New Jeep Renegade yay/nay?

[PricklyPete]

Ah...I thought the Ridgeline had the maligned 9 speed from the Pilot which I thought was a variation of the same crappy unit in FCA products:

http://www.edmunds.com/honda/pilot/...ex-6-speed-transmission-vs-elite-9-speed.html

Where did you here about updates to the Sienna? I am very curious about the new 8spd they are putting in the Higlander. Will be a high contender for our second vehicle in a year or two.

 

[Kaido]

Ah...I thought the Ridgeline had the maligned 9 speed from the Pilot which I thought was a variation of the same crappy unit in FCA products:

http://www.edmunds.com/honda/pilot/...ex-6-speed-transmission-vs-elite-9-speed.html

Where did you here about updates to the Sienna? I am very curious about the new 8spd they are putting in the Higlander. Will be a high contender for our second vehicle in a year or two.

Google News Alerts:

https://www.google.com/alerts

The official 2017 Sienna page is up now:

http://www.toyota.com/sienna/

All-new powertrain It’s the muscle behind the swagger. With 296 horsepower on tap, Sienna certainly isn’t short on thrills. Refined and powerful, this new 3.5-liter V6 direct-injection engine with Direct Shift-8AT (Automatic Transmission) helps Sienna move at the speed of your family. And since it offers an EPA-estimated 27 highway mpg, 21 fuel stops won’t get in the way of your fun.​

I believe the new 4Runner is getting the same engine & transmission update. I've only seen one blurb about the upcoming Highlander:

http://motoringcrunch.com/news/2017-toyota-highlander-should-acadia-be-worried/32009579/

The Toyota Highlander base model will be coming in with a 2.7 liter inline 4 engine that will be delivering about 185hp and 184lb ft of torque. The engine will be mated to a six-speed auto transmission. It will also return about 20mpg in the city and 25mpg on the highway. Customers will also be offered the 3.5 liter V6 engine that will be mated to an eight-speed auto transmission and will be offering about 270hp and 248lb ft of torque. There is also a hybrid option available. The Toyota Highlander will come with features like dusk sensing headlights, emergency brake assist, and glass breakage sensor and will retail for $40,228.​

I still have to muddle through all of the attorney stuff with the Jeep, and the end result will determine the path I go. This is the final fork in the road to pursue, short of either trading it in now (at a loss) or paying it down to market value & then trading it in (and dealing with more bugs & probably more service visits down the road), so we'll see how this goes. What a hassle!

Where's my Elio?

 

[PricklyPete]

Cool, so the Sienna is essentially the same car with a new powertrain, not unlike the Highlander...that is still an option for us since it offers AWD. Still think we'll end up with a Highlander...maybe even the hybrid, but I like to see the new engine and transmission make it into the Sienna. The biggest downside to the Sienna was the MPG.

 

[Kaido]

Cool, so the Sienna is essentially the same car with a new powertrain, not unlike the Highlander...that is still an option for us since it offers AWD. Still think we'll end up with a Highlander...maybe even the hybrid, but I like to see the new engine and transmission make it into the Sienna. The biggest downside to the Sienna was the MPG.

Yeah. tbh an AWD minivan would be awesome. Sliding doors are so convenient! Plus the huge room for storage if you play with the seat configuration.

 

[gorcorps]

One thing I have noticed recently... do not underestimate the power of social media. If you have facebook or twitter, post your experience to Jeep's page. Use facts, not stories, and let the people know that you're having to undergo legal action because of their terrible customer service. I wish I did that, as I've heard a number of stories about getting nowhere with companies using their behind the scenes communication, but as soon as it's public they'll work with you.

 

[Crono]

Out of all the problems you had with the car, was the engine one of them? I'm hoping not (my car has the same engine).

