Just checked 'car by car breakdown' link to our left. Were they checking the known coil problems??
First off....
Meet the manager you had a barny with, apologise!!
Give him the that list of the failures, that you've made.
Confirm they're looking for the same thing.
Let them have one more chance to sort the faults.
Follow this with a letter confirming that you are of the opinion that the car was defective when they sold it to you & you will be formally rejecting it, should the problems re-occour.(not much chance, 'cos of how long you've had it, but looks like you mean business!)
If you bought it on finance, through the dealer, send the finance company a copy of your complaint, asking what they can do to help you.
Ask that your warranty be extended by 12 months, to give you some re-assurance, that things are now OK. No harm in asking.
Check with the previous owner, as to if they had similar problems.If they can't be traced, or was owned by Renault themselves, ask for a FULL breakdown of any repairs or service work carried out prior to you owning it.
See how you go!
VB
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Its a Renault what did you expect, get it working again then sell it and buy something reliable there's no point in wasting your time with it.
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Carl, its always annoying when someone is trying to get a valid problem solved, which is the purpose of this thread, to be met by an answer like yours.
As with all threads, only contribute if there is something constructive to be added.
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You need to get proper legal advice - this sounds very similar to the problem my parents have with their Volvo 850, which will occasionally not start when warm. The problem developed after they had had the car for about 6 years, so obvioulsy well out of any guarantee, and despite 2 overnight investigations by a main dealer, no problem can be found and the on-board computers are not logging any faults. The AA have no sympathy and are now invoking the "charge you if we get called out again" clause despite dad being a memeber for over 50 years. Volvo UK were not interested and just referred them back to the dealer, who cannot find anything wrong! The only solution appears to be to sell the car, which is what they are now in the process of doing. It may be easier for you to do this too - I know it will cost money but hopefully you will not get another car with the same type of fault.
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The fact that you have put up with the problem for so long, al beit vehicle back and forward to Garage may, and I repeat may,work to your detriment if you are trying to reject the vehicle under Sof GA.
As Malteser and I E T suggest it may be prudent to get proper legal advice on this one starting firstly with Trading Standards.
Run the problem passed them and see what they suggest and then consult solicitor.
DVD
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& don't forget the guy I mentioned in other Backroomers customer/dealer problems...
www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties
Talk to Stephen Rhodes weekdays 10am - 12 mid day.Doesn't matter if you're not in beds, Herts, Bucks & he sorts problems FAIRLY, not into slanging matches with the offending company.
It's an entertaining consumer prog. worth a listen 95.5FM, 630MW.
08459455555 the number to call, while they are on the air. You'll need to go 'live' to get your matter heard, too.
VB
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As Malteser and I E T suggest it may be prudent to get proper legal advice on this one starting firstly with Trading Standards. Run the problem passed them and see what they suggest and then consult solicitor.
IME, sadly, Trading Standards are absolutely hopeless with this sort of thing - I tried to involve them when I was having a punch-up with a SEAT dealer last year. The guy there was pleasant enough, but said that they couldn't get involved at all, unless there was something going on for which they could prosecute someone.
I think now is the time for solicitor-type legal advice, especially if the service manager is inclined to be as unhelpful as you describe.
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Carl A - this is completely off topic, but selling it is completely unfair. What happens when the next owner experiences the same problems and has to start from scratch?
Is it naive of me to assume this? Has anyone here ever sold a car knowing that it has a fault but kept quiet? I guess it\'s fair enough if it\'s a mega problem and they don\'t check the car properly, but this is an intermittant thing and a decent mechanic would give the car a once over, say, \"Looks like a good deal!\" and then a new owner is stuffed.
I severely dislike people like that and don\'t mind making it obvious.
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I have sold lots of cars in my time, but never knowingly sold a car with a major defect to a private punter.
Once we did sell a Mini with a very worn clutch to a woman who wanted it for her daughter (who'd just passed her test). The car was sold *way* below book value because of the clutch and I told the woman in no uncertain terms that it would definitely need a new clutch.
Within two weeks she was on the 'phone complaining the clutch was slipping and was going to the CAB, TS, local paper etc. etc.
I learnt a lesson from that one.
By far the most difficult customers were the middle-class women.
I *have* sold a few duff cars through the auctions - but that is what they're there for, LOL!! - and generally its only other traders that get stung.
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and generally its only other traders that get stung.
>>
my personal view - someone further down the chain is likely to be a trusting and decent punter. but that is business ethics for some people.
i believe the decent thing would be to sell it to the dealers who claims there is nothing wrong with the car and then let them sell it on with their legal obligations and/or with a warranty.
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my personal view - someone further down the chain is likely to be a trusting and decent punter. but that is business ethics for some people.
Not just business ethics, my friend. Spend a bit of time in the car trade, as I have done, and you will find that you get plenty of problems from the middle-class 'moral majority' trying to cheat dealers (who are all assumed to be dishonest and therefore fair game).
Examples include trade-ins being brought in with equipment removed (i.e. no spare, no radio, good tyres swapped for nearly bald part-worns - you get the idea). You spot a slight colour mismatch and so ask if car has ever been damaged - they tell you 'no' and then you find they've just had it back from repairers following a major accident. Or you find that they overheated it last week and the head gasket is gone.
Dealers get stung like this more often than you would think.
One advantage of buying at auction (where, it has to be said, there can be a lot of iffy cars at the general sales) is that if you do pick a bad one you can put it back into the ring the following week and not lose very much money.
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... from the middle-class 'moral majority' ...
i have wish to hijack this thread so i will just add these final personal opinions.
aprilia:
i agree what you say about private sellers can be quite true.
recent published research has proved your point that the words middle-class and high-moral-values are oxymorons.
we all know how private car sellers can be dishonest but they are not in business doing it everyday.
we also know how some motor dealers have an arthur daley reputation.
my philosophy is that because someone else uses bad practices, whether private or business, it is no justification for me to follow their example.
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freudian slip! correction :-) :
" i have NO wish to hijack this thread so "
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i believe the decent thing would be to sell it to the dealers who claims there is nothing wrong with the car and then let them sell it on with their legal obligations and/or with a warranty.
It would be interesting to see if they knocked the value down due to a fault which their workshop can't find. Having said that, even if Ivor's parents went down this route (would they really want another Volvo) the dealer would probably trade on or auction their car - most main dealers for any franchise are not interested in 6 yr old cars.
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