Can anyone trust a fiat dealer?

I have a problem with my fiat Punto that nobody can seem to identify, so the time has come to be brave and take it to a fiat dealer/service centre. Can anyone recommend a reliable one in the west of London. My local is in Hayes but they have always been a bit too smug and their charges have seemed a bit extortianate!

Sanj

Can anyone trust a fiat dealer? NO. Found out yesterday that my local dealer is now offering a key cloning service, but what they do is take your key to a shop 3 minets drive from the shop and charge you double what the shop charges! and they make you wait a day. Why don't they just say go to the shop down the road they do it while you wait.[V]

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Could you get to Woking? I guess not if you'd have to leave the car

Spirito di Punto | M-reg 55SX, black, 5dr. Clear repeaters. Remote locking fitted, no light confirmation yet though - need relay fitted

Maybe that's a good question for a Poll?

Can you trust a Fiat dealer?
a) No
b) Never
c) All of the above



Here come da judge...

Took my 2 month old Mk2 Sporting to Fiat dealer in Derby with a tinny rattle when starting from cold

Mechanic.. It sounds like a faulty alternator bearing

Me.. No it isn't, its coming from lower down

Mechanic.. Yes it is, we will fit a reconditioned alternator

Me.. No you won't, its a new car so you will fit a new alternator

Mechanic.. Oh all right we will order one

Two weeks later the car is called in.

Mechanic.. You will have to leave the car and we will call you when it is ready

Service Reception.. You can collect the car

Me.. Is it fixed?

Service Reception.. No, we got the wrong alternator.

Two weeks later the car is called in to have the correct alternator fitted.

Service Reception.. Your car is ready.

Me.. Is it fixed and is the rattle cured?

Service Reception.. Yes, its all done.

Next morning I start the car from cold and the rattle is still there as bad as ever. So I look under the bonnet and there I find that the fuel vapour return pipe is left unconnected and flapping around and the alternator belt cover has been fitted to the back of the alternator and not at the front and is now rubbing on the alternator belt and quite happily fraying the belt.

Me.. (on the phone) can I bring my car back for the job to be done properly

Service Reception.. Yes, of course you can, next week.

Next week the car goes back in.

Service Reception.. Your car is ready for collection

Me.. All done??

Service Reception.. Yes.

Car collected complete with original rattle and alternator belt still being frayed by the incorrectly fitted belt cover which has still not been fitted in its proper place

After a phoning Fiat Technical Services I have lodged a complaint and I am now waiting for someone to contact me. I suppose my next step is Trading Standards

So I suppose the answer to the question is... NO, YOU CAN NOT TRUST FIAT DEALERS

sounds like research nuneaton, brand new 52plate active sport. 2000miles airbag warning light on. take it to garage, comes back light off. 4000 miles back on, another trip comes back fixed, 6000 miles same story, i had identified the problem as the wire from the passenger airbag deactivation switch, i told fiat this, the wire was loose nad catching on the glovebox. they fixed it, two days later light back on. only after dumping the car in the middle of the forecourt and throwing the keys at the service manager did it get fixed properly, then the coil pack failed, another trip to fiat. now i get red carpet treatment after complaining to trading standards. a headlight full of condensation was fixed within a day no questions. the only problem is warning lights flash on for a second when driving and go out again, which one? airbag warning light. fiat tell me the cars like to do this every now and again. has anyone else encountered this?

pritch, is there a good dealer in Woking then? I live in Guildford and think Bishops are a waste of space. Clevland Cars at Ash are okay, and I take my Punto to Wilson Purves in Ifield, Crawley near where I work. They haven't ripped me off yet, and seem to know something about customer service. Don't get me wrong, they're not perfect, but there are some okay dealers about.

Punto Mk2 ELX