One thing I have noticed recently... do not underestimate the power of social media. If you have facebook or twitter, post your experience to Jeep's page. Use facts, not stories, and let the people know that you're having to undergo legal action because of their terrible customer service. I wish I did that, as I've heard a number of stories about getting nowhere with companies using their behind the scenes communication, but as soon as it's public they'll work with you.

I second this. At the very least it may give you other avenues of communication, as oftentimes the social media reps can escalate your case a lot higher.

 

[Kaido]

One thing I have noticed recently... do not underestimate the power of social media. If you have facebook or twitter, post your experience to Jeep's page. Use facts, not stories, and let the people know that you're having to undergo legal action because of their terrible customer service. I wish I did that, as I've heard a number of stories about getting nowhere with companies using their behind the scenes communication, but as soon as it's public they'll work with you.

Yeah, I've considered it. The Don't Fly United guy was a big inspiration:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo

There are some crazy Jeep ones out too. In Australia, they apparently don't have much in the way of lemon laws. This guy wrote a song about it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sVmoOZRypk

This guy rented a tank & drove over it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkDhlpd6I1U

 

[Kaido]

Out of all the problems you had with the car, was the engine one of them? I'm hoping not (my car has the same engine).

I second this. At the very least it may give you other avenues of communication, as oftentimes the social media reps can escalate your case a lot higher.

tbh this is what I should have done in the first place - made a big stink on Youtube & social media and forced their hand. I just got the vehicle back today & surprisingly, they fixed a LOT of things - there are some new patches out that fix a LOT of my complaints, including little ones like accidental pushes of the 911 & Assistance buttons - those now light up with red LED's so you know they're not the map lights (they are right in front of the map light buttons!).

The transmission flash seems to have fixed the hiccuping & jitter when I start rolling from a dead stop. However, now my old issue of pedals & footwell vibration is back. It was so bad it was making my hand vibrate lol. I talked to I2R again today & mentioned it to them. Regarding lemon-law, I have an attorney reviewing my case. As of today, total time in the shop is 46 days (purchased new in November of 2015). Amazing. The attorney said barring my case getting rejected, I would typically either be offered a full re-purchase, or else be given a brand-new equivalent model of the same vehicle (i.e. 2017 Renegade). If I am not offered a repurchase & if it will be a fight to get it, but they offer me a new car, I will take it. 2015, 2016, 2017...the '17 would be third model year for production & I bet I wouldn't have any problems at all. Would probably get a stick-shift tho just because the 9-speed annoys me. It simply remains to be seen what happens!

No, no problems with the engine at all. Problems with the pushbutton start, problems with the transmission, problems with the radio, problems with carpet peeling off, problems with broken speakers, problems with the alarm, problems with the car being dead in the morning...yes. The engine has no issues afaik. I have driven plenty of Renegade loaners & they have all been 100% fine. Mine is just a dud. They seem to have problems at either 3k miles or 6k miles iirc. If you're past that without any issues, chances are you're going to be absolutely fine over time.

I don't hate the car. I hate my car's problems, and I hate Jeep's response. I still think the car itself is pretty cool. I wish mine worked in the first place & I wish Jeep had made things right without having to resort to the legal system. I hope I win a settlement!

 

[NutBucket]

You're insane for considering accepting another one as a replacement. If there are inherent bugs in the electrical system it's only going to get worse with age.

 

[Kaido]

You're insane for considering accepting another one as a replacement. If there are inherent bugs in the electrical system it's only going to get worse with age.

I don't disagree, but it depends on what I'm offered. Right now, Jeep's I2R team (the highest authority you can get within their resolution ladder) has denied my buyback & denied my replacement, which means I'm stuck with the car for now, so my currently-available options are limited. I have no other alternatives for seeking a resolution within their company. I contacted third-party arbitration but have not heard back, nor have been able to talk to a live person despite multiple contact attempts, so they are out of the game too. Thus taking it to an attorney to pursue the lemon-law, which will hopefully provide me with additional options for getting out of the car without (1) having to take a large financial loss by trading it in before my payoff equals market value, or (2) having to deal with it (and any future problems) for another year while I continue to pay down the loan so that I can get it down to market value to trade it in without a loss.

