General Not Covered to fix major issue under warranty! help needed

[Esquire.J]

Hi All,

Recently my blue&me has completely stopped reading any USB sticks i put in it, took it to garage and they said i need a new 'convergence unit'. Fiat are saying that as i am in my 3rd year of warranty, they WON'T pay for it. It will cost me £500 + if i pay out of my own pocket. Can anyone give me any tips on what to do next? should i concentrate on fiat themselves or the garage i got it from?

 

[zanes]

3rd year warranty is not a FIAT warranty, it's dealer based. Get onto Fiat CS and put your case to them.

 

[Esquire.J]

Fiat CS?

 

[306maxi]

Fiat CS?

Customer services

 

[Murano16v]

What exactly is covered in the third year. I had a wiring issue related to a brake fluid warning on my 100HP. The wire literally snapped all on it's own at the connector. Wiring is not covered even though car only two and a half years old and a low mileage of 6000. Fixed it myself, but when you have to buy a £500 part it's a different matter.
I think the dealer has to put in what they call a "sympathetic " claim to Fiat.

 

[Jontee]

Third year warranty is a dealer warranty, so go back to the supplying dealer and before you do, Google the 'Sale of Goods Act' which covers the vehicle for SIX YEARS and states that the vehicle must be 'Of merchantable quality' and Fit for purpose,' although you have to prove, with some items, that they were faulty from new...
In any event the dealer putting in a 'sympathetic' warranty is pathetic because it is the supplying dealers legal responsibility, always assuming that the dealer confirms that the failed item, (which should reasonably last for more than two and half years??) was fit for purpose...
Good luck!

 

[T14086]

do what i do when i need money...ask the wife, nah! lol do some overtime.

Johntee, my fridge never freezes ic ecream and is 3 years old...how do i get a new one under this 6 year rule?

 

[sharkrider]

I had a problem with the head unit at 11 months, and my dealer said the head unit is actually just a 1 year warranty, so I'd better get it done sharpish! think they class it as seperate from the actual "car" warrenty..... doub't youd get it done under third year warrenty, but as others have said, speack to fiat CS and you may get some goodwill payment.

 

[306maxi]

I doubt it's only got a 1 year warranty.

 

[Esquire.J]

Hi guys, do you think i am better phoning some random bod at customer services or is it best to write a formal letter? quite aware that people on the end of the phone are more interested in getting rid of you than helping. Do i have any rights at all under any law? or is that i just have to plead good will from fiat?

 

[nebrog23]

I doubt it's only got a 1 year warranty.

1 year warrenty from blaupunkt is correct, had one replaced in the grande punto. A few people have had a issue on the GP's

 

[T14086]

depending on model number it could be 2 years warranty.......anyway about my fridge

 

[306maxi]

depending on model number it could be 2 years warranty.......anyway about my fridge

I guess complain to the company first of all. There's a world of difference between a fairly reliable component like a radio failing and something never actually performing it's function from the start as your freezer is.

I always laugh when I hear people wheel out the "Not fit for purpose" argument when they don't actually know what it means.

I'm still sceptical about this idea that the radio has a 1 year warranty. Here's why, with a laptop or desktop PC the warranty between HP, Dell etc etc and for instance the hard drive manufacturer may be one year, BUT the warranty for the whole unit with you may be longer, just because HP aren't covered doesn't mean you aren't.

Of course wear items like the clutch, tyres, friction components in the brakes as well as the wiring loom (though I don't agree with how Murano16v was treated for the record) and so on aren't covered but I fail to see how the radio isn't covered in at least the first 2 years of the warranty unless Fiat explicitly state that the radio isn't covered that is.

 

[T14086]

I guess complain to the company first of all. There's a world of difference between a fairly reliable component like a radio failing and something never actually performing it's function from the start as your freezer is.

Well its a Beko A class frost free, we got it about 3 years ago and after a few weeks the light went inside. The 'repairman' couldn't fix it as he didnt have right bulb (wife got one from asdas after he left) and he broke the light fitting which we also fixed ourselves.

Despite being 'frost free' we have had to defrost it many times and the temperature inside the freezer ranges from 0 to -3. If we buy ice cream it just turns to slush and were sick of throwing out ice lollies etc...cost us a fortune. The food seems ok (I say 'seems'?) its never covered in ice etc but seems cold.

