kelly58 Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 Under my previous thread "Gas Leak" I stated I was going to Brownhills Newark to have a leaking regulator fixed under warranty to-day .Brownhills would not carry out the warranty work because I did not have the habitation service done by them, they have decided that if they ( Brownhills ) do not do the habitation service they will not cover any work required under warranty.My motorhome is a Compass part of the Explorer Group so for convenience I had the Hab service done locally by an Explorer Group Agent who was more than happy to do the service much to my satisfaction,so in other words the service was carried out in accordance with the warranty.When I raised the matter with Brownhills service department not doing the work because I did not pay them to do the hab service it seems to me to be blackmail which they said was not because blackmail is illegal and they can do as they wish regards warranty's so if you buy a new motorhome from Brownhills and go to another more convenient service centre for your hab check your 3 year warranty is useless.As with others out there Brownhills have lost another customer when I exlpained to some of the salesmen I was in the market for a bigger fixed bed motorhome but as Brownhills decided not to cover my warranty issue they would not get my business they laughed and said we agree with you its making our job a lot harder with all this bad publicity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolh Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 I'll bet you were furious! surely the warranty is underwritten by an independent company, well it is if you buy one on a used vehicle. so surely it makes no difference who does any warranty work as long as it is done by an approved workshop! it amazes me what these people get away with, they fall over themselves to take your money and then walk away and turn their backs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 What extraordinary behaviour....Yet another reason (if you need one) to take your business else where Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwaviation Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 I too have an Elddis Autoquest 115 and from the start I thought my 'free' warranty was 'free', the need for a costly habitation check every year was not , shall we say, fully explained. I also couldn't grasp the fact that because you only had an annual damp check and not a full hab check then the warranty for water ingress was also void 8-) We made a considered choice not take part in these practices and don't bother with the annual checks and have waved goodbye to the warranty (for what it was worth) - We shall continue to have the gas checked independently as and when - and we shall tackle any damp as and when (which is monitored monthly by ourselves with a meter anyway)... How are you getting on with your 115? We have just spent five weeks in ours touring Greece and I have some good pointers for you if you are interested :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupert123 Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 I really find all this a little bizarre. If the m/h was purchased new from any company your contract is with that company. It does not matter if the part that goes wrong is with the base vehicle, the converters part or any other unit fitted at the time. Provided you have complied with the terms of the warranty they are obliged to fix it. My motorhome is a Swift with a Fiat base. If something goes wrong with the Fiat part it goes back to the m/h dealer, their problem not mine, my contract is with them not some Fiat dealer. Now I know they will take it to a Fiat dealer but I will still only deal with the supplier. If Brownhills are the supplier they have to fix it, if not a visit to trading standards should do the trick. Their behaviour is beyond comprehension, hope you sort things out. To add insult to injury having to go home early you missed one of the best periods of weather we have had in North Wales this summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter lambert Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 I only took my motorhome back to Brownhills for its first Hab service. It is 36 miles up the A1 from here so need to have someone drive the car up to carry me home again. Same again on the collection day. So 144 miles for 2 vehicles, and their high prices to boot. Of course, you can always take up the offer of their Hire Car, at some considerable cost if I remember right. I now take my van to a local dealer for the service as it's more convenient. Also, 2 years ago, the ignition switch on my Smev hob stopped working. It unclips from the front of the hob and has 2 wires on it, so it's not rocket science to change it. Brownhills would not supply a new switch for me to fit as it is a GAS part. HOHOHO. A GAS switch? How does that work? It's an Electrical switch on a Gas appliance. They expected me to take the van up and leave it with them to check the failed switch and then order a new one and fit it. No Way Jose!! A quick search on the 'net and a new switch was ordered and came in about 3 days for about £5. Fitted by me in 2 mins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 I'm sorry to say I agree wiith Brownhills for a change. After all, if an outsider did the Habitation Service and buggered up the regulator, why should Brownhills pay to put it right. He may not have done, but Brownhills don't know that do they. Blimey what's all the fuss about? how much is a regulator anyway. You probably saved a lot more than that by not using Brownhills and probably a lot less than the Diesel to get to Brownhills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwaviation Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 I think