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#150955 - 12/12/03 07:59 PM thermostat
JR Offline
Junior Member
Registered: 10/31/03
Posts: 4
Loc: Deltona, Florida
Hey guys, just a warning: I bought & installed one of the 160 degree thermostat's for my 04 GTP & it set a check engine code. Took it to the dealer (have 900 mile's on it) they found the non-factory thermostat,replaced it with stock & charged me $129.00 !!!!! Fixed the check engine code but sure was an expensive thermostat!!!!
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#150956 - 12/13/03 03:28 PM Re: thermostat
BryantGTP Offline
Member
Registered: 03/26/03
Posts: 2481
Loc: Franklin, MA
They took you to town. No way out?

The typical dealership to consumer relationship:


Sounds like something the stealership I have to go to would do. That's one thing I can't stand about my area. The Chevy dealership said they won't look at my car. They're the only good one around.
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#150957 - 12/15/03 03:31 PM Re: thermostat
vortec4200 Offline
Member
Registered: 05/02/02
Posts: 136
Loc: Sterling Heights, MI
Not to be an ass, but what did you expect them to do? You had a trouble code, they found the problem, and fixed it. I would guess the part was $20, and labor $100 ?? Yeah it's steep but that's the dealership for you.
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#150958 - 03/02/04 01:00 PM Re: thermostat
why2kmax Offline
Member
Registered: 05/01/03
Posts: 589
Loc: Bel Air Maryland
I always have the service guy call with what is wrong and a price once they find the problem. that way things like that dont happen. I dont know about the 04 GTP but my 00 thermo is a breeze to change. 10-15 min and Im done.

Your problem sounds like its the same as on my 00, the PCM isnt seeing the car heat up FAST enough so it throws a code, and I have a 180 tstat. My car was doing it intermittantly depending on the temperature outside so I took it to a dealer and asked them to check it for me.

ZZP has an ESTAT module now that takes care of this but still allows the gauge to read properly. Its on my to do list

http://www.zzperformance.com/zzp/products/electrical/estat.htm
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2000 GTP Coupe traded for a 2004 GTO
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#150959 - 03/02/04 08:50 PM Re: thermostat
Adam S. Offline
Member
Registered: 02/19/04
Posts: 678
Loc: Milwaukee, Wi
I'm thinking they charged $70.00 or so for the diagnostic scan, $15.00 for the thermostat and seal, and maybe $20-30 to install it. It figures out OK, I guess. Unfortunately, that's how the repair business works. Sometimes the "checking it out" part is more expensive than the repair itself. But, I would think they would've called you first telling you what was wrong, knowing that you put the thermostat in in the first place.
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Adam Smittkamp
ACS Automotive Service, Inc.
*Your ACDelco Headquarters*
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#150960 - 03/03/04 12:17 PM Re: thermostat
Adam S. Offline
Member
Registered: 02/19/04
Posts: 678
Loc: Milwaukee, Wi
What I'm saying is that I think you got a fair shake. It can take up to an hour, sometimes more to figure out certain drivability problems. The diagnostic time is necessary to figure out what the problem is. Their labor rate is probably $65-85 an hour, plus the price of the part and any coolant that needed to be added. Like I tell others; if the labor rate seems high, then call one of the manufacturers and ask them to engineer these things better, so they're easier to service. Not that the thermostat is a hard job on a 3.8, but on an average, almost any service work on most cars these days is a pain in the ass, to be honest. Just like if you take your VCR in for a problem, there will be a charge for time needed to check it out. If there was no charge for this, everyone would just have the experts figure out their problems for free, and do the repair themselves. I just want you guys to realize how it is on the other side!...
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Adam Smittkamp
ACS Automotive Service, Inc.
*Your ACDelco Headquarters*
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#150961 - 03/05/04 08:18 PM Re: thermostat
why2kmax Offline
Member
Registered: 05/01/03
Posts: 589
Loc: Bel Air Maryland
I have to agree. When the dealer checked my check engine light (that was thrown by my 180 thermo) it took them about 20-30 min to figure out exactly that it was the Pcm not seeing the car heat up quickly enough. Im sure they could have said THERMOSTAT but they wanted to know why and to what extent since when the weather would heat up the code wouldnt show or it would go away. or something like that. They went through a whole series of tests with the tech-II etc. Fortunately for me they told me what it was and didnt charge me a dime.
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2000 GTP Coupe traded for a 2004 GTO
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#150962 - 03/06/04 10:41 AM Re: thermostat
Adam S. Offline
Member
Registered: 02/19/04
Posts: 678
Loc: Milwaukee, Wi
You must have caught someone in a good mood that day at the dealership! There's not too many places who will do that, especially if the cause ends up being something other than the car's fault. I'd stay with them; they treated you well. But, I agree with the others to a point. The dealers will try and get every nickel and dime out of you when they can; but remember, they have to charge for their time, just like anyone else would for a service.
_________________________
Adam Smittkamp
ACS Automotive Service, Inc.
*Your ACDelco Headquarters*
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#150963 - 03/06/04 11:01 AM Re: thermostat
Bryan R Offline
Member
Registered: 02/08/03
Posts: 309
Loc: Portland
Be glad you don't have a grand am with the Quad4. When I went to change the thermostat, I was expecting a 5 minute jobby, like the GP. Then I found out I have to put the car on a ramp, remove the lower hose, and REMOVE THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD!!! The thermostat is in the back of the water pump, which is tucked behind the exhaust manifold out of view and out of reach. I was like, heeeeeeeeeell no. So I did the flush the long tedious way. And I coulndn't reach the drain plug unless I removed the fan, and that took a lot of elbow grease trying to clear the intake manifold removing the fan....

cheers
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#150964 - 03/06/04 06:47 PM Re: thermostat
Adam S. Offline
Member
Registered: 02/19/04
Posts: 678
Loc: Milwaukee, Wi
Nothing's easy on a Quad 4. Better get away from that thing soon... smile
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Adam Smittkamp
ACS Automotive Service, Inc.
*Your ACDelco Headquarters*
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