Rant about GM's poor engineering...

[Ponch ®]

So a couple of weeks ago the driver's side window in my fairly late model Chevy daily driver stopped working. After taking apart the door panel, I figured out that it wasnt the motor...but one of the cables got tangled up inside the motor pulley assembly and snapped. So I figured, Ill just go to the dealer, buy another cable, and fix it.

I went to the dealer only to be told that a) I can't buy the cable just by itself, I have to buy the entire regulator assembly and b) that even if I did find a cable, I couldnt put it back together because it's "under pressure" and I would need special tools. So at some point (not right now - i'll get to that in a moment), I'll have to fork over $200 for the assembly and $100-$200 for the labor. All because of a snapped cable.

Since I'm a poor college student and we're right in the middle of holiday season, I can't afford that right now. So I went with a decidedly low-tech approach to ameliorate the problem of my window rolling down and not staying up. I had my brother pull the glass all the way up and hold it while I measured the distance from the bottom of the door to the the glass. My plan was to buy a piece of 1" x 2" piece of wood, cut it about 1" longer than the measurement I took (about 18") and cut a ridge in the middle of it for the glass to settle into, and wedge it between the glass and the bottom of the door. It's ghetto, I know, but I needed that window secured somehow and on the cheap.

Here's the ironic part...as I'm walking around Home Depot looking for a suitable piece of wood, I saw steel cable, very simlar to the one that snapped in the assembly, for $1/ft. So here's the point of this long post of mine - why am I going to have to spend $300 to fix the window because a $1 cable snapped? What the fiznuck are GM engineers thinking when they design this stuff? No wonder the company is going down the drain...

So right now I'm driving around with my window stuck in the "up" position. Sure, it sucks that I can't use the drive thru at Taco Bell (that's probably a blessing in disguise tho), but at least my window is secured...I'm not paranoid about parking the car when I go out, and I stayed nice and dry the last couple of days that it rained.

OK...end of rant 

any comments or candid thoughts are appreciated. 

[greenpigs]

So right now I'm driving around with my window stuck in the "up" position. Sure, it sucks that I can't use the drive thru at Taco Bell (that's probably a blessing in disguise tho),

Well, thats what ya get for driving a GM Mojo

[Ponch ®]

So right now I'm driving around with my window stuck in the "up" position. Sure, it sucks that I can't use the drive thru at Taco Bell (that's probably a blessing in disguise tho),

Well, thats what ya get for driving a GM Mojo

I know...should have stuck with Toyota. Best damn cars I ever owned. 

[1970440RT]

       I'm with you there, I could make a living off repairing the GM 6 cyl. intake manifold gasket problems.   Someone gave me a 1996 Olds about 3 yrs ago that had antifreeze in the oil.   The car had about 60,000 miles on it.   A good freind of mine worked at a Chevy garage told me that the intake gaskets failed at 50k to 70k miles on all 3.6 liters.   I replaced the gaskets, flushed the coolant and viola! an almost free car.   1 day labor plus about $120 in parts.   Overall the car is still a piece of shit but hey it was free.   Since then I have done 10 to 15 motors, all the same engine and the same problem.   On the same engine, the distributor plug gasket goes bad at about the same time.   Bad GM engineering = easy money for me.   

      I should be fair though, all manufacturers have their quirks.   Chryslers front ends and transmissions are horrendous.   Ford has driveshaft, front end and tranny problems.   Toyota brake problems.   Hyundais are just a piece of shit in general. etc etc.      

[Charger_Fan]

I agree, every make is gonna have it's weak spot. The window thing sure would suck, though.


FWIW, I've used a 2x4 inside the door before too to get by.

[Ponch ®]

      I'm with you there, I could make a living off repairing the GM 6 cyl. intake manifold gasket problems.   Someone gave me a 1996 Olds about 3 yrs ago that had antifreeze in the oil.   The car had about 60,000 miles on it.   A good freind of mine worked at a Chevy garage told me that the intake gaskets failed at 50k to 70k miles on all 3.6 liters.   I replaced the gaskets, flushed the coolant and viola! an almost free car.   1 day labor plus about $120 in parts.   Overall the car is still a piece of shit but hey it was free.   Since then I have done 10 to 15 motors, all the same engine and the same problem.   On the same engine, the distributor plug gasket goes bad at about the same time.   Bad GM engineering = easy money for me.   

      I should be fair though, all manufacturers have their quirks.   Chryslers front ends and transmissions are horrendous.   Ford has driveshaft, front end and tranny problems.   Toyota brake problems.   Hyundais are just a piece of shit in general. etc etc.      

Yeah, according to the guys at the Monte Carlo message board,the manifold gasket is still a pretty common problem on GM V6's. For some reason though, GM only issued a recall on 3.8's but not on 3.4's . go figure. Ive been lucky with that so far.

I know all manufacturers have their problems, but this is ridiculous. Put it this way: before the Monte, I drove two Toyota Corollas, which I leased brand new, one in 98 and then in 01. Drove both of them to the ground. Other than for oil changes, I NEVER, EVER even had to lift the hood and the only times they went to the shop or dealer were to replace worn brake pads and regular service.

With the Monte, so far I've had:

1) a broken water pump
2) a broken radiator (the coolant got into the tranny, etc - wasn't pretty)
3) various electrical problems (window switches gone bad, the turn signal / hazard flasher,etc.)
4) Chronic alighment/suspension problems and the common steering shaft clunking
5) bad EGR valve

and a number of small trivial shit that gives a lot of headaches. 

I dont think I'll be buying another GM car anytime soon.

