Hi there
Found this site by accident as I am at my wits end!
Last December i bought a new car,five year warrenty - thought great. As a woman who knows nothing about cars I thought hasle free driving at last.
Was I wrong! In January a friend noticed that all the coolant had gone. So I informed dealer who took it in."Yes Miss Trusting..there is a leak,only we don't know where. Here's a bottle of antifreeze and come back if it happens again". You guessed it ..500 miles later it had all gone. My local dealer have had the car in 6 times now. They are stumped and I feel I know them so well that we are on first name terms!
Seriously though, I have informed the finace company of my problem as I suppose it is their car. I have suggested maybe there might be another answer like giving me a new car.
The manager has eventually said that if this last time they can't find then he will look at replacing the car with one of similar mileage and age.
Problem is that I have been told that getting on similar to mine will be like gold dust. Do I have to accept this. Ideally I think I would prefer my deposit back and enough money to settle my finance off and by a BIKE!!!
Please can anybody advice as so many people keep telling different things. I though about going down the legal route but I would probably end up with a whopping bill knowing my look.
I really wouldn@t mind them swapping the car if they could find one the same age or younger and with the same mileage or less but I am told this willbe virtually impossible.
Any Constructive advice warmly welcome. Thank you
Trusting Female Driver
|
|
Can you give us a few more details like what car it is. I presume from the 5 year warranty it's a Hyundai but i could be wrong of course!
|
|
I thought I wasn't allowed to name make or model. You seem very perseptive and knowledgable though on this matter.
|
Yes you are allowed to name the make and model - it does make things a little easier when diagnosing what the problem is! Your not really meant to say "it was so and so dealer in X town"
You'd be ok to say i've got a 1.3 Hyundau Accent 3dr and this is the problem.
So if you can furnish us with a few more details i'm sure one of us will be some assistance to you.
|
Hi there TFD and welcome to this site. I'm sure you'll find it very helpful.
Blue_Haddock is quite right. You can by all means name the make and model, but as he said, we don't want naming of individual dealers or retail outlets etc.
Hugo - BR Moderator
|
|
|
|
I'm not sure if you have gone past the point where you could reject the car as being of unmerchantable quality - someone with more legal knowledge would be better placed to help you there. But I would be tempted to return the car and the keys and tell them to call you when they HAVE found the leak, and in the mean time demand a courtsey car.
What I would worry about is if the engine has been overheating while you were running low on coolant is that it's life may have been shortened considerably. I would also tend to put a bit more pressure on the finance company to get heavy with the dealer.
There comes a time when you have to stop being nice if they do not seem interested in addressing your problems.
|
The car is a Hyundai Getz 1.5 diesel hatchback crtd gsi.
Think I do need to toughen up with them. How long do I give them to fix the leak - they have had since January to find it.
I have been in touch with the finance but to be honest they don@t seem bothered and I do wonder that as they are affilicated to Hyundai if they are a little bias
|
|
|
Also, this thread may be of some help.
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?f=2&t=32...2
H
|
Talk to your local Trading Standards people, or Citizens Advice Bureau.
I?d be surprised if you had much trouble out of Hyundai, once they become aware (have you spoken to them directly?) - they?re trying to improve their reputation.
As this isn?t a case of the car breaking down and leaving you stranded, then they may well suggest giving Hyundai one final chance to fix it. Lack of coolant may cause damage but the car is covered by 5 yr w?tee anyway.
If their final attempt to fix it fails then you ought to be able to swap it for a new one ? they may ask you for a contribution towards the cost, but in return ask them to compensate you for the stress and inconvenience they?ve caused you.
Get someone to show you how to do the basic fluid level checks ? you ought to be able to do that yourself, and should be doing it weekly.
|
Thanks for all your replies. i am checking the coolant level every 4 days.
What I am concerned about is the "maybe offer" from the dealer to find me a car of the same mileage and make. Because the car is so young i feel that I might be swopping one bad apple for another-afterall most people get at least a year out of their vehicle. I don@t want one that has bee a fleet car that may hve been thrashed.
|
In view of the marque it's very unlikely any replacement vehicle would be an ex-fleet car.
I would put your complaint in writing to the dealership, detailing exactly what has happened since January and its failure to cure to problem; state that you will give them seven or 14 days to rectify the car to your complete satisfaction and, if not, that you will take the matter up at a much higher level.
I would also send copies to Hyundai's UK centre and remind it of its website's claim of "Unique Service and Support" and the fact that the site's FAQ ( www.hyundai.co.uk/own/faqs/ ) claims it is proud of its high levels of reliability. Contact number is: 0800 981 981 but this is probably only a customer service centre.
Main address is Hyundai Car (UK) Ltd., St. John?s Court, Easton Street, High Wycombe, HP11 1JX; the chief executive/MD is David Walker and his e-mail address is david.walker@hyundai-car.co.uk (Hyundai is part of the RAC by the way).
If you don't get any dealer satisfaction, then going right to the top and bringing the matter to the attention of the MD is more often than not the quickest and most effective method of getting something done - and done quickly.
