Hi,

Fuming at the moment and looking for some advice before venting my rage.

Today I picked my car up (MY00 UK spec Imp Turbo) from a MAIN SUBARU DEALER as it was being looked at as I am currently having a problem. This is another story but basically it involved the dealer driving the car in order to diagnose the problem. They did this over a period of 2 days and used half a tank of fuel, no problem, this was all agreed on by myself. They phoned me to say they could not resolve the problem as I have a non standard exhaust on the car which needs replacing with the original equipment exhaust for warranty purposes, fine I'll come in and pick the car up and arrange the swap over, then come back another day - so far so good.
Pick the car up today, it's been cleaned, nice touch I thought and I give the car a once over and all looks fine. However, as soon as I drive off I notice a vibration through the steering wheel at low speeds, hmmm doesn't feel right. Carry on as I need to get to work and problem gets worse and worse as speed increases, instantly feels like a balancing problem. The car was 100% beforehand. Alarm bells start ringing as its very rare for balancing weights on wheels to come off and it's a bit of a coincidence.

I phone the dealer and they say the driver didn't have any incidents to report although he noticed a 'vibration around 70mph'. They thank me for letting them know and I say I will have it looked at to gauge degree of problem.
I then go to a tyre fitting garage and it turns out the front off side alloy wheel has been buckled, they manage to balance it but it needs a hell of alot of weights. I then go and test the car and the problem is still there, it looks like the wheel can no longer be balanced and must have had a fairly hefty head on knock, guessing it may have been with a curb. There is no other visible damage on the car.

Obviously I am pissed of with the dealer. One as the damage occurred in their hands and two that they deny all knowledge on initial contact.

Any advice would be appreciated please.

Thanks.

You need to prove negligence - not easy!!

I had the same problem with a calibra I owned - took it to a Repaircentre to have the CV boots replaced. First time I had ever left it alone ... but anyway the young pimple faced 'mechanics' come out (only used to dealing with Lada's and such like!!) and look round the car - thats OK its a smart looking car. Then I went away and left them to it. I turned up as agreed 2 hours later to see the car up on the lift ramp still - oh dear you just know theres some problem.

Well, look here sir the lower suspension arm is bent - hmmmm!!!

I took the car away and noticed 6 miles on the car over the reading when I took it in - the invoice showed 'no test drive' - I went back and asked ..... oh yes sir the lads took it out to check it as the replacement of a boot is a safety item!! BOLLOX!!!

Now, I KNOW that they took the car out just when I had disappeared round the corner and had a good old time in her - and evidently curbed the wheel bending the lower arm - but as for PROVING it - VERY difficult indeed. sorry.

Edited to remove the name of the repairers - sorry moderator!!!


Pete

[This message has been edited by pslewis (edited 27 January 2001).]

Andy

I had a similar problem with a VW garage when I had my golf. The returned the car on a transporter after a service and one of the straps used to secure the car had "chaffed" one of the spokes of hte alloy.

They powder coated it as an act of "goodwill".

However powder coating is very 2nd rate and I would not accept this next time.

A good friend of mine is in the trade and tells me if there is damage to the car whilst it is in their hands the dealer does not have a leg to stand on unless they have offered a "walk-round" inspection on dropping the car off. If they offer such an inspection and you decline then you have no come-back. If they don't offer then you should have a case.

I don't know what the legal position is and I don't know if this could be applied to a fault only detectable by driving the car.

I guess it come under the general heading of "reasonable care".

Where are all the consumer experts out there when you need them?

(Not Ann "dominatrix" Robinson please)


Martin

Andy

From where I sit, this is a tricky one. As Martin says, if you both inspected the car when you dropped it off, and no damage to the O/S/F wheel was evident you would have a case. Having said that, I would guess the legal guys would say, and IMHO be right, that you have nothing unless you have it in writing.

In your case the dealer is only as good as his/her staff, and anyone that employs people knows, staff can be great or a pain the ass. The guy that drove your car could try to cover that he curbed the O/S/F wheel for fear of his job. The dealership could and I ‘underline’ could, just throw it back at you, saying it's nothing to do with us to save the repair cost. It may also be a genuine mistake on their part. A little trip down a pot hole, at the end of the road test, and the dealer genuinely didn't think he had damaged the wheel. It is quite possible to buckle a wheel on a pot hole.

