Asking for a better courtesy car....
Asking for a better courtesy car....
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Discussion

briangriffin

Original Poster:

2,401 posts

198 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
quotequote all
Had my mazda 6 sport serviced about 2 weeks ago. The brake vacuum pump was replaced by the dealer but this week I had an incident when coming off the motorway where there was no braking and I was very nearly in a crash.

This problem happened intermittently on the drive home mostly when attempting to come to a complete stop rather than at high speed. About to ring the dealer to complain and obviously there's no way I'm driving the car the 40 miles to them because of the problem so I'm assuming I'm well within my rights to demand they pick it up?

Also when the service was done I had a pokey little mazda 4 as courtesy car is it worth trying to blag an mx-5 or something this time round seeing as the work they carried out very nearly caused a major accident when I had 4 other people in my car.

Thoughts guys....

zebra

4,555 posts

244 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
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It's a courtesy car. Be thankful if you get one. The garage is not obliged to give you a top end vehicle.

steveo3002

11,209 posts

204 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
quotequote all
you could ask if theres anything a bit bigger avail as you need the boot space for work etc..but yeah dont count on it

briangriffin

Original Poster:

2,401 posts

198 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
quotequote all
I know they're not obliged but they may be more courteous considering the work they carried out almost caused a pile-up. Save for swerving out of the way I'd have rear ended a car at a round about when it first happened.

Not exactly stellar work they've carried out.

ED209

6,024 posts

274 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
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What is a mazda 4? does such a thing even exist?

750turbo

6,164 posts

254 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
quotequote all
If they even have an MX5 available, they will want it for demos I would imagine.

Mastodon2

14,327 posts

195 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
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It's a courtesy car, consider yourself lucky to get one. When I'm getting my bike worked on, I don't ask for a Fireblade, a 125 to get home on will do me.

Laurel Green

31,138 posts

262 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
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ED209 said:
What is a mazda 4? does such a thing even exist?
Perhaps half the four = 2?

ETA: Considering the danger they put you and your passengers in, would suggest you ask for a top-of-the-range model.

Edited by Laurel Green on Wednesday 3rd September 09:08

Torquey

1,957 posts

258 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
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How old is your Mazda6?

TheAngryDog

13,243 posts

239 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
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This is what i hate about this country. We have a blame culture and elevated expectations. The potential consequences have nothing to do with what courtesy car they should give you, if at all. To me it sounds like a status thing, you're very descript in that you mention an MX-5 specifically as something you want. Be thankful if they give you a courtesy and just move on.

TheAngryDog

13,243 posts

239 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
quotequote all
Laurel Green said:
Perhaps half the four = 2?

ETA: Considering the danger they put you and your passengers in, would suggest you ask for a top-of-the-range model.

Edited by Laurel Green on Wednesday 3rd September 09:08
What danger did they put him in exactly? New parts can fail, and this happened 2 weeks after it was replaced, and its not like they could've set it to fail after a period of time.

Seriously.

StottyEvo

6,860 posts

193 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
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Ask for the MX-5 as though you're thinking of buying one, an extended test drive if you will.

I have no idea if this is the correct answer but that's what sprung into my head, if they think they'll potentially make money from giving you it...

SteBrown91

3,134 posts

159 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
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When my golf went in for warranty work, I did not expect a golf gti/gtd or whatever as a courtesy car. I got an up, which I actually quite liked.

In 2 previous non fault accidents I had requested a diesel, however I didn't get it. Not the end of the world. Accept what you get it will get you home.


thatdude

2,660 posts

157 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
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Not to sound mean but when i read / hear things like this, it just comes across as the individual being quite selfish and ungrateful.

As for getting them to pick it up, yes do ask them as it is a major safety issue, don't expect it for free though but do ask them how much it might cost. I had my friend come collect my bike (50 mile round trip) as I could not ride it due to erratic fueling.







Edited by thatdude on Wednesday 3rd September 10:09

Riley Blue

23,205 posts

256 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
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Tell the dealer to phone extension 601 at Mazda HQ and ask for a car from the 'black fleet'. This week's password is 'Quicksilver'.

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

156 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
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A lack of brake vac does not mean you have "no brakes". It means you have to push the pedal harder to get exactly the same amount of available braking.

Rich1973

1,281 posts

207 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
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TooMany2cvs said:
A lack of brake vac does not mean you have "no brakes". It means you have to push the pedal harder to get exactly the same amount of available braking.
Next time you are driving at say 30 mph, turn your engine off, pump the brake pedal until the vacuum has gone and then bring the car to a stop. Hardly a case of push a bit harder and certainly not when you are not expecting it.

OP I think you are being a bit unreasonable unless you have a specific ned that your car gives you and a smaller courtesy car wouldnt

S3_Graham

12,835 posts

229 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
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TheAngryDog said:
This is what i hate about this country. We have a blame culture and elevated expectations. The potential consequences have nothing to do with what courtesy car they should give you, if at all. To me it sounds like a status thing, you're very descript in that you mention an MX-5 specifically as something you want. Be thankful if they give you a courtesy and just move on.
I sort of agree with what you are saying. It all depends on why you want a better car. You don't deserve a better car in the circumstances but if you want to ask for one go ahead! I took the ex's Mini Cooper in for a service at bmw. I laid it on thick about wanting to upgrade to a cooper S and asked if one might be available for the day.

They said no and gave me a 116 hehe no harm in asking for an MX-5 but if you go in spouting crap about I nearly crashed, you owe me a better car etc. they'll tell you to do one!

If they ran a fleet of posh courtesy cars then they'd charge you even more per hour and there'd be a million threads on here complaining. Catch.22

anonymous-user

84 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
quotequote all
Riley Blue said:
Tell the dealer to phone extension 601 at Mazda HQ and ask for a car from the 'black fleet'. This week's password is 'Quicksilver'.
That was last week, it's 'Bananarama' this week.

Dog Star

17,608 posts

198 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
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I suffered the opposite.

I was having my SL500 fixed a couple of years ago and out front they had a load of Smart cars - one of them was painted (wrapped) like a cow. It looked ace.

I asked if I could take the Smart - or even a Smart - but they said they could no longer loan customers Smarts, as some of the more sniffy ones complained. Shame.