As are Citroën (UK head office). And now they've moved in together. How cute. Almost like a Slough romance story.
So this is what Fiat/Stellantis has been working so hard on...
- Thread starter SB1500
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So this is what Fiat/Stellantis has been working so hard on...
OP
OP
Must admit, they looked after me with the DS3. Approved four new alloys (out of warranty), major bodywork (new bumper, mounts and complete doors) and paid for an Enterprise premium hire car for 8+ weeks. Took a few calls and escalation but they got there in the end... Perhaps Fiat customer service will improve to that level?!
Once I found a garage that wasn't actively stupid..they've been grand.
I've warrantied many things that I thought would never be covered... usually things like brakes and suspension.
Even things that are specifically excluded in the terms of the warranty. Only thing I've argued with them over with getting inlet coking cleaned off. This was going to be a grand bill...however after getting in touch with Citroën head office this was reduced to 300 quid with Citroën picking up 70% of the cost on a 5 year old car.
Obviously online there are many many cases of them doing jack **** for people although judging by online my car should have exploded two or three times by now and here we are.
It's possibly a case of if you look after your car as recommended they have a lot more interest in assisting you than if you don't.. although we did extend the warranty 3 times now because well it keeps on paying more than it costs.
I've warrantied many things that I thought would never be covered... usually things like brakes and suspension.
Even things that are specifically excluded in the terms of the warranty. Only thing I've argued with them over with getting inlet coking cleaned off. This was going to be a grand bill...however after getting in touch with Citroën head office this was reduced to 300 quid with Citroën picking up 70% of the cost on a 5 year old car.
Obviously online there are many many cases of them doing jack **** for people although judging by online my car should have exploded two or three times by now and here we are.
It's possibly a case of if you look after your car as recommended they have a lot more interest in assisting you than if you don't.. although we did extend the warranty 3 times now because well it keeps on paying more than it costs.
OP
OP
I've just had Toyota agree to replace a wheel bearing (following the TPMS on the same wheel) under the used car warranty... Surprisingly no arguing needed. I only hoped they'd diagnose the noise for me tbf, said they'll cover it. Saving me £350 out of my own pocket if I were to do it myself.
When they took the Avensis, they didn't even bother sending anyone out to 'look it over' the day we agreed the sale / trade-in, nor look at it once the day of the handover because they've sold me so many oil change kits / done silly jobs like the gearbox oil / brake fluid and everything according to schedule. I think you're right. But I think it also helps if you absolutely give them hell.. school them on their own policies and don't hesitate to get their higher ups involved when they refuse to pay ball... politely and within reason - then they stop putting up a fight and do their jobs... in the end.
in fairness Fiat (here) never argued, did the warranty work / diagnosis without asking for a penny or wasting my time... it's the sales who let its dealer network down. I'll never forget a salesman giving me the most pitiful look at a student one time when I mentioned that I wanted to buy a new one after my old 05 model ... Lol
I've never had to give them hell...
Usually I subscribe to not being an arse to people you want to help you.
Had the odd cross word around the inlet coking because they wouldn't submit the claim for me to then to then fight it as their position was "we've submitted this before for other customers they turn it down".
But being a member Citroën UK owners club has some advantages one of which is speaking to a dealer principal down south who pointed out that they run a good will program I should get a decent contribution from Citroën if submitted correctly. Which I did and got 700 quid off for my trouble.. otherwise I've not had to argue with anybody much in 7 years so far.
Usually I subscribe to not being an arse to people you want to help you.
Had the odd cross word around the inlet coking because they wouldn't submit the claim for me to then to then fight it as their position was "we've submitted this before for other customers they turn it down".
But being a member Citroën UK owners club has some advantages one of which is speaking to a dealer principal down south who pointed out that they run a good will program I should get a decent contribution from Citroën if submitted correctly. Which I did and got 700 quid off for my trouble.. otherwise I've not had to argue with anybody much in 7 years so far.
OP
OP
Yeah, there's a fine line.. not being an arse, or rude or unreasonable. But you need to be firm otherwise they give you the little smile and tell you it's not covered... or it's your expense to diagnose etc.. Sometimes you'd think that the work is coming out of their wallet the way some of them go on.
I've not really had to argue.
It's a Stellantis/PSA garage carrying out work under a warranty sold by Stellantis/PSA. The car has a spotless service record so they've got no outs in terms of "you've missed X and Y".
