Dealer aftersales experience

[bartp]

Hi, I thought I will let my anger a little on this forum.
Hope you don't mind and it might help someone a little.

Here is the story: When we have picked up our 500 we have noticed bad scratches and black marks on both plastick panels on front pilars.
Showed that to a sales guy and he agreed to swap them. He also said that he has to order new ones and it might take couple of weeks...
Three weeks later he called that they've arrived and he can pick up the car to replace them. I have to add that i am abroad at the moment and he was dealing with my wife. So, he picked up the car and less then an hour later it was back. My wife went to see the result and... the black marks were gone, but scratches still there. She phoned me I went on the other line to the dealer and they were standing by the version that the work has been done. I finished our conversation and redialed to service department where they could not find any trace of our car being there on that day. I guess you can imagine the state of my emotions. Called sales again and aked how it happened that there is no trace of the repair? after short while the salesman admited that he did it himself (was he qualified to do it?) and he took the plastics from another 500 they had in stock.
To me that is not the way this should be done, do you agree? It is going on since last Wednesday and after sending few polite emails asking for explanation I am still to receive reply. On Friday I have reported this to Fiat UK and forwarded all my emails to my lawyer. Will see where and when it ends. Just to mention... be vigilant when dealng with Glyn Hopkin in Chelmsford.

Sorry for my rant,

Bart

 

[Mrs_Badcrumble]

Wow, what a story, Bart!
I hope Fiat UK are able to help you. What was that salesman up to???:bang:

Is there another dealer you can use in future (services etc)? I wouldn't go anywhere near the place again once this debacle is sorted!

It's not much consolation, I know, but my Hubby had terrible aftersales service from Glyn Hopkin Nissan in St Albans and that was with a second hand car! We no longer use them but, despite numerous requests to stop, they are still bombarding him with junk mail.

Really hope things get sorted for you.

 

[beau]

i think your just being too picky, sorry but thats what they do at other car dealers too, its common practice to swap stuff over from others at the forecourt... they were swapping stuff over from different bmw mini's at show room before, they all do it.

you get mini's brand new with scratches steering wheels cos they scratch so easy.

 

[bartp]

i think your just being too picky, sorry but thats what they do at other car dealers too, its common practice to swap stuff over from others at the forecourt... they were swapping stuff over from different bmw mini's at show room before, they all do it.

you get mini's brand new with scratches steering wheels cos they scratch so easy.

Well, i do not care if that scratches easy or not, but i have payed for new car and expect it to be new as well as lok new and be fitted with new parts not recycled ones. I don't care if it is common practice or not full stop.

 

[T14086]

I think what beau means is the part is taken from another new car (in showroom) thus the part is as good as new or better than the one on your car & the reason this is often done is to save the customer having to travel back to garage which is a major complaint.

 

[bartp]

I think what beau means is the part is taken from another new car (in showroom) thus the part is as good as new or better than the one on your car & the reason this is often done is to save the customer having to travel back to garage which is a major complaint.

The point is that this is what they have said, but they didn't do even that. they are still scratched in the same places but cleaned from the black residue.

 

[Tourandot]

We no longer use them but, despite numerous requests to stop, they are still bombarding him with junk mail.

Write to them quoting your rights under Section 11 of the Data Protection Act (1998) - take a look at this link http://www.opsi.gov.uk/Acts/Acts1998/ukpga_19980029_en_3#pt2-l1g11.

If you get no joy, write again quoting the same section of the same act, and inform them that any further marketing will result in a complaint to the Information Commissioner's Office.

If that fails, complain.