Hi,
I'm getting a Volvo dealer to convert a standard V70 Estate to have 2 additional seats in the back. There seems to be some confusion as to whether it should have a key lock added to the tailgate for use in emergency when the central locking isn't working etc.
Basically Volvo say it should, and a lock barrel should be ordered that matches the main key.
The Dealer is arguing against this as unnecessary.
Does anyone have a new series V70 estate with 7 seats? Does it have a lock on the tailgate?
cheers
Durelli
Edited by Pugugly on 18/04/2008 at 23:01
|
Well, to bring you up to date.
The service receptionist is saying they very rarely do these 7 seat conversions, yet the service superviser is saying they do them all the time.
They say there is no such part as a lock barrel on a V70 tailgate. They have never fitted one. It doesn\'t feature in all of the part breakdown diagrams they have. They will check it out with Volvo however. I think they were very dismissive until I said Volvo UK disagreed with them.
I checked again with Volvo, they have now stated it is a legal requirement to have a lock barrel fitted to the tailgate when seats are in the rear.
Rest of text removed as there appears to be an accusation, or at least insinuation, of illegal behaviour. Also can you please refrain from mentioning the garage by name.
--
Dynamic Dave
Back Room Moderator
mailto:dave_moderator@honestjohn.co.uk
|
I don't see how a lock barrel could be a safety feature anyway - how would locking the kids in the boot be a safety feature?
What would be a safety feature, and make a lot of common sense, would be an ordinary release catch on the inside. All earlier Volvo estates have them as standard, 7 seats or not.
|
The series 2 V70 doesn't have a manual exterior door handle. In the event of electrical failure it is impossible to open the tailgate. The lock barrel overcomes this.
There is an interior release added, along with a child lock. I will have the child lock on to ensure little hands don't get curious at 70 in the outside lane.
Dureli
|
The latest is...
No word from the dealer, so I chased them, and they eventually came back with
* It's not a legal requirement in the UK
* It's not part of the kit
* they can get the lock, but all in it will be over £100
So I went back to Volvo, another person, and the reply was...
It is a legal requirement
The lock order form isn't with the seat kit, but a note to order it is in the catalogue.
The option price will include the lock.
Any problems and the dealer should speak to Volvo.
I will then ask the dealer how they plan to deal with the many customers thay have fitted 7 seats to over the past couple of years? Is there a local recall process? will they advertise the problem in the local press? or should I contact
Trading Standards
Daily Telegraph
What Car
The consumers association
Volvo owners club.
All this on a car with a strong safety image!
When I went to call the dealer at about 1PM, I was told he'd gone out to tax cars, and would be back in about an hour. So he has all day to go to the post office, and he decides to go at lunchtime, one of the busiest times of day. Or did he go to lunch?
Dureli
|
Durelli,
I have just bought a 7 seater V70 - I am picking it up on friday - I'll let you know if has this or not.
CS
|
Is it a factory fit or dealer fit option?
Apparently the factory fit do have it.
Dealer fit should have it.
The end result should be the same, although the dealer charges more as it's a retrofit.
Dureli
|
I got a call last Tuesday asking me when I wanted the lock fitted. So it seems getting the dealer to speak to the customer rep at Volvo worked. They said it would be 3 days to get the part.
Here we are 7 days later and I've not heard anything. I've chased them twice today and I'm still waiting for a call.
However, I did read my owners manual last night. It clearly stated in there the need for this lock to be fitted. It also said how to test it with regards to the alarm.
An interesting point it makes which I don't understand however is that the interior tailgate release handle which is fitted as part of the conversion comes with a child lock. The manual says that if children are in the seat,s the child lock should not be used to allow the children to leave the vehicle un aided.
This strikes me as odd, firstly allowing the children to use the interior release, and secondly why have a child lock fitted if you're then told never to use it?
Any ideas?
Durelli
|
Durelli,
When I added an extra four seats to the rear of my Vx Monterey, it counted as a modification, hence insurance as a "special" (an extra £200.00 - drat). Might this apply in your case?
rg
|
It was my understanding that if a dealer fits the option before you buy the car the insurance don't need to know.
So if you buy a car with extra low profile alloy wheels fitted by the dealer you don't have to tell the insurance. But if you buy it with standard wheels on and go to halfords and get the low profile wheels put on it you have to tell the insurance.
That was my understanding.
So the fact that the 7 seats can be a factory option means my insurance company will see this as a standard car.
Durelli.
|
errmm,
I hate insurance companies, warranty companies, and any other organisation that comes on paternal and caring to take my money, then, come the day you need them, they have become the exact inverse, and make Ebeneezer Scrooge seem generous.
