settle in kids, it's a long story, that starts a long time ago...
so last year send the car in for the third year service and first MOT, at Glynn Hopkins, romford:
https://www.fiatforum.com/panda-new/95241-3rd-year-service-1st-mot.html
the intresting bit in there is the coolant pump, which has failed, and required replacing, which after a little wrangling, was done free of charge, under warranty. note the comments from the service manager there.....
anyway fast forward to this years service, all is fine, until i am told the pump is leaking again:
https://www.fiatforum.com/panda-new/135237-4th-year-servicing.html
now at the time i was a little annoyed, the part is less than a year old, and has done about 8000 miles since being put in......the service managers comment from last year come back to haunt me......
so back on the phone to Glynn Hopkins, i explain the above, and:
"well sir, the cars out of warranty so it's not covered"
"how much warranty would you have given the part you replaced"
"only till the end of the cars"
"what? 10 days?"
"yes"
..........................."so you arent able to do anything"
"no, you'd be told to jog on"..........
......"doesn't it seem odd that such a new part, in a low mileage car should go wrong? i got a 10 year old import thats still running perfectly""
"japanese engineering.....better"
"ok, bye"
so by now i'm a little miffed, and somewhat angry.....i email fiat uk. now to be honest, didn't expect much, after all i've fired off a few before to no avail, as have a few others, and my very long diatribe would have made excruiating reading for any poor soul at slough....but still....i sent it, and sure as eggs is eggs........no reply, so a month later (early april) i call fiat uk, and get a chap who although doesn't deal with this sort of thing, knows a person who does, mark in customer care, i explain it all to mark, who patiently listens, and opens a file, "give me a day sir, i'll get back to you".....yeah ok...
next day "sir, can you take you car into palmers fiat, they'll check it all over"
later that day, it's in, and i'm talking to matt, at the service desk, "we'll put it up on the ramp, and have a look, and take some photos of the pump" cool....yep there's def a leak in there, i'll report back to fiat, and they'll call you"...ok cheers
a few days later, mark "sir, call up palmers, arrange to get the car in , we are picking up the bill for the replacement"........ outstanding!!!!!
this morning drop the car into mark at palmers fiat at about 9am, go home, about 11am, get a call "sir the cars ready, can collect after 10/15 mins as is being valeted".....stunned silence from me....ready in 2 hours and without prompting, a full on clean!!!
so, all done, and i have to say, very impressed with mark at fiat uk, quick and efficient at sorting an issue, i don't recall actually stating either on the phone or in email that i wanted them to pay for the replacement, was more disappointed it had gone wrong so quickly...
and a big thanks to matt and palmers fiat, watford for sorting the repair so quickly, despite me having to cancel a booking a few weeks ago at short notice
btw, the problem stemmed from a failure of the gasket, and/or the incorrect installation of the pump.........."jog on" indeed.....
anyway, there endeth a long, and possibly boring, story....
so last year send the car in for the third year service and first MOT, at Glynn Hopkins, romford:
https://www.fiatforum.com/panda-new/95241-3rd-year-service-1st-mot.html
the intresting bit in there is the coolant pump, which has failed, and required replacing, which after a little wrangling, was done free of charge, under warranty. note the comments from the service manager there.....
anyway fast forward to this years service, all is fine, until i am told the pump is leaking again:
https://www.fiatforum.com/panda-new/135237-4th-year-servicing.html
now at the time i was a little annoyed, the part is less than a year old, and has done about 8000 miles since being put in......the service managers comment from last year come back to haunt me......
so back on the phone to Glynn Hopkins, i explain the above, and:
"well sir, the cars out of warranty so it's not covered"
"how much warranty would you have given the part you replaced"
"only till the end of the cars"
"what? 10 days?"
"yes"
..........................."so you arent able to do anything"
"no, you'd be told to jog on"..........
......"doesn't it seem odd that such a new part, in a low mileage car should go wrong? i got a 10 year old import thats still running perfectly""
"japanese engineering.....better"
"ok, bye"
so by now i'm a little miffed, and somewhat angry.....i email fiat uk. now to be honest, didn't expect much, after all i've fired off a few before to no avail, as have a few others, and my very long diatribe would have made excruiating reading for any poor soul at slough....but still....i sent it, and sure as eggs is eggs........no reply, so a month later (early april) i call fiat uk, and get a chap who although doesn't deal with this sort of thing, knows a person who does, mark in customer care, i explain it all to mark, who patiently listens, and opens a file, "give me a day sir, i'll get back to you".....yeah ok...
next day "sir, can you take you car into palmers fiat, they'll check it all over"
later that day, it's in, and i'm talking to matt, at the service desk, "we'll put it up on the ramp, and have a look, and take some photos of the pump" cool....yep there's def a leak in there, i'll report back to fiat, and they'll call you"...ok cheers
a few days later, mark "sir, call up palmers, arrange to get the car in , we are picking up the bill for the replacement"........ outstanding!!!!!
this morning drop the car into mark at palmers fiat at about 9am, go home, about 11am, get a call "sir the cars ready, can collect after 10/15 mins as is being valeted".....stunned silence from me....ready in 2 hours and without prompting, a full on clean!!!
so, all done, and i have to say, very impressed with mark at fiat uk, quick and efficient at sorting an issue, i don't recall actually stating either on the phone or in email that i wanted them to pay for the replacement, was more disappointed it had gone wrong so quickly...
and a big thanks to matt and palmers fiat, watford for sorting the repair so quickly, despite me having to cancel a booking a few weeks ago at short notice
btw, the problem stemmed from a failure of the gasket, and/or the incorrect installation of the pump.........."jog on" indeed.....
anyway, there endeth a long, and possibly boring, story....
Last edited: