Grow Up Already!

[flybye023]

I get a call from a couple of customers (husband and wife) about their grandson’s car. They bought it for him, brand new, and he’s now needing a third transmission and the car is a year old and has 29,000 miles on it. They’ve already had to pay out of pocket (non-warranty) for the two previous repairs so they can’t afford yet another repair. Also, the repair shop states the car is being raced and therefore they are refusing to cover the transmission--again--under warranty. The customer can have the transmission replaced outright—at their cost—or they can have the repair shop tear down the engine to see if issue is warranty or not which will add about $500 to the total cost. But everyone at the repair shop is 99.9% sure the car is being drag-raced and are advising the customers against the diagnostic because they really think it isn’t warranty. If it turns out to be a warranty issue though, the customers will not have to pay anything; otherwise they’re looking at $2500-$2900 repairs plus the $500 diagnostic fee.

Customers want us (on behalf of the manufacturer) to pay for it because their precious grandson (who’s 20 btw) would never race his car, besides there’s no race tracks anywhere in the county (what, like any straight stretch of road wouldn’t suffice?) This engine is defective and they want a replacement free of charge. They admit their grandson “drives hard” but they just don’t have the money.

Call ends with customer (wife, nearly in tears) repeatedly asking me to tell them what to do (read: whether to pay the $500 fee or not) I repeatedly answer with, “I can’t advise you on how to spend your money. This is your car, you are the only one who can make a decision.” Rinse, lather, repeat many, many, times.

I really felt bad during this call because the woman was obviously very distressed. What I really wanted to say was: “Okay ma’am, here’s what you should do. Make your grandson get a job and pay for the repair himself. I guarantee that you will not have this problem again.”

[rerant]

I have a better solution: take his fucking keys and throw them in a lake.

If he's rracing, and not on a designated track, he could very likely end up killing himself or someone else.
Not to mention he's costing his grandparents a butt-load of cash and causing them emotional anguish.

I don't know if your thread title was to suggest that the grandparents need to grow up, but I really think it's the grandSON who needs to mature a bit.

[flybye023]

I don't know if your thread title was to suggest that the grandparents need to grow up, but I really think it's the grandSON who needs to mature a bit.

The grandson. But really, if they didn't pay for the repairs, and made him wait to save up the money from this hypothetical job, he'd be off the road anyway.

[Foxglove8778]

he should have to take the responsibility... and maybe a beating.

[Bobsentme]

Screw the keys.

Take the entire car and throw it in a lake.

I knew someone in Highschool who got a brand new Z71 pickup.
2 weeks later, he slammed it into a telephone pole trying to race his buddy.
Almost killed his passenger.

[iradney]

My parents bought me my first car. It's second hand, and I have to pay for it's insurance, gas and upkeep. Ten years later, I'm still driving it.

I know a kid who'se parents bought them a brand new "IT" (must have gotta have blah blah blah) car. She's not responsible for any of it's expenses. She rolled it about a month later. And is now complaining coz her parents aren't buying her the NEXT "IT" car.

I want to slap her.

[Bright_Star]

So if the grandson is 20 then shouldn't he be taking care of the car himself? & just how oblivious do you have to be to think you can only race a car on a race track?

[thehippie777]

At such moments you wish you could tell them, "You're grandson is taking you for a ride...and not in the car he got from you & is abusing." I wish some people would open to eyes to see "their little darlings" are actually spoiled little bastards. If they contacted the car manufactorur & the car is being abused, they need to open their eyes. Car places don't want lemons to pop up & cause a big ol scene...lord!

[Slytovhand]

"Well - me and my colleagues have a few decades experience with these things, and we're fairly confident it will cost you about $3500. Are you so sure of your grandson to take that chance?"

[Shangri-laschild]

So if the grandson is 20 then shouldn't he be taking care of the car himself? & just how oblivious do you have to be to think you can only race a car on a race track?

Not oblivious so much as in denial that their grandson would ever race illegaly I'm sure.

[tropicsgoddess]

The grandparents should take the keys and take out the alternator and transmission (My English teacher from 7th grade had her hubby do that when their kids were teenagers to ground them.) until grandson gets a job and pays for the car. He is the one that should help take care of his grandparents, not the other way around!

[iviles]

Wow I think I know their grandson. Hes the dimwit that tryed to race the unmarked mustang the other day! Lol I love seeing these dumb kids get caught cuz they tryed to race the undercover cops lol. They need to take that silver spoon out his mouth and make him pay for it or take his "nike mobles".

[draftermatt]

Kind of OT but reminds me of a story my dad told me. My dad is a mechanic, and a friend asked him to look at his son's car that was running badly.

Dad took one look at it and found a Nitrous Oxide system (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrous) in the car (hence why it was running rough) it was a Honda with no engine mods other than the Nitrous system.

My Dad's friend was pissed off! I think he took the kids car away.

[Titchyboy]

I know a kid who'se parents bought them a brand new "IT" (must have gotta have blah blah blah) car. She's not responsible for any of it's expenses. She rolled it about a month later. And is now complaining coz her parents aren't buying her the NEXT "IT" car.

I want to slap her.

reminds me of something i overheard in the pub a few years ago. Group of posh-ish students talking

Studants #1: So did your dad get you that car?
Studdent #2: Yeah but i told him i wanted it in blue and it was red so i told him to take it back

I ended up spitting beer all over the table

[Dips]

Call ends with customer (wife, nearly in tears) repeatedly asking me to tell them what to do (read: whether to pay the $500 fee or not)

That is the saddest bit of this story. They can't make any choice without making it someone else's responsibility.

And that includes the choice to say "no" to their grandson.

Basically, they've given the entire world permission to take advantage of them.