There are some vehicles that make it to market and have a multitude of issues. The reason for these vehicles to be built in such a way that they are constantly in the repair shop can be many. Whether the assembly team didn’t pay close attention to that one vehicle or the inspection team overlooked something important, it does happen. We designate these models as lemons and there have been advancements in lemon laws around the US for many years to help protect consumers from vehicles that are not up to the quality and standards we’re used to.

What do lemon laws have to do with a tank? This is a fair question and if you read the headline, thinking you would get to see a tank do something cool, just wait you will. In Australia a couple named Joe and Kate ran across a vehicle that would have been deemed a lemon in the US early in its existence. Unfortunately for them the lemon laws of Australia aren’t as advanced as in the US and don’t protect the consumer in the same manner. The vehicle the couple purchased that turned out to be a lemon was a Dodge Journey SUV.

The couple bought the Journey new from the dealer and had no problems for the first two years of ownership, but beginning on year three and finishing with an epic event that we will get to, the Journey gave them nothing but trouble. The vehicle experienced overheating from a cracked reservoir, a blown head gasket, oil leaks, battery problems, cracked engine mounts and windows that didn’t work properly. This was all from a vehicle that was less than five years old and when FCA Australia refused to help them with any of the troubles they had to pay out of pocket for the repairs that were needed.

The couple turned to Australian authorities and were unable to receive any assistance in a legal form to have their vehicle repaired. They have tried for three hears to have some assistance from FCA Australia to have their vehicle repaired but they were turned down for assistance each time. Not only did this couple have massive problems with the Dodge Journey but they were issued a warning letter telling them if they had any more issues with the vehicle that the couple would be charged, not the manufacturer of the vehicle.

So what do you do with a vehicle that’s less than five years old that exhibits signs of acting like a car that has been pulled from the junkyard after decades of rust have accumulated? How do you keep this same car from becoming a problem for someone else? You raise awareness of the issue and you crush the car with a tank; at least that’s what Joe and Kate chose to do. In order to increase awareness for lemon laws in Australia the couple set a date and time for their Dodge Journey to be crushed under the massive weight of a tank.

Yes, FCA offered to inspect the vehicle one last time the day before the crushing was to take place and yes, Joe and Kate refused, but that was because FCA Australia had already inspected the vehicle three times previously. In their eyes enough was enough and a vehicle that seemed to be beyond repair for FCA, even though it was only five years old was not going to continue to be a problem for the couple or for other consumers.

Check out this video of the crushing day and the tale of the lemon law problems as told by Joe and Kate themselves. Even if you take nothing else from this video, seeing a tank crush a vehicle is pretty cool to watch, enjoy.