Posted on 03/08/2012 11:17:18 PM PST by Zakeet
A $100,000-plus Fisker Automotive luxury sports car died during Consumer Reports speed testing this week for reasons that are still unknown, leaving the struggling electric car startup with another blow to its image.
"It is a little disconcerting that you pay that amount of money for a car and it lasts basically 180 miles before going wrong," David Champion, senior director for the magazine's automotive test center, told Reuters, on Thursday.
In a statement, Fisker said it was assessing the source of the problem that caused its Karma plug-in hybrid to fail. Fisker dispatched two engineers Wednesday night to examine the car.
[Snip]
Over the last month, Fisker changed its chief executive and halted work at its U.S. plant as it renegotiates the terms of a $529 million loan from the U.S. Department of Energy.
Fisker has already recalled some Karmas and in January it halted Karma sales for four days to fix a software malfunction that at times triggered warning lights while temporarily freezing navigation systems.
[Snip]
In December, Fisker recalled 239 Karmas due to a possible defect in batteries made by A123 that could cause a coolant fluid leak and electrical short circuit.
The previous month, A123 reduced its full-year revenue outlook after Fisker unexpectedly cut orders.
Fisker builds the Karma in Finland and plans to build a second model, the Nina sedan, at its Wilmington, Delaware plant, a former General Motors Co factory.
[Snip]
The Karma's issue will not affect Consumer Reports' reliability rating for the car because those scores are based on feedback from owners who subscribe to the magazine
(Excerpt) Read more at wsbt.com ...
You mean if I buy one and it breaks down, they'll send a couple engineers out to fix it? I'm impressed. What customer service!
Oh, these are the two guys who designed the thing?
At least they have better customer service than Tesla. After a half dozen Tesla Roadster owners bricked their new cars by mismanaging the battery charge state, Tesla informed them that the only fix was a battery replacement, at a cost of $45,000 each.
Hey, DE auto workers, how good has that 0bambi guy been for you? Chrysler plant - sold to University of Delaware for pennies on the dollar and GM Boxwood plant - supposedly to build Fiskers, gathering dust and property taxes gone.
Go ahead, keep voting for the RATs; they care SOOO much about you./s
Look at the bright side of this, the tires and brakes will last a long, long time!
I think they ought to throw a big ol' V8 in it and recoup their investment.
This car is only half the price of a $250,000 Dolt!
Maybe they can just chnage the name to the Fisker Bad JuJu.
Not the only one to break down, either.
http://jalopnik.com/5891708/why-are-fisker-karmas-breaking-down
I read that Justin Beiber bought one too.
Beiber is said to be a singer.
He can afford to drive a gas hog.
http://jalopnik.com/5851735/how-fisker-got-500-million-in-government-loans-for-a-fuel-economy-flop
President Algae.
Well Played !
“Driving at 7pm pst this evening and for the second time in two weeks at 70 miles per hour the “idiot lights” behind the steering wheel all light up the car goes dark including the headlights and then the dash disappears and after a few seconds it rebuilds itself. This is very dangerous and random...This condition is a safety issue and an accident/lawsuit waiting to happen.”
“As of today (March 6, 2012) Fisker Silicon Valley has had my Karma “in the shop” longer than I have driven the car. And the prospect of having it in the shop for another 2 weeks (or possibly longer) is making me really unhappy.”
I am drained from laughing at the green morons. Unfortunately, they are also draining taxpayers’ wallets.
Nice looking car if you could figure out how to drop in a turbo 6 and a 6 speed manual transmission.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.