Car dealers after sale service

tammy

Hi,

I bought a car from a dealer recently. I bought through a dealer for the warranty and service.

So here's my situation. There has been a problem with the central locking from day one, plus a few other small issues that I wanted fixed. Fair enough they ordered the part for the central locking. I live rurally so need the car to get home so couldn't leave it for more than a day. I assumed they could give me a temporary vehicle but they said this was not possible for insurance reasons. This basically meant that they fixed the central locking and nothing else as they only had it for one day. Though the central locking problem is actually not fixed at all.

What I would like to happen is for me to give them the car for whatever amount of time it takes them to fix all the issues and for them to give me a replacement car. This seems entirely reasonable to me. I paid a decent sum for the car by the way and this is a big dealership with multiple branches.

Are they taking the p*** saying that they can't give me a replacement car?

thanks for advice

fightin irish

Tammy i work for a main dealer, And that is total B.S. Our service dept. has 5 courtsey cars for your very reason.
The service dept swap the insurance for the customer first thing in morning and if a c ase arises where there are no cars, Then the saleman who sold the car supplys something(and that goes without sayin)

So in short they are taking the piss as you say, Ring the manufacturers headquarters and ask for customer srvice and im sure ypu'll get some results.

smcgiff

tammy wrote:

There has been a problem with the central locking from day one, plus a few other small issues that I wanted fixed.

Because of the problems suggest you're considering you will be looking for a replacement car (known in the US as the Lemon Law) - you wont have a hope but they'll start to take you more serious.

You should definitely get a replacement car, and transfer your existing insurance onto the temp car.

tammy

Thanks for the replies, i suspected it was rubbish. I should have said that the car was not bought new, don't know if that changes anything. I'll give them a call and chew some ear.:)

OldmanMondeo

smcgiff wrote:

Because of the problems suggest you're considering you will be looking for a replacement car (known in the US as the Lemon Law) - you wont have a hope but they'll start to take you more serious.

I wouldn't agree there. A company I worked for were having problems with a brand new carvan, Citroen Xsara, so much so, that they told the garage that the van was to be replaced with a new van, even though the problem van had nearly 10k on it. It was replaced.

As for the OP, Don't take that BS from the dealer. Ring them, book the car in and tell them when booking that you need a replacement car for the time it takes to get the car fixed. If you keep getting the central locking problems, keep bringing the car back and get replacements. If the problem is still on going, call into the sales person who sold you the car, when the showroom is very busy and don't leave until they agree to get the car sorted. It is amazing what they will do in front of other customers.

ismynametoolong

Have you got comprehensive insurance ! No garage will provide a courtesy
vehicle to a customer without Fully Comp Insurance !

crosstownk

Are you having the repairs done under dealer warranty or manufacturers warranty - there can be a massive difference.

tammy

I have fully comprehensive and it is under a dealers warranty.

Henry Ford III

I think you should assert yourself a bit more here.

Ring them and tell them you are returning your car to get all the issues fixed. They can take their time to get this done as long as they supply you with a replacement car whilst the work is being done.

If they baulk at that tell them you will be consulting a solicitor.

crosstownk

tammy wrote:

I have fully comprehensive and it is under a dealers warranty.

Do you happen to know the terms and conditions of the dealer warranty - it may not include a courtesy car. That said, given they have not repaired the car they are now wasting your time and should show some goodwill toward you and supply you with a replacement.

ismynametoolong

Unfortunatly under either manufacturers or dealers warranty you are not legally entitled to a replacement car while having warranty repairs done.
However 99.999% of reputable dealers and manufacturers will provide a replacement courtesy vehicle under such circumstances.It also does not look too good in front of a judge if the customer states that they had to get the bus every time the car was left in for warranty repairs .

Mitch Connor

you should def keep on at this.

I went to a local Windsor dealer with my GF for a service to her car a while back (it was a nissan she bought there) As we were leaving i asked if they service all cars or just Nissans', cause i have a mazda and the nearest mazda dealer is a pain to get to and from without a car. They said they would do my car no problem, and provide me with a replacement car if i needed it. Considering i have never bought anything from them, let alone spend thousands on a car, I would expect a dealer I actually bought a car from to be just as accomodating.

bazz26

A temperary replacement courtesy car is usually not part of either the manufacturer's or dealer's warranty. But in the interest of goodwill and future custom a reputable dealer usually provides one, if no courtesy car is available they usually give you something from the back of the forecourt that still has road tax on it. You just temperarily transfer your own private insurance over to the loaner.

Just sounds like another bad case of after sales service from a dealer to me.

tammy

I called them up and told them I was unhappy with the service. I got the guy who sold me the car and he was very good and with out me asking said they'd book it in give me a replacement and get it all sorted. Sounds good so hopefully they'll fix all the issues this time.:)

ninty9er

Do dealers not charge €35 a day for cars provided. I know that most I've seen have a sign to that effect when cars are being left in for service

Countryripple

I bought a new car myself last week. Took it up the motorway that nite to see how it opened up. Got to 100kms and serious vibration through the steering whell. Anyway, phoned the dealer on monday and told him the wheels were not balanced properly (they put 2 new front tyres on it before i picked it up). So he said bring it up and they'd sort it and had I any other problems. Well, yea, i did. Brought the car up with a list. The vibration, some bulbs in the centre consloe were gone, passenger window button would not put the window back up and there was a rattle underfoot while driving.

Now this was on wed, I had bought it on saturday. Rang me during the day to say the wheels were fixed and the bulbs etc, but they had to order a part for the window and something to do with the anti roll bar, that was the rattle. I could take the car and they'd phone me next week when they have the parts for the other jobs.

What im now wondering is, is this guy gonna hit me with a bill for this work? Even though its all stuff that needed to be done before i bought it? I dont have any warrantee details so to speak, just says '6 month warrantee included'.

Im sure they would have to have told me the prices of these parts etc and asked if they would go ahead with it if i was going to have to pay for it?

Darando

I've seen in alot of places that they will provide a courtesy car for repairs/service if its still under the manufacturers warranty, outside this they will provide you with a car for soemthing like an extra €40.

Also found some places if you want a service done, then if you require a courtesy car then there is a waiting list, i.e 3 weeks as opposed to a service with no courtesy car can be be done next week!

andrew1977

I am in the same boat, bout a second hand 04 car in October, 20k on the clock.
So fa i have been back to the garage 5 times,once for a new clutch,once for a new handbrake, once for the electrics failing,once for leaking oil and finally for a rattling noise coming up from the floor in 5th gear
I have had so many arguement with the garage over a replacement car costing me time off work, rescheduling my whole day etc etc

At what stage or is it possible to tell the garage enough is enough and you want your money back ? is there any legal rights on this ? Is the garage allowed to just keep on repairing ?