So you're considering a JEEP?!?
In 2010 I bought a new Jeep for just over $49,000.
It was my pride and joy for the first 10 minutes...
This car had 21 issues, including fuel line falling off (at the time of delivery at in the dealers driveway so I couldn’t even take it home),
Loss of all climate controls (twice!),
Turbo inlet manifold cracked (towtruck required),
Coolant line broke off behind the dashboard flooding the inside of the car with coolant (towtruck required),
Intermittent rain sensor (twice),
Ignition failure (towtruck required),
Intermittent starter motor issue (I recorded the issue on my camera phone and left the car at the repair centre for 50 days but they couldn’t fix it)
Drivetrain control module error (towtruck required) and Turbo inlet pipe cracked (drove the car home in limp-mode and got it temporarily fixed by a local mechanic) + a bunch of other very annoying issues.that shouldn’t occur on a new car
In 2011, After the 9th issue (and 2nd tow truck) I formally asked the Dealer to take the lemon back and provide me with a reliable vehicle or a refund.
The dealer refused and told me to take it up with Fiat Chrysler Group Australia (the importer), so I did.
Fiat Chrysler Group Australia told me they couldn't help either so I engaged the Office of the Fair Trading who also tried on my behalf to get them to do the right thing, but after no success they suggested I take legal action.
I spent the next 3 years escalating and begging for them to do the right thing, while still incurring addition issues.
I demanded a meeting and flew to Melbourne to meet with Chrysler head office where, after 2 hours of discussion about the poor performance of my vehicle, they offered me… wait for it… a free car battery!
I gave them plenty of opportunities to make things right, including emails to the Australian CEO (each request for a meeting was rejected), Directors and Service Managers, asking for help, but I guess they just thought I’d just give up
I took them to Queensland Civil and Administrative Court (QCAT), hoping we could resolve it in mediation, but they knew that QCAT can only make rulings on items of under $25k so they stuck to a low-ball buy back offer and the hearing was dismissed.
I refused to sell my problem to someone else, so with nowhere else to go, I decided to start a campaign to DESTROY MY JEEP.
People everywhere jumped on board to get involved and to tear my Jeep apart using crowbars, hammers, steel-tipped arrows and large excavators .
I had two lobby groups join me in my fight to see the law reviewed and updated to protect all Australians (we need a “lemon law” like the one that’s been in place in the USA for over 35 years!)
We met with Treasury, the ACCC and various other government officials to raise awareness for a review of the law (and an investigation into companies that are ignoring the current law).
So there you have it.
My Jeep is now nothing but a burned pile of rubble but that doesn't mean we should stop.
If we can get Fiat Chrysler Group Australia to start issues seriously it will help all other Jeep owners.
Likewise, if we can get the government to review the Australian Consumer Law, it’s going to help ALL Australians who buy a new car.
DON'T HOLD BACK? YOU BETCHA!
www.destroymyjeep.com