The more I read threads like this, the more I'm tempted by Hyundai's five year warranty.
I currently drive a Toyota that's due to go out of warranty in a few days. The thought of another engine rebuild (like I had on my previous car - £1500) really irks me. Depreciation's bad enough, without having to worry about huge repair bills after only 3 years.
Anyone know where I can get up-to-date Hyundai sales figures? I'd be interested to know how much extra business the 5 year warranty has generated. I see a lot of Getz's around me (Berkshire), even though this isn't an area where 'budget' brands do well.
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Alfa Romeo have also been offering a 5 year warranty of late. Hmmm, Alfa or Hyundai..... how to decide between the two.
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In our areas (north Manchester) Hyundai do very well. There are loads of Trajets arounds - being a very good alternative to the Galaxy - more reliable, cheaper and far better warranty. Also the Getz sells well, it has a good sized interior and is also good value.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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I know I'm guilty of thread drift once more; but I couldn't help noticing that Cornwall seems infested with Kia Sedonas. Just came back from a week's holiday down there & saw loads & loads. Whereas here at home on the Hants / Dorset border I hardly see any, just the odd Trajet.
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Thanks for the replies so far.
dilbert - as the car was incapacitated on my friend's driveway, I just think they called the nearest local reputable garage to come out and give an assessment of what was wrong.
In one way I can see that Fiat has no obligation to my friend, but in another it's surely not a good statement about the quality of their product...
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Hang around a forum like this for long enough and you will find examples of such problems with just about every make and model. As I mentioned, this is a new one on me and I tend to keep and eye on Fiat/Alfa stories so I'm prepared with a riposte when this bunch lay into me for owning an Alfa, bless 'em.
Do have a dig around the various Fiat forums, the one make forums tend to be invaluable for things like this.
Good luck with it in any case.
No Dosh - Backroom Moderator
mailto:moderators@honestjohn.co.uk
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While I sympathise with your friend, I don't really see how this is FIATs responsiblity.
He bought a 2nd hand car from A.N.Other and so takes the same risks as the rest of us when he buys a car privately.
He has no real idea how this car has been treated, and neither do FIAT
:-( Sorry just IMHO
JaB
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> He has no real idea how this car has been treated, and neither do FIAT
But that argument applies during the warranty too. Taking your argument to the logical conclusion, no repairs would ever be done under warranty, because the manufacturer could never be sure the car hadn't been abused.
Surely the fact that Fiat have said "we'd fix it if it was the original owner" shows they accept responsibility (to some extent). Warranties are generally transferable, I don't see why 'goodwill' shouldn't be.
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Warranties are generally transferable, I don't see why 'goodwill' shouldn'tbe.
The point is that goodwill is a two-way street. At least FIAT saw the colour of the first owner's money, who would have had a good case to expect some goodwill from the manufacturer or dealer had he suffered the problem himself. With car of this age, the manufacturer owes the second owner nothing. If you want risk-free motoring, buy a new one (neat link to a similar thread, I think) or at least a used one with a good warranty.
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If you want risk-free motoring, buy a new one (neat link to a similar thread, I think) or at least a used one with a good warranty.
And don't buy a new one from a firm with an acronym like:
Fix It Again, anTonio
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>> If you want risk-free motoring, buy a new >> one (neat link to a similar thread, I think) or at >> least a used one with a good warranty. >> And don't buy a new one from a firm with an acronym like: Fix It Again, anTonio
Hmm... would you like to borrow a shoehorn? See if you can get that to fit a bit better? ;)
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Agree with all the above, however if it can be proven that fault was down to a manufacturing defect then Fiat may be liable.
Any further details on the exact nature of the fault, sounds crankshaft related.
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On recent trips around Europe I notice that Hyundai (and Kia) seem to be doing rather well. Lots of Trajets around in Nederlands and Germany (and they only give three year warranty over there).
For an A-B car (which, let's be honest, is what most buyer want) the Hyundais make a lot of sense.
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>> If you want risk-free motoring, buy a new >> one (neat link to a similar thread, I think) or at >> least a used one with a good warranty. >> And don't buy a new one from a firm with an acronym like: Fix It Again, anTonio
I thought that FIAT are in the top five now in terms of reliability?
