yr/60K mile powertrain warranty. Whoever ends up with it will be able to get it repaired under warranty. Fortunately you were able to recognize a potential issue and avoid that particular one.

A co-worker recently purchased a late model pre-owned Grand Caravan. They immediately had to go back and have the sliding door repaired (it wouldn't stay open on an incline.) Took the dealer two or three trips before they could get it fixed. Other than that, they are happy with it.
 
It's always worth walking to find a better vehicle instead of dealing with a possible headache, especially on something that new and expensive. Given how I've personally driven rental vehicles, I would never buy one.
 
JC1 said:
Maybe the van needs the trans reflashed? We you driving this van like Denny Hamlin?
Click to expand...

I was moving the van through the gears. I like to call it an "Italian tune-up." The shudder also occurred when deaccelerating/coming to a stop as the van was downshifting. Nothing "Denny Hamlin" about that.
 
If it's obvious and under warranty it should be able to be repaired. With the info you gave it's under warranty.
 
dja4260 said:
I was moving the van through the gears. I like to call it an "Italian tune-up." The shudder also occurred when deaccelerating/coming to a stop as the van was downshifting. Nothing "Denny Hamlin" about that.
Click to expand...
Go and try the same thing with a Sienna and Odyssey and report back.
 
ryster said:
It should still be covered under the 5yr/60K mile powertrain warranty. Whoever ends up with it will be able to get it repaired under warranty.
Click to expand...

Assuming the new owner can find a dealer that says "yes, that is abnormal and needs to be fixed under warranty". There are plenty of dealers that will say the car is running and driving, and that the shudder is more or less normal.
 
SeaJay said:
Assuming the new owner can find a dealer that says "yes, that is abnormal and needs to be fixed under warranty". There are plenty of dealers that will say the car is running and driving, and that the shudder is more or less normal.
Click to expand...
SeaJay said:
Assuming the new owner can find a dealer that says "yes, that is abnormal and needs to be fixed under warranty". There are plenty of dealers that will say the car is running and driving, and that the shudder is more or less normal.
Click to expand...

A quick google search doesn't come up with any shudder issues for that year. At this point-there is either something wrong-OR it's a characteristic of that power train.

I have a 2018 SIlverado-I am all too aware of what a sloppy shifting transmission is all about.....that's "normal".
 
CKN said:
If it's obvious and under warranty it should be able to be repaired. With the info you gave it's under warranty.
Click to expand...

The van is under warranty. The shudder I was experiencing is not normal. I cannot spend my hard earned money, paying market value for a van with a trans issue. I'd be at the mercy of a Dodge dealership, and proving there was an issue with the 17k mile remaining on the warranty. I've driven 5 other Grand Caravans and none had this issue. I unfortunately had to walk...
 
You made the right idea 100%. Like stated earlier, there should be zero reason for you to buy a vehicle with a mechanical issue regardless if it's in warranty or not. Like stated above, the dealer could totally say "no issues, normal." Then you come to BITOG for help and they tell to you shouldn't have bought it after test driving it with known issues.
 
Usually those enterprise rental ones are ragged anyway because when it’s not someone’s car they don’t care how they drive it. I’d go with a Toyota mini van they are really nice maybe look for one that’s a couple years old I have seen some at the dealership I work at and they are nice vans. Make sure to get one with a key though as the push button start is problematic on them.
 
good catch and a good reason why Inspecting transmission fluid is essential on former rental vehicles.

I worked for enterprise out of college and I have bought tons of rental cars and have run them up to high mileage without issue over the years. My rules are you can’t buy full-size or smaller (you want cars that are used by insurance customers hopefully with children) , nothing with a transfer case that doesn’t have a 100,000 mile warranty (seriously no one knows how to use a 4x4 without damaging it), no 3/4 ton or larger, and never buy a former rental car not from the rental company itself (they sell the scraps to dealers).
 
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