[Silver R/T]

I feel sorry for ya.. yes american cars that they build right now SUCK, no wonder you see more people buying import cars cause theyre worth extra buck. this might offend someone but average American factory worker is lazy ass, they need to learn from import car builders, build quality and theyll sell US made cars much better than imports

[Silver R/T]

As far as I know GM has this problems with most of their cars especially with power windows. My friend has new buick and its power window went out, window track wore out. Have you tried searching junkyards for the part you need?

[greenpigs]

I dont think I'll be buying another GM car anytime soon.

I dunno, that Mexican heritage will make it hard not to desire a 76 Monte Carlo.

[4402tuff4u]

How about a salvage yard. You might find the part you need for the "late model" Chevy for 1/2 the price. You don't mention the year of car.

[Silver R/T]

I dont think I'll be buying another GM car anytime soon.

I dunno, that Mexican heritage will make it hard not to desire a 76 Monte Carlo.

and the part most chevies are made in Mexico and Canada

[Ponch ®]

I dont think I'll be buying another GM car anytime soon.

I dunno, that Mexican heritage will make it hard not to desire a 76 Monte Carlo.

hate to live up to the sterotype, but ive had my eye on a 75 MC that's for sale around the corner from my house. It even has the mexican flag in the center of the wheel. Still, I dont have the cash handy, and if I did, id rather spend it on fixing the charger. that still doesnt change the fact that im actually tempted by it.

How about a salvage yard. You might find the part you need for the "late model" Chevy for 1/2 the price. You don't mention the year of car.

yeah, thats what the Monte guys suggested too. Im gonna go check out the yards next weekend. If not, I can get the assembly from gmpartsdirect for $100 - basically half what I'd pay at the dealer.

Still, this guy had a pretty cool suggestion:

As for a low tech fix, go like old race cars. Attach an old seat belt to the bottom of the window glass, pull up on belt, window slides into place, tie off belt and and there you go. Worked for Carrol Shelby's race cars!!!

[ChargerBill]

Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. The hinge on my center console broke about a year ago. I went in to the parts counter and looked into buying JUST the lid. Guy said I had to buy the WHOLE console...$180. So, today I have a cool, fully convertable center console...I'm not paying $180 when the lid should be a $30 part.

I was going to suggest the salvage yard too. What model and year is this car?

[Ponch ®]

Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. The hinge on my center console broke about a year ago. I went in to the parts counter and looked into buying JUST the lid. Guy said I had to buy the WHOLE console...$180. So, today I have a cool, fully convertable center console...I'm not paying $180 when the lid should be a $30 part.

I was going to suggest the salvage yard too. What model and year is this car?

Its a 2000 Monte Carlo. I dont recall seeing many late models at the junkyards, but like someone said, GM probably uses the same assembly on a billion different cars so I'm gonna look up the PN and what models it went into, then Ill know what to look for at the yard.

[4402tuff4u]

I dont think I'll be buying another GM car anytime soon.

I dunno, that Mexican heritage will make it hard not to desire a 76 Monte Carlo.

hate to live up to the sterotype, but ive had my eye on a 75 MC that's for sale around the corner from my house. It even has the mexican flag in the center of the wheel. Still, I dont have the cash handy, and if I did, id rather spend it on fixing the charger. that still doesnt change the fact that im actually tempted by it.

How about a salvage yard. You might find the part you need for the "late model" Chevy for 1/2 the price. You don't mention the year of car.

yeah, thats what the Monte guys suggested too. Im gonna go check out the yards next weekend. If not, I can get the assembly from gmpartsdirect for $100 - basically half what I'd pay at the dealer.

Still, this guy had a pretty cool suggestion:

As for a low tech fix, go like old race cars. Attach an old seat belt to the bottom of the window glass, pull up on belt, window slides into place, tie off belt and and there you go. Worked for Carrol Shelby's race cars!!!

  Dude, I laughing because it's a good idea, but it's down hill from there bud. I just see it - next thing to go is your car seats. You'll be yanking the seats out and putting in the sofa in!

[Ponch ®]

  Dude, I laughing because it's a good idea, but it's down hill from there bud. I just see it - next thing to go is your car seats. You'll be yanking the seats out and putting in the sofa in!

its no worse than wedging a piece of wood inside the door...and at least the window would be functional. Taco Bell, here i come!

[ChargerBill]

I drove a '78 Blazer for 2 years without a functional drivers window...it IS NOT fun at all. Drive thru's were the worst...trying to get close enough to hand money but far enough away to open the door...pathetic.   I like the seatbelt idea, and I understand the starving student situation...do it man, it's the only good solution for now. I'll look at my JY next time I'm there for the part...

[Charger_Fan]

Its a 2000 Monte Carlo. I dont recall seeing many late models at the junkyards...

Around here, there's boneyards that deal strictly in late model cars...down to say 1998. They mainly sell to bodyshops & used car lots I think, but they also will sell to the public.

I like the Shelby race car idea.

[Silver R/T]

check out this site
www.spaldings.com they might have part you need

[Silver R/T]

also try www.car-part.com

[6pkrunner]

Watch youe toyota also. A friend at work had a pickup that snapped the forward emergency brake cable. He couldn't buy just the cable. It comes as an "assembly" and the whole foot mecahnism/release/forward cable is the unit. They wanted $195 for the unit. This was several years ago. He dumped the truck and never got another Toyota.
As far as I'm concerned, all manufacturers are guilty of the same BS. Too many pieces are sold as assemblies to maximize profits from the consumer after the point of sale.

[PocketThunder]

Ever try to replace spark plug #8 on a 1980's Caprice?  I had to do it all the time when i was a kid working for my Dad in his shop.  What a bitch that was.  I wanted to meet the engineer that designed that one  .....

[nh_mopar_fan]

I'd be shocked if you couldn't find it in a boneyard somewhere.

[TK73]

fiznuck

[Ponch ®]

fiznuck

i dont want to upset Uncle Troy.