24 replies to this topic

[gregers]

also contact someone like auto express they seem to hold a bit of clout over the stealers.

[eyemdee]

Another route is to ask Honest John (http://www.honestjohn.co.uk) for advice as I understand they also have a helpful legal team.

[2011fiesta]

Will do, gonna be after Christmas now tho. Thanks for all the useful advice

[2011fiesta]

Well I rang Ford Customer Relations earlier today and the operator said she would have thought that would have been covered by warrenty but she wasn't the expert so put me through to the customer relations head office.

Spoke to another lady who took all the details and put me on hold while she rang my dealership.
She then confirmed that the dealer said "they took photos and sent them to Ford's warrenty department for approval, but they rejected the issue as said it was not due to a manufacturing fault - so therefore quoted the price for a Ford replacement etc which was £900.00".

I said yeah I know this, thats what they told us, what I'm confused about is why it isn't covered by warrenty - the cars less that 3 years old, got around 52,000 miles on it and owned by a 60+ year old driving instructor, not some boy racer who trashes it about.

(I had FOC open to use like a script while on the phone and said);
So are you saying the warranty on Turbo's is only valid for 50,000 miles, or are you saying we have damaged it somehow? Because the Supply of Goods Act states: "Goods supplied by traders must be 'as described', 'fit for their purpose' and of 'satisfactory quality'. Basically, they should be safe, durable and free from faults or defects. If a trader breaches these laws then you could have a right to a refund, repair or replacement".
Warranty should cover the part as it's not been durable and of a satisfactory quality to last til the end of the car's warrenty, (and the cars been serviced as required and looked after). I wouldn't have thought the turbo would be classed as comsumable part like pads or bulbs?

She said well I understand how you feel but at the moment all we know is the warrently section rejected it as it wasn't a manufacturing issue, but as this isn't much of a responce for a customer I'll contact the warrenty team for some more information - however their initial decison is very rarely overturned.

So she took my contact details and gave me a reference number and contact number and said she'll call back in a day or two.

I added that I was really disappointed that Ford were trying to wipe their hands of our issue again, as they've also done with a problem on our other fiesta, and that I was losing faith in the brand and couldn't see us purchasing from them again.

I mentioned seeking legal advise through our bank or breakdown recovery and she said well that would be entirely up to yourself (as I knew they'd say - but just wanted to drop that in there anyway).




(I was calm and polite throughout the call by the way, and the lady was nice to deal with, but we'll see what response her return phone call brings).
I'll probaly put this in writting to them too as the helpful things above you guys told me to say won't have been noted or recorded on a call. Working in customer services myself at the moment, I know a complaint by letter can often hold a little more weight than a phone call.

Cheers again, I'll keep you's updated.

Paul

[NorthSussex]

You are doing all the correct things to resolve this dispute with Ford. Good luck.

[Magenta]

Essential that you put your complaint in writing and keep a copy of course. Be polite as you have already been.

[jimrex]

Just a thought Paul, but I wonder if they might try and wriggle out of it by arguing that because it's a driving instructor's car, it suffers a higher level of abuse and therefore not their problem? I don't know if that is a valid argument, but it might be worth checking the small print of the warranty in case there is a clause that states something about normal usage.

I'm sure they'll use any excuse they can not to stump up for warranty work so just make sure you do know the ins and outs the warranty... and good luck

[2011fiesta]

Yeah, I'll check that out too, thanks.

Why can't we just win the lottery and get a new car

[gregers]

you dont need to,you just want them to honour the warranty they have given on the car.
dunno if there is a dedicated forum on the net for your car?but try searching to see if the problem has been posted before,

i always thought no matter what,if the car is serviced when necessary then its covered?regardless of mileage incurred in a short time.

[Magenta]

Just a thought Paul, but I wonder if they might try and wriggle out of it by arguing that because it's a driving instructor's car, it suffers a higher level of abuse and therefore not their problem? I don't know if that is a valid argument, but it might be worth checking the small print of the warranty in case there is a clause that states something about normal usage.

I'm sure they'll use any excuse they can not to stump up for warranty work so just make sure you do know the ins and outs the warranty... and good luck

Worth checking but unlikely I would have thought. Ford would be implying that that the Fiesta is not a good car for driving schools which we know is far from true. They would definitely want to keep that under their hat so the more publicity you can give this case the better.