Just a general appeal in case someone could help.
About eight weeks ago we had a cambelt replaced by Desira, Great Yarmouth on a Stylo, only to find that when they brought it back it sounded like a can of nails.
They took it away and returned it again ,quieter but with a lumpy tickover and the power steering belt off centre and rubbing on the engine casing causing it to fray badly.
And there it remains, they are unable to cure the tickover problem although they say they have now been able to make it difficult to start in the mornings.
Progress there then.
They have now had it for the last twelve days saying that they can't find the problem although they have sacked the mechanic who fitted the new belt.
No need to go into the problems with getting any response from them or their directors.
Just look in the dealers to avoid section.
If anyone can give any help it would be appreciated by us and Desira could do with the help too.

Re: Cambelt cockup

Hello mate,

Write to Fiat UK and explain..you may well get compensation out of it as it is clearly their mistake!

hope its sorted soon,
Alan

Re: Cambelt cockup

Dealer would be best bet for any compensation,dont see why Fiat UK should have to contribute anything?

Re: Cambelt cockup

I'd guess they've bent a valve.

Re: Cambelt cockup

What engine size is it?

Is there a lot of loom to disconnect for the job?

Worth taking it to another Fiat dealers for a second opinion?

Maybe time for a very favourable trade in against something else? Panda 100hp!

Liam

Re: Cambelt cockup

Contact fiat uk head office.

They should help you.

I got a £100 voucher when i had all the problems with my car (which were sorted under the warranty )

Re: Cambelt cockup

We have been told today that they are finally getting someone from Fiat to look at it as they are lost.
NEXT WEDNESDAY.
If you are looking for customer service drive well past the Desira Group!!!!!!!!!
Fiat customer relations are involved but we are not seeing any improvement.

Re: Cambelt cockup

How old is your stilo?

Re: Cambelt cockup

thepottleflump said:

I'd guess they've bent a valve.

Click to expand...

:yeahthat:

and they know they have.

get them to do a compression test to prove it.

Re: Cambelt cockup

Just to update this the Fiat guy apparently came down and they decided to replace the cambelt cover, again.
In doing so someone apparently dropped a bolt into the gearbox, God knows how but that is what they have told us, so they have replaced the gearbox and clutch.
If you can believe what they are telling us, they have replaced the cambelt and cover three times now, had the head off to check valves etc,replaced sensors, gearbox and clutch carried out numerous tests and checks and spent nearly three weeks doing it, used half a tank of petrol, which they have not replaced, and yet they finally find that it was just the timing that was out.
They are truly wonderful with the diagnostics.
Imagine if a customer was having to foot the bill.
Perhaps some are!!!!!!!
All this after the After Sales Manager originally told my son in law, when it was first returned with the tick over problem, that "all Fiats run like that".
The car was returned yesterday running fine all clean and with a big bunch of flowers for my daughter.
Time will tell.
They even gave her the added extra of returning it with a broken headlight glass which they are replacing next week. Ho Hum!
Now the discussion starts regarding compensation which is being dealt with by the Desira group M.D's PA, who appears to be sympathetic to the situation, and is able to sort it, as she is "authorised to make decisions".
We will see.
Pity the M.D. has not even had the courtesy to acknowledge us even though we have tried to contact him.
I hope that none of this will affect the confidence that any of you other Fiat,or Citreon, owners have in the Desira Group................................

Re: Cambelt cockup

Blimey, the joy of using main dealers.

How do you drop a bolt into the gearbox by changing the cambelt cover, the gearbox is at he other end of the engine, I suppose it could get in through the timinig hole on the gearbox casing but they're generally protected by a rubber plug.

Re: Cambelt cockup

main dealers can be so rude they **** me off oh and ford there bad as ****

Re: Cambelt cockup

customers can be rude aswell

Re: Cambelt cockup

Glad to see the the problem is being resolved.

Surely you should never tackle a timing job without knowing how to set it?

Liam

Re: Cambelt cockup

There was no problem,timing or otherwise, until they replaced the cambelt and that was only done to avoid a possible cambelt breakage and a big repair bill.
Unfortunately, we assumed that a main dealer would know what they were doing and be able to avoid problems or at least correct any that arose.
How wrong we were.
The whole thing has been unnecessarily compounded by the lack of contact from Desira and then being unable to believe what they told us when we managed to contacted them.
They just contradicted each other depending who you managed to speak to.
Apparently sincere promises to ring and keep us informed were worthless.
Hopefully this week will see the matter closed and we can all go our separate ways.
Certainly we would never use the Desira Group again and they are the only main dealer around here.
I will let you know how the matter ends.

Re: Cambelt cockup

nomad63 said:

the Fiat guy apparently came down and they decided to replace the cambelt cover, again.
In doing so someone apparently dropped a bolt into the gearbox, God knows how but that is what they have told us, so they have replaced the gearbox and clutch.

Click to expand...

not possible, the cambelt is on the opposite side of the engine to the gearbox, and there is also nowhere you can drop a bolt into the gearbox or even the bell housing where the clutch sits. they tell lies like that to buy time so they can explain why a simple job takes weeks. they assume you know nothing about cars so you'll accept their crap excuses. they could have told the truth and admitted that they do not have anyone working there who is skilled enough to do a simple belt change, but that doesnt sound quite as good.

next time use a local independant.

Re: Cambelt cockup

On my Bravo HGT there is an inspection cover on te bell housing, but dont know how/what they would drop something down it.

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I have no idea how they could have dropped the bolt in, but they did not tell us until the car came back and if it is not a new gear box then someone has taken the old one off, polished it to a very shiny silver and put it back again and all without cleaning any other engine parts.
If they had steam cleaned it other parts would show the difference so we are pretty sure they have replaced it
I am assured that the clutch is very different too.

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When I first read this I thought, easy... theyve messed the timing up. Now why didnt at least someone at Desira think of that too? I was told once that all FIRE engined Fiats have piston slap and knock badly from cold, this was when my new Panda was knocking! When you tell them you actually know what you are talking about its good to see their lying faces change Hope it works out in the end.

Re: Cambelt cockup

Just to close this thread the outcome is that Desira offered a free car valet and £100 off the next service.
After finally convincing them that we would never under any circumstances risk putting the car into their workshops again they relented and allowed us £100 of spares which we accepted and the matter is now closed.
Apologies from them have been very limited, very vague and extremely hard to come by and the obvious incompetence and very poor customer relations of some of their staff has been, in the main, ignored by Desira.
Senior managers and even the MD's personal assistant, when the do respond, give out information which they must know is incorrect so you may draw your own conclusions as to their integrity.
The MD never ever responded to, or even acknowledged, in any way our pleas for help ,it was always left to his PA.
I am sure that they must have satisfied customers but if this is an example of how Desira behave when problems arise then God help them.
We consider ourselves well rid of them.
Many thanks for all your replies.