Right now, those are my only two readily-available options on the table. The attorney said I'd typically either be offered a full repurchase or a replacement vehicle if I won. I specifically mandated that I did not want another FCA product, period. However, if FCA is unwilling to offer me a cash settlement without, say, taking it to trial (I work 6 days a week, 60-70 hours a week on average, and have no desire to go to court) but does offer me a replacement car, then that is a better option than sticking with my current one & either taking a trade-in loss now or having to deal with more problems on the existing model in the future. So it all boils down to what the options on the plate are. Right now my options are crap, so hopefully the lemon-law attorneys can put more options on the table. Can't do much other than whine about it online until I push it along through the system & create additional paths to select from. Hopefully this wins & will be expedited!

 

[monkeydelmagico]

Good luck Kaido and thank you for keeping folks posted on the process.

 

[Kaido]

Good luck Kaido and thank you for keeping folks posted on the process.

Thanks! What's that quote - "if you can't be a good example, at least be a good warning"

 

[heymrdj]

Kaido I've been following along with your car adventure, and it really sucks you have the issues you do with the Renegade. I feel like you and me are the same on frequent car change outs (I've had a 2012 Honda Civic, 2013 Dodge Dart, 2014 Buick Verano, and 2014 Ford Fiesta). On top of that, my wife is really looking at a Renegade next year as she wants to move from a car (Verano) to a small SUV (Kia Sportage is the top of her list, she also liked the Renegade, and kind of liked the Equinox). In the last week of June I got a 2016 Jeep Patriot High Altitude 4x4 with every package to replace my Fiesta. I hate the loaner you got is another crappy vehicle, really makes me wonder about your dealer. So far I love my Patriot, has all the features I wanted, has great looks, plenty of power, towed 1500lbs the other day without any issue, and the 4x4/AWD system is very responsive and super grippy. I've put 4500 miles on it so far since the first week of July. I hope Jeep does something for you, as it's definitely not right for them to shaft you this way.

 

[Kaido]

Kaido I've been following along with your car adventure, and it really sucks you have the issues you do with the Renegade. I feel like you and me are the same on frequent car change outs (I've had a 2012 Honda Civic, 2013 Dodge Dart, 2014 Buick Verano, and 2014 Ford Fiesta). On top of that, my wife is really looking at a Renegade next year as she wants to move from a car (Verano) to a small SUV (Kia Sportage is the top of her list, she also liked the Renegade, and kind of liked the Equinox). In the last week of June I got a 2016 Jeep Patriot High Altitude 4x4 with every package to replace my Fiesta. I hate the loaner you got is another crappy vehicle, really makes me wonder about your dealer. So far I love my Patriot, has all the features I wanted, has great looks, plenty of power, towed 1500lbs the other day without any issue, and the 4x4/AWD system is very responsive and super grippy. I've put 4500 miles on it so far since the first week of July. I hope Jeep does something for you, as it's definitely not right for them to shaft you this way.

Thanks. You know, this was the first full day I had the Renegade back & the transmission is actually HUGELY updated from the latest flash. Two issues resolved in particular:

1. The stutter & hiccuping from a full stop is gone. Very smooth pulling out. No issues 0 to 20 whatsoever all day today. Even drives better from a full stop than the AWD Charger I test-drove. Big big difference here, especially since I sometimes sit in stop & go traffic for an hour.
2. The downshift transmission lag (to drop from gear 8/9 on the highway down to 4 for the powerband) has dropped by a full second. It now responds by the time I say "one one-thousand". So not as quick to give you power as the 6-speed auto in the Patriot, but definitely livable now. I can merge & goose it without fear that I'm gonna get squished because the car is still thinking about it. Also, it provides a LOT more power once the power hits. Whatever tuning they did was definitely an upgrade here!

