General: Non-Existent Volvo Support

[Ninja59]

Originally Posted by SonyVaio

They are franchise dealers and although Snows took over the buildings along with fixtures and fittings, in the terms of being a business you will find that Alan Gibson will have officially closed as a businees and Snows Volo opened as a business - no matter how seemless to customers (seen as just a name change).

If Snows had not used the same buildings and actually opened a new place across the opposite side of the road - there wouldn't be this presummed assosiation and you would be looking at them as the seperate businesses that they are??

If you had a problem with say a McDonalds resaurant and then the McDonalds shut down, then say a new McDonalds opened across the road, the new McDonalds franchise owner won't know ANYTHING about your gripe and certainly wouldn't spend money putting right any gripe just because it happend to be a McDonalds too? Basically completely different owners and completely different business but they just happen to part of the same brand?? In this case they have used the same buildings too and to some; people then assume the current owners are liable for all the previous owners work and dealings?

I agree with the fact that his contract was with Alan Gibson but in my view his contract died with Alan Gibson too. Why would another individual who has stumped up their money to be a franchised business spend their money putting right something that a previous franchise dealer had authorised??

it is not the same though they took over the whole business not competing business if they closed one down to open another building then it could be the same, but as has been highlighted it could be, you will never know i highly suspect it would be lock stock and smoking barrel after all there would be an instant customer base going this way. After all this is a transfer of ownership end of.

I mean it is like employees when you transfer ownership just because the original owner has left you cannot just fire the staff just because you are the new owner . There are plenty of protections in place in regards to transfer of ownership.

i highly much doubt you will get much from the bodyshop as they are sub contracted but it would be worth a punt (very difficult however because of the nature of the relationship as a 3rd party).

Volvo UK not caring is not the full truth though as has been explained they might be able to offer guidance on your situation but there is very little they can directly do to change your situation they are so distant from these events there only advice would be guidance (however it appears it could of been handled better based on the information from the OP).

The problem you have here is you decided to let the situation go despite being unhappy it sounds like a screw up from the start if there was a colour difference after viewing even initially then you should not of accepted the vehicle back frankly, i do believe without sounding harsh some of the responsibility has to be taken by you for being dissatisfied with the work carried out, hence why i use only 2 bodyshops that i have faith in (one of our cars in going in on tuesday for 10 days...after being done we will check the car over like last time before making any payment or signing any forms despite them being shoved in your face most of the time agreeing that you are satisfied with the competence of the work carried out).

You have not explained how long the CC has been damaged for either which i think could just be another potential hurdle.

If you want my other ideas go to Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) for the best advice trading standards are unlikely in this situation i feel to give the correct path and might even suggest CAB.

[SonyVaio]

Originally Posted by Dorset Diver

But, in my recent experience Volvo UK just do not care. Frankly I would celebrate if they went bust.

All because of a £200 respray?

What about people who have had to replace CEM's at approx. £800 long before end of life expected of a vehicle? Makes your non Volvo related actual problem a mere grain of sand in a very big desert?

I can understand your frustration as I wouldn't be happy with the paint job either but I wouldn't be blaming Volvo for it - all they done was give you an invoice! They didn't even touch your car?

[Ninja59]

Originally Posted by SonyVaio

All because of a £200 respray?

What about people who have had to replace CEM's at approx. £800 long before end of life expected of a vehicle? Makes your non Volvo related actual problem a mere grain of sand in a very big desert?

I can understand your frustration as I wouldn't be happy with the paint job either but I wouldn't be blaming Volvo for it - all they done was give you an invoice! They didn't even touch your car?

even then they did not actually give him the invoice really that would of been the franchise i know Volvo UK do keep a pretty short leash on the network though in reality to ensure customer satisfaction with the work being provided, warranty work requests and other questions.

Another potential reason i do not know when you rang (and sorry for my threads stupidity in regards to this) was the lightening strike on marlow volvo UK's office which took many communications down that was only a week and a half ago i know they are struggling to get everything back at the moment.

[Dorset Diver]

Exactly. Volvo gave me the invoice they took my money. They are responsible.

[Ninja59]

Originally Posted by Dorset Diver

Exactly. Volvo gave me the invoice they took my money. They are responsible.

your contract was never with "volvo UK". What your trying to pin on them is 3rd Party Liability effectively which is a very difficult thing to do.

[Clan]

you are a bit cut adrift now from anyone who can help , you went to alan gibson expecting a volvo quality job in their volvo approved body shop ( which they must have access to for their franchise standards ...) , now the crucial question is , Was Coventry and Clark an approved volvo body shop ? if not then sue alan gibson in the small claims court . your quarrel via your insurance company legal dept or yourself is still with Coventry and Clark who did the work and presumably still exist .

[GMad]

Originally Posted by Dorset Diver

Frankly I would celebrate if they went bust.

That wont be happening any time soon, the Chinese have got more money than you could shake a stick at!

[BlackBeast]

Try finding a second hand bonnet in the same colour as an alternative to getting a respray, might be cheaper.

[Dorset Diver]

A friend of some 60 years rang me this morning to say that after all my years of telling him how good Volvo are he was just about to go and sign up for £47k plus of Volvo XC70. Previously he had been a lifetime BMW man. I told him my story and he had a good natured laugh. Volvo now have a disappointed franchise. Thursday we will be going to Audi, BMW, VW, and others to find him another vehicle. Volvo is not on the list!

[SonyVaio]

Originally Posted by Dorset Diver

A friend of some 60 years rang me this morning to say that after all my years of telling him how good Volvo are he was just about to go and sign up for £47k plus of Volvo XC70. Previously he had been a lifetime BMW man. I told him my story and he had a good natured laugh. Volvo now have a disappointed franchise. Thursday we will be going to Audi, BMW, VW, and others to find him another vehicle. Volvo is not on the list!

Your friends loss then and all because your bitter and twisted at a job that Volvo didn't even do?? Nutter!

As said it has nothing to do with Volvo and is completely your own fault for not using your insurers authorised repairer (AR). You wouldn't be saing this now if you had used an AR and now the insurance company had authorised the respray of your car?? Instead you decided to not bother doing any research thus causing us all higher premiums as you employed a business which has now gone under (Alan Gibson) who couldn't do bodywork repairs in the first place and farmed the work out to a 3rd party, who has now also gone under too. By employing a 3rd party it was just money for nothing to Alan Gibson for his cut. You're not the sharpest tool in the box are you?

If your friend genuinly likes the other marques more I have no problem with that, there are some lovely vehicles around. If however he is just not going to now get a Volvo because of the bantha fodder that you spout then that is a dire shame and you are really no friend to him??