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Future Karma Owner!!! with ???'s.

18K views 50 replies 21 participants last post by  Fabulist 
#1 ·
Hi All -:D

Being a current Vette owner, Vette lover you can see my fascination in the Fisker Karma. It is the best looking sedan, 4 door coupe I have ever seen so I decided to pull the trigger. I was in the Market for one when they were priced at $90k for the base model, but now prices are so low; I can pick one of these beauties up for between $50-$60k so I decided why not do it since you only live once.

I am getting a great trade-in on my 2010 Corvette Grand Sport Convertible. Since I have a lot of equity in it which is great, but the thing is how do I know which Karma to choose. I had a chance to get a Silver one with Gray, and Navy interior, but the sales person was hounding me so much I was nervous…NO WARRANTY, NO HELP, GOODBYE!

I've built up quite a little list of questions/concerns in my head, and decided the best way to get them answered is by going to the best source, “the dedicated owners”. Again I have so my questions which are open to any/all members to chime in where they can.

Okay, here goes:

1) How difficult will it be to get a loan for my Karma? I have great credit, and really could pay cash, but I really don’t want to touch my savings, and the Dealership has told me they can get me done with no problems is this true.

2) Can I get the Tax Credit if it was never used, even though the car is used?

3) I see people having RDM’s replaced…..First what is a RDM? Next do I need to make sure the car I am buying had them replaced?

4) What’s wrong with the low VIN numbered cars is there a VIN number I need to stay away from? The cars I have been seeing are VIN’s are both below, and above 500, the car I am looking at has a VIN in the 600’s, are they okay, or not. (I HAVE THE VIN IF NEEDED).

5) Since car has regenerative braking, where do I buy brake pads? AutoZone, LOL. I see car has Brembo’s but not for sure where to get those types of parts, or if they specialized.

6) Warranty, Warranty, Warranty….I live in Indy, no Fisker dealer here, So I have to go to Cincinnati, or Chicago which is fine, but will Warranty be honored, or will it be out of pocket, and if out of Pocket what is the worst case most expensive thing I would have to pay $5k, $10k, $15k trying to gauge if I could really afford the repairs, I know I could but just want to do my homework first.

7) Does anyone offer an aftermarket warranty/extended warranty that I can buy. The new dealer I am working with said they would help if I had any initial problems, but not for sure how long that would be. The other dealer said the will help with nothing so basically I would be S-O-L, when it’s off the lot it’s my problem. The new dealer has told me they would do all they can because they want to earn my business a second time, not just one sale and done. (The dealer I am using is not a Fisker Dealer either).

8) Going from a LS3 V-8, to a 4Cyl Ecotec motor Electric Hybrid, what will I miss?

9) How do I know if the car has had all the updates (FLASHED) so I will not have any issues, how do I tell which version of software do I have? Can I do this before purchase?

10) Prior to the bottom falling out, I read that the warranty was extended on all 2012s but is there a free maintenance program also included for some period of years/miles? Does all of that transfer to the new owner (in the case of buying a used model)?

THANKS AGAIN FOR THE HELP ANY, AND EVERYONE! My name is James, and I live in Indy! Could not think of a good name, so I used Mr.Biggs! Nice meeting you all! :D
 
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#2 ·
Mr Biggs- I got my car a little over a month ago and had no problem with getting a loan for the most part. As long as you are putting enough money down you should not have a problem.

if the car is deeded as used you can not use the tax credit it can only be used by the 1st owner.

There are some members that are much more knowledgeable to the rest of your questions.

the only other thing i can say it truly the best car i have ever owned...
 
#5 ·
Mr Biggs- I got my car a little over a month ago and had no problem with getting a loan for the most part. As long as you are putting enough money down you should not have a problem.

if the car is deeded as used you can not use the tax credit it can only be used by the 1st owner.

There are some members that are much more knowledgeable to the rest of your questions.

the only other thing i can say it truly the best car i have ever owned...
Thanks for answering what you could, and I hope I have the same great experience you have!
 
#3 ·
I'll do the best I can for you.

1) Sorry, don't know this one.

2) I'll let someone knowledgeable on taxes tackle this one.

