Bought my Panda 3 years ago from Reg Vardy in Sunderland. About a year later, went in for a warranty issue, they were closing down. Moved my custom to Benfield Fiat in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Went in today to look at the new Panda Cross, sorry, sir, we don't have one as we're giving up the Fiat franchise. A shame because Benfield were a good Fiat dealer on the service side.
Visited Springfield Fiat in Gateshead, a relatively new Fiat franchise. They tell me Pandas and 500s are selling like hotcakes.
I'm getting confused.
Edited by Pugugly on 14/08/2008 at 23:44
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FIAT has been taking the franchises away from dealers not up to standard. Maybe they have given it to the new one? I believe they have been visiting them anonymously to check them out.
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Maybe they have given it to the new one?
Would there be any takers?
Some brands do have pretty big holes in their networks.
We have a SEAT in the family and it broke down in NE Wales (usual VW coil pack failure). A little fault turned into a big issue as the car was in warranty but there are no SEAT dealers in N Wales/Chester/Wirral - quite a big area. SEAT have been advertising for a dealer in the Chester area for years, but it seems no one is interested.
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A little fault turned into a big issue as the car was in warranty but there are no SEAT dealers in N Wales/Chester/Wirral - quite a big area. SEAT have been advertising for a dealer in the Chester area for years but it seems no one is interested.
Never having owned a VAG car I don't know what the situation is, but surely Seat wouldn't object to you getting the car repaired at a VW, Audi or Skoda dealer?
They are pretty much the same cars under the skin after all. I know that a colleague of mine got his Citroen repaired at a Peugeot dealer and the warranty still stood -- Peugeot simply sent a note to Citroen billing them and all was well (at least that was the story I got -- must have been more to it than that).
Edited by jase1 on 16/08/2008 at 12:19
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Never having owned a VAG car I don't know what the situation is but surely Seat wouldn't object to you getting the car repaired at a VW Audi or Skoda dealer?
I asked exactly that question, as where the car broke down was very close to a VW dealer in Oswestry, but SEAT dismissed it out of hand. Yet call SEAT and you're calling the VAG office. The car had a service and maint package and that was operated by VAG Finance.
Even more absurd is that SEAT Assist, which is actually the AA, turned up and they carry a spare, but don't have the ability to provide a replacement under warranty so we would have had to pay £40+ for it.
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Springfield in Gateshead has been there for several years - my daughter got a Fiat there about 2002. My guess is that Tyneside didn't need, or couldn't support, two main Fiat dealers within a couple of miles.
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Now that Springfield Fiat in Gateshead are my nearest dealer I need to find out if they are any good. Of course you cannot name and shame but if you have a positive comment, Andrew, could you please post it.
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if you have a positive comment, Andrew, could you please post it.<<
The daughter has since spent 3 years in Holland, first getting me to sell her Punto down here (Cheshire). She has now returned and got a Golf Plus at Fords of Winsford. Since the Punto was serviced at an indie, I can't offer any comment at all ... sorry, Chris :-(
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FIAT has been taking the franchises away from dealers not up to standard. Maybe they have given it to the new one? I believe they have been visiting them anonymously to check them out.
Quite possible really, when I was in the Newcastle branch's Alfa showroom (attached to the Fiat one) and was sitting in an Alfa Spider I was told to "stop ragging that gear stick, they're very fragile".
Two things:-
1) I wasn't ragging anything, I'm a qualified ADI and quite capable of changing a gear.
2) Is this salesman meant to be an ambassador for his brand, or an assasin?
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had a headlamp bulb go on the then new Alfa Romeo 146Ti about 12 years ago, whilst i was near Plymouth on holiday for 2 weeks... strange looking bulb that a motor factors couldn't supply
nearest dealer was Dorset or Truro in Cornwall, which was ridiculous
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" "stop ragging that gear stick, they're very fragile""
So you thought - "yep, this is the car for me"! Fantastic - another sales guy who hopefully is now flipping burgers where he belongs.
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As a guy who was born and raised in the Gateshead area,(Or Gatesheed as it's known.) Springfield have been in residence since God was a lad.
So you should have no worries about them scarpering.
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