Funny complaint about SRI turb

[JP Dyno]

One of my neighbours knocked on my door the other day, he told me he runs a website to advertise cars and wanted to put my car on it. i said ok (wont pass up a free ad),
checked out the website...junk...but thats another story....

i found this little 'complaints corner' with a funny guy named christian complaining about his Astra SRI Turbo.:

http://www.motorsm.com/AUS/cars/complaints_corner.htm

The couple of things that tweaked my B.S. Meter

* He talks about bridgestones that came from the factory - SRI Turbs come with dunlops new dont they? i know mine did!
* He also talks about not being allowed a rental car from holden because he is under 25....They didnt have a problem loaning me a car and im only 22....
* Speaking of 'christian' being 'under 25' - Not saying it isnt possible, but seems unlikly to me a 25yo is a Business development Manager and director of a successful business....as i said not impossible....but unlikly.

just thought I'd share this with you guys, see if you can pick up any more crap

[a_manda]

* He also talks about not being allowed a rental car from holden because he is under 25....They didnt have a problem loaning me a car and im only 22....
* Speaking of 'christian' being 'under 25' - Not saying it isnt possible, but seems unlikly to me a 25yo is a Business development Manager and director of a successful business....as i said not impossible....but unlikly.


i'm pretty sure minimum age is 21 for all states to hire a rental car !

he probably calls himself a BDM even though he's BDO lol .. not unlikely .. probably just inherited the business off his rich daddy or something :roll: :lol: lol

[woody]

if he's a BDM AND Director of a successful business why is he driving an Astra SriT (not that there is ANYTHING wrong with them) but successful business owners (specifically young entrepreneurs) like to flash cash with cars the majority of the time.

[Namus]

ARTICLE IN FULL:

"My name is Christian McCarty and I am a Business Development Manager, and a Director of a very successful company based in Brisbane. A year ago, I was proud to say I leased a brand new Holden Astra Sri Turbo. The Arden Blue paint gleamed in the sunlight and it looked stunning. I had a grin from ear to ear. Upon receiving the vehicle, I planned a trip down to Sydney to pay a visit to my girlfriends family, and to show off my car (as you want to do with a new one). I got down there without a hassle. The car drove beautifully on the highway and I loved every second of the trip.

Whilst driving around Sydney, I had clocked up 3000km only. Driving home one night after dinner, I took off from a set of lights under normal driving conditions, and as I depressed the clutch and tried to grab 2nd gear, I realized there was none. I had nothing except 3rd gear. As I was only a few seconds from home, I drove it back in 3rd and parked it and immediately called NRMA roadside assist. They were really good to me. But the Astra, that was another matter. The whole gearbox cable assembly had to be replaced, and quickly. I needed to get back to Brisbane for a wedding. I rang the Holden dealer in Sydney, and told them of my woes. He proceeded to tell me that I should forget about the wedding and pass my groomsman honor to someone else. I flew back. After receiving the car once more from the same Holden dealership, I found it to be as it was. A good car to drive, although I had my suspicions about the quality of the car. I drove it around for the next few months and everything seemed fine, until I started having computer problems. The ABS, Traction Control and Power Steering turned off in the middle of moving traffic. The warning lights lit up like a Christmas tree. I took it back to the dealer, they said they found nothing wrong with it. They reset what the needed to and sent me on my way. Then I had 3 tires go mysteriously flat. All top of the line Bridgestone’s that came with the car. No holes. No damage. Just flat.

Another month or so went by, and I clocked up 14,000km. The leather started to wear on both seats. I had one replaced, and one left as is due to different “wear patterns”. The principal of the company received a call from the State Service Manager, during which, he asked for a copy of the customer service policy. He was kindly told where to go, and hung up on. This was a top Holden executive? After being quite upset as I couldn’t see the difference between wear, I stormed off, knowing this would decrease the resale value of the car whence it came to selling after the lease period was up. 5000km later, the gearbox began to make funny noises when changing down. I thought maybe I did something wrong, but it kept happening. I took it down to the dealer I purchased it off. At this point in time, the noises were quite severe. I was extremely enlightened by the service managers explanation (and this is word for word quote) “maybe it’s supposed to do that”. I told him quite kindly that he must have been out of his mind, and they took it in to fix it. I got a call 2 days later saying the problem was fixed to I picked it up. 30 seconds down the road, I changed down and it happened again. I was fuming at this point in time, so I went over to one of Brisbane’s leading Holden repairers. They quickly took the car and stripped the box. I needed to new gearbox, at 22,000km. I wasn’t the only one either. They had a black Sri Turbo there for the same problem. Holden were quick to reply with not one, but 2 wrong model gearboxes. The outcome of which meant 3 weeks without a car for me. I applied for a rental car through Holden, but was told that I wasn’t able to get one as I wasn’t 25. This was just the icing on the cake. Too bad for the young people who buy brand new cars and have to do without them for repairs. I wonder how they are supposed to handle their work commitments?

