Keys… keys… a never-ending problem – but more about that later, when I’ve calmed down.
Getting new cars was a real problem, but that has now eased quite a bit, and the ‘wait and see’ has almost gone. It was like playing Russian roulette – you would order a car, wait months for it to arrive, and when it did after many delays you were never sure if it was going to be the right colour, the right spec, and the right engine. Just like pot luck for many months – I’d be telling our drivers that their new car was not exactly what they ordered, but they’d soon get used to it, and eventually like and enjoy it for the next three years.
Now the supply problems have moved from car production to parts availability. It has been a problem for some time, but now it seems to be getting worse. One of our vehicles has been off the road for nearly two months, and it’s not because of a large expensive part; instead, it’s a small, specially machined washer that cannot be located anywhere for love nor money! Apparently, the company that makes these small washers can no longer supply them any more. Why, I do not know, but our vehicle can’t move until we get one! I realise getting these unique parts remanufactured can be difficult, and that they are not easy to produce by engineering companies at relatively short notice; however, this must also be affecting the production lines at the car factories. We have had a rental car replacement for the past few weeks, and we think we’re lucky to get that – but our vehicle is still off the road, waiting for a part. It is just a small bolt needed for the EGR system! I’m no engineer, nor a parts logistics expert, but you’d think the manufacturers would have a Plan B in place!
I hear from a good friend and source that a manufacturer intends to close 75% of its UK dealerships, finish production of all its current vehicles, then restart in late 2025 with a completely new electric range. What about servicing, warranty work and general repairs for its current range, I wondered? I understand its ‘sister’ company will undertake most this work at their dealerships, which is good, but demand at these sites will increase dramatically. It is hard enough getting a car serviced as it is, but for this manufacturer it surely will only get worse. We, fortunately, don’t have any of this manufacturer’s cars, but if we did, I think I’d begin to worry.
Back to key issues, as we seem to get many of them. The latest was over the Bank Holiday weekend. I was at home, just enjoying the rain. One of our drivers called me, apologised profusely, but said he was at the seaside, and his keys had “disappeared”. I asked the usual stupid question: “Where have you lost them?” He gave the usual reply: “If I knew where I’d lost them, they wouldn’t be lost.” His wife was going ballistic at him, I could hear her, asking the same questions I was about to. From my previous experience of lost keys at the coast, the best place to start is on the beach! I told him to look where he was seated, around where he’d set up camp for the day – as it’s easy for keys to drop out of pockets. Anyway, they went back to the beach, looked in the sand, found someone with a metal detector – but still nothing! To cut a long, very frustrating, and very boring story short, he’d left them in the boot of the car. He’d put them in there while getting out their chairs, cool box, umbrella, buckets, and spades, then forgot he’d left them in there, and shut the boot! Anyway, keys found, he set off back home, and I got on with looking out of the window waiting for the rain to stop!
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