Just wanted to check in

[strizay]

Hey guys. I've already posted once before I came to this forum, so I thought I would introduce myself. I just picked up my Arctic white '02 sedan Friday. For some reason I was stuck on getting an Alero then I happened to come across a dealership that had 2, the other was dark green with a pinstripe that ended in a cactus. I instantly fell in love with the white one. I paid for it before I even took it for a test drive. It has the 3400 engine with around 72,000 miles. I paid $7,500 with tax and all that. I probably paid too much huh?
When I brought it home Friday I was backing out of the driveway and notice a lot of water on the ground where the car was sitting. I didn't think too much of it at first because I didn't want to believe that something was wrong with my new car. Then Saturday I was going to the store and the coolant light came on. I put some water in and it began to leak from off center close to the passenger side head light under the bumper. Could this be the LIM that I have been reading about? It still has the 100% 30 day / 1000 mile warranty so the dealer would be able to do something about it. I'm just afraid he's going to use Stop leak.
What would you guys recommend that I do? Reading through the archives it seems most of you have a lot of experince with these cars. I will check tomorrow to see if I have oil in the coolant or the other way around. Another thing, I have read on here that DexCool is still ok to use and also that it's not. I was wondering which one is correct. If it's not safe to use because it ruins gaskets, would the dealer flush it then replace it with green if I ask him?

[pimpalero2003]

im not for sure on that but the month or 1000 miles here is just for powertrain not bumper to bumper read all the stuff they gave you should have something that states what the warrenty covers
but congrats on the car

[cavaliers60]

Could probably either be the hose running from the water pump, or the water pump itself. My stock water pump went out at around 70,000 miles. Put some more water in it, run the engine a little and then look to see where it's leaking.... If it's the water pump, it's an easy and CHEAP fix. Like $25 max.

[cavaliers60]

As a dealership, they should have found that problem and fixed it... Whether or not the warrenty covers it, you can probably talk them into fixing it for free, or just fix it yourself...

[NjRef511]

Hey guys. I've already posted once before I came to this forum, so I thought I would introduce myself. I just picked up my Arctic white '02 sedan Friday. For some reason I was stuck on getting an Alero then I happened to come across a dealership that had 2, the other was dark green with a pinstripe that ended in a cactus. I instantly fell in love with the white one. I paid for it before I even took it for a test drive. It has the 3400 engine with around 72,000 miles. I paid $7,500 with tax and all that. I probably paid too much huh?
When I brought it home Friday I was backing out of the driveway and notice a lot of water on the ground where the car was sitting. I didn't think too much of it at first because I didn't want to believe that something was wrong with my new car. Then Saturday I was going to the store and the coolant light came on. I put some water in and it began to leak from off center close to the passenger side head light under the bumper. Could this be the LIM that I have been reading about? It still has the 100% 30 day / 1000 mile warranty so the dealer would be able to do something about it. I'm just afraid he's going to use Stop leak.
What would you guys recommend that I do? Reading through the archives it seems most of you have a lot of experince with these cars. I will check tomorrow to see if I have oil in the coolant or the other way around. Another thing, I have read on here that DexCool is still ok to use and also that it's not. I was wondering which one is correct. If it's not safe to use because it ruins gaskets, would the dealer flush it then replace it with green if I ask him?


Run. That 30 day/1000 mile warranty is useless. I had one when I first bought my car, had to replace my lifters on my own because the warranty was written as to where it literally covered nothing. And yes, you paid wayyyy too much for that car. A dealer around here had an '04 GL Coupe w/41000 miles on it for 7000.

[cavaliers60]

mine was a 2000 coupe with the 3400.... I paid 10,600 for it. lol

[jayson_waltz]

$4000 for my 99' 2.4 sedan.

[troyertrain]

wow, umm are you serious you paid for a car BEFORE you even took it for a spin? maybe if you took it for a spin before you signed the papers you would have found the leak and decided against purchasing the car.

[strizay]

I'm hoping that it is just the water pump. My neighbor and I checked it out today and couldn't figure out where the leak was coming from because of all of the support or whatever under the car. I'm sure the guys I bought it from will check it out Monday. It was an actual Oldsmobile dealership. They just sale really nice used cars. After they fix what is wrong I want to bring it to another shop to have them check to see if the work was actually done. And that these guys didn't just drop some Stop Leak. It's kind of strange now that I think about it. The car sat in the show room the day I picked it up and there wasn't a puddle or anything under the car. Then after I took it for a test drive it sat there for another 45 minutes and still nothing. It seems like it just started this after I got it home. Another thing I noticed today, is that it sounds like the front brakes are grinding whenever I slow down to a stop sign or light. They said they replace the front tires, brakes and rotors. I just want them to look at it right now to see what they have to say, then bring it to another shop.

[Gr1m]

Another thing I noticed today, is that it sounds like the front brakes are grinding whenever I slow down to a stop sign or light. They said they replace the front tires, brakes and rotors. I just want them to look at it right now to see what they have to say, then bring it to another shop.
well your front tires wouldnt cause a squeaking noise, so they are just milking you for money there unless you actually need tires. i would jack up the car and check the meat left on your pads, sometimes its just dust inbetween the rotor and pads, other times you need to replace the pads. if you wait too long to take care of it, the pads will warp your rotors and you will need to get them "cut" which is where they level out the surface area of the rotors so they make complete contact with the pads.

also i paid 8,100 for my 2001 3400sedan with 65k miles on it

[strizay]

It's not a squeaking noise, it's more of a soft grinding. They said they replaced the front tires, brakes and rotors already and they inspected it Friday. I was pricing rotors and the drilled slotted rotors aren't that expensive. What kind of pads, plugs and oil do you recommend? I know 5-30 right, but what brand? Full synthetic or dino.

[Cliff8928]

wow, umm are you serious you paid for a car BEFORE you even took it for a spin? maybe if you took it for a spin before you signed the papers you would have found the leak and decided against purchasing the car.

Heh, I'm not alone. I didn't even see mine before i signed the papers...

[Daytona]

Welcome aboard/back!

[tonyboi261]

a soft grinding is normal usually from some dirt but if it gets worse definately check your pads

[strizay]

They picked it up today and towed it back to their shop so I wouldn't have to drive it. They made good on their word and said they would repair anything that's broke. He wasn't too worried if it was the LIM because he said he has repaird them before. But he's hoping it's something easy like the water pump or a hose. The grinding is from the rotors being rusted from the car sitting out in the rain. He's going to put on some new ones for me, he already said that much. Thanks alot guys. I'm glad to be here. I just ordered a set of grand am gt mirrors from ebay. Paid about $62.50 for a set. Please tell me that I got the right ones. These are similar to the set I ordered. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/PONTIAC-GRAND-AM-SE-GT-SIDE-VIEW-DOOR-POWER-MIRROR-RH_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33649QQihZ019QQitemZ 290145205605QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

[steve-o]

Heh, I'm not alone. I didn't even see mine before i signed the papers...

yours was brand new. :p

[strizay]

The dealership where I bought my Alero took it back to fix it Mon. They looked up and down and can't see where the leak is coming from. So they took it to a GM dealership to get their opinion. They gave me a crappy early model neon to drive in the meanwhile. Man, it is embarassing to be seen in that thing. I hope I get my car back soon. How long would you guys wait if a this happened to you before you asked for your money back?

[cavaliers60]

Have them feel around the water pump to see if coolent is leaking around there...

[strizay]

I'm going to call them first thing in the morning to see what's up. And if I still have to drive a loaner car, I am definitely getting rid of this neon.