Dealing with previous owners crap...

JimInRadfordVA

Original poster
Member
Feb 29, 2016
195
Radford, VA
I picked up my 2005 TB a few months ago and have finally been getting around to doing some clean-up on it. One of the things I noticed was that at some point, someone installed an auxiliary air horn set.

They spliced into the OEM horn circuit for actuation, and ran the compressor power off the battery. Here's the battery connection:

5N99OeE.jpg


For the sake of all that's holy, why did they scrape the insulation away, part the wires, and shove the horn power wire into the bundle? The damn power feed terminal was 3" away!! I have it wrapped for now, but I'll order another cable. If I ever find the guy, I'm going to punch him in the throat.

The horn set was toast, so I tossed it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kickass audio

HARDTRAILZ

Moderator
Nov 18, 2011
49,665
You mean that is not the right way
 
  • Like
Reactions: Blckshdw and C-ya

C-ya

Member
Aug 24, 2012
1,098
I teach 9th grade Earth Science. I look like that alot.

I remember liking that class! Mine was Earth/Space Science. Maybe I liked the "space" part better.
 

JimInRadfordVA

Original poster
Member
Feb 29, 2016
195
Radford, VA
I remember liking that class! Mine was Earth/Space Science. Maybe I liked the "space" part better.
Yeah, it's full course name is Earth and Space Science. I tell my students that I took up a lot of space in high school. :wink:

The "space" part is the most interesting and has the most up-to-date material available.
 
  • Like
Reactions: C-ya

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
We should make this a sticky thread.

When I bought the 9-7x, the previous owner said that the tires were good but just needed to be balanced. 3 attempts at balancing later, replaced them with a nice set of Bridgestone RFTs. Other crap? He put a lift on it and one of the fuel tank straps was bent to shit with a bunch of dried mud everywhere. This is an AWD Saab, not a 4x4. And just recently, I replaced the fuel pump module. What did I find inside? A half assed job where he replaced just the pump inside the module. Although it was working, the module line sprung a leak and the pump was just loud. Did I also mention that I had to replace my rear differential because MR. DUFUS can't tighten a pinion lock bolt correctly, where it eventually worked itself out and, well, you can imagine the rest. I also know he works at Honda because I found his security badge.
 

JimInRadfordVA

Original poster
Member
Feb 29, 2016
195
Radford, VA
This being my first TB, I'm only now realizing that some stuff is missing: core support brace over the battery, plastic close-out over the radiator, several screws, etc. Looks like it took a minor hit in the front with a lot of plastic damage. They took off what they could and slapped the rest back on. When I went to R&R the radio, I found several dash/trim screws missing -- someone's been there before.

I'm not complaining, though. I got it cheap and I really like it (other than the color - silver - which isn't a favorite.)
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
missing...plastic close-out over the radiator

That piece was either just a very early production piece (saw it on a pre-production X vinned TB) or specific to certain models, like the SS or Bravada (which is where I found mine). AFAIK, "regular" models of TBs or Envoys didn't get it. Even the 9-7x, which were the most upscale and expensive, didn't get it.
 

C-ya

Member
Aug 24, 2012
1,098
I'm missing lots of small body trim fasteners. I just noticed the front bumper cover was loose on the bottom and all five of the push-lock fasteners are missing. Silicone on the tranny fluid pan drain bolt. Silicone on the tranny cooler lines going into the radiator. (Leaks a little. I'll fix it one day...) Silicone and wedges to hold the front passenger window up as it was inop. Dealer fixed that when I bought it.

Oh, about tires? I have one that takes about 25 thousand ounces of lead. I would have never let that tire leave my shop had I installed it. I had the tires that came on it swapped for snows last winter ('14-'15) and that told me the wheel was OK as the snow tire needed a normal (small) amount of weight. After winter, I had them put the all season's back on and it had to have more weight than before. Apparently there is a bad belt in the tire as the tech had me come out and watch it. I told him to put enough weight on that I couldn't feel it since I didn't before. He did and I don't. Drive on!

Overall though, as the third owner, I really can't complain about too much. Seats and carpet were immaculate. Not so much now as I have two kids, but still not terrible for an 11 y/o truck with 170K on the clock.
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
Just bought a used truck and found something in it or something done to it that you now have to deal with? post it up here. This is to vent, make fun of and serve as a warning to others buying used vehicles as to what might lurk or surprise you. Pictures of found treasures or disasters would also be good.
 

PProph

Member
Dec 7, 2011
220
When I bought my TB the seller told me his mechanic had just changed the TC fluid and it was all good. Took it into shop for Service 4WD shortly after I bought it, guess who didn't use the right fluid.

Same backyard mechanic suggested that the oil pressure gauge wasn't working due to the oil pressure sending unit (i think?), or some such thing. I suggested to the seller that I had read about the famous cluster problem (this was one of the first things I learned about the TVs) and he assured me that this wasn't the problem. Yeah guess what the problem was (and still is I still haven't fixed that one... :biggrin: ), I also have no temp gauge (went a couple years ago) and my speedo gives me grief when the mercury dips below 0 now too. I bought the stepper motors once and they're lost in the wilderness of poor organization. I'll have to buy them again and get them done some time. In the meantime torque.

Anyways, as I'm sure most everyone here is aware, always do a once over on your vehicle (or get your mechanic or a shop you trust to) after you buy it used. I have no complaints over all, the TB has served me well over the years despite the needed fixes, I paid a good price for it and it was in pretty good shape when I bought it.
 
Mar 30, 2016
1,465
KSA
The previous owner of my Trailblazer was an Engineer at Hyundai Motors so he had the car maintained really really well. Only three things bothered me about the Trailblazer when I got it.