warranty work is charged back to the manufacturer which in this case is Explorer Group. In this case Brownhills are just being petulant. Peter L - My point exactly B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 IMV I'd suggest you read the warranty very carefully. If you believe you have complied with the terms, then contact the manufacturer and tell them what has transpired with Brownhills and ask them where you can take your vehicle to have warranty work carried out. If they cannot give you details or refuse then get in touch with Trading Standards as you have been sold something which does not exist as part of your motorhome purchase and would appear it has it has been misdescribed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 I think you will find that large dealers negotiate special deals with suppliers based on the understanding that the dealer covers the cost of warranty totally. Only when a serial fault on many vehicles is accepted by the manufacturer will the big dealers get something back from them. Like Fiat gearboxes and clutches and water ingress perhaps? (but I doubt it!) C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 Kelly58: When I read your original posting, I asked myself why you were taking your Compass motorhome to Brownhills/Newark to have the gas problem sorted out when there was a dealership local to you that (apparently) was empowered by Explorer Group to service the habitation side of your vehicle in accordance with its warranty terms and, consequently, should be able to perform habitation-related warranty work. I wondered why you weren't using the local Explorer Group agent that carried out the habitation servicing to fix the gas fault. There's probably a simple answer, but I don't think this was explained in your posting. Assuming your motorhome's warranties have been maintained by having the mandatory servicing performed according to the terms and conditions of the warranties provided with the vehicle, then one might reasonably expect any agent for the Compass-make to be able to carry out legitimate warranty work and reclaim the cost from Explorer Group. However, I don't think there's any legal imperative for a dealership that didn't sell the vehicle to take on warranty work, and it's well recognised that the profit for under-warranty jobs is less than for non-warranty work. I don't know what the legal position is with Brownhills regarding warranties on new motorhomes purchased before the management buy-out. As I understand it, the current 'New Brownhills' incarnation has little or no relationship to the 'Old Brownhills' company from which you purchased your motorhome. It would seem from what you've said that New Brownhills' stance is that (for motorhome marques for which New Brownhills still has an agency) they will only carry out under-warranty work on vehicles purchased new through Old Brownhills if the warranties have been maintained continuously within Old and New Brownhills. However, I suspect that, when a business liquidates as Old Brownhills did, there may be no legal obligation for warranties to be honoured by the new company. Don't forget that, when Autocruise was taken over by Swift Group, many ongoing Autocruise warranties were not honoured by Swift. While it's fair comment to observe (as Peter does) that replacing a regulator should be cheap enough, it would be another matter if, say, a bodywork fault had developed that required major repairs. I doubt that Brownhills' refusal to address the gas leak under warranty has anything to do with the perceived competency, or not, of the Explorer Group agent that carried out the habitation servicing. It's far more likely that Brownhills management has decided to try to minimise the amount of relatively unprofitable warranty work that the company carries out and has chosen 'within Brownhills warranty-servicing continuity' as a rigid criterion for taking on any under-warranty task (small or large) relating to motorhomes bought new via Old Brownhills. Best thing to do, I believe, is to follow Mel B's advice and contact Explorer Group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly58 Posted October 7, 2008 Author Share Posted October 7, 2008 Last week when the problem arose my local Explora Group agent contacted Explora on my behalf explaining the probllem with the regulator and they advised I should return to the supplying dealer to do the warranty work, which I did. I rang Brownhills exlpained the problem and then booked in for the repair and all seemed ok until yesterday when they refused to cover the warranty.On my way home I called into my local dealer who said what a load of B******s he rang Explora for me and explained the situation with Brownhills I also spoke to customer services at Explora and they would get back to me with a solution which they have and we are in the process of sorting it out.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelvynT Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 Isn't this the same problem that used to exist with other motor vehicles, original dealers refusing to carryout warranty work on vehicles that they hadn't serviced, but which had been correctly serviced by a an accredited garage? This now doesn't happen, or shouldn't, after being declared illegal by EU rules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 Mel B - 2008-10-06 10:26 PM IMV I'd suggest you read the warranty very carefully. If you believe you have complied with the terms, then contact the manufacturer and tell them what has transpired with Brownhills and ask them where you can take your vehicle to have warranty work carried out. If they cannot give you details or refuse then get in touch with Trading Standards as you have been sold something which does not exist as part of your motorhome purchase and would appear it has it has been