The next problem arose when the car started to sound like it ran on diesel. 27,000km and I had to take it in again. The diagnosis was that the timing gear and belt needed to be replaced, and they had to strip the block down to see if it had damaged anything else. Another week and a half without a car. I was overjoyed. My car was a wreck. My car has now done 31,000km and I now have the Engine Management System warning light come on as of today, the boot mechanism doesn’t work and the carbon fibre inserts in the doors are peeling off. The leather is still wearing (tried to use seat covers to minimize it, but what’s the use of leather then?), the temp and fuel guage only works when it wants to and Holden can’t find the problem, and I’m just about to be diagnosed as clinically insane because of this. All I’m waiting for now, is for the car to explode.

To add to the great customer service, Holden recently sent out a survey to me. It was great. They were more interested with the layout of the service centre with plants and uniforms than actual service. Am I missing something here? Are the consumers continually getting the raw end of the deal? I’m not sure what to do, or where to go. I’m about to ring the media to be honest. I’ve had enough of my car (if you can call it that). It was my pride and joy, but now it’s just a useless piece of machinery. If I can get my hands on a print out of the history of what this car has had done to it, I shall forward that also." Christian McCarty, QLD (Email provided)

[Namus]

meh one supposed 'complaint'.....i'll take his car then if he don't want it... :lol: :P

[180HOA]

I know occasionally people get dud cars, and it happens to all brands, but i've had two TS Astras that between them have given me 5 years and 160,000km and neither of them ever missed a beat (except for window regulators - two failed in the first one, and in the new one it wasn't mounted properly and dented the door from the inside :? ). But otherwise, I've found these things to be near bulletproof. Maybe I've just been lucky, twice.

Mine came with Dunlops, too.

[Anonymous]

site looks like a whingers paradise :roll:

[zoidberg]

yeah occasionaly there is a lemon, i meen ive had a couple of probs with mine. clutch pressure plate and camshaft timing gears. took holden 2 attempt at each to fix it.
1st time with the clutch they said nothing wrong :x . a week later they discovered pressure plate.
With the timing gears (i was complaining about a loud noise), first time they replaced the tensioner pulley. as soon as i drove out and engine warmered up it started again, took it back in the morning, 2 days later car was fixed :lol:

but now....my baby has had the wrinckles ironed out and im very happy

[zoidberg]

I will say one thing but......The price holden charge for things is a joke.

someone on the website above said $7500 for a new MANUAL gearbox WITHOUT FITTING!!! so whats the auto worth????

if a new astra classic with onroads goes for about 18000 - 19000 bucks then the mark up on the components MUST be around the 800% - 1000% bench mark

[Alfonzo]

Interesting he couldn't get a loan car at the age of 25...

I'm 20 and have had two loan cars previously, and I'm booked in for another one on Friday next week... maybe it's a dealership thing?

[JP Dyno]

hehe i reckon he is full of it personally,
3 tyres going down all at once? suuure
leather seats wearing out in less than 12 months? suuuuuure

[freaktown]

I kind of reckon theres always a dud car in mas produced cars. Its just a matter of when and how!

I hear these stories with most cars and everyone kind of looks around and says, umm yea right :screwy:


But some of the things on that are a little suss. Leather coming apart at the seems is bad workmanship, but wearing out is just bad leather!

Gearbox, well none of us know how he drives. Mabey he flat shifts and drops the clutch at 8000RPM everytime he drives.

Same reason can apply for the clutch cable going.

And same kind of treatment can damage the engine parts.


But then again, he could be the worlds best driver and just have a sh1t car:)

[JP Dyno]

Im not positive, but isnt the Astras clutch hydraulic (no cable)?

