Sad trip report to pick up my pre-owned Mag

**Bornagainultimatum** · 11-12-2006, 03:55 PM

I took a 600 mile flight yesterday to pick up my '05 Mag RT AWD I located on the internet. I had done the CarFax research, checked the VIN against a local Dodge dealer service database, and reviewed various posts on the forum. After a two hour flight, the dealer saleperson picked me up at the airport and took me to pick up my Mag. The car was beautiful, just the way I dreamed it would be. After a complete walk-around, we jumped in for a quick test drive. The vehicle was super quiet and felt really tight. Acceleration from thge Hemi was strong and smooth. No shutter, no vibration, no binding, no strange sounds, just quiet power. I tested all of the electronics and the options. No problems with any of it. Jumped out of the Hemi and went in to sign the paperwork so I could begin my ten hour drive home. Signed all the paperwork. Verified that the car was Dodge Pre-owned Certified and had all of the basic and extended warranty coverage. All was good. After saying thank you and goodbye, I programmed the Navigation system with my home address and hit the road.
Ten miles down the highway, I am telling my wife how great the car runs when I look in the review mirror and see clouds of blue smoke trailing behind! My heart sinks, I hang up abruptly on my wife and take a U-turn to the dealership. The smoke stops on the way back. I pull up in the dealership and am directed to the service bays which are normally closed on Saturday afternoon. A lone Mercedes tech is on duty. I ask them to put the car on the lift and I notice fluid (trans fluid) on the bottom of the transpan, the exhaust and the crossmember. THe tech changes out the electronic module on the side of the trans. "We see this all the time with our Mercedes products", he says. He cleans off the fluid from the chassis parts, lets the car down and refills the trans fluid. He checks and fills the engine oil. I ask him to pull some of the plugs and check for fouling, fearing that the blue smoke might also indicate oil leaking into the combustion chambers. The plugs look good. Fire the Hemi up and just like before, no vibration, no missing, no taps or knocks and no hesitation. I tell the salesman to take it for a test drive. He comes back in 15 minutes and reports no smoke or problems. Not satisfied, I crawl under the mag and see small amounts of wetness on the trans pan again. Oh No. Man I need to book a flight home because I see I won't be driving home today. I am heartbroken! The tech verifies some other undetermined "leak from the rear trans seal or somewhere". I tell them to keep the car. I will fly home. They can fix it right under warranty and ship it to me. A long flight and a missed connection later and I am home again with no Mag and no smiles. Please Lord, let the needed repairs be minor and let them fix it right; but not my will but Thy will be done Lord!
More later...

**Hemi31** · 11-12-2006, 04:19 PM

That stinks.Buying a car off the internet is always somewhat risky no matter how much you check.Good luck getting it fixed and shipped to you.

**DannyC** · 11-12-2006, 04:39 PM

I got lucky. I've been looking for a 96 Caprice wagon or Blazer or Trial Blazer for quite awhile. I wanted a vehicle to pull a motorcycle trailer. While on Autotrader.com I found my Mag. And the best part, it was right down the road 20 miles. It was a '06 Magnim SXT with 16000 miles. It drifted a little while driving but figured it was a alignment thing.

After putting 2000 miles on it I am still very satisfied that I got it for $18,000.

I put a tow hitch, Eibach Pro kit on front only, 18" RT wheels and Firestone 245-55 tires, Fender skirts, Tinted front glass, did away with the resignator, K&N air filter.

**LowGo** · 11-12-2006, 05:07 PM

Sorry to hear about the problems. Especially since you had to travel so far for the car. I hope it turns out to be a simple fix.

**95ttoplt1** · 11-12-2006, 05:22 PM

Ah that sucks but at least it happened at the dealer and not halfway home. Hope you get it fixed and egt it soon.

**Slick Magnum** · 11-12-2006, 06:35 PM

You did the right thing. If it was me, I woulda drove it home a prob be stuck on the side of the road.

**stroguy** · 11-12-2006, 08:05 PM

Tranny leak hunh? Sorry about the misery, better luck getting her fixed.

Randy

**thewagon** · 11-12-2006, 09:25 PM

damn! Nothing worse than getting kicked in the nuts when you should be caressed.

hope alls well the next time out.

**Ghostface Mag** · 11-12-2006, 09:51 PM

Sorry to hear..Hope everything works out...

**Meister** · 11-12-2006, 10:01 PM

It truly sounds as though the problems are minor.

And your prayers were heard and honored before you even uttered them, bornagaintoo. You were being watched over when the seal let go that close to the dealership and there was a tech available on a Saturday afternoon.

Further small seeps or weeps of fluid can & will be gladly taken care of by your nearest dealer back home.

Time to start appreciating your lovely new automobile.

(And don't drive home all tensed up - simply relax and enjoy the drive, knowing that any little glitches that may show up will be promptly remedied at no cost to you.

)

**Bornagainultimatum** · 11-13-2006, 03:04 AM

ALL:
Thanks for the kind sympathy and caring encouragement shown on this thread. I really feel hopeful based on what all of you have written in replies. A special thanks to you Meister for reminding me to rejoice in all things for all things work together for good...

I am trusting that I will have my car next week and that it will give me many years of safe, reliable, and satisfying ownership.

**sugar-tj** · 11-13-2006, 03:12 AM

welcome from new jersey, hope the car is fixed right the first time....

**Ella C SRT** · 11-13-2006, 03:15 AM

I would have jumped at getting a hotel room faster than a flight home. Then again, I'm another of the stubborn ones. Something tells me she'll be good to go VERY soon. This should make the (joy)ride home all the more worthwhile... Enjoy it! :D

**Bornagainultimatum** · 11-13-2006, 03:21 AM

Here is a small pic of the almost new beauty. I can't wait to get her home. They are going to send her via a car transport company. I'll take her straight to my local Dodge dealership for a thorough going over before I put her through the paces and bring her to her new home.