1997 Kia Sportage
I bought my car (used) just over a year ago. Since then, it’s spent a full
FIVE AND A HALF MONTHS in the shop. No, I’m not kidding. It’s a ’97 with
just under 48,000 miles on it – we wondered why it had such low mileage,
and I think I’ve figured it out. Let’s see, what’s been replaced? Two
weeks after I bought it, it went back to the dealership to have several
things replaced under warranty – the rear defroster, the power steering
pump, and the muffler. I know I’m forgetting something that was replaced,
but I can’t remember what. It took over a month to get my car back –
thankfully the dealership paid for my rental car after we hassled them
about it. I got the car back at the beginning of February, and it was fine
until the middle of May, when it started shaking horribly and the check
engine light came on. The repair shop changed the spark plugs, and it was
back to normal – until I drove out of the shop, when it started shaking
the same way. I immediately took it back in to the shop – a month and a
half (and $1800) later, I had my car back, with new oxygen sensors and
fuel injectors. Everything was fine until the end of September, when it
started doing the shaking thing. Again. We decided not to take it back to
the same shop, since it took so long to repair last time. My parents tried
to drive it from North Carolina (where I’m in school) to a garage in
Virginia (where I’m from). It completely stopped running about 60 miles
into the trip, and they had it towed the rest of the way. I haven’t seen
it since. Practically everything in the car that can be replaced, has –
from the spark plugs to the computer. It’s now running again, but it’s
running really poorly and can’t be driven. I have no patience left! I
don’t know what to do. I can’t afford another car, and I certainly can’t
sell this one, so I’m stuck making payments on a car that I haven’t seen
in three months. ARGH!
Jennifer Holmes |
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