From the dealers point of view, and indeed the customers, how far do you go when you leave a vehicle in for work? Do you both go round all bodywork, wheels, tyres and agree no damage, or note damage? It could get really silly - count CD's in the changer, note the contents of the glove box, note all interior scuffs etc.

I trust the vast majority of my customers and we get on very well. Accidents occasionally happen, and if my staff have one they always come to me and we rectify the problem and inform the customer. In the main, as I am sure you are doing, when a customer says the problem was not there before they dropped of the vehicle I believe them and do my best to rectify the fault.

I have also known customers to take the p1ss when collecting their cars, going straight to faults that obviously have nothing to do with the work carried out. Having said that, dealers from hell do exist and I hope your not up against one!!

It would be interesting to know what your original problem is/was.

I hope you get it sorted, Subaru dealers are proud of their reputation and I'm sure that who ever it is will do their best to sort it out. From a personal (non motor trade) point of view, stay calm and be reasonable - it's always worked for me.

If you need any help mail or call me.

Regards

David

Andy

From where I sit, this is a tricky one. As Martin says, if you both inspected the car when you dropped it off, and no damage to the O/S/F wheel was evident you would have a case. Having said that, I would guess the legal guys would say, and IMHO be right, that you have nothing unless you have it in writing.

In your case the dealer is only as good as his/her staff, and anyone that employs people knows, staff can be great or a pain the ass. The guy that drove your car could try to cover that he curbed the O/S/F wheel for fear of his job. The dealership could and I ‘underline’ could, just throw it back at you, saying it's nothing to do with us to save the repair cost. It may also be a genuine mistake on their part. A little trip down a pot hole, at the end of the road test, and the dealer genuinely didn't think he had damaged the wheel. It is quite possible to buckle a wheel on a pot hole.

From the dealers point of view, and indeed the customers, how far do you go when you leave a vehicle in for work? Do you both go round all bodywork, wheels, tyres and agree no damage, or note damage? It could get really silly - count CD's in the changer, note the contents of the glove box, note all interior scuffs etc.

I trust the vast majority of my customers and we get on very well. Accidents occasionally happen, and if my staff have one they always come to me and we rectify the problem and inform the customer. In the main, as I am sure you are doing, when a customer says the problem was not there before they dropped of the vehicle I believe them and do my best to rectify the fault.

I have also known customers to take the p1ss when collecting their cars, going straight to faults that obviously have nothing to do with the work carried out. Having said that, dealers from hell do exist and I hope your not up against one!!

It would be interesting to know what your original problem is/was.

I hope you get it sorted, Subaru dealers are proud of their reputation and I'm sure that who ever it is will do their best to sort it out. From a personal (non motor trade) point of view, stay calm and be reasonable - it's always worked for me.

If you need any help mail or call me.

Regards

David

A car dealer called Shark!!! http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif: http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif

There is a tendency on the bbs to hear the horror stories. I am sure most dealers would be sympathetic to your plight and a reasonable approach I'm sure will be fruitful.

(David has just offered to servic emy car for free - collect and drop off to my door http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/smile.gif

Martin

Martin

I'm in Edinburgh on the 22nd Feb at Dalhousie Castle, I'll do the service then http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif

David

Shark,

You have email.

All,

Thanks for the replies so far guys, any more advice appreciated please.

Andy.

David

I won't tell a soul!

Martin http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/wink.gif http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/wink.gif

Andy,

This has happened twice to my car when it was delivered/collected for service by my dealer.

On the first occasion, the rear bumper valence was scraped down to the plastic over an area of 4sq inches. Initially the dealer tried to say that it must have been there already - I had washed it the day before so I was politely adamant that it certainly wasn't.
With some persuassion, the dealer arranged for the bumper to be completely resprayed (and did a good job).

One the second occasion a wheel was heavily kerbed around half of it's circumference. This was much more difficult to prove, but after some 'discussion', they supplied a brand new wheel and tyre.

In fact, this shouldn't really cost them much as they probably have a few sets from 17" upgrades, so remain polite, but don't give up if you're convinced you're right. If all of the other wheels are A1, then it shouldn't be too difficult to convince them...

Good luck,

Alex

Alex,

Unfortunately the wheels ARE 17" upgrades and not the original 16" wheels thus they will not have a few readily available.

Andy.