They should know their own policies...which they seem to.
So the full video the shot came from was a walk around overview of the underside of the car. Brakes, tyres suspension etc. that was sent to me pre-mot.
During this they identified the front roll bar was attached via Bluetooth to the subframe and due to it having horizontal movement a drop link had damaged a CV boot.
They rang me, sent me the video and the short version is I was told they've submitted claims for both the roll bar and the CV he didn't think the CV was going to be covered but he said he'd given it a go anyway.
Following day the car is MOT'd with no work completed and obviously fails. Why has he done that you may ask?.. because without a failed MOT CV boots are excluded..it failing the MOT on a CV boot activates the MOT fail protection part of the warranty under which CV boots are included. The roll bar was covered under the main warranty...
3rd day it's MOT'd "properly" all fixed up and I just pay for the service and pick up my nice fully valeted car. Argued with no one..this is usually how it goes.
Yes, our car usually has broken suspension..
It's not that I'm averse to holding them to their policies/obligations if needed but usually I don't have to.
Of course the relationship with a previous dealer who damaged the DS3 and couldn't find their own arse with both hands and a miners lamp was less harmonious.
It's a Stellantis/PSA garage carrying out work under a warranty sold by Stellantis/PSA. The car has a spotless service record so they've got no outs in terms of "you've missed X and Y".
They should know their own policies...which they seem to.
So the full video the shot came from was a walk around overview of the underside of the car. Brakes, tyres suspension etc. that was sent to me pre-mot.
During this they identified the front roll bar was attached via Bluetooth to the subframe and due to it having horizontal movement a drop link had damaged a CV boot.
They rang me, sent me the video and the short version is I was told they've submitted claims for both the roll bar and the CV he didn't think the CV was going to be covered but he said he'd given it a go anyway.
Following day the car is MOT'd with no work completed and obviously fails. Why has he done that you may ask?.. because without a failed MOT CV boots are excluded..it failing the MOT on a CV boot activates the MOT fail protection part of the warranty under which CV boots are included. The roll bar was covered under the main warranty...
3rd day it's MOT'd "properly" all fixed up and I just pay for the service and pick up my nice fully valeted car. Argued with no one..this is usually how it goes.
Yes, our car usually has broken suspension..
It's not that I'm averse to holding them to their policies/obligations if needed but usually I don't have to.
Of course the relationship with a previous dealer who damaged the DS3 and couldn't find their own arse with both hands and a miners lamp was less harmonious.
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OP
OP
Glad you had a positive experience more times than not.I've not really had to argue.
It's a Stellantis/PSA garage carrying out work under a warranty sold by Stellantis/PSA. The car has a spotless service record so they've got no outs in terms of "you've missed X and Y".
They should know their own policies...which they seem to.
So the full video the shot came from was a walk around overview of the underside of the car. Brakes, tyres suspension etc. that was sent to me pre-mot.
During this they identified the front roll bar was attached via Bluetooth to the subframe and due to it having horizontal movement a drop link had damaged a CV boot.
They rang me, sent me the video and the short version is I was told they've submitted claims for both the roll bar and the CV he didn't think the CV was going to be covered but he said he'd given it a go anyway.
Following day the car is MOT'd with no work completed and obviously fails. Why has he done that you may ask?.. because without a failed MOT CV boots are excluded..it failing the MOT on a CV boot activates the MOT fail protection part of the warranty under which CV boots are included. The roll bar was covered under the main warranty...
3rd day it's MOT'd "properly" all fixed up and I just pay for the service and pick up my nice fully valeted car. Argued with no one..this is usually how it goes.
Yes, our car usually has broken suspension..
It's not that I'm averse to holding them to their policies/obligations if needed but usually I don't have to.
Of course the relationship with a previous dealer who damaged the DS3 and couldn't find their own arse with both hands and a miners lamp was less harmonious.
With mine it was more, dealer looked at the corroded alloys and the DS3 wing mirror issue... said it's 'not worth filing a warranty claim with customer car because they won't fix it' outside of warranty. Customer care actually did end up giving my the four new alloys and doing the repair in the end. Probably did fall under goodwill.
I'm finding lately... even the same dealer / department / person can be a totally different experience depending on their mood that day. Probably helped that Thursday was 21˚ and perfect weather...
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