After several months of trying my dealer has diagnosed a fault with the instrument console on my 2 year old Fiesta Zetec, as being caused by the console itself! and so ordered the replacement, to be fitted under warranty. When the car was returned the original white faced dials had been replaced with standard black ones. The garage informed me and ford confirmed that this was all that was now manufactured.
Am I in a position to insist that Ford replace like for like? Bearing in mind that the car is just over two years old. The change has affected the ?sporty? character of the car, and will no doubt impact on the resale value.
Any advice would be very welcome.
Thanks
Nick
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I can't advise you on your legal rights in this but I will mention that your new part will almost certainly only have a warranty which will expire when the original warranty did. ie, a dashboard put into a car with a 3 year warranty when it is 2 years old will only have a 1 year warranty on it. Godd luck with the outcome!
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Nick
Are the parts obsolete or just on 'back order' ie out of stock at the main parts centre in Daventry? Sometimes a dealer will fit alternative parts to get the job through the workshop avoiding delays, loan cars etc. if there is an unspecified delivery time on a back order for a particular part.
Charles
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The part was described as no longer available, so I assume it is obsolete?
I wondered if thay have a commitment to have parts available for the durtation of the warranty. I'm sure there must be one of these part avilable somewhere in the world.
The new odometer was also zeroed, so it displays around 20 miles now instead of 18,000 odd. Should I have the garage fix this?
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Nick Graham wrote:
>
> The new odometer was also zeroed, so it displays around 20
> miles now instead of 18,000 odd. Should I have the garage fix
> this?
Nick,
I would suggest that you leave the odometer reading alone.
Assuming you are intending to sell it privately it is a nice psychological sales trick to be up front with the potential buyer on the true mileage. He/she will think, what an honest geezer, of course you omit to tell them about the other things they have not spotted.
Just a thought!
In my innocence though I would also be a bit miffed about not getting the proper parts for a two year old motor, especially ones that are right in front of your eyes!
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I would keep the old one to show any prospective buyers. This will confirm that the milage on the car matches that in the log book.
Just out of curiosity, what would happen if they had to replace an engine that was obsolete? Would they replace a 1.6 zetec with a 1.25 one? It is the same principle surely?
Jon
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Nick G
If you know the part number in question I can check availablity...
Charles
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Nick,
This may only be a small detail but I'd be very put out. It is the sort of thing that just looks wrong to those of us who get asked to check a car over. Such things can be a clue to a dodgy past like headlamps/ashtrays with the wrong date code, missing rear badges, no. plates with no dealers name and fresh MOTs on cars with obvious failure points.....to mention but a few.
I think it has possibly devalued your car, but by how much and if you could present it as a plausible case is another matter.
David
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I too would be put out, but I'm sure there will be small print along the line of ' In the interests of constant improvement, Ford Motor Company reserves the right to alter the specification of its products without proir notice'. It's usually in the sales brochures. If it was a faulty component I can see the point in not carrying on producing it, but the colour is surely a cosmetic enhancement which added to the sales appeal of the car when new. It should therefore have an appeal when used, and therefore a value. I would hate to have to put a value on it though, sorry....
Mike
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Thank you everyone for your usefull comments. I will put it to ford that the car has lost value as a result and see what they say.
Unfortunately I'm not sure of the part no. but thank you for the offer.
Thanks again
Nick
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