Day 8 with no answers.......
Woke up with a particular desire to rant!
.....and have sent the following e-mail to Steve Zanlunghi & Justin Westnedge.....who knows if it will result in anything or if they will even read them but felt I needed to get it "off my chest"!...
Dear Sir
Firstly I apologise having to contact yourself direct but at present feel I have no option as current communication between myself and your Customer Services Team is wholly ineffective.
I unfortunately had the need arise to contact your Customer Services Team, as recommended by my local Fiat dealer, BS Marson of Newcastle, Staffordshire, where my Fiat 500 currently resides un-drivable, on Thursday, 7th May 2015. As required, a member of the team opened a "complaint case" and was informed a "senior case manager" would contact me within 24-48 hrs. I highlighted clearly to your team that I required a swift response as I am due to be out of the country this weekend and wished to communicate to my Fiat dealer the course of action required.
Despite numerous , multiple phone calls daily, by myself over the past 7 days, I am no further forward. At the beginning of the week I was informed my case had been assigned a "case manager" yet following several calls again yesterday I was now informed my case had yet to be assigned?.....clearly miscommunication or inadequate process systems are in use.
A brief history of my Fiat 500 1.2 Dualogic Pop's failure....
Bought new in 2010 from Hartwell Fiat, Chester (now Swansway)
Late March, the dualogic transmission had major issues in engaging gear and dropping into neutral whilst driving at all speeds, resulting in many roadside breakdowns which culminated in a near miss along a busy A-road near a bend as traffic approaching me behind could not clearly see I was stuck in a car which would simply not drive, as I hope you can appreciate, this was a terrifying experience for myself.
Car was picked up by BS Marsons early April and after a few days of testing stated a new battery was required and diagnostic testing. Later that week my car returned but less than 48 hrs later the problem reappeared, exactly the same as the original problem.
BS Marson's once again collected my car and declared a new dualogic gearbox was required at a hefty cost of £1300.
I am greatly disappointed that a 5 year old car with only 22,000 miles on the clock and FSH should be to this degree mechanically unsound. While I appreciate the 3 year warranty has passed, I cannot comprehend the reliability of a modern car to be compromised after a 5 year period.
Furthermore, I have discovered that my problem is not unique,while being a member of a motor forum and through internet related searches this failure of dualogic gearboxes is repeated throughout the UK and with members worldwide. I certainly did not view the investment in the car to be akin to a "disposable commodity" 5 years later.
The whole experience has distressed me greatly and destroyed my, and my family's faith in Fiat purchases for the future, despite previous Fiat ownership.
I look forward to your comments, firstly regarding your customer care infrastructure and Fiat's recognition of the problems existing with dualogic transmission.
Yours sincerely
