Pontiac pukes in Pontiac. Pontiac performs philanthropy.

[Ultra150]

About two weeks ago on my way to the GFS Food Show in Novi, Mi. For me, a 200 mile trip, one way. I was southbound on I-75 in Pontiac when upon going to downshift from 6th to 5th gear, right as the lever went into neutral, I heard a LOUD bang. I coasted and listened with the clutch engaged. Nothing. I put the lever into 6th gear. Seemed ok. I dis-engaged the clutch. We have warp drive, Captain. Everything seemed fine. I listened intently for the rest of the ride and there might have been an almost imperceptable whine coming from under the car, but I wasn't sure. After about 15 more miles on the expressway I came to my exit and as I went to downshift I had no clutch. The pedal went straight to the floor. I slipped into neutral and rolled to the stop sign. Little wisps of smoke coming from under the hood. I pumped the clutch pedal, engaged second gear and got to my destination. Upon getting there, I discovered I had NO reverse whatsoever. I have had the car for less than 3 years, but the car has 48,000 miles on it. Warranty ended at 36,000 miles. At 4,000 miles I did report to my dealer that I felt the car did not go into and engage certain gears easily. I figured it was the clutch, they checked that and said it was within spec.

I wasn't feeling very good about things.

Next day, gingerly drive car to Jim Fresard Pontiac in Royal Oak, Michigan. I tell them what happened. They tell me it is $600 to drop the tranny and have a look. I have $200 dollars. I tell them about my gear engagement complaint from delivery and tell them I am going to be seeking help from Pontiac in covering this as I know it was not driver related. They tell me they need my permission to open it up and find out what is going on. I give the order and leave for the food show.

After the food show, I go back to the dealer. The tranny is in pieces on the workbench. A bearing on the shaft that holds 5th, 6th and reverse failed. <bang> The heat that generated from the resultant friction boiled the tranny and clutch fluids, hence, no clutch at the exit last night. The spinning shaft, sans bearing, ground the hole in the casing into a larger and slightly less than perfect circle. The aluminum shavings from this recent rebore had permeated the entire trans. What we have here, gentlemen, is a lot of expensive paperweights.

I am overjoyed.

As I returned, the service manager, mechanic and service department head were in conference. They all agreed based on examining the clutch and shift forks that the tranny had not been abused. The mechanic flatly delared this was mechanical failure not driver related. They contacted Pontiac's warranty rep but he was out of the office until the next morning. They told me they couldn't say what would happen but that Pontiac was really trying to rebuild customer relations lately and that there was some hope they might help cover the cost of the parts. Upon examining what that would be we quickly concluded a new transmission was going to be cheaper. I was barely able to contain my enthusiasm.

It was a dark and stormy night in Ultra's world.

Next morning about 10:00 a.m. I get a phone call from Randy at Jim Fresard. He tells me in the flatest of monotones that Pontiac insists I pay...... <insert impossibly long silence> $100 deductable.

$100.

After almost choking up, I told him it was a deal. He said the mechanic suggested I put a clutch in it as it would need one in 20,000 to 30,000 miles anyway and I agreed that was a good idea.

I hung up and felt the floor lower itself about 6 inches below the soles of my shoes. Try as I might, I could not touch it for the rest of the day.

10 days of loaner car and $800 later and my GTO has a brand new tranny. I think my next car might be a Pontiac.

8)

[LAMRONH]

Someone at Pontiac has learned the maxim Penny Wise and Pound Foolish still applies.
Good for them. Customers who come back bring other customers with them.
Customers you jerk around will tell 100 more people before they're done.

[Slack]

That's amazing. Congrats.

[Ultra150]

Originally Posted by Slack

That's amazing. Congrats.

I felt that way when they told me.

[darndot]

I am glad to be a new member have something good to say about their repairs. It is few and far between. Good luck, and may this fix your problem.

[mjdart]

I really like hearing that , I've had 3 Pontiacs and with that kind of support I'll put another in the garage.