It also helps to highlight those dealerships which are letting down Hyundai or any other marque - this philosophy also applies to virtually any product and not just cars.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What's for you won't pass you by
|
i am concerned about Hyundai's offer to replace the car if (after 7 attempts) they haven't found the leak. Their offer is to find a similar age and similar mileage. I have been informed by two other dealers that they would find this hard to do because of it only being a few months old. Can I ask for less mileage one and younger or a new car? What about a refund, if they did that would they offer me loads less than I paid for it and not enough to pay my Hyundai finance off? If they find me one with similar mileage and age I am worried it might have problems. Afterall most people don't swop their car until one year is up,don't they? Could it be swop a Lemon for a Lemon Any suggestions?
VERY CONFUSED
|
You'll be getting a lot of people on this forum even more confused if you keep starting a new thread on the same subject...:-)
Please stick to the thread that you started and then people won't have to keep tacking back and forth to find out what you are trying to solve.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
|
Could be that a solicitor's letter does the trick.
>>
good advice. go see your citizens advice, or join the consumers organisation - the name of which escapes me, they do a low cost legal service. see recent thread
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?f=2&t=33...7
|
|
|
|
I would also send copies to Hyundai's UK centre and remind it of its website's claim of "Unique Service and Support" and the fact that the site's FAQ (www.hyundai.co.uk/own/faqs/ ) claims it is proud of its high levels of reliability. Contact number is: 0800 981 981 but this is probably only a customer service centre. Main address is Hyundai Car (UK) Ltd., St. John?s Court, Easton Street, High Wycombe, HP11 1JX; the chief executive/MD is David Walker and his e-mail address is david.walker@hyundai-car.co.uk (Hyundai is part of the RAC by the way).
They may have a changed or changing address at the moment as Hyundai is going to take over importing themselves.
www.shortnews.com/shownews.cfm?id=48599
|
carl_a
You are probably right, but the above information was posted only last November (the customer contact number is from the main Hyundai website) and the company was half way through a 10 year lease on its HQ and saw no likelihood of moving out of Wycombe for the foreseeable future(!):
tinyurl.com/983vp
European website is at:
www.hyundaicorp.com/eng/ or
www.hyundaicorp.com/eng/global/brench_main.asp?sOf...4
E-mail contact on the car side: hcsang@hyundaicorp.com
Worth a try...: -)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
|
PS
If Hyundai had already moved from the UK its website ( www.hyundai.co.uk/own/about/ ) would, presumably, have been taken down or at least materially altered to reflect changes or pending changes?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What's for you won't pass you by
|
|
THanks everyone for your help. Sorry if I have confused things with this "thread" thing. I am new to all this so many apologies.I have noted the addresses and will be taking matters further and right to the top.
You have all been very patient ang given me great advice. I will be keeping in touch and reading other discussions. You never know I might get interested in cars afterall (although I still thing it is less hassle to get the push bike out!!).
|
THanks everyone for your help. Sorry if I have confused things with this "thread" thing. I am new to all this so many apologies.
I wouldn't worry about it. You're doing great so far ;)
Please do let us know how you get on by adding to this thread as the story develops. We've got some real experts in both motoring and the legal side here, so don't feel afraid to sound out this forum on any ideas or concernes you may have.
Best of luck!
H
|
I once had a car that kept losing its water without any apparent indication of where. It led me a right dance for a few weeks. I would check it before a journey. Check it when I got there before starting back. Sometimes, about halfway back, up would go the temperature gauge.
I pumped up the cooling system to look for hose leaks. Took all the plugs out and there was no indication on the plugs of a 'burning water' problem.
Later I looked down a plug hole and suddenly saw water run in on top of the piston! Aghhhh.
It turned out it had a buckled cylinder head due to a previous owner running out of water -- as one of his 'friend' confided in me later.
|
Hi there everyone. I spoke to the garage and asked them specifically what they have done up to now. Now, let me get this right:
Pressure tested it 4 times!
Bought a new pressure tester and did again!
Changed the cap!
Now taking cylinder head off and doing something to the gasket.
I think this is what they said -does it sound about right?
Say if this doesn't work they are stumped!!
Anyone got any suggestions?
And I am in the process of e-mailing the Director of Hyundai - maybe he has a suggestion!!
|
I think this is what they said -does it sound about right?
Sounds a good way to go to me TFD, if they can't find an external leak then it must be internal: having the head off/skimmed and changing the gasket is the only option I think they've got left!
--------------
Mike Farrow
|
Hi there everyone. I spoke to the garage and asked them specifically what they have done up to now. Now, let me get this right: Pressure tested it 4 times! Say if this doesn't work they are stumped!!
But that won't help you as you need your car. What will they do for you in the meantime? Have you got a courtesy car?
And I am in the process of e-mailing the Director of Hyundai - maybe he has a suggestion!!
Fistly, I would write to him to let him know that the dealer are lookign into the problem and hopefully you will not need to contact him again. I mean write, not just e mail him.
Secondly, if they do become "stumped" as they put it, you need to make sure they work to put the problem right for you. If you're already in contact with the Director or someone from his executive office result will come much quicker.
I have used this tactic twice recently with different companies. Both occasions produced astonishing results.
Also, A friend of mine with a Fiat Multipla got a brand new replacement car in leu of a 6 month old one that kept causing him problems. He made his case very politely but firmly to the dealer. His replacement has been fine AFAIK.
H
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
