General: Recall problems

[bob and mrg]

Hi folks

Not posted for a while but felt I had to post in order share my very recent bad experience with both the "stealer" and Volvo Uk "lack of" Customer Service!!

I have a MY10 Active which I bought new from a dealer in Stirling that sounds a bit like Carnold Alarks!, have been delighted with it and when it turned 1 I got it serviced at the stealership, which considering there bad press, actually went well and I have no complaints.

As with many of us i recently got my recall letter in. So I took my pride and joy in last week for them to carry out the recall. To my shock horror when I picked it up there was a fresh chip/dent on the coloured coded plastic moulding on the front passenger door. They strongly denied this was their doing, but to cut a long story short, after much arguing and requesting CCTV be looked at the next minute I got a call saying it was booked into the body shop and would be fully repaired and that I'd even get a courtesy car!!! In the years of dealing with particular company I've ever had a courtesy car from them.

As I was not happy at my car being damaged I involved Volvo UK Customer services but can't say they were in the least sympathetic or helpful!!

When I next washed the car, prior to it going into their body shop I noticed the passenger side step was not my pristine well kept one but rather one which is clearly more than a year old, covered in dents/scrapes and under the lacquer the metal coating is all cracking.

Funny, but the steamership are trying to deny this but I am not accepting this and think they are trying to get them replaced under warranty due to it's bad condition??!!??

Volvo's Customer Service are the biggest joke right enough as they said they know it's a "fob off" but they are not interested and it nothing to do with them and my contract was through the garage!!!!

Never mind the fact in the last week I have had to take 4 days off work, drive over 240 miles (not cheap these days), all the phone calls and hassle I've had all because the top of the range Volvo I bought had to go back into one of their accredited service centres for a recall through no fault of my own!

So my reason for writing this rant (for which I apologise) is the hope I can share a couple of valuable learning points I have learned to my costthink twice if you really want the work done - since my car went in it has been running rough, got a dent in it and has an old side board on it.

• . When you drop your car off do a walk round with the service team to log any marks dents etc or in my case the lack of dents - they tried to say because their mechanic had at some point in the day marked there was a dent in the door then it had to be there from the start!?!
  • keep hassling Volvo Lack of Customer Service department until you get somewhere.
    
    I'm now away to take a few deep breaths, have a cold beer and try and chill. Hopefully I will recover to draft a letter tomorrow to the temporary chief exec of Volvo uk.

[jasear]

Wow, unbelieveable.

Before sending in your car to the stealers (in the future) might be a good idea to take pictures of it before and then compare after.

[The Painter]

I can`t believe this.

My car went in for the recall a couple of weeks ago and my driver`s door trim was also marked, it looks like a stone chip but isn`t.

I have a good relationship with my dealer and up until now have had nothing but praise for them, they have been very appologetic and have offered to rectify things, however I am extremely fussy and have opted to touch the mark in myself which I am very pleased with the result, not the point I know.

I stood with the service manager venting my frustration when I told him that in my opinion the door had been opened while the car was on a 2 pillar vehicle lift, he agreed that this was almost deffinately the case and again appologised.

I think my point is .......................... Why, surely common sense should prevail to the point that you either possition the car differently or wait until the vehicle is off the lift until the door is opened.

For this to have happened to two cars as a result of the recall is, in my opinion **** poor.

[bobdabuilda]

Bob- sorry if I'm being thick here but are you saying that they have actually removed your pristine side step and replaced it with another one which is old and knackered? That is shocking if true. But why would they remove a side step to repair a door? I'd try reporting them to trading standards and threatening them with legal action if you don't get this sorted.

[bob and mrg]

Hi there

Thanks for your replies.

Apparently for the recall the side bars have to be removed. I even overhears someone from the service department discussing it with a mechanic and her repeat to him "so it's just a lucky dip" as though referring to the storage of parts once removed etc.

I can only say my drivers side step had a slight scuff in it and other than that they were perfect. Whilst the one in it now doesn't have it but has 4 other major faults. Has these been mine I tried to explain I would gave been into the garage months ago looking for them to be changed under warranty.

My biggest gripe is with Volvo Customer Service as I can only say I am utterly dismayed with. I have repeatedly asked to speak to a manager, I have asked for my complaint to be esculated in order a manager will speak to me. Yet it is the same dude that keep saying he will referr it to his manager but won't promise a manager will speak to me. Today this guy left a message saying a manager looked at case but won't speak to me!!!

Surely wether or not they agree with me or can help or not surely at least I deserve the respect having been with volvo for years & having recently purchased there top of the range car to at least put my case forward and vent my frustration??

If only the head guys at Volvo uk had watched the recent episode on channel 4 of "under cover boss" featuring Isuzu. They could learn a lot. Having had problems with a Renault previously (no surprise there) I have to say Renault Customer Services totally outclass Volvo's which is suprising.

My next move is to take a dew days to compile an entertaining letter totally personalising the place my car gas with my young family etc and highlight my experiences and learning outcomes and send it to the new CO of Volvo and cc a copy to Sir Crnold Aclark!!!