As I know most of you are well aware, most automotive publications do have access to the manufacturer's press fleet. This is the collection of test vehicles that are available in a pool, should you be deemed credible by the gatekeepers.
These vehicles tend to be the most looked after autos on the planet — though some aren't so well taken care of — as they're constantly out on loan for evaluation purposes.
Over the 10 plus years I've been involved in testing automobiles, I have had several hiccups along the way. A fender bender here, a broken mirror there, windshield wipers flying off at speed and joining the Chevrolet Corvette "flying roof club," among other things.
When you drive a lot, things happen. This is life.
Ultimately though, these are minor inconveniences. The above paled in comparison to what happened recently. An all-new vehicle left me stranded for the first time.
No, it wasn't an electric vehicle that ran of out charge. It was a run-of-the-mill volume product.
It turns out this brand new car with less than 2,000 miles on the clock had a battery that ran out of juice. The vehicle's doors were all closed and all of the systems were powered off normally. After seeing the battery only reading about 9.3 volts, it was diagnosed as a defective unit that needed to be replaced.
Here's the kicker: It turns out this isn't an isolated incident. Searching the web indicates that this is a common issue for the 2020 Subaru Ascent.
That said, I've got to ask: Has anything like THIS happened to YOU before? If so, what was the MOST DISAPPOINTING thing that happened to you with a BRAND NEW vehicle?