Update on leaking differential, this is quite long!
I finally got around to doing something with my Corvette 5 weeks ago! I didn’t have the time to repair it myself. So I called the local chevy dealer in Manchester to get a ball park estimate to fix the leak. They quoted around 450 to 500 including consumables. I didn’t think that was too bad .. so I made an appointment to get it fixed by them.
Dobles Chevrolet in Manchester NH took it in on July 6th to be work on. ( It is still there today!)We both thought it would be a simple seal replacement costing around 500.00, but with my continuing great luck with this vette,, it was not to be that easy or cheap. When they got around to disassembling the rear end they found the left inner axle is pretty much trashed! The end was mostly ground off! The right axle was really still usable, but not optimal as it had a wear ring around where the seal contacts the axle. The best part GM stopped manufacturing the axles and is no longer available! It took them weeks to find a replacement left axle.
During this time frame the service advisor at Dobles was asking if I knew were to find the other axle. What he conveyed to me at the time was he needed the left axle as the right one was found. I did some searching online and found a company that claimed to have them at not only a reasonable price $199.00 each but they were in stock. I called them right away and placed an order for the left axle. I also explained me dilemma of how my car is at the dealer on lift and has been there for 2 weeks now. So I need to get these as fast as I can. He assured me (this is all happening On Friday the 15th of July ) in their words “they are in stock ready to ship and is on its way to you from Indiana as we speak”. So I return to the dealer to tell him to hold on installing the axle “left “axle back in as I have one on it’s way. Well he told me he needed the left axle, no he actually needs the right axle! AHHHhhhhhHHh! I zipped back home and called the company back and told him I need the right axle too, same promise I will have both axles by Wed the 20th of July (he didn’t say what year.)
To shorten this up ,, I still don’t have the axles from vettepartsonline in Florida. I called several times to find were they are.. All I got was excuses as to why they aren’t here.
1st call to them on Wed the 20th was “oh they were in stock but needed to be remanufactured, that didn’t happen until Monday. They were shipped Monday.” Ok fine.
2nd call on Friday the 22nd ..”Ya they really weren’t really in stock as we thought. They went out on Wed.”
3rd call on Wed the 27th (dobles is now getting very upset and wants car off lift) “ hmm they shipped out , to Manchester NY on Friday….let me look into it get back to you this afternoon..” ( No calls at all from them even on Thursday)
4th call on Friday “Yup we found them and they have been rerouted back to you. It looks like they were sent to you requiring a signature. Nobody was there to sign so they came back to us.” I have never heard of UPS or Fedex come to my house or anybody’s house with package requiring a signature that went right back after 1 attempt, besides my stepdaughter has been home babysitting all summer. She never saw anybody try to deliver any packages, period.
In my desperation to get parts ASAP and they sounded convincing ( My weak moment) I sent a check to them ASAP. Bad move on my part, from now on if they don’t take plastic, they don’t get my business, PERIOD.
I’ve sent them emails asking for tracking information status ect.. No responses at all!
So beware of this company!!
My next step is to call the attorney general in Fla. about company..the better business bureau, and whatever else I can do. Any suggestions ?
At this point it looks like I may get ripped off for 420.00!!
Oh and my vette ,sadly is still at dobles on the lift 5 weeks after I dropped it off for service.
BTW , when I get the car back it’s going on Ebay! 1992 Quasar blue ragtop with 37k miles.. I’m spending my money on a 1969 firebird convertible!
Bob
