Funny Dealer Moments

[mph999]

Another Ford one ...

Picked up a new 1.8D fiesta (few years back), noticed something not quite right, but couldn't put my finger on it.

Vibration from front right wheel, at various speeds/gears - took to dealer, said yep, it's the gearbox. I pointed out that it was coming from the other side of the car (gearbox is on the left). ANyway, they take gearbox apart and I drop in to see how they're doing. "Yes Sir we;ve found some marks on the gears, we're getting an engineer from Halewood to have a look (dealer was next door to plant, and additionally I worked there as an enginner),

Took a look at the gears, yep he was right there were marks on them - muppets, machining marks from production.

Get car back, fault still there.

Give to second dealer, car comes back with fault.

So, I take a look, lift bonnet, have a look, consult microfich (spelling), problem solved in under 20 mins. They had fitted a petrol drive shaft, not the one that should be on the diesel.

Take to third dealer, explain problem, they lift bonnet and state that it's the right drive shaft.
I explain what I do and what/how I'd found the problem, but they insist they're right and "unless we hear it from Ford ....".
Produce print out from Fords systems that proves that the shaft is wrong, nope, they're having none of it. Ok, got any diesels, lets go and have a look ...

muppets

Martin

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

What is it with Ford?

Several years ago I had a new Ford Transit van. I used to drive wearing sandals (not heavy work boots or similar). At about 12,000 miles (and 4 months old) the "heavy duty" rubber floor covering where my right heal rested wore through to the paint underneath!!

When I asked for it to be a warranty claim the dealer said that they would only do the work if I first paid for it to be done and they would refund the money only if Ford agreed that they were at fault.

This and similar experiences from them meant I never bought another Ford again.

Tigger.

[TrufflePig]

one dealer told me it'd take 3-4 months to let me test drive a Convertible AUtomatic and that i wouldn't be able to test drive a soft top for some reason.

[Root Ginger]

On my old TPi Rover Mini there was a recall for the radiator pipe as it could rub on the brake line.

I booked the car in 2 weeks in advance. I was going to be away at college that week so I booked it in on the Friday got my Dad to drop it down. I'd then get a lift back from college to go pick it up.

So I walked into the dealer and ask if my car is ready.

When the guy came back he said "We've had a look at you car and the pipe is not rubbing the line".
"OK" I say "so you just swapped out the radiator pipe then?"

"No, we'll have to order the parts as we don't keep them in stock".

"WTF, it's a recall, surely you'd keep parts for a recall in stock?"

"Well we've only just heard about the recall so haven't had time to order parts yet"

"I booked my car in two weeks ago for this recall and you didn't think about ordering the parts which HAVE to be changed regardless of whether it's currently rubbing or not AND you didn't even have the courtesy to call me all day to tell me that?" "What if it had been rubbing and you needed to change the radiator pipe and brake line?"

"Ermm..."

[Lawrothegreat]

Great thanks for all the stories. I can't say I've been that frustrated with my experiences; it really does place a smile on your face at the end of a long day when a BMW service manager tells you the mini is RWD.

[Lawrothegreat]

Quote: Originally Posted by Capsaisin

Well now for a Peugeot moment.
My wife got one of the very first 405 saloons when they were launched. A week later the boot lid corners went straight through the rear window
Took it to the dealers. Not Peugeots fault, we would have to pay for it. Well no problem as this was a leased company car . Rang the lease company who said ; "No, take it back, Peugeot WILL fix it under warranty, get the dealer to ring Peugeot".
Took it back, dealer supposedly rang Peugeot who again refused to fix it. Lease company said; "This is the 5th 405 we have leased in as many weeks to have this problem. It is a design fault and Peugeot will rectify it under warranty".
Went back to the dealer AGAIN, this time the dealer reluctantly rang Peugeot AGAIN, who by some miracle, this time agreed to replace the rear screen FOC. The dealer also fitted some large rubber bungs onto the boot lid pivot arms to stop it happening again. Funny how he had just the right type of rubber bung in stock!

Same dealer serviced the car the day before my wife was due to drive to Belgium (via North Sea Ferries). After 150 miles on the motorway, front brake pads hit metal at Hull and had to be replaced. Both sides were down to metal.
The dealer said "Yes we checked the pads, they were good until your next service - no problems, you are obviously an excessively heavy braker"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How weird. My father has had a very similar experience with the Peugeot 407 (a lease car too) - with the bonnet being able to go back so far as to damage the car's a-pillars. Despite being a clear design fault neither Peugeot or the lease company wanted to take responsibility. Peugeot did in the end though.

[Root Ginger]

I got my TPi Cooper from John Cooper Garages (as it was then) they're 70miles from me but had the best stock of Mini's that I knew. On the way home I realised the buttons on the radio didn't work and it was stuck on Radio 4

Once I got home I phoned JCG and explained the situation. It had a one year warranty but the radio was specifically excluded from any warranty. They apologised and said it was obviously faulty when I picked it up from them. They asked me to take it to a Rover dealer and get them to inspect it and once it was found out what was wrong with it they'd make a decision as to whether get it fixed or replace it.