Still has a hiccup sometimes, like around 40mph, it will squirt forward a bit, and some other 9-speed oddities here & there, but overall, it's an enormous change in the transmission shift programming. Also, as mentioned, the footwell/pedal vibration is back. It's intermittent but it's noticeable when it happens. Also had a bunch of goof-ups with the radio barfing on my iPhone's music playback. Had to shut it down, restart, reconnect, and replay from Spotify to get it to recognize. Oh yeah, the cruise control is still mostly 1MPH off. Set cruise at 65mph, it displays 64MPH cruise on flat & level roads. It's funny because the speed limit number is literally right underneath. Tech said there was probably gonna be no fix for it. Doesn't really affect functionality, just annoying to look at...the straw that broke the camel's back - I see the MPH off for cruise & start thinking about all of the stupid little problems it's had & the way Jeep has handled a refund/replacement and it just ticks me off lol.

Even if most stuff is permanently fixed, I'll always have that thought in the back of my mind...is the e-brake going to lock up on me in the parking lot? Is it going to randomly die & have to be towed in yet again? I have no faith in the long-term functionality of this particular vehicle. I wish I did because like I said, I still like the car. Just got a dud. Jeep didn't make it right. Have to involve attorneys now. Unhappy with the brand due to this experience.

If your wife is looking to buy a Renegade, she'll probably be fine. 2017 is the third model manufacturing year. I bet they've figured out most of the problems with the lemons. And like I said, I've had Renegades like 3 or 4 times as loaners & all of them were totally fine, not one glitch while I was driving them. So it's not universal or anything...Jeep just suffers from Chrysler's low level of quality control, which results in a higher number of cars with issues...but not all of them & not even most of them. Have her test-drive the Renegade, and then the same day go & test-drive the Subaru Forester (if that's an option she'd consider). It's more utilitarian, but the visibility is phenomenal, the sunroof is absolutely insane, and it feels sooooooo zippy compared to the Renegade.

Currently, I am planning on an automatic Ecoboost Mustang to replace it (with TACC). The automatic is a compromise (WAF, plus lots of highway driving & traffic), but I love the EyeSight feature on our Subaru & definitely want adaptive cruise in my next vehicle. The single, solitary downside is that it's RWD, which will be a hassle in the winter, especially since my parking lot is on the top of a steep hill. I will be buying some Blizzak tires for it for sure. Also sad that the Guard Green color went away...although yellow looks awesome on the six-gen design, and the only other yellow I've ever liked is on a lambo.

 

[Kaido]

Test-drove the new Pilot & new Ridgeline today. The Pilot SUV has electric power steering...it's as easy to drive as my Fit was. Despite being a reasonably large SUV, I was able to park it one-handed on the first time with no effort. Amazing steering capabilities. Same starting price as the Ridgeline, which is why I checked it out. Interestingly, there is like zero trunk space. Like a foot of storage, unless you pop the back seats down. So yeah, you can lug around 7 or 8 people, but you're not bringing their hockey gear with you! One thing I didn't like was the driver's side door armrest (this always gives me issues - long legs, bangs my knee). It didn't bang my knee, but it was like twice as wide as normal armrests, so my entire leg rested against it, which made me feel a tiny bit cramped.

They said the Ridgeline trucks have been selling out like crazy. Currently every one on the lot was already sold & all incoming units were spoken for; if you want one, you have to order it from the factory and wait a couple months. So initial thoughts on the Ridgeline: first, looks way better in person than in the pictures. Second, it drives just fantastic. It's no powerhouse, but the engine is adequate - well, more than adequate but not a ton more than adequate...basically, you're not hurting for power. The big thing is the steering & turning. I mean, it just dives right into those turns. It was FUN to drive! It didn't have the horsepower of the Mustang, but the actual driving experience was a lot better than expected. Entirely different drive feeling from the Pilot (both are good, but the Ridgeline is...enjoyable). I also like how it sits. It kind of slopes down on the inside. Great visibility. Trunk system is awesome...swings out or down, nice-sized bed, available cover (also available tent!), and the built-in hide-a-way cooler feature with a drain plug on the bottom. Adults can fit in the back just fine (I mean, it's still snug, but it's livable). Magic seats work great.

