Vauxhall Mokka - 5 months of problems, VX being unhelpful.

[TIG ACM]

My sister is having some problems with a new car she brought nearly a year ago and I need some advice on where to take this now. Its a long read but I have tried to make it as informative and brief as possible.

My sister brought a new Vauxhall Mokka mid last year, 1.7cdti auto diesel.

The car was fine for approx. 5 months and then the gearbox started playing up juddering when pulling away, not changing down gears when slowing, VX had it in and ended up replacing the gearbox (took them 8 weeks).
The car was returned to my sister and was still not right, so went back in the day after.

Since it was returned, 6th Jan, it has been in and out of the garage. Vauxhall dealer refuse to say their is a problem, the field tech from vauxhall said there was nothing wrong with the car, one of the mechanics on a test drive admitted there was a intermittent fault but not denies there is a issue.

We have got the GoPro on the car to record the problem and VX said the video evidence means nothing at all.

Vauxhall have now offered to exchange the car for another one. However what they are offering is very poor. My sisters Mokka is a Exclusive, Auto diesel with options. They have offered a base model second hand Mokka, petrol manual with no options and more importantly no life time warranty that the original car had. The offer is for them to swap the car for a equal model, but they want £3000 to do this.

We have tried to reject the car as not fit for purpose but too much time has passed for VX to accept this.
We have also tried speak to motorcode who haven't been incredibly helpful.

Chased VX head office yesterday and their response is that they are not going to do anything. The dealer has made an offer and VX are happy with that and have closed the case from their end.
Currently trying to get through to GMAC but am not hopeful of any sort of help.

I have also spoken at length to the citizens advice bureau who were extremely helpful in outlining the legal points. I need to speak to them again on Monday for a little more info before I start sending some letters out

So I am stuck on where to go with this, we are left with a car that is dangerous. It bunny hops like a learner driver when pulling away and when braking as it doesn't change down gears you end up two feet on the brake pedal hoping it will stop. The problem is intermittent, but usually happens when he car is cold on cold days.


Any advice or help would be great!

Edited by TIG ACM on Saturday 29th March 13:07

[vrsmxtb]

Trade it in for a Suzuki Cappuccino, far more reliable.

[mike9009]

If discussions with the dealer principal and Vauxhall have really ended and your sister does not want the car, I would park up on the forecourt over the next few weekends with big signs in the window advertising your dis-satisfaction.

Leave you phone number in the window so the dealer or prospective customers can contact you.

[StottyEvo]

That sounds pretty horrific especially for a new car with warranty!

I can't offer much advice I'm afraid other than that their offer to trade if for another car doesn't seem to have any goodwill at all. 3k for an equivalent model is literally you trading your car in and buying a new one cheeky gits.

Good luck

[Vladimir]

We had a similar experience with an Astra. I will never buy a Vauxhall again.

[BFG TERRANO]

Had an 07 vectra Sri from new riddled with problems. Handled exactly as your being dealt with. Good luck

[Vladimir]

The worst thing is, Vx UK don't seem to give a to55 either.

[xRIEx]

vrsmxtb said:

Trade it in for a Suzuki Cappuccino, far more reliable.

[anonymous-user]

Show them this thread & give them the opportunity to turn around your opinion, as a PR exercise !

[750turbo]

Jimboka said:

Show them this thread & give them the opportunity to turn around your opinion, as a PR exercise !

Facebook & Twitter as well.

Local Press?

Motor Trade Press (You might struggle)

[Driver101]

If the car is on finance or you paid even a small deposit by credit card, contact them.

[Vladimir]

We have a database of all press contacts. Happy to provide if needed.

[heners54]

We were unfortunate enough to have a new shape astra which had engine problems the dealer couldn't solve (went into safety mode when accelerating every other day) and wouldn't take back the car, or even buy it back! Cost nearly 20k new and offered 5k at two years old and 40000 on the clock. "we don't want any more astras, they're unreliable". Sums it up really, we all swapped to skodas now and have had no problems, but recently the fault with our 1.7cdti has been recalled due to a head gasket problem meaning high pressure in cylinder head or something like that; wouldn't admit a fault 6 months before and we took a big loss to swap to something reliable for big commutes.

Never again Vauxhall.

[ch108]

mike9009 said:

If discussions with the dealer principal and Vauxhall have really ended and your sister does not want the car, I would park up on the forecourt over the next few weekends with big signs in the window advertising your dis-satisfaction.

Leave you phone number in the window so the dealer or prospective customers can contact you.

I seen this done at a local Citroen garage. Every afternoon this guy would arrive in a C3 put notices in all the car windows and stood next to it with more details on a placard. He also parked on the public road so the garage couldn't move him! He was there every afternoon for a month. Don't know whether he got his problems resolved but it was certainly publicity the garage could have done without.

Might be worth a try if all else has failed. Better still inform the garage of your intentions first and it may just make them come to a better resolution before you have to resort to this.

[Mike_Mac]

Auto Express likes running stories like this, and manufacturers seem to quite often change their mind when they do. Might be worth a try?

[rigga]

You mention GMAC so assume you purchased on finance? This is the route you must go down

[TIG ACM]

rigga said:

You mention GMAC so assume you purchased on finance? This is the route you must go down

GMAC are very slow and have put it on hold until the exchange has been sorted.

Vladimir said:

We have a database of all press contacts. Happy to provide if needed.

This would be brilliant. I don't think we are quite at this stage yet but are very close. I would rather exhaust the legal route first as wouldn't want something damaging any potential case.

We are trying to get it taken to vx tech centre at the moment. As this was something vx had previously offered prior to the exchange being offered.

[rigga]

Once you exchange you are stuffed as you have accepted vauxhalls terms and conditions, the last thing you should do.
If car is on finance then GMAC are the only people who can leaverage vauxhall into making concessions, although as you are probably aware they are part of vauxhall I believe.

Edited as I put glad instead of GMAC ...Autocorrect again.

Edited by rigga on Saturday 29th March 14:02

[TIG ACM]

rigga said:

Once you exchange you are stuffed as you have accepted vauxhalls terms and conditions, the last thing you should do.
If car is on finance then glad are the only people who can leaverage vauxhall into making concessions, although as you are probably aware they are part of vauxhall I believe.

I understand once the exchange has taken place hen effectively we have excepted their solution and it's a end to encase.
I meant we are pushing vx and motor bodies for a better solution so we haven't quite given up on coming to a agreement although it is looking highly unlikely. I am working on getting a letter from them stating they are willing to exchange as I am told this is valuable as they are admitting the car is not of satisfactory quality by exchanging he vehicle unless hey state otherwise in their letter

The finance company are owned by GM as is VX so it' is heavily biased in my opinion.

[Crafty_]

There are a couple of things here that I'm not sure of.

What exactly does "the car is still not right" mean ?
What exactly is the problem ?
Does it happen all the time ?
Why did it have to be videoed, why can't it be demonstrated to a tech ?


Believe it or not manufacturers and dealers don't go around trying to ps off customers intentionally.