The next few paragraphs might sound like a bit of a rant, but they are not. They are just an example of a frustrating few days that I’ve had.
We have a car, no names mentioned, that is just slightly out of warranty – only just, but a few days. It is fairly low mileage but has had a problem for many weeks – well within the warranty period. Our driver took it to the local dealer to try and find out what the problem was, and of course to get it fixed.
After a deep intake of breath from the mechanic – sorry, technician, the service manager and of course the service receptionist. They all decided they thought they knew what it was, but it wasn’t that simple. Oh no, the technician needed a ‘Special Tool’ to be able to get to the ‘problem’. “Great,” our driver exclaimed, “well, best get on to it with your ‘Special Tool,’ then.” Then to be told, the dealer doesn’t have this ‘Special Tool’ on the premises, and one would have to be ordered from the manufacturer. Easy, or so our driver thought.
So, off he went home in his troublesome motor, only to get a phone call the next day from the service receptionist to say, the ‘Special Tool’ was on back-order from the supplier, and they didn’t know when it would arrive at the dealer.
Fortunately for our driver, there were two main dealers within 10 miles of his home. He went to the other dealer, only to be told, they needed a ‘Special Tool.’ Again, they didn’t have one, because they were on back order. Apparently, the dealer knew this, because they had a similar problem with another car, and had tried to order it before.
Our driver remembers his Dad telling him that in the good old days, all you needed to fix a car was a hammer, a screwdriver, or a spanner, and he never needed a ‘Special Tool’!
This car is still not running correctly, it does need sorting, and is a liability. At some time very soon, it is going to fail, break down and leave our driver stuck somewhere he really doesn’t want to be!
Talking of warranties, it seems to be a bit of a postcode lottery as to whether you get a courtesy car under warranty – or not! Some of our drivers do get a car, for others it’s a complete battle. Getting the vehicle booked in is one thing, it can take weeks – getting a loan car is another! Our drivers, like all fleet drivers need to be on the road, doing their jobs, keeping our business going, but it’s getting more and more difficult to do this. Garages are making the rules up as they go along, in my opinion. Goodwill is now out of the window. It’s now called ‘good luck’ if you can get a replacement car at the first asking.
Talking to some friends who are also fleet managers, they tell me they are having significant problems with a certain vehicle that keeps going into ‘limp mode,’ having covered only around 1,000 miles, and the problem at the moment seems to be unsolvable! Fortunately, I don’t have any of these vehicles, but I know it is causing huge problems. I’m so glad we didn’t get any of that particular model. Yet another warranty disaster, and apparently, a ‘Special Tool’ can’t even fix them!
Rant nearly over, but I’m getting a little fed up receiving videos from dealers showing me the underside of our cars in for service, showing me the tyres, the brakes, and the exhaust. I’m not interested in seeing a video, just tell me the vehicle is in good condition, serviceable and safe, I really don’t want a full-length documentary on it. It is a car, not Coronation Street.
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