5 Minutes with Jim Mikulec

Now I realize that Jim Mikulec has very little to do with my 8 year old GMC pickup truck. But the headline '5 minutes with GMC Engineer' still caught my eye when I received the most recent GMC Network Magazine.

You see, in 2002 I purchased a brand new truck for my business. A simple pickup truck - no frills - to get materials from my suppliers and deliver my product to my clients. My lease was almost up on the vehicle I had and it was a dilemma for me to decide 'lease vs purchase'. But my local GMC dealer said there was the perfect truck for me on their lot so two days before the Canada Day Parade I went to see it...with NO intention of making a decision right away.

The minute I saw the simple black two person Sierra all shiny and new - 11 km's on the odometer - well....call me fickle - I drove it home and have loved it ever since. Until winter.

The first cold day - did I mention I live in Canada - at zero celsius I noticed a tick. So now Otzi (he became the iceman for many reasons) is 6 months old. And upon a cold start - he ticks. Better get that checked.
Bulletin G00076785 issued December 2001 ( 6 months before I purchased Otzi) states that 'some of the above engines may exhibit an engine knock noise that begins in the 19,000 km of use. Most often noticed during startup and typically disappears within 30 seconds.' (which is does)...and it went on to say that this noise has no effect on the longevity of any of the engine components.

I agree, it didn't affect the ability for this little truck to get the most amazing gasoline mileage any vehicle we have owned ever has. An 8 hour drive to my daughters house was only $70.

The noise however would deter any potential buyer from looking twice at the truck. As the temperature dropped to -20 celsius (not uncommon here) the startup became quite orchestral to say the least. If I was ever to sell this vehicle it would have to be in the summer!! (when I purchased it)
When I brought this issue to the attention of GMC, mentioning that I am in business and people don't pay me for damaged goods, and that I would like to stop paying for this until we fix it - I was informed that that would simply result in them repossessing the truck and destroying my credit rating. Ah - decisions decisions...pay full price for damaged goods or destroy my ability to buy a house or get a credit card in the future.
??

But all that soon became irrelevant as I fell in love (or as much as one can with a vehicle) my little truck. We bought camping gear and designed a sleeping platform for a trek to the Yukon and the next summer to the Queen Charlotte islands. Opening the back hatch while wrapped in our sleeping bags and watching the waves roll in on the misty beach .... breathless.


It walked over Pine Pass in Northern BC where others were laying in the ditch...it floated in a hailstorm in Edmonton but got us off the dreadful Whitemud and safely to a parking lot where we watched other vehicles float by in the swirling ice. (iceman explained) This truck tiptoed past sliding semi trucks on the Trans Canada on its many treks to get me to school.

And it never failed to start - it would groan and maybe hesitate - but it always started. 8 1/2 years with the same battery, the same windsheild - in Alberta!

But alas, during a blizzard last month - it didn't get me home. I left the workshop at about 11pm, drove 1/2 km and the 'check oil pressure' lamp came on. Ok - only 1km to home and I will check into the mechanics in the morning. It's 30 below and almost a whiteout and I didn't wear my boots.

Within less than 1/2 km all lights went out and Otzi coasted to a peaceful stop - I am still 1 km from home in a blizzard. Small towns being wonderful places to be - I flagged down a ride within minutes and arranged a tow truck to get my faithful black 5000lbs of recycling off the road.

Now I know a 8 1/2 year old truck may sound like its time to upgrade...but this gem has had constant 5000km oil changes, annual spring and winter tuneups...all necessary repairs, never driven in a city and has all new steel from the hail damage. It has only 170,000km on it. All driven by me.

I know that things don't last forever. So I knew the news would probably not be good. And I was right - this gem of a little travel/work truck has cracked heads. The engine was done. And strangely enough GMC has a bulletin for that too! Apparently this make and model MIGHT have cracked heads, reads a report from 2007. (remember now - I have been doing service maintenance religiously at a GMC dealership since 2002 and this could have been caught 4 years ago?)

2007 - less than 5 years from my purchase date...still under warranty. Yet I was not informed of that possibility. And because I am north of the border I was not aware of a class action suite against GMC for this very flaw. I know they know I have this truck...I get these great GMC magazines, I get GMC certified oil changes and services, yet, after they received my $35,000 the conversation was apparently over.

The largest recycling dilemma I have ever had was what to do with an old TV. This large black piece of steel in my driveway (looking good even after 8 years) taunts me with what is the right thing to do? Get a rebuilt engine...get the engine rebuilt? Get a new vehicle. Get an old vehicle.

So as I read my GMC magazine 'Custom Truck Event, get up to $1500 in chrome accessories' and I look at my GMC that has been treated so well but is not even worth $1500 right now... I would like 5 minutes with 'Jim Mikulec' or any GMC engineer!

I hope as a GMC engineer Jim is watching the details. No ticking cracked engines should ever leave a facility without some kind of recourse.

Thanks for listening to my rant. It hasn't fixed the problem...but has made me think more about what I have to do to get back on the road...the Yukon (not a GMC Yukon ironically) is calling once again.