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I thought that FIAT are in the top five now in terms of reliability?
Cough...Splutter....
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Sorry to be a pain, but there is already a BR member called Charles. Unless you are the same person, he may be grateful if you changed your forum name.
Hugo
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Sorry to be a pain, but there is already a BR member called Charles. Unless you are the same person, he may be grateful if you changed your forum name. Hugo
Hugo - I can't help feeling that your post sounded very pompous. However, if your friend "charles" thinks his posts will get mistaken for mine and vice versa then he's more than welcome to change his login! ;)
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>> Sorry to be a pain, but there is already a BR >> member called Charles. Unless you are the same person, he may >> be grateful if you changed your forum name. >> >> Hugo >> Hugo - I can't help feeling that your post sounded very pompous. However, if your friend "charles" thinks his posts will get mistaken for mine and vice versa then he's more than welcome to change his login! ;)
>>
Seeing I have been registered for longer (just) I don't see why I should have to change my user name.
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Seeing I have been registered for longer (just) I don't see why I should have to change my user name.
Do either of you really have a problem with this? Charles has a {p} and c h a r l e s has his spaces. Anyone? Problem? No? Good, everyone shake hands and back to your homework please.
No Dosh - Backroom Moderator
mailto:moderators@honestjohn.co.uk
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I'll add my, constructive I hope, suggestions - I'm NOT a member of the anti Fiat lobby!!
If you want to start 'digging'.....
When was the car actually purchased, it's mileage then & when it failed?
How long, time & mileage, since it had been serviced?
Was there any remarks made by the service garage, maybe suggesting a future problem, or ANY advsory notes within the service history?
Was the seller GENUINLY the owner & not a trader in disguise?Did he sell it saying that it was working as it should??
What indications were there within the days/miles prior to the failure, that something was wrong?
If you get responses to these Q's, that look as if it was all 'just one of those things', you'd not have much luck without starting on the bigger £$£$£ to prove Fiat made a faulty engine.
You'd need an engineer to thoroughly examine the components & a (big word for me) metelerrrrrrigst guy to have it under the microscope. Thats a bloke in a white coat - not a dizzy blonde on about weather!!
Small claims would be an option - but a looser too, if I was the judge!! From what we've got so far, anyway.
Best start checking the breakers for another engine!!
Good luck!!
VB
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PS...it's
F ix I t A gain T ony
F ix I t A gain T omorrow
F irst I n A ll T rouble
VB
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(big word for me) metelerrrrrrigst
A metallurgist. Will tell you things you never thought possible about the history of the engine, just from looking at the metal under a microscope.
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>I thought that FIAT are in the top five now in terms of reliability?
And who reported that? FIAT?
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Thanks for all the relevant replies to my original post.
Just some extra background on the story - the original owner of the car was a middle-aged gentleman whose son works for the local Fiat garage. Hence he gets a good deal and changes his car every 2 years for a new one.
When I learnt this, a couple of things popped into my head:
- has the son been borrowing the car at all and been exploring the upper end of the rev range a little too often?
- has the son tinkered with the engine (turbodiesel), perhaps by a chip?
No way of determining whether either of these things could have occurred of course, so my friend is left with a sour taste in their mouth, and is out of pocket of course. Understandably, they'll never buy another Fiat again whereas if Fiat would consider at least some contribution to the cost of a replacement engine, then the outcome for everyone would be better (car repaired for my friend, repair & servicing business for Fiat dealer).
I am not a Fiat basher by any means, I used to own a Bravo and really enjoyed that car, but if Fiat ever produce another model I'd be interested in then I'll certainly bear this story in mind before parting with my own cash.
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I am not a Fiat basher by any means, I used to own a Bravo and really enjoyed that car, but if Fiat ever produce another model I'd be interested in then I'll certainly bear this story in mind before parting with my own cash.
but if you have bought a car from FIAT then you have nothing to worry about, you've already said that they would have condsidered helping outy if the car had been bought from them.
JaB
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