3) RDM is Rear Differential Module. Not all cars had an RDM issue, so it may not be a concern. Post up the full VIN on the car, I'll be happy to look into it a bit.

4) The lower VIN's have a couple of possible concerns. First, the RDM was initially made with a rounded clip on one of the shafts inside. This rounded clip wasn't strong enough to keep the shaft where it was supposed to be, and the shaft could move inside the housing. The gears on the shaft would start to wear into the inside housing of the RDM, causing damage if left unchecked. Additionally, it's possible that an older VIN car has traction motors made with soft splines, which could cause them to eventually be spun out by the RDM and require a replacement when it happens. Again, a full VIN could help me do a bit of research.

5) In the 2 years I've been working on the Karma, I've never replaced a set of pads. If it's a concern of yours, I know pads can be purchased right now from some dealers out of their current stock, and you could hold onto them. There are also other sources as well.

6) Warranty coverage comes down to the individual dealer, you'll want to contact them. Some dealers are still doing warranty work for their customers. Some are doing work but it's now customer pay. Some have also dropped the brand entirely and won't take in any service work at all. Worst case, my guess is if the High-Voltage battery in the car takes a dump. You'd be looking at anywhere from 10-30k roughly, as the batteries are VERY hard to find.

7) Unsure on this one.

8) The roar of the engine? The raw power and speed? You'd be trading the engine roar for the hum of an electric motor. A Corvette can easily take a Karma in a straight line race. Test drive the car thoroughly. A lot of the differences between the two cars performance-wise will be seen quite readily that way. One thing you'll definitely not miss though is going to the gas station as often. :)

9) The VIN will help me a bit on this one, and you can also check what software level the CIU (Central Infotainment Unit) is while in the car. The other modules in the car would have to be checked with a dealer tool.

10) The basic maintenance on the car was covered as well under the warranty, but refer to #6 as to whether or not it'll actually be covered.

I hope that helps!
 
#4 · (Edited)
Lormax,
Thank so much for the help. I am sure I will be happy with it, really I can't wait to get either one, and I just hope that some type of support will be around for this beautiful piece of Machinery.
Here are the 2 Karmas I am looking at, well the VIN#s:

YH4K14AA5CA000603 & YH4K16AA0CA000360

Thanks again for any/all information you can provide, it’s great to see that you guys work together, and I can't wait to join the club.

**I sent you a PM with this info as well.**
 
#6 ·
Hmmm I'm almost positive YH4K16AA0CA000360 was previously owned by Fisker Automotive for quite some time and then was given to an investor. This could be a good thing for you since it could have been gone through at FA HQ with updated parts. This car should have the latest software.


YH4K14AA5CA000603 should also have the latest software & has the updated center muffler. It also looks like it has had the battery replaced with a korean pack which is good.
 
#13 ·
Hello All,

i just bought a signature edition #98 from a Fisker dealer in detroit which had never been titled and was used as a demo with 1400miles.

Is there a way to find out if battery has been replaced along with muffler, RDM, hvac etc.

Some of you guys here seem to know history of cars by VIN?

Thanks.
 
#14 ·
Fisker of Troy of the Suburban Collection is dealer that serves Detroit. I would assume this is where you purchased your Fisker. They serviced my Fisker in the past.

It would be interesting to know what type of warranty, if any, they promised you on future service and repairs.

I will be contacting them soon to ask them what is their present policy and position on service and repairs. Will they continue to service The Fisker? Will they honor the Fisker warranty?

If we have to pay for service I believe it will be exemely costly since they service and sell luxury brands such as Rolls Royce, Lamborghini, Maserati, Bentley and Bugatti. It might be cheaper to fly Lomax or Harleyguy in than pay them for service.

The Suburban Collection in Troy Michigan acquired the Fisker automotive franchise from Serra Automotive Group. This is the group that I purchased my Fisker from in Farmington MI before Fisker shut down.

