Dealer service & warranty claims

[Wingpete]

Has anyone got a preconceived idea of whether dealers have an obligation to pay the reasonable cost incurred in your travelling to their depot for warranty work to be undertaken.

In particular, I am thjinking of the cost od diesel, when drving some 150 miles each way for inspection of the defect, then another 300 miles to have it fixed, and possibly (as in my case) another 300 miles back to have the defective defect (faulty component ) replaced.

So far, all claims refused on grounds that the manufacturer has not "built in " any costs for customers to travel for warranty work undertaken by the authorised agent.

[mel wood]

I wouldn't have thought there was any legal obligation on the part of the dealer or the manufacturer/converter to cover costs of getting to and from the dealer.

 

Someone may be fortunate to receive something as a gesture of 'goodwill'.

 

In the case of the 'repair' being 'faulty' there may be a case.( I wouldn't know.) You could ask the Trading Standards Office.

 

Such problems as you outline may explain why, where possible, some folks choose to buy from a dealer in their locality. Convenience may outweigh an initial cost saving on purchase price.

[Lord Raindrop]

Pete.

 

Name your vehicle type and year to encourage a reply. It means not a lot to anyone unless you tell us where it was bought, and when, new or used.

 

Are there no dealers closer with your make? When you bought it you must have had some idea that you might have to make the journey back again.

 

From the dealers side he might be paying you for every trip for a very minor snag. You could be costing him an enormous amount for very small errors.

 

Mike

[davenewellhome]

As far as I'm aware there is no obligation on the dealer to re-imburse you for out of pocket expenses to have warranty work done. The dealer you used was purely by your choice, no one made you use them. If you had bought your motorhome from a dealer two miles away from your home would you expect them to pay your costs for taking it in for warranty work?

 

D.

[lennyhb]

I'm with Dave on this one, my supplying dealer is 170 miles away including a ferry trip I look at it as an excuse for a long weekend or short break away.

 

 

[CAB]

I don't think there is any obligation unless, as we did when purchasing from a dealer not as far away (about 70 miles), the salesman agreed that the company would collect/return the van for warranty work and servicing for the length of our ownership.

This was a great service which involved two employees driving down in a van to pick up the vehicle, and returning it a week or so later. For minor problems they sent the service van to carry out repairs.

It's worth asking if it's what you need (we did at the time because of personal circumstances), and don't expect to get rock-bottom prices as a consequence. Everything's negotiable.

Clive

[Freewheeler]

Wingpete - 2010-01-21 9:39 PM

 

Has anyone got a preconceived idea of whether dealers have an obligation to pay the reasonable cost incurred in your travelling to their depot for warranty work to be undertaken.

In particular, I am thjinking of the cost od diesel, when drving some 150 miles each way for inspection of the defect, then another 300 miles to have it fixed, and possibly (as in my case) another 300 miles back to have the defective defect (faulty component ) replaced.

So far, all claims refused on grounds that the manufacturer has not "built in " any costs for customers to travel for warranty work undertaken by the authorised agent.

 

If you are a member of one of the main clubs, then you could try their free legal helpline for the legal position on this issue.

 

The trouble with asking questions on forums, such as this, you tend to get some people reply who might have a vested interest, so their advice might be doubtful.

 

Freewheeler.

[tonyg3nwl]

Hi , I dont know about dealer liability, but on a previous Autosleeper van I had to return it it broadway for warranty repair as local dealer's repair offer was too expensive for AS to accept. By including suitable wording in the email accepting the arrangement to return it to AS, and applying contract law I was able to persuade them to reimburse cost of diesel.

The warranty stated that return to factory for repairs was to be at customer costs. My email stated that I was prepared to take it to them for repair at their costs as local dealer repair was unacceptable to AS, and they didnt counter the phrase "at their costs", simply arranged for suitable date.

I pointed out that by not countermanding the phrase, they had accepted a legal contract to cover costs, but they argued the contract for warranty repair specifically covered the point.

As a "gesture of goodwill " they conceded the point.

tonyg3nwl

[Derek Uzzell]

A motorhome dealer will carry out under-warranty work based on the terms and conditions of the warranty. I know that Pilote's warranty specifically excluded out-of-pocket expenses (eg. travel/fuel costs, loss of use, etc.) and I suspect that's the norm. Conversely, Truma's warranty for its heaters does include travelling expenses, but ONLY if the warranty work is carried out in Germany.

 

Purchasing a motorhome 'long distance' will have implications that are surely self-evident when it comes to work that may need to be performed by the remote vendor. If a motorhome is bought abroad (as I and other forum members have done), or a make of motorhome is purchased in this country and there's no manufacturer-authorised UK agency for that brand (eg. TEC), it's plain that any under-warranty work needed on the vehicle may well present major difficulties and expense.

