Need help again (Vibration in front end)

[modette]

Since the X was repaired, the front end has a vibration that is best noticed at 80mph. The steering wheel vibrates like there is no tomorrow (this is the front driver side tire I am thinking is the problem, same that had the damage done to it). But at slower speeds you can hear a "chug" every rotation, and feel it through the steering wheel. I also noticed that the *chug*/vibration is sooner then it would seem to occur with a tire problem...meaning it is a smaller component that might be the problem.

This is what I have done (none of the below has worked):
04-18-2004
I took the wheel off and cleaned mud out from between the caliper and suspension. There was rocks and packed clay up in there.
04-20-2004
I took car up to “Discount Tireâ€￾ and they checked the wheel and it was balanced and they rotated it with the rear driver side tire/wheel. Driving the X home I noticed it was still there. So I took the wheel/tire off along with the caliper and rotor and cleaned the rotor of all mud/rocks. The X still has the vibration and a slight noise even after the cleaning.

On the Progressive repair list they show a front end alignment was done to it.

I believe it is the differential making the vibration and slight noise. I called Progressive and talked to an agent as mine was not in, all the lady told me to do was call the service center and explain it to them and they will probably want me to bring the car into them. It was too late at this point to call so now I got to do it sometime tomorrow…now that I am busy at work this is going to be a real pain in the butt.

Anyone have any ideas…oh I tested the 4-wheel drive in HIGH and LOW and it seems to work just fine. It is just annoying that there is a vibration through the steering wheel now.

 

[modette]

Took the X to my trusted mechanic. We put it on the left and spun the wheels around...guess what we found...as I thought the differential is gone. My mechanic looked at Progressives printout that I had got from them of what work was done and the cost. All that was done to the front differential was all bearings replaced, gaskets, and the housing...they did not replace the pinion gear or the other gear in there. This goes against what the adjuster had told me they were going to do over the phone. So now I am pissed off at Progressive....really not their fault per-say but they did use the dealer that did the job. Right now who knows what is wrong inside...could be the wrong gear ratio for the car, or bad gears that were damaged from the accident...my mechanic said he did not userstand why they would not of just replaced the whole unit with the damage it had done on it...plus the housing alone was $377 not to mention the bearings and seals add up to like $200...lol

I called Progressive and actually got ahold of my agent...he has arranged for a loner for me and a time tomorrow for me to drop it off.

As this is THEIR fault I am demanding money back for my time in dealing with this and MY time in trying to get the tires balanced, and MY time is running back and forth twice that should of been prevented. Plus they owe me for my mechanics time for $76.

I'll post a reveiw tomorrow after I go to Progressives service center and leave the X. I asked if my mechanic could do the work and they said YES that can be requested but fromt he sounds of it they will not go for that because they first want the place they took it to, to fix the work...plus easier in getting the rental car from Progressive through their service center.

 

[mabulok]

Where's the update? I just switched to progressive a couple of month's ago and would like to know what to expect...if I'm ever in a similar situation. Thanks.

 

[modette]

Where's the update? I just switched to progressive a couple of month's ago and would like to know what to expect...if I'm ever in a similar situation. Thanks.

Well in the end Progressive would not take care of me in giving me some of my deductible back to me after all the hassle. They did give me the fee my mechanic charged me ($76) plus $50 for gas in wasted trips to and from the Claim Center.

Although Progressive's Claim Center is very poor and the people do not know how to handle a customer (false Expectation times given) they were not too bad. Most of the fault lays on Stu Evans L-M in Garden City, MI. They were the ones that did not even notice the hole in the differential; they were the ones that would not even call my mechanic to see what the deal was. They also were the ones that made up **** like (flat spot on the tire, after I knew it was not something that simple). Also Stu Evans ended up replacing the whole differential again....which after replacing the gears took care of part of the problem. The vibration they claim was fixed by a road force balancer being used. I was never given a sorry, I was never told you were right it was the differential, I was never told sorry for the wasted month and a half of having your car when they could of had it fixed sooner.

Plus the odd part even Progressive claimed was that they (Stu Evans) was still saying it was warranty work, then switching and saying no it is insurance coverage and then switching it back...sounds like they were double dipping. Progressive was looking into that matter.

I received a survey from Ford about the work Stu Evan's did on my car, I rated them "poor", and included a one page letter on the crappy customer service.

As for Progressive, I would never go with their Claim Center...take the option of your own dealer or local place you like. I think if I would of took it to my dealer they would of listened to me as I bought the $34K (sticker price) car from them, plus I would of not had to travel 20 miles each time. Plus do not expect them (Progressive) to call you...like with any business today you got to call and bug them. If they say they are to call the next day, call them first thing in the morning and checkup...if they then say they will call by noon, hold them to that time and call them again, and again...if nothing else just start dealing with a manager. I'm sure claims are not an easy thing to deal with, with any insurance company.

Good news is I got a quote from AAA and they are $100 cheaper then Progressive...plus the coverage is better then what I have now ($100/$500 instead of $500/$1000). Plus AAA did not care about the three tickets on my record...they showed up on the guys computer screen and he was like oh those mean nothing, then he ran my credit score and said oh okay that is good and came up with a quote of $1,300 a year. Plus their renters insurance was cheap too for $80K of coverage. Plus AAA you get all those free maps and ****...and the towing is supposed to be good. So that is who I am going with.

I hope this helps you.....

 

[mabulok]

Well, I'd already switched to Progressive, and it's about half of what I was paying before...which was highway robbery. So at half highway robbery we're now paying somewhere between ok and extortion. Luckily it's only 6 months at a time so I'm sure I'll be shopping again, especially when they try and jack my great hook'em and reel'em rate. If there's one thing I've always been consistent with, it's that I'm always shopping rates, quality, service, on everything I buy, be it phones, insurance, whatever. I once dropped Geico like a rock after my ex-wife backed into my truck with her car coming out of the garage. One accident right? WRONG. They wanted to charge me 2 deductibles, and the damages were about the same as the deductibles. Fortunately I didn't reveal any information when I called, just a hypothetical ya know, and I fixed 'em myself and dumped that crappola insurance company. I'm not saying they didn't have great rates; they did, but now you know the rest of the story...