I wasn’t going to post this, but...

[Ringthane]

My car was booked in to my nearest dealership, for its second annual service, a couple of weeks back, and I told them about problems I was having with Stop/Start not working. The system has never really worked properly, and care of this forum and the wisdom of its members, I concluded that the problem most likely lay in the battery.

For 18 months I had been complaining that I thought the battery might be faulty (if it wasn’t for this forum, I wouldn’t have known about the faulty batch of batteries fixed to our cars), but each time, I was given a plausible explanation about how I do lots of short journeys etc., so recently, I bought a battery charger and established that a full day of charging, would lead to a 70% charge, at the end of the next day.

Anyhoo, armed with this knowledge, I implored them to check the battery more closely, and fortunately, they discovered a fault with the battery and ordered a new one, to be fitted Thursday last week.

The day of the fitting arrived, and as it is a simple procedure, I complied with their Covid procedures and waited in the showroom for them to complete the replacement. Twenty minutes later, the service advisor came out to tell me that they had ordered the wrong battery and I’d have to wait a bit longer, for them to put the old one back in again. He told me they would order the new one and I could come back the next day.

I was a bit miffed that I’d wasted a journey, but also miffed that they took the old one out, before checking the new one. As the assistant came back with my key, I suggested that maybe they check they have the right one, before removing the old one next time.

His response was “Are you having a pop?”. In the middle of the showroom, where everyone could hear; Like I’d just spilt his Larger, in the pub, on a Friday night.

I’m sure you’ve all been there, when you can’t quite think of the correct response, to something so unexpected, that you end up sort of apologising, instead of some suitable retort. To add insult to injury, the drivers seat had some sort of liquid spilt on it, that I was later told was the stuff they use to disinfect the interior of the car, before working on it.

Needless to say, very few words were exchanged the next day. It’s taken me this long, to see the funny side.

[Philip Fisher]

Maybe we can have a competition for the most witty response you could have given them.....

[nu11eaf]

Shocking service and attitude but glad you finally got your car sorted. It took two years for my dealer to admit the battery was faulty and change it.

[apnicolle]

Maybe time to find another Dealership ?

[Zebster]

I think the best response would have been a simple 'yes'

Why not name the dealership?

[Discoman]

I love my Volvo but my local dealers are of a lower quality than the same dealer groups manage for Audi and VW.

However, having paid £599 for a 5 year service pack I have low expectations.

[Ringthane]

Originally Posted by Zebster

I think the best response would have been a simple 'yes'

Why not name the dealership?

I agree. A simple yes would have been the correct response.

As for naming the dealership and finding a new one, it’s frustrating that the one I use, is closest to where I live and the only others that are not part of the same group, are either in towards London, or Marshalls, in Wellyn Garden City and I don’t know anything about the Marshall group.

[Philip Fisher]

Originally Posted by Ringthane

I agree. A simple yes would have been the correct response.

As for naming the dealership and finding a new one, it’s frustrating that the one I use, is closest to where I live and the only others that are not part of the same group, are either in towards London, or Marshalls, in Wellyn Garden City and I don’t know anything about the Marshall group.

I have not heard much good about Marshalls. Typical chain dealer with poor service and high churn of personnel.......

[JamesN7]

FWIW, I bought my car via Marshalls in Welwyn, and really can't fault the service at all. Sales, Servicing, and Parts have all been great, and not at all like what you might expect from a Marshall group company (I used to live in Cambridge a good few years back, where they have a near stranglehold on the car dealership market, so am familiar with the reputation the other dealerships had/have).

[Fursty Ferret]

Never experienced the service department of Marshalls (my original V60 never broke while I had it and I moved north shortly afterward).

The sales department was, however, excellent. One of the very few occasions that I've had the impression that the salesman (Graham Davies) wasn't in it just for the commission and genuinely understood and liked the cars.