Volvo Customer Care

[mjcourtney]

Yes I agree, if you can avoid calling Volvo UK do so at any cost!

And 36k does sound like a fairly low mileage for discs to be worn. My S40 has done 32k and the discs are in very good condition still. Even the pads don't need changing yet!

[GMcL]

Previous cars we have owned have needed new front discs at 60 to 80k miles with the rears requiring replacement usually at 50k due to corrosion rather than wear and tear.
Volvo UK trying to pass the buck to another cost centre just smacks of penny pinching on their part.

[shimon340]

volvo uk would pass the goodwill case to Germany if your car was sold by volvo germany.

[GMcL]

Originally Posted by shimon340

volvo uk would pass the goodwill case to Germany if your car was sold by volvo germany.

Car was bought from a UK dealership with Volvo UK warranty.

[mjcourtney]

In which case it sounds like they're being really stupid.

I'm going to call Volvo HQ tomorrow and i'm not getting off the phone until they've given me what I want. Whilst i'm there I will tell them to get their act together and sort out customer relations. Can't believe how badly their treating customers :|

[mjcourtney]

Finally I have the result I have been asking for!!

I called Volvo UK again this morning (normal Customer Services number) and as soon as I said my name they remembered me. They apologised that no one had been in touch, and said that there was now a new escalations manager dealing with the case and that he'd ring me back later.

I have to admit I lost my temper at that point, because I have been told that so many times and nothing has happened.

It had the desired effect though, I was put straight through to the escalations manager in question who (he said) was reading through all my correspondence at the moment.

They have agreed to pay for the service on the car, and have also sent out all the money they owe me today. At last!!!

I had just got off the phone to customer services when Head Office called and again apologised about everything, and said that they were having big problems with customer services and they are very under-staffed.

So there we go, I only have to pay for my new clutch at £340. Which is fair enough really because it hasn't failed and i'm the one wanting it changed as i'm using the opportunity to avoid labour costs, lol.

So that's new engine, new clutch, 3 year service, new air conditioning compressor, new power steering, and possible replacement of the CAT and Lambda sensor for £340. Take off the £50 they're sending me as an apology brings it to £290....

Still think their customer services are crap, but at least i've won the battle.

My advice is that if you're having issues with customer services ask to speak to an escalations manager, and don't settle for getting them to call you back. Stay on the line and don't hang up until you're put through. It's what I did and it worked out great.

[nano]

Originally Posted by mjcourtney

I had just got off the phone to customer services when Head Office called and again apologised about everything, and said that they were having big problems with customer services and they are very under-staffed.

What do they mean "customer service is under staffed"?
The staff should follow the customer service orders. That means that the orders are more than the expected... (why?)

Originally Posted by GMcL

Previous cars we have owned have needed new front discs at 60 to 80k miles with the rears requiring replacement usually at 50k due to corrosion rather than wear and tear

My 460 has 130 KKm (more than 80KM) and the disks are in very good condition. I have changed 2 times the front pads and 0 (yes 0) times the rear.
I still have good braking power...

[mjcourtney]

Originally Posted by nano

What do they mean "customer service is under staffed"?
The staff should follow the customer service orders. That means that the orders are more than the expected... (why?)

I agree it seems a little weird. The only insight I have into it is what Mr Joss at southampton Volvo told me, which was that they have a whole bunch of people off sick up there. Although I can't really see that this has been the case for the past 4 months that i've been trying to deal with them!

I think they only have a handful of people on the phones anyway, because the past 5 times I have called I have got through to the same (completely useless) assistant.