Several questions for 02 Monte Carlo LS

[RZB1992]

My best friend has an 02 Monte LS. She's not mechanically inclined, and it seems like the dealer has taken her and her grandparents for a ride... Every month, around $500 in repair bills the past 7 mos or so...

 

She's only getting around 17mpg, and she's not too hard on the gas - the most the car sees is around 3000rpm, and she does a mix of highway and city... Is that normal for the 3400 Engines??

 

There's a clunking in the steering as well. You can almost never get the car to do it, but when going down hill tonight, while slowing down, and turning the wheel, it was clunking at a constant rate... Steering shaft problem?.?.?

 

I know my Intrigue has the magnasteer, do the Montes?? Her steering seemed really tight as well - to the point where it was almost a little difficult to turn the wheel when at a stop.

 

Any help is much appreciated... Trying to get the dealership to do any work possible under their "extended warrenty......."

[PaulBennett]

Please get and post this info...symptoms, was was done, cost...for each of the months you talk about.

Second, many people don't know how to drive for maximum mileage because they've never been exposed to the technique. It requires discipline and patience. On the highway it requires allowing others to drive faster than you and in the city is involves driving 1 block ahead, i.e. slowing if traffic is stopped a block ahead. And most of all, pretending there is an egg under your throttle foot which must not be broken or you loose the race. That will gain $1-2 on your next fillup but most drivers aren't interested in saving $1-2.