N.I & U.K. cars imported and serviced in the South (Experiences?)

Bee

Now that loads of NI and UK sourced cars of only a few months to a year old are being bought. Would folk care to relate their experiences of bringing their car to a Irish dealership and having their car serviced, parts being replaced under warrantry etc. Any hassle or help, good or bad experiences?

I am hearing mixed reports so if anyone would care to relate their experiences and name names please post away!

lifer_sean

Servicing should not be a problem, since you are paying anyway !

Warranty mush be honoured by local dealer because all cars come with a pan-European warranty. However, make sure the service book has had the PDI stamped / signed / dated. A proper serv history also helps.

I brought in an 18-mth old C180 in May 05. Had a few issues when I bought it (I bought it as is), and got all sorted under warranty. Was a delay of 5-6 wks before they would admit liability (big issue was PDI not stamped) but was done for free eventually. Only downside is I was without the car for this time.

You might want to pick the dealer you use - I used a Mercedes dealer in a rural area because I didn't hold out much hope with the local dealer (Limerick posters won't be suprised by this !).

Also brought in a Zafira, local dealer said they would be happy to do warranty up to 2 yrs old (Irish warranty) but the third year (UK only) would be more difficult. Didn't need to call on this.

todolist

Northern Ireland and UK..one and the same.Just say UK.

Stevie Dakota

I've had no problems with either Renault or BMW, warranty honoured without blinking, Renault have been exceptional. We now have a 2008 Ford and from one dealer I got the feeling I may be a second class citizen due to the car being an import, time will tell.

bazz26

If the car is still under the manufacturer's warranty then you should have no problem with that warranty being honored here. Extended UK dealer warranties however are a different kettle of fish.

Bee

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

I've had no problems with either Renault or BMW, warranty honoured without blinking, Renault have been exceptional. We now have a 2008 Ford and from one dealer I got the feeling I may be a second class citizen due to the car being an import, time will tell.

Would that be a certain Ford dealership in Stillorgan that I have heard exactly the same about?

Anyway some info

An interesting link

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/motors/2008/0702/1214900132007.html
“The European Consumer Centre (ECC), an EU-funded network which helps consumers out when cross-border transactions go wrong, says almost half the complaints about cars it received last year related to imports, and warranty and after-sales issues cropped up with alarming regularity.
Car manufacturers do not have to provide pan-European warranties and garages do not have to pay for repairs to be carried out locally, which can put the consumer in a vulnerable position.”

And for the European Consumer Centre (ECC) http://www.eccdublin.ie/

Has anyone any experience of ridicoulous quotes for car servicing to penalise the person with the car import?

Bee

todolist wrote: »

Northern Ireland and UK..one and the same.Just say UK.

Experience has shown otherwise with car servicing, some old politics take a long time to die out depending on location though it has bugger all to do with the car.

jayok

Well I've brought two Honda's in from the UK and used Tom Canavan motors to get them serviced. Never a problem with them (Tom Canavan) and I've had a few services and odd and ends at this stage.

I would imagine though that seeing the number of Jap Imports for the brand they would be well used to imports.

For me though, I don't see the issue where you got the car, UK, France, Japan or the competeing dealer up the road. Service is a seperate billable item for the car and is charged accordingly. Having said that I appreciate the dealers view on the potential loss of revenue - but that's another point.

Terrontress

I bought an Audi in Ireland that had originally been bought in England and the owner emigrated to here. In its third year it developed some faults and I drove it up to Agnew Audi in Belfast. They found the warranty using the chassis number, took the car, lent me a brand new A4 and when the car was ready they sent a guy down in my car to Dublin and picked up theirs.

If you are close to the M1 there is no reason why you should insist on having work done down here. Especially with the good exchange rate you might find your service less expensive.

Agnew Audi is a very impressive operation as well. Dolly birds on reception making cappuccinos as you arrive and plenty of A8s, TTs and Q7s to climb in and out of.

Dan_B

bought an astra coupe up the north a few years back.

Had several warranty jobs done on it by crosson opel on the malahide road.

Thing is, vauxhall have a 3 year warranty an opel only 2.

If id bought a similar car in the republic the warrany would not have covered much of the work as the problems happened in the 3rd year.

This included an ecu, a cat and abs sensors $$$.