I complained by email a year ago & was told to get a engineer out but when I asked who is paying for this I never got a reply and to be honest I simply cant be ar*ed anymore and were just gonna get a seperate freezer to put the ice cream etc in :yum:

 

[306maxi]

Well its a Beko A class frost free, we got it about 3 years ago and after a few weeks the light went inside. The 'repairman' couldn't fix it as he didnt have right bulb (wife got one from asdas after he left) and he broke the light fitting which we also fixed ourselves.

Despite being 'frost free' we have had to defrost it many times and the temperature inside the freezer ranges from 0 to -3. If we buy ice cream it just turns to slush and were sick of throwing out ice lollies etc...cost us a fortune. The food seems ok (I say 'seems'?) its never covered in ice etc but seems cold.

I complained by email a year ago & was told to get a engineer out but when I asked who is paying for this I never got a reply and to be honest I simply cant be ar*ed anymore and were just gonna get a seperate freezer to put the ice cream etc in :yum:

Bugger. Little consolation I'm sure, but we bought a Bosch fridge freezer about a year and a half ago and soon after we got it a crack started appearing in the plastic fridge handle. Called up the repairer and a few weeks later we got a call to say the parts had arrived, we arranged a day for the technician to come out and within about 5 minutes he'd replaced the crappy plastic handles with nice brushed aluminium ones which of course are far sturdier. Never had to defrost it either. Bosch stuff is good

 

[custard]

Third year warranty is a dealer warranty, so go back to the supplying dealer and before you do, Google the 'Sale of Goods Act' which covers the vehicle for SIX YEARS and states that the vehicle must be 'Of merchantable quality' and Fit for purpose,' although you have to prove, with some items, that they were faulty from new...
In any event the dealer putting in a 'sympathetic' warranty is pathetic because it is the supplying dealers legal responsibility, always assuming that the dealer confirms that the failed item, (which should reasonably last for more than two and half years??) was fit for purpose...
Good luck!

SOGA doesnt state this,paraphrasing it relates to goods can be expected to last up to 6 years
not saying it isnt the case for the OP but it doesnt say items must last 6 years

 

[custard]

I guess complain to the company first of all. There's a world of difference between a fairly reliable component like a radio failing and something never actually performing it's function from the start as your freezer is.

I always laugh when I hear people wheel out the "Not fit for purpose" argument when they don't actually know what it means.

I'm still sceptical about this idea that the radio has a 1 year warranty. Here's why, with a laptop or desktop PC the warranty between HP, Dell etc etc and for instance the hard drive manufacturer may be one year, BUT the warranty for the whole unit with you may be longer, just because HP aren't covered doesn't mean you aren't.

Of course wear items like the clutch, tyres, friction components in the brakes as well as the wiring loom (though I don't agree with how Murano16v was treated for the record) and so on aren't covered but I fail to see how the radio isn't covered in at least the first 2 years of the warranty unless Fiat explicitly state that the radio isn't covered that is.

I agree,before when it was just a DIN sized lump stuck in the dash then i can see it
however as the stereo units get more and more integrted with extra features added in it becomes more an integral part of the car

 

[T14086]

replaced the crappy plastic handles with nice brushed aluminium ones which of course are far sturdier.

like chrome mirror covers on a car! Customised fridges:chin:.....is it lowered?

 

[306maxi]

SOGA doesnt state this,paraphrasing it relates to goods can be expected to last up to 6 years
not saying it isnt the case for the OP but it doesnt say items must last 6 years

Exactly. It relates more to things which should pretty much undoubtedly last 6 years like lets say the wheels on a car or the body which shouldn't be swiss cheese after just 6 years.

Edit: I think it's also there to protect people from badly designed components. Lets say that in 5 years time 95% of 500's have had to have their brake calipers replaced because of faulty seals or something, THEN you might be able to argue that they weren't fit for purpose.

 

[306maxi]

like chrome mirror covers on a car! Customised fridges:chin:.....is it lowered?

No, but the door has a more "positive" action and there is less flex to it

and Mutleysdad said I don't have the balls to modify! I bet he or she doesn't have a modded fridge!