"Well, one of our assessors was not present at the time of the accident, so we have no independent record of the event, so we can't honour the claim...".
And one of their questions whenever they are quoting is
"Has the vehicle ever been modified in any way?" I take this to mean -ever-, not just under my ownership.
I try and get my pedantry in first, and try and beat them at their own "weasel-small-print-"not-us-guv"" game.
So, if I were you, I would check just to be safe.
("Cynical, qui moi?")
HTH (but apologies if it does not)
rg
|
But where does it end?
My car has extras such as roofbars, extra alloys, winter pack, premuim pack and the 7 seats and a tracker.
I'll call my insurance company later and ask them about it.
Durelli
|
I think that one of the issues was the extra personal accident liability from carrying four more potential "victims".
Just remember that we are entering "insurance world" here, so almost anything could apply...
rg
|
Just to bring you up to date with the latest on the lock cylinder.
The Dealer is doing the work after a chat to Volvo.
They said it would be 3 days to get the part.
They never called back.
I called a week later, and later that day, and later still that day. I lost my rag with them as they never call me.
The part is in and as been in for a few days.
My car was booked in and I have a demonstrater as a loan car (as opposed to a Ford Ka (How do they get away with people buying 30k cars and getting Ford Ka's as courtesy car).
I phoned them (as they never phone me)
They have repaired the chip in the windscreen.
They can't fit the lock as they have lost some parts. They have ordered another 7 seat kit to get the relevant parts out of it.
They kept my car overnight.
Not sure how the salesman who normally goes home in the demonstrater I have will get home.
So todays the day. They fix it or I ask about returning the car.
I might try and get them to pay for another dealer to do the work.
Dave D.
|
They fitted the lock. I've played with it for 5 minutes and it seems fine.
It is mounted vertically, so the key is inserted upwards. It sits alongside the number plate lights. It s covered by a rubber gromit also. They've had to put a hole on the inside of the tailgate, bt it looks quite neat.
Any ideas on the best way to highlight to other customers of this dealer (and potentially other dealers) that there cars may not meet UK legal requirements?
Durelli.
|
Hi,
breathing life into an old topic again. Guess what I'm getting a dealer fit 7 seat conversion on a V70 again!
Even dodgier than last time, as the salesman came up with the great idea of taking the 7 seats from my old car and putting em in my new car at a fraction of the cost.
Other dealers are very sceptical about this.
an needless to say the various Locks etc have not been included in the move, so I'm starting the ball rolling again by phoning Volvo just to check it's still a legal requirement to have the various safety features.
Oh, and a final point on the earlier thread, I broke the rear screen on the car and when having it replaced the Window fitter said there should be a lock mechanisim in the tailgate, which makes the little button pop up and down, needless to say it went back to the dealer to get this fitted a couple of years after the original fit.
Overall, it appears Volvo dealers seem to fly fast and loose with the 7 seat safety features!
Durelli
|
my experience of talking to volvo about the 7seat conversion and safety was that they were useless. I ended up talkin gto the Dept of Transport where I got sensible answers.
|
Hi,
so what answers did you get from the Dept of Transport?
Who did you speak to?
I've heared these seats called suicide seats? But I'd see them as safer than alot of people carriers. People carriers have peoples head right next to the rear window sometimes, whereas the estate option means the body is ontop of or in front of the rear wheels.
There seems to be few makes offering this option now. As far as I know it's Volvo and Mercedes now. Audi, Peugeot and Renault have stopped offering this.
cheers
Durelli
|
I cant remember the chaps name but he was involved in drafting the child seat legislation.
My main concern was the safety. I wanted to know if I needed to use child seats on the extra seats or not. (answer no - they are approved). Mine is an older v70 and I was the second owner. I have a child lock fitted and a barrel in the lock - although there are classic v70's without a barrel on the tailgate. certainly when I had to replace a broken handle for the tailgate you have to buy a full unit including the number plate lights and the lock barrel - but the replacement I got from a scrap yard had a plastic filler piece rather than a lock - I hadnt realised that they came without locks.
Apparently the reason so many makers have stopped offering the conversions is the EU approval thing. Apparently the merc and audi 7 seat conversions are not approved for use by children. Or weren't when I asked the question.
|
I'm looking at buying a 2003 v70 R AWD estate. All appear to be 5 seaters. If you do not mind me asking, how much did it cost to have the extra seats fitted? Also, did you match the interior seats to you others or does it come in one colour/style?
Thanks
Perry
|
