I am writing this as a warning to any parent or buyer - Nascardad
I am writing this as a warning to any parent or buyer looking for a reliable vehicle. We purchased a Chevrolet Equinox from Cole and Blake at Atwater Chevrolet on 6/17/24. We were told, "I would buy this for my wife" by the sales person. Instead, this car has been a recurring safety disaster that has twice left a young woman stranded alone in dangerous conditions.
The Timeline of a Nightmare:
The 4-Month Mark (Oct 2024): Only four months after purchase, the engine failed on I-94 near Minneapolis, leaving a young woman alone on a busy highway at night. While Atwater replaced the timing chain at no charge (to be fair), this was clearly just a "band-aid" for a catastrophic underlying problem.
Maintenance & Misrepresentation: We’ve invested over $4,000 in new parts and changed the oil every 2,800 miles. At the time of sale, there was NO indication or disclosure of the severe oil consumption issues known to plague these engines. We were sold a vehicle with a fundamentally compromised engine.
The Second Catastrophe (Dec 2025): Just before Christmas, the nightmare repeated. On a freezing morning between Duluth and St. Cloud, the rear main seal and block blew out, dumping oil across the road and leaving a young woman stranded in the cold in a terrifyingly unsafe location.
The Current Situation (Jan 8, 2026):
The car is back at Atwater, and the lack of accountability is staggering. Do you truly want the hassel when buying a car.
Atwater is demanding tear-down fees just to "investigate" the failure of this Chevy Equinox.
THE WARRANTY IS WORTHLESS: TRULY, SAVE YOUR MONEY. This Value Max warranty is absolutely worthless. Despite the catastrophic failure, the warranty company claims it is "not their issue." They are a horrible company to deal with—their "protection" the truly if you read all the fine print truly covers very little.
Financial Burden: We are currently bleeding $500 a week in rental fees while paying a large loan on a vehicle that is currently worth nothing. This $500 a week could be spent on the loan but it is not as the Dealership is blaming the Warranty company.
Final Verdict:
No parent should ever have to worry about their child being stranded on a dark, freezing highway. Between a dealership that sold a known "oil burner" and is now ghosting us, and a warranty company that refuses to help, we have been left with no choice but to involve an attorney.
BUYER BEWARE: Avoid Atwater Chevrolet and Value Max warranties at all costs. They do not stand behind what they sell beware of buying from this dealer.
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