Even though I never invested in Fisker automotive, as a potential investor, I was on most of the investor conference calls. In anticipation of Fisker's financial troubles I took my vehicle back to the dealer several times to make sure that all the software and service updates were done. I had the high voltage battery replaced, the new muffler system and the updated programable AC module replaced and well as other minor services and repairs. The only problem I have now is noise when the ICE is on and under acceleration wish appears to be from the muffler and heatshield that needs to be properly adjusted as Lomax on this forum have pointed out. Also, the grunting sound when backing up in reverse which appears to be normal in the sense that most others have this problem too. The new battery, in fact, seems to have improved and increased its distance the more I drive. It might be my imagination but the new battery appears to have needed a break-in period to realize its full potential. Maybe others can comment if they experienced the same thing.

One thing I find interesting and very ironic. I am a tax accountant and for the last 20 years I have filed thousands of Form 1040 tax returns. The last 4 digits of my VIN number is 1040.

Right now there is no other vehicle I prefer to drive than the Fisker Karma. I hope your experience is the same.

Samuel
 
#15 ·
Samuel, I wonder if your battery experience has been influenced by the weather? My battery gets noticeably better range in warmer weather, even with the HVAC turned off. With heating, the cold weather is an even bigger drain on the battery. Cooling on the other hand doesn't have as large of an effect. We are experiencing very mild weather and just yesterday I noticed that I had a 1:1 miles driven to range lost on my commute home.
 
#18 ·
Samuel, I wonder if your battery experience has been influenced by the weather? My battery gets noticeably better range in warmer weather, even with the HVAC turned off. With heating, the cold weather is an even bigger drain on the battery. Cooling on the other hand doesn't have as large of an effect. We are experiencing very mild weather and just yesterday I noticed that I had a 1:1 miles driven to range lost on my commute home.
Same for me. The trip to my hangar is 11.5 miles. The day before yesterday I used 8 "E"-miles to get there. Range said 42. I had the climate control off and was driving fairly aggressively. Coming home, when it was a lot warmer, it took 14.

Lately, I've been driving as much as possible with just the cabin fans and getting mileage in the high 40s consistently.
 
#17 ·
Weird Fishes, it is irritating and it's normal in the sense that it's a normal defect and it needs to be fixed.

Lomax described the procedure to fix this. The fear is finding someone with the knowledge and skill to be able to do this in the Detroit area and not create other problems. The time and cost are other factors to consider. I will explore this because I do want to get this fixed.

Samuel
 
#19 ·
Mr. Biggs---Everybody loves our Karmas until we don't. You need to be asking yourself a couple of more questions:
1. If a buy the Fisker at a 50% discount, but it goes dead the next day, and can only be repaired by spending another, $50,000 will I miss my Vette?
2. See 1
3. See 1
Most posts are optimistic, but I would pay close attention to the negative ones.
Sorry for not being a booster of your decision
 
#23 ·
Stefan, the discussion regarding the grunting noise while backing up in reverse is under the heading: Scary Noises: RDM, Fans, Ghosts and Goblins

Try this link: http://www.fiskerbuzz.com/forums/13-fisker-karma/3802-scary-noises-rdm-fans-ghosts-goblins.html

If you have any type of noise I would read the whole section because there is a very spirited and respectful debate regarding drivetrain noises between Lormax, Harleyguy, and 8AVGMPG that's very fascinating and interesting. These three guys are about the business of Fisker Karma and when they debate an issue regarding Fisker repairs it's very educational.

On page 5 I asked the question regarding the back-up noise but I found the hold section helpful.

Samuel
 
#24 ·
Well I am still looking for the right car, I am down to these five, so if anyone has any news on any of them, It would be appreciated...thanks again for the VIN checks in advance.


YH4K14AA9CA001110

YH4K14AA0CA001223

YH4K14AA4CA001760

YH4K14AA7CA000988

YH4K14AA7CA000280
 
#25 ·
I'm new to the group and I'd also love some insight on what to look for. I'm currently looking at YH4K14AA7CA000280 and YH4K16AA5CA000340. Both look interesting. I can no longer access the build page on the Fisker site so I can't tell what options were available, etc. All the ones i've seen have the same options...either with chic fabric or with leather. In general the younger numbers are the earlier ones out of the assembly line? correct? How can you tell if the pizza mufflers have been replaced or if the UI has been updated on the screen? From the photos i've seen, the update has more of a white background, rather than a grey one? As you can see I need help here. This will be the most i've paid for a car and the lack of warranty really concerns me, as well as stories of fires, etc. My previous cars were early performers and fun to drive. MGBs, 80s RX-7s, 1990 Miata, Alfa Graduate, 2000 Honda insight 2000 was my high tech car, not including ther rotary engine equipped cars. Currently driving a first generation Mercedes CLK cabrio. -Alex
 
#27 ·
I've bought the majority of my cars without warranties and knew on a few I needed to swap engines on them. What are the most common repairs that are required for these? Rear dif? Fan assemblies? Pizza exhausts?...??? what else? What is the average repair for these?
 
