I have really had it with bad service............how far do you have to go to find someone who is PROUD of there job....anyway, to get to the point....
I bought a 2004 330d (Automatic...yes, I know, wrong choice) from a national dealership that for some odd reason spells 'inspect' with a 'Q' - should have known then that something would go awry.....
The car had 147,000 odd km on the clock (warning bell, I know...) and I took it for a test drive - which went well enough, except that I thought it a bit strange that I could not take it to a highway or road where I could at least test it at approximately our national speed limit.
The price was right and I requested that a set of new tires be included in the deal. Time came to collect the car and guess what -- no new tires - 'sorry, we forgot' was the excuse, by which time the bank papers had already been drafted and approval granted, etc.
I elicited a promise of at least 2 new tires and then had to rush of to Natal, bearing kids to their grandparents, all in the new (2nd hand) car. On the way, heard and felt strange vibrations at highway speeds. Put it down to the bad tires ( how did they make it through roadworthy or the 100 point checklist ?) After 280km of highway speeds, the one rear tire had had enough and blew, giving us all a nasty scare. Changed for the spare and completed the journey, a bit more skeptic.
Returned (safely) and insisted on my 4 new tires - got 2. Told salesman about vibration - he said 'It must be the tires'. Waited a month to gather the finances and replaced other 2 tires - lo and behold, still vibrations, and not the Beachboys 'good' kind.
Then 4th and 5th gear started acting funny and fuel consumption started climbing. Told salesman - he said I must bring the car to them, their mechanic would take a look and repair under the mechanical warranty I had purchased as part of the deal.
I asked what I would be driving while this was happening - 'Sorry, we have no vehicles available' was the answer. Arranged for the salesman to collect the vehicle, which he did. 30 minutes later he phones me to say that he is stuck in the middle of town with no gears. 'Justice at last' was my first thought, then I spared a sympathetic word or two for him.
He arranged a tow, I chatted to the mechanic who assured me that he would only need the car for 2-3 days at the most and that coming in under the R7,000 insured amount would be no problem........
The car went in on Monday - today is Wednesday and the quote has not even been completed yet, let alone approval been given for repairs....... I get told that I will have to pay for anything above what the insurer approves !!!
I tell the salesman that they have sold me a dud and will have to pay for repairs themselves or take back the car -- a statement which was met with utter disbelief - surely I cannot expect THEM to pay for the 45 odd days worth of damage I did to the gearbox !!!!!
Such wonderful service.......
My point is that I would have been willing to pay R20,000 more for a newer model if they had told me that there may have been issues with that car.......
Why the cat and mouse games ?
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