My single complaint is that the driver's side armrest on the right (center console) side is in the worst position possible. My arm hangs entirely to the right of it. I tried swinging it up, but then my arm just hangs there in empty space. That would need to be addressed with a width extension of some kind (it's basically like the swing-down armrest on the middle seat of an airliner). That, and the price really jumps up when you start adding features (AWD, Honda Sensing, sunroof, etc.). On the top-end model, for another $5k I could just get a Ford Raptor lol. Also, there's the whole issue of it being a first-year product. Technically, it's a redesign of the old Ridgeline, but really, it's an entirely new vehicle. I just got burned by a first-gen product...although...Fiat had been making the platform prior to Jeep getting it, as the 500X (released in 2014, I believe), so I think that speaks more FCA quality control than anything. The Ridgeline seemed like a pretty dang solid product. I've been keeping tabs on issues that people post in the problem section of the Honda forums & they have been pretty minimal so far, nothing major like the BCM going haywire or anything like that like my Jeep has.

Hyundai Santa Fe Sport is next on the test-drive list. Might check out some of the new Fords too. Although it's all window shopping for now, until I get a settlement offer for my Renegade. Or want to eat a few grand in early-trade-in depreciation. Thanks Jeep!

 

[Kaido]

Test-drove a 2017 Santa Fe Sport (AWD turbo). Nah. #1, my legs both sat over top of the bolsters, same as the Dodge Caravan. #2, it locked my knees in on BOTH sides - had a weird arch going down the right side! This is a car made for narrow people; my head was almost touching the ceiling too, even with the seat all the way back & all the way down. #3, skinny steering wheel, I like something with at least a bit of meat on it. Pity because it's a pretty cool car. Dealership issues as well. I called in, setup an appointment, drove 25 minutes out there, and they didn't even have the car ready to go. Not only that, but they pulled around with the non-turbo model, which wasn't the version I wanted to test-drive. Turns out they only had one turbo on the lot & it was in the showroom. I can understand not wanting to take the showroom version out, but I was stuck there for awhile waiting for everything. Plus the dealer got the manager & tried talking me into eating $3k of depreciation instead of waiting for the lemon-law...hats off for trying, but completely laughable. Even if I wanted a Hyundai, I would buy from a different dealer. Oh brother. Strongly considering a Tesla at this point so I don't have to deal with the stupid dealer system anymore lol. They did just send me an email that they have a low-mileage lease for $598 a month...that's less than I pay for my Jeep + gas every month!

Also stopped into Toyota. Rav4 was too cramped for me. 4Runner had the same issue as the new Pilot...door armrest goes straight, so while it's not painful for my knee, it does make me feel a bit cramped. Also, crazy expensive for what you get. Pilot was like $10k less & felt way more roomy. Also, as much as car sites complain about numb electric steering systems, boy do I like them! It makes driving a piece of cake! Even the Pilot, which was pretty big, was as easy to drive as my old Honda Fit. Lugging around a big beast is no sweat with electric power steering.

May look at Ford next, just for fun. Also wanted to check out the new Kia Sorento, but my local Kia dealer apparently closed down. Right now I have it narrowed down to a '17 Mustang (auto, TACC, Ecoboost) or a '17 Ridgeline (AWD, TACC). Again, downside with the Honda truck is that it's a first-year design (roll the dice twice? lol) & is also like $10k more than the Mustang for the same feature set. That's more than I want to pay, but whatever I get, I am planning on keeping for 10 to 15 years (barring any major issues), so I'd rather invest up-front while I can in a vehicle that I want. Could always just go back to leasing, I guess. Been looking a lot in the used market too, but I TACC is a big feature I want, which is a little more scarce.