1. Ugly Aftermarket Mud Flaps

Mud Flaps.jpg

2. The fact he put a cheapy Sebang battery in the Trailblazer

IMG-20160417-WA0023.jpg

3. The permanently stuck Apple sticker on the Car

WP_20160426_10_03_55_Moment.jpg

How I dealt with it:

1. First thing I did when I got the TB was get rid of those mud flaps. These cars are supposed to be WILD (even when stock :tongue:)

2. The battery was done in a few weeks after I got the car. So AcDelco all the way :wooot:

3. Can't get it off. Tried WD40, using a scrapper. I am just thinking what to do next about IT :Banghead:

@GM Corporate Office

Got any Trailblazer SS in your lot!!!
 

richphotos

Member
Feb 26, 2016
298
St. Louis Park, MN
Nothing really bothered me, super clean when we got it and even better now.

One thing that confuses me is a red wire pushed into one of the 30amp fuses under the rear seat at the BCM and runs somewhere up front. I have not tracked it down all the way to see why it is like that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: $ Khalid ! 9130

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
I just bought a used CR-V. It needs a few repairs and I knew this going in. The previous owner replaced only the right front strut some time ago even though he had also bought the other side but just didn't install it. He gave it to me anyway. So I install it, no problem. Go to the right side to check things out before getting the safety. All good except for an ugly bent new tie-rod stud cotter pin, fixed. Install the tire back on and check for looseness and I had a bad clunk. Shit. Pull the tire back off, check the ball joint, good. The tie-rod is new. Then the new-ish strut, fine. WTF? Then I see it. The two strut to knuckle through bolts weren't tight! Take the nuts off, put some Blue Loctite and torque them.

Then I tackle replacing the throttle body due to an IAC valve issue. He told me that he had tried to clean it but it didn't change. Take stuff apart. One of the throttle body mounting bolts is missing! Thankfully I grabbed the extras from the donor at the yard. Then, there are also two bolts missing for the cable cover, which I also had extras.

This guy didn't strike me as mechanically endowed as he had a large stack of receipts for work he had done in the past. He didn't even do his own oil changes and he tackles these jobs? What an idiot!
 
  • Like
Reactions: $ Khalid ! 9130

northcreek

Member
Jan 15, 2012
3,310
WNY
One way to avoid such issues is to just buy a new vehicle from your friendly neighbohood GM Dealer!
We might do that, if GM would get off of it's "Arse" and put that new Trailblazer that they have been teasing us with, in the showrooms of our friendly GM dealers. :Rumour:
 
Mar 30, 2016
1,465
KSA
We might do that, if GM would get off of it's "Arse" and put that new Trailblazer that they have been teasing us with, in the showrooms of our friendly GM dealers. :Rumour:

Even if they did i doubt we GMT 360 people would buy it. It was made available here and believe me when i say it it is a POS :2thumbsup:
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
Well, I have two to talk about.

On the '07 TB, there's Velcro all over the place, the center console had a hole for a radio and the AM/FM radio antenna was cut. Found a 9mm casing and a business card. I bought this truck from a police agency so...

And the '11 Caprice had a load of sunflower seeds in the glove box. Other than that, it was all good.
 
Mar 30, 2016
1,465
KSA
:tongue:
Well, I have two to talk about.

On the '07 TB, there's Velcro all over the place, the center console had a hole for a radio and the AM/FM radio antenna was cut. Found a 9mm casing and a business card. I bought this truck from a police agency so...

And the '11 Caprice had a load of sunflower seeds in the glove box. Other than that, it was all good.

Were the sunflower seeds still good :tongue:
 

DocBrown

Member
Dec 8, 2011
501
This one is probably as much my fault as it is the previous owner. When I looked at my Sierra it was late afternoon with low sun. The truck is gray. At the time I didn't think about it. When we picked up the truck it was again late afternoon. About a week after we bought it I'm looking at the driver side and noticed the paint didn't have a truly glossy shine on the driver door and front fender. Then I noticed a slight curve in the rear passenger door. It appeared that the truck had been damaged and partially repainted at some point. Someone did a really crappy paint job.

I polished out most of it and replaced the door moldings. Someone cut in front of my wife about 1 1/2 years ago and the body shop polished the fender to like new condition. So now it looks decent, but had I paid more attention I might not have bought it.
 

Medic3166

Member
Mar 26, 2017
11
NJ
I got a good one. I purchased my '06 Envoy a few months ago with 62k miles. The truck still smelled like smoke so I thought I'd shampoo the carpets. After a little bit of working on the rear floor I uncovered a huge red stain, outlined with off-white stains which I hope was bleach. Apparently the prior owner SPRAYPAINTED the entire interior carpet to make it look new.

I went right back to the dealership and they ended up replacing the entire interior carpet.
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
Not exactly crap but did a bit of sleuthing. The PO had left a few repair bills including probably the last oil change he did at the dealer on 02/14/19 at 184,653 km (I got it with 198,000 km). All these bills have his address and phone number. Looked up the address on Google maps and found this.

Screenshot - 2020-11-09 , 8_52_23 PM.jpg

That dates from 2015. So I guess he didn't live on a dirt road. However, according to his work phone number, he works at a nickel mine.

Thinking of giving him a call just to get some history and let him know his truck is still alive and well.
 

northcreek

Member
Jan 15, 2012
3,310
WNY
I did the same thing when I bought my Envoy Denali,,( found the PO's info behind the glove box) it was great fun until the PO's Googled name came up in the obituary, then I was looking at his family pictures and I started feeling a little creepy ....but, I'm all better now.:quiverlips:
 

Forum Statistics

Threads
23,271
Posts
637,476
Members
18,472
Latest member
MissCrutcher

Members Online