 

Each year, in French motorhome magazines, there's are long articles on the Le Bourget show and potential buyers are regularly warned to check where the dealerships exhibiting at the show are geographically located in France. Not a great idea to live near Calais and to have naively ordered your new camping-car from a dealership at Montpellier!

 

If I buy a new motorhome, say, from Cheltenham (about 24 miles from my present home) and it's agreed at the time of sale (as happened with CAB) that the vehicle should be collected from/delivered back to my home when work on it is needed, is it reasonable to expect that arrangement to continue if I moved house and motorhome to the Isle of Man?

 

I know there's a culture nowadays to try to off-load blame when things go pear-shaped, but if an action carries an obvious inherent risk and you choose to take that action, then it's hard to see why you shouldn't bear the responsibility for making that choice. If you can persuade someone to accept responsibility on a goodwill or legal basis, then that's fine, but, if you can't, then you'll just have to bite the bullet.

[Wingpete]

My initial purchasing dealer was located a reasonable 65 miles away. When defects arose, they did indeed come and collect and return the Rapido ( MY van is 7090f+ bought new March 2008 )

But the defect was not given decent fix. Trial and error by workshop left me needing 3 trips to Canterbury.

The the firm went into meltdown and management buyout rendered the waranty terms less certain. Canterbury closed down !

Now left with alternative. Drives to Newark, as Wokingham were unable to undertake warranty work on van they had not sold.

Intial defect now give proper repair, but another associated part component failed soon after.

Diagnosis made at Newark needs new part. Home to wait call for fix, but non-forthcoming. Pursuit of service department still ongoing, after sending a incorrect part for home fitting.

So I guess you can feel my sense of grievance.

Buying in good faith from formost delearship in UK (by size) and being promised so much in the way of "club membership benefits" to thereafter suffer incompetance and downright avoidance of obligations, left me sensing, I have been had !

No wonder there are notices in these showrooms warning visitors that they will not tolerate any verbal abuse. I have not resorted to any, but feel inclined to shout more loudly. Gets rid of frustration at firms who do not know the meaning of "Good Customer Service".

[lennyhb]

Was the Canterbury operation run as a separate company ? If this is the case under UK law your warranty is with the supplying dealer & you are now relying on the goodwill of a sister dealer or the manufacture.

 

It Canterbury was run as part of the group within the same limited company I would have thought you have a reasonable case to pursue.

 

Another point after the management buyout was it still the same company or was the company registered under a different name if the latter again they have no legal obligation to you.

 

 

 

[Wingpete]

Brownhills is the name of the Canterbury vendor selling me a 'van, and they stopped operating as a branch sometime last year, so subsequent follow ups have been with Newark.

There were many debates on this and other forums, as to the future liability under the management buy out, with uncertainty the only certain outcome !

[Brian Kirby]

Peter

I think you have been very unlucky.

It seems you originally bought from a reasonably accessible dealer's branch, before that dealer, in effect, stopped trading and re-opened under the same name as a new business.  Then, presumably suffering the contractions of the credit crunch and uncertainty over its status post re-incarnation, it lost market and closed a number of regional branches, you nearest along with them.

On the upside, even though the distance is considerable, the main branch is still functioning and despite the re-incarnation are still honouring their responsibility as supplier.  Not without fault, obviously, but not actually shrugging and turning you away either.

In theory, you should be able to twist Wokingham's arm to help under the warranty, though it seems probable that the (unspecified) part concerned will, by now, be out of warranty (most being guaranteed for only one year).  The warranty is Rapido's, so all dealers are supposed to man the pumps as necessary.  Based upon their reputation, and provided the part is not particularly expensive, might it not be preferable to go to them, cry on their shoulder and, if that doesn't work, just ask them to supply one and you'll pay.  They will surely recognise the possibility of a future customer. However, I think you will have to go to them with your van, to demonstrate you are serious, as I doubt they will respond so well to just a 'phone call.

However, your contract was with the supplying dealer and, had they not re-incarnated themselves, you could have taken a much firmer line with them.  Under present circumstances, I guess they will only continue to assist for as long as Rapido will play with them.  If Rapido stand back because they get fed up, with what I'm sure they will claim was inaccurate ordering by your "friends", I suspect you may find the willingness to assist cools and you begin to hear that the liability died with the old firm.  However, I'm just a pessimistic old cynic!  :-)

Can you claim your travel expenses?: under the circumstances, I doubt it, even though it was the dealers decision to close your local branch and cause you the problem, as I guess they will return to the argument that it was the old firm who sold you the van, and the new firm is just trying to be helpful.  In the end, it's rather a question of where you feel diplomacy ends, and gunboat diplomacy begins, and whether you have, in fact, got a gunboat!  :-)