Worst possible dealer service

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Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
1,855
Location
Niptons Ridge
I have had about as much as I can take from the dealer who is "supposed" to be repairing my car :mad:
It went to them last Tuesday as it wouldn't start (came up with a light on the dash, key with a line through it)
They didn't look at it until Friday, they rang me at 5:15pm stating that the ECU had gone down on it and needed replacing (car is only 4 months outside 3yrs warranty) this was to cost £639 all in.
Asked them when it would be ready for, they told me Wednesday.
No phone call by 4pm Wednesday, so rang them, was told somebody would call me back in 10-15mins. No call by 5pm, so rang them back again and got the same answer. Told them that I was still waiting for a return of the first call.

No call by the close of business Wednesday, so called them again on Thursday morning. Was told that the part wouldn't be in until Friday morning and it wouldn't be fixed until Friday afternoon. I explained that this wasn't good enough as this weekend I was taking my wife away because it was her birthday and I required the car. I also asked why nobody called me back on Wednesday to inform me of this?
They didn't know why I hadn't been given a courtesy call and would investigate, but the car would deffo be ready for Friday at 9:30am instead of the afternoon. I asked him if they were sure the problem would be fixed as I would be doing a fair amount of mileage and didn't need it to break down.
Their reply was, we have found the problem and the new ecu will cure it, you will not have this problem any more.

Fast forward to this morning, they ring me and explain that the new ecu hasn't cured the problem :rolleyes: , they are now prepared to offer me a courtesy car for the weekend, but it must be back for Monday morning.
I then tell them that it isn't good enough and as the new ecu didn't cure the problem I will not be paying for it. I also told them I would be emailing their head office to express my displeasure.

We have had to cancel our weekend away and still have no clue what is wrong with the vehicle, more importantly neither do the dealers. :mad:

I'll name and shame them as well
Stratstone Chrysler Jeep - Derby.
 
Why have you had to cancel the weekend?

Just take their courtesy car and go and enjoy yourself with the misses!

I agree that you should not pay for the ECU. What car is it? A Jeep?

Appalling service, I think a letter would have been a little more formal than an email.
 
If that were me I'd get the car picked up and trailered to someone who knows what they're doing. ECU's very rarely fail completely unless they are physically damaged or have water ingress. Credit card diagnosis like this where dealers swap parts on a wing and a prayer will only end up costing you a fortune in the long run.

Your problem from the symbol alone sounds like a problem with the immobiliser not detecting the key, so it wants the keys checking, and the pickup and associated wiring checking and testing before they start messing with ECU's.
 
Phone head office....someone at Jeep instead of the Dealers. Complain about the car being just out of warranty and ask if the ecu's are only suppsed to last 3 years. If you have no luck as a last resort ask them to go halves with for the cost. Just because its out of warranty does not mean they will do nothing. You have nothing to loose. Also tell them of the poor service...no return calls etc.
 
Phal said:
What decade are you living in? :p

A decade where a significant number of senior executives still get there secretaires to read emails on their behlf and print any relevant ones out for them.

Letters are nearly always a better way of complaining not only is it a much more formal communication but you actually have to make an effort to write and post it as opposed to getting upset and firing off an email without thinking!
 
Phal said:
What decade are you living in? :p

Letters get action, simple as that. Had the run around via email when trying to claim back from Parcel2Go (they crushed an item I sent via them - wont be using them again for sure), 6 months of emailing later nothing - apparently they only deal with claims via email. Sent a letter threatening legal action, cheque through my door the day after.

Letters work better and are less likely to just sit unread in someones inbox.
 
Well, the email was sent anyway, but I printed off a copy to post to them anyway. ;)
It is a Jeep we are talking about, I had the AA out who said that he thought it was the immobilser as well.
I will try and contact Jeep head office but I doubt it will come to anything :(
It annoys me because I have had it dealer serviced through it's 32k life :mad:
 
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