#29 ·
YH4K14AA7CA000280 is no longer listed online, so it probably sold. It was listed just under $49K with 17K miles. So now, if I'm not as a scared as I was after reading all these posts yesterday, the VIN: YH4K16AA5CA000340 one in Anaheim looks interesting. Anyone have information on this one? it's Silver Wind/Earth Chic
 
#31 ·
Thanks, I am still really nervous, but with everyone helping each other on this site, and I hope the courts makes Fisker Honor our warranties then we should be all good. If not, I just hope for the best, but so far so good. Trying to figure things out, and its a lot of reading...
 
#35 ·
I would love to be able to say I had one headed my way too :) The one I drove on Saturday was local but it sold pretty fast so now I'm looking at some others. Ideal would be under $45K in either blue or red with tri tone monsoon or the shadow with the brown/orange(not sure if that is dune) tri tone. Also open to silver with the tri tone blue/grey ecochic fabric. I'm still hoping to get some information on costs for each of these repairs. Can anyone get me some info on VIN: YH4K16AA5CA000340? Not sure if I should address this to Lormax. He seems very willing to help folks look this stuff up. If you are listening, thanks for all your post, I've learned alot from you, Lormax. I'd also like an estimate of the average cost to repair the RDM, cooling fan, swap to the newer exhaust, battery AC unit (If you can even get those parts). -Alex
 
#36 ·
Alex
If you look at my "almost there pulling the trigger" thread I believe a est is posted for the RDM and Traction Motors. Also that vin is it at mitsubishi Anaheim a manufacturer buyback I think (echochic)? I saw that one but my gutt steered me off it. If so type the vin in search bar and info should display for #340 if a member posted info about it. In regards for 45k and under price shopping, thats going to be tough and it will have to be all cash a quick sale. Dealers love all cash sales I know im one myself. Im in the car sales business and MMR values lowest is 52k at this moment. I wish you all the success in your search and hope you find the Karma for you.
 
#39 ·
Ok, great. that is exactly what I wanted to see...parts and hours breakdown for repairs. Thanks. Ok, so 340 at Mitsubishi is a lemon law buy back. Moving along to the next one...
Thanks for all your help guys. I'll likely ping you again on another one.
 
#41 ·
its been a week, and I love this freaking car, I have had some issues, but the dealer is taking care of them so I can't complain yet. Man all the questions I get asked about it, I thought I got a lot of attention in Grand Sport Vette, thats nothing compared to this. Please let LI buy Fisker so they can honor warranty's and get back to work.
 
#42 ·
Good to hear that. I cant wait :) until my Karma gets here from delivery. The attention & looks is crazy insane as I have heard. Ive been doing alot of reading in preparation for it. Also is your control center fully functional ive heard somethings on it "karmas" is just non functional. As well as haptive buttons and placement of selections is like a maze to navigate and frustrating. You have some live pics please post. Congrads! Once again enjoy:)
 
#43 ·
I don't know if it is still there, but at one time there were several videos on YouTube that illustrated the functions of the control center. For the record, mine is almost fully functional, and although slower than my laptop or telephone interface, is easy enough for me to understand and use happily use daily. I have found the negative hype about the control center to be overblown. it isn't perfect, but neither is the interface on any of my other cars.

The solar screen never has worked - for any of us.
 
#46 ·
The solar screen works for you, it's just a jpeg though. There's no functionality behind it, but it does technically work.
Ah yes, now that I understand the intended functionality, I agree, mine is working perfectly. :)

Awesome that is a good thing to know...What software update is your karama car running on?
The latest official release, 510.
 
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