misdescribed. Sorry to come late to this, and I hope all is now resolved. I agree with Mel, and with Derek's later comments. Contact the manufacturer, explain the position, and seek further advice. However, these regulators are not that expensive (probably less cost than you have already incurred in fuel going thither and yon), and I believe you will find they are warranted by Truma. So, second suggestion, and without reference to the rights or wrongs of Brownhills silly behaviour, is to contact Truma direct, tell them about the source of the leak, and your problem with Bh, and ask for their suggestion for remedy. They may offer you the option of taking the van to their workshop, where they will test, and replace as required what has failed, provided it is their part. However, this is only worthwhile if the cost of the trip is less that the cost of a new regulator.Otherwise, just go to the nearest Truma agent (they'll tell you where to find one), buy a new regulator of the same type, fit it (or if unhapy to meddle, get them to do so), and get on with life! Not as it should be, I know but, pragmatically, surely the easiest and quickest way out of your problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 I suggest following Brian's advise and purchasing a new Regulator from a local source should be the most cost effective solution. However then send the failed unit back to Truma, together with the Bill for the new Regulator & fitting charges, asking for a refund as it would appear to have failed under warranty. At worst it will cost the postage of the failed unit and at best full refund. Worth a try, IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handyman Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 peter - 2008-10-06 9:24 PM why should Brownhills pay to put it right I thought they would get payed by the manufacturer to put it right? A ford garage gets payed by ford for doing warranty work....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgie Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Hi, just linked into this site, in desperation about the way we are being treated by Brownhills. It seems we are joining a growing army. We are on our third van bought from Brownhills, and only went to them again because of their part ex rate. We are having a serious problem with the leisure battery and a temperamental control panel, on our 2007 Swift 580PR. My daughter in law was on her own in the van last week in Norfolk, and spent most of it without lights, water pump or steps! Brownhills gave us exactly the same response as you, because we had had the habitaton check done closer to home. They were most uncaring, and said they had no legal obligation to fulfill our warranty. Swift were more sympathetic, although they told us that they have no dealership agreement with Brownhills. (? I don't understand that bit, as Brownhills sell Swift). Swift agreed that we should be able to take our van to any recognised dealership and expect to be supported. They recommended one nearer to us, and the van is going in tomorrow morning to be looked at, under warranty. We don't intend to accept the treatment from Brownhills lying down, although they have lost it as far as we are concerned, and we no longer feel any loyalty to them as a dealership. A friend of ours who has the same model as us had a problem whilst at the Malvern Show, so naturally, we thought , went for advice to the Brownhills marquee. Later that week he had a very abusive letter, although politely put, from a senior manager, about not bothering salesmen at shows? I offer any support needed to put this company in its place Mo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 georgie - 2008-10-20 4:42 PM A friend of ours who has the same model as us had a problem whilst at the Malvern Show, so naturally, we thought , went for advice to the Brownhills marquee. Later that week he had a very abusive letter, although politely put, from a senior manager, about not bothering salesmen at shows? I offer any support needed to put this company in its place Mo Well obviously the management don't want Saleman distracted form selling :D :D And they don't want to let people know how little product knowledge many of them have. This reflection is not directed to Brownhills only, there are many of the larger dealers who's salepeople fall into this category. Discussing our requirement with a saleman at the NEC, telling him we needed a Garage model, he took us to a Van with an external locker approx 18" wide x 8" deep. To which my responce was "What's that ! a Garage for Matchbox Cars?" He then stood there with a perplexed expression, as we walked away >:-( (n.b. he was not from Brownhills) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwaviation Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 As an aside, I have recently found out that a lot of dealers don't have agreements with the manufacturers. The dealer who sold me my van certainly doesn't and they order all spares through a third party dealer (who actually supplied my van as well) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handyman Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 you get the makers yearly checks done by an approved dealer, you get any warranty repairs done by an approved dealer. It shouldn't matter who you bought the van from, and it shouldn't matter if every yearly check is done by a different dealer, and every single warranty claim is done by a different one as well. Its shocking behavior (skirting on the edges of EU laws?) and we are looking at another van soon, and brownfools have been off our list for 2 years due to the ridiculous things they get up to. New owners, and nothing appears to have changed, or has it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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