[InsaneAsylum]

wasn't there a guy on this forum complaining about this stuff once????

he was saying something about his seats problem amongst other things.


and yeah. everything in cars is either hydraulic or electronic these days

[dan_kind]

i whinged about the seats, if you have a big ass, they wear out on the sides...simple.

my first beep beep SRi had similar issues.. sorted in the new one.

[Namus]

maybe the guy had/has a bad credit rating?

i know i'm stating the obvious, but you look across the board, and for each and every type of car model, you'll always have at least one whinger.... :roll:

[Rhino]

3 tyres going down all at once? suuure

This one actually is possible...

If they incorrectly mound the weights when the balance the tyre - or they are too big, every revolution, they can push the tyre seal up and away from the rim...

This will result in a bit of air escaping each time.

[Mrs T]

maybe the guy had/has a bad credit rating?

I really dont know what that has got to do with anything. Please explain lol


Well i have the problem of one tyre deflating mysteriously. I have taken it to holden which in the end they told me to take it to Bob Janes as they do the warranty work and they cannot find the problem

He told me yesterday the "if it wasnt such a low profile he would just chuck a tube in it" :shock: :shock:

He even asked me if i parked the car outside and if i did, did i know any practical jokers

But my tyre pressure in one tyre can be filled to 38 psi and less than a week later it will be at 12 psi

So i cant really disbelieve him

[dan_kind]

replace tyre #1
replace rim #2

two individual HSV rims on a family members cars had hairline fractures...out goes the air!

easy way to find out! ask bobbies to put the tyre on another rim (swap tyres), halve and eliminate..

[silvestra]

Or fill the tyre up again to 38psi, stick the rim in a big barrel of water and look for tiny bubbles.

[Anonymous]

My cars seats are starting to squeek after 10,000k's, various vibrations all around the cabin, rough idle at times, fuel gauge not working properly, had to get the strut dust sleeves cut because they were put on wrong from factory (and this is supposedly common)... I'm waiting for more problems, but warranty is covering it.

I will never buy an astra again. No matter how high they price them, they will always be subservient to the golf and unfortunately, this is reflected in their problems.

End of the day, I'm happy with my car for what it is..... whingeing on a public forum won;t achieve much. If this guy really hates his car so much, he should just sell it with the warranty in place and he wont have to worry about it again!

[low astra]

maybe the holden dealer noticed by the wear on his car he treats it like s.h.i.t. and thats why they wouldn't give him a car, if it really happend at all, i think he just like the sound of his voice 2 much

[Mr T]

* Speaking of 'christian' being 'under 25' - Not saying it isnt possible, but seems unlikly to me a 25yo is a Business development Manager and director of a successful business....as i said not impossible....but unlikly.


Well, you shouldn't be so general, I am 25 and i am a Business Development Manager, I work for Cumberland Motor Group which is a group of 4 Motor Car Dealerships, I train the salesmen and look for other avenues to grow the business. I am currently writing (from stratch) a Policy and Proceedures manual for teh group.

As well i was previously a small business owner who employed 6 staff (my now wife being one of them) that I started from stratch. I have attached my old business card that i had laying around for your benefit, note that there is no reference to an ABN number....thats because it was from 1998 (when i was 18 years old)

[entice]

I wonder how "stock" the car was/is....

It amazes me how many people dont take responsibility for their actions and just rely on customer service and warranty to get them thru...
Anyone who has owned ONE leather equipped item will tell you that they require maintenance. Just take a look in the owner's manual. The leather really needs to be moisturised in order to keep it the way it is..otherwise, things will and do fail.

There is some level of maintenance, and perhaps mechanical sympathy that is required.

Sure, Give me any so called "bulletproof" car and I'll show you how it can be destroyed...very quickly. Downshifting a gear or 2 whilst on the revlimiter isnt too hard to do (if you have no sympathy), and it quickly can make things go pop... Flatshifting/raceshifting can also make you loose gears pretty quick...

Not saying this is the case in this complaint...but come on..who "grabs" (sic) second gear rather than selecting or engaging it? Personally, I snatch second!
:lol:

[Misguidedangel]

Maybe it was a monday car? :lol:

[Wattie]

i think it was only driven sundays....

[Wattie]

except when qualifying was on saturday.