Also drove past a farm that was advertising horse leasing. Strongly considering that option. One horsepower isn't a lot though...

 

[Herr Kutz]

You're looking at some the same vehicles I'm considering. Let us know what you go with.

P.S. Are you still considering a forester or is one in the family enough?

 

[NutBucket]

Just get an Outback 3.6R and call it a day

 

[Kaido]

You're looking at some the same vehicles I'm considering. Let us know what you go with.

P.S. Are you still considering a forester or is one in the family enough?

I like the Forester quite a bit, but my personal problem with most cars is the leg fitting, especially on the left side. I have long legs & my knee almost always either bangs into the driver's side armrest, or sits flush with it & is uncomfortable. The Renegade & Mustang are both perfect fits for me. The Forester's door armrest kind of curves in forward & I have to angle my leg a bit funny to get comfortable. The workaround for all of this is simply to stick a little pad on the armrest, like maybe a piece of foam rubber, but I don't really want to do that on a new car lol.

I originally got the Renegade new only because it was a first-year car; used wasn't available. I also figured if I had any issues, it'd be fine because it'd be covered under warranty. Boy what a noob mistake that was! Yes, they have done all of the service for free under warranty, but due to my ongoing issues, they haven't really fixed everything long-term. I was hoping to buy new, pay off the loan after a few years, and run it into the ground the decade after that. I baby my cars & figured with regular maintenance, anything new should easily last 200-300k. I mean, you don't even have to change sparkplugs for 100k miles these days, it's crazy!

I really like the new Honda truck, but the "first-generation" thing is pushing me away. I really don't want anything that is going to risk causing me issues down the road when it's a known factor. Right now the Mustang is in the lead. It will be a headache during the winter, but 90% of the time it will be an awesome car. Of course, this all depends on what/if I get a settlement from Jeep from my lemon-law stuff. Otherwise, I will probably just stick with it through the winter (AWD/4WD) & then trade it in sometime early next year so I'm not eating a bunch of deprecation or having to rollover negative equity.

Stupid cars. lol.

 

[Kaido]

Just get an Outback 3.6R and call it a day

Eh, if only they weren't impossible to find! I did take out the 4-cylinder Outback a few months ago. Didn't like it. 4-cylinders in the Forester is an amazing experience (doesn't even need turbo, quite zippy!), but it felt like a slog in the Outback. I'm also used to the headroom & visibility in the Forester, as well as more comfortable seats, strangely enough. I like the idea out of the Outback, but it wasn't quite the right fit for me. Maybe would change my mind on the 3.6R, but like the turbo Foresters, they typically sell out before they even get to the dealer. Wish Subaru had their 7-seater out!

It's funny how different all of the cars feel, both texture/design-wise & drive-wise. I really like how the Kia & Honda cars drive. Hyundai, not so much. Subarus are very utilitarian inside, but feel solid. Nissans all feel plasticy & a bit cheap. Hate Honda's CVT, Nissan's CVT is decent, and Subaru's CVT is fantastic. All of the 8 & 9-speed Jeeps & Dodges have delays in acceleration. Electric power steering makes everything an absolutely piece of cake to drive, no matter how big it is.

Honestly, I wouldn't mind another Kia Soul. Absolutely loved my first one. Second one was stick-shift & was under-powered, but the larger engine in the automatic is fine. ESC made it great in the snow. No TACC tho. Very budget-friendly. Extremely safe - 5-star safety rating, including small overlap. Still need to check out the redesigned Sorento. I kind of like the new Dune Buggies, although they're only available with an auto 170hp instead of the 210hp stick. Although I'm not a fan of VW's after-purchase service or really the build quality on the Beetles.