Took it to first dealer. Explained that the buttons didn't work and could they take a look. They said they'd have to book it in. I told them I could show them the fault in a few seconds outside and that I could pull the radio out and give it to them as I had the radio keys. No they'd have to book it in for a day. A day!!! To find out none of the buttons on a radio work.

Naturally I told them to f... well I told them where to go

So I take it to second Rover dealer. I explained I could remove the unit for them. No problem they said just give it to us and we'll send it to Philips to take a look. I explained that JCG would be picking up the tab gave them their number and told them to contact them once they knew what was wrong and a price to fix it.

Anyway a few weeks go by with me with a hole in the dashboard and then I get a call.

"Your radio is all ready for you. Philips replaced a foil, the total comes to £110"

So I ask them if they contacted JCG before the work was carried out as they will be picking up the bill. They say no.

So I say OK, I'll take the radio and you'll have to sort it out with them as I told you you needed to contact them before the work was carried out. I also explained that the radio retailed in Argos without the Rover logo for £79 and it would of been cheaper to scrap the unit.

He tried to tell me that they don't deal with small independant dealers and that JCG didn't have an account with them.

WTF, I blew my top and gave them a history lesson. You see my car has a little badge on the boot. Well that badge says Cooper. Do you know what that guys first name is? It's John, yes the same John Cooper that owns John Cooper garages. Did you know they once won the F1 championship? When was the last time your flipping garage won the F1 or had a car named after them? JCG haven't got an account with you, I think you'd be honoured if they chose to have an account with you but I think you'd need to have an acount with them don't you?

Cue applause from the half dozen other unsatisfied customers waiting in reception

Anyway they refused to give me the radio back without the money. I phoned JCG and although they'd have been quite within there rights to refuse to pay. They asked me to pay the bill send them the invoice and they refund me every penny. And they did!

[Capsaisin]

OK, here's a Triumph/(Rover?) moment which happened to a friend of mine in the days when you were lucky to get 12 months warranty.
Bought a Triumph 1500 new. 4 months later the crank oil seal leaked and contaminated the clutch. All replaced under warranty. 4 months later the crank oil seal leaked and contaminated the clutch. This time looked at by a special factory technician. Pronounced all well, seal and clutch replaced again under warranty.
4 months later ............... see were we're going here?
Again replaced under warranty (lucky!!!).
My friend now asks the dealer what happens the next time - (warranty runs out next week) and the dealer says "Don't worry sir, all our warranty work is covered for 3 months".
He sold the car.

[-=cHiLli=-]

Just quickly .... Dealer lost my car and sent it off to another customer.... same dealer looked amazed as I proceeded to demonstrate how to get the battery out of the key fob.... "how did you do that?" was the question ... 'Magic' should have been my reply!

i++()

[andyupnorth]

Had a Ford Orion once that was a year old. After the first service it started using a lot of fuel so I took it into my local dealer. They took the car away and checked it. Twenty minutes later they gave me the keys back and said it needed a new lambda sensor and they would order one and give me a call. The car was parked outside so I got in and drove off. Half a mile down the road (dual carriageway, 60mph) there was a huge bang and everything went black. The bonnet had blown back up shattering the windscreen and denting the roof. I managed to stop the car and got out to view the damage - it was a right mess. I phoned the dealer who was very apologetic and put me in a hire car. A week later and and bill for £800 the car was repaired (at dealer's cost) and away I drove.

One year later I'm washing the car and I notice rust on the roof where it was repaired. I took the car back to the dealer and explained what had happened a year ago and they agreed to fix it FOC and gave me a hire car. One week later I collect my car and drive out of the dealership. Half a mile down the road there was a tremendous bang and everything went black........

Ten years of valium and I'm almost back to normal now but people still wonder why I always slam my bonnet down with such force.

[GR33NIE]

My first car was a Ford KA, cut a long story short the airbag warning light come on and they told me because the seats had been changed it has messed with the seat belt 'pre tensioners' Those who don't know what these are basically means the seatbelt locks in the event of an accident

I told the dealer that the car didn't have them, little did they believe me and still carried on arguing. A few weeks later there i was driving along (after being assured the airbag wouldnt go off).....BANG!!!! It goes off whilst I was driving along

The dealer certainly got a piece of my mind, and Ford themselves believe me. They did finally admit they didn't know what the fault was....Had made a 'mistake' Great!!!

[Root Ginger]

Oh I forgot to mention. Did I tell you all about the time I had some bushes in the steering column changed under warranty by BMW.

As I drove home I decided not to take the motorway as it had looked busy earlier when I'd passed over it on a bridge. So I take the scenic route. In one village there's speed humps. So as I go over the first I hear this clonk. I wondered what it was but carried on. Second hump, clonk. Strange I think. It's only when I hit the fourth hump a realise it's the steering wheel clonking. They'd forgotten to tighten it It moved about an inch at the rim. It'd obviously been put on hand tight but forgotten to be torqued.

The technician was taken to an industrial tribunal and fired for that one. God knows what could of happened if I'd taken the motorway and I was at Rockingham the following day