[01cavalier]

Nice! This is the kind of stuff that keeps customers, and I'm glad to hear about it.

[biscool12]

my mom's 2002 yukon's tranny died at 40,000 miles - so out of warranty. The dealer covered most of it - not sure of the dealer, but it was in SE michigan.

[paul8488]

Hey glad to hear your story man! Sounds like some delaers are aware of how important good service is... also sounds like you made things easy for them, as you didn't go in arms flailing, screaming and yelling for this or that. Glad to hear your car will be back in like-new shape again! Enjoy! Oh, and you owe us a pic!

BTW, good thing you mentioned at the end that it was a GTO... I thought maybe it was a Vibe GT

[Chaz_23]

Good story about great service and terrible Holden quality. I sure hope that in the meantime, for the G8, they've figured out how to build cars.

[MCGARRETT]

Well realistically, the transmisson is not a Holden transmisson, it is made by a supplier, I forget who does the one on the GTO's now. But I too have noticed an improvement in customer relations at Pontiac dealerships, I took our 2005 G6 GT to the dealer for the first time since the early G6 harmonic balancer recall, I needed to upgrade the OnStar to the digital network and the service airbag light was comming on intermitently and the panoramic roof was rattling over bumps and there was some soft trim comming apart, I was ready for the typical, "we cant duplicate it" or "they all do that" story, but no, everything was fixed, the sunroof rattles were 80% removed, and they said that it would get better when missing part that they ordered comes in next week, they fixed the airgbag light replaced the trim, and they even fixed another flaw with the car that I had not even noticed, they even gave a loaner for the 4 days that the car was in, and I get a loaner for the 2 or so days that I need to drop it off to replace a part in the panoramic roof.

[Chaz_23]

Regardless, even if GM/Holden outsource the entire car, they are still putting their badge on it, and they are responsible for ensuring that the product they get is up to quality standards-assuming they have any. The customers who put up with lousy products are not going to search for who in fact built what but are going to immediately blame GM and no one else.

[JeffInDFW]

The transmission in this car is the T-56. It was originally made by Borg Warner, but is now Tremec. It was first designed for the Dodge Viper, then used by GM in the 4th gen Z28 and Trans Am. I own a Viper, and have had 5 F-bodies with this transmission. It is considered by most in the drag race community to be a very stout piece. I have never broken one, and I pull the wheels when I launch. I've had at least one car in my garage with this transmission since 1993. I have opened one of them up to replace a bent shift fork caused by my repeated power shifting into 3rd too hard. I was VERY impressed once I got the case open. Very well engineered, with excellent internals. It is an expensive piece, however. GM gave the T56 to the Camaro/Firebird, and Ford gave the Mustang GT the T5.

[vt6banger]

Originally Posted by Chaz_23

Good story about great service and terrible Holden quality. I sure hope that in the meantime, for the G8, they've figured out how to build cars.

way to jump to conclusions there Chaz

[demonspeed]

Most GM dealers can offer you help on components after your 3/36 is up.
Think of the place that resales your used clothes and furniture.

Originally Posted by JeffInDFW

The transmission in this car is the T-56. It was originally made by Borg Warner, but is now Tremec. It was first designed for the Dodge Viper, then used by GM in the 4th gen Z28 and Trans Am. I own a Viper, and have had 5 F-bodies with this transmission. It is considered by most in the drag race community to be a very stout piece. I have never broken one, and I pull the wheels when I launch. I've had at least one car in my garage with this transmission since 1993. I have opened one of them up to replace a bent shift fork caused by my repeated power shifting into 3rd too hard. I was VERY impressed once I got the case open. Very well engineered, with excellent internals. It is an expensive piece, however. GM gave the T56 to the Camaro/Firebird, and Ford gave the Mustang GT the T5.

One thing to note than the Viper has tougher internals than the F-body T56. The only Mustang to have the T56 from the factory was the 03/04 Cobra. Ford dropped the T5 in 96 (IIRC) and went to the T45, and then replaced that in 01 with the Tremec 3650.