Honestly, the most annoying part of this process is dealing with the dealers. The game is always the same: "what do I have to do to get you to buy today?" I just want to test-drive the cars to see what I like. Every single car salesman expects you to fall into their lap instantly; they'd get more mileage by acting less like piranhas, but to be fair, that's not how their internal system is setup with incentives & all that. Really makes me miss the old Saturn model of no-pressure, take out whatever you'd like, here's the price, the end. Tesla is doing it right: hop on the webpage, choose your options, and we'll deliver it straight to your house. Downside is the config I want is $152k, and I'd kind of like to get a house first

 

[Kaido]

Lawyer got back to me. Said it wasn't a good case because the dealer wasn't able to replicate all of the issues every time I brought it in for service, despite video documentation on my part - they also recommended not going through state arbitration, despite meeting the "30 days in the shop minimum", because of that. Especially since they wrote down different issues every time I brought it in & not ALL of the issues into the computer system (despite me bringing them the items on the paper to log into their system). They said it's usually pretty easy if it's something like transmission issues every single time. They suggested going to the BBB for now. So Jeep has shot me down, their 3rd-party arbitration has not responded in over a month despite multiple contact attempts, and the attorney says that at present, they won't take the case.

At this point, I am planning on keeping it until I pay it down to balance out market value without losing any money. The last set of flash updates did fix a number of items (although it still has a fair share of glitches, and has new glitches like the footwell vibration at idle), but I haven't had to be towed in for a good month or two now (boy that sounds pathetic). The transmission was giving me some hiccups today, although it was cold out, so I don't know if that's just due to the weather shift or what. Jeep corporate did call me back & wants me to take it in for another service trip again, although this project has eaten the rest of my vacation time, so I'll have to go in unpaid if I want to do it...my rep said that there may be a possibility of me switching the car out for a newer model of the same type at some point in the future, but wouldn't give me any concrete specifics, so I have no promise that taking it in again will be worth my time. I could also roll the dice & just send off the paperwork straight to the state to see if they'll take the 30 days in the shop+ angle, but then I'd risk only getting market value for the car & still owing a few thousand on the loan.

Very frustrating all around. Not much I can do legally at this point. The only hiccup on my part is that I didn't bend over the counter at the service desk to make sure they were typing up 100% of the issues I brought to them (I literally printed out a page with bullet points for the tech to review)...the dealer service guys would only punch in one or two of the major issues & leave it at that, based on the paperwork I received, which ended up screwing me over at the attorney review. So you have to do a CYA that way too if you're going to go after lemon law, apparently. My bad...I guess.

So, looks like I'll be keeping it until some point early next year. I'll get through winter & then figure out what to do next. Most likely just trade it in for a '17 Mustang & get some snow tires & pray I don't die

 

[NutBucket]

That blows.

To me paying down the loan doesn't work in your favor given the rate of depreciation on the car. IMHO if you can afford it I'd submit to the state and just eat the difference. Then you can lambaste FCA on "real" social media

 

[Kaido]

I'm really interested in the Bolt (238-mile EV-only) & the Honda Ridgeline (redesigned unibody for 2017), but both are first-gen products...and I've had enough first-gen products. lol.

 

[Kaido]

That blows.

To me paying down the loan doesn't work in your favor given the rate of depreciation on the car. IMHO if you can afford it I'd submit to the state and just eat the difference. Then you can lambaste FCA on "real" social media

I've thought about making a good roast video & throwing it out on Youtube. I can definitely say at this point that I will never purchase another FCA product again.

No point submitting to the state. They'll only give me market value, based on talking to people who have been through the process directly with the state. Might as well skip that & just trade it straight into a dealer for market value (plus, Hyundai offered to eat $1k of it so I'd only owe $3k, and give me the Truecar price for the Santa Fe Sport). I could just pay it off (ouch) or roll in the negative equity into a cheaper leasing option & basically just keep paying what I am now, only on a leased car for the next 3 years. Both seem dumb to me because this is Jeep's problem & they didn't take care of it in the first place. Bah.

 

[NutBucket]

That just means the Truecar price is too high. I don't trust it anymore.