Would you bother paying for this or not?

Would you bother paying for this or not?

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UrbanLegend

Original Poster:

15,169 posts

236 months

Tuesday 19th November 2013
quotequote all
Got a problem with the wife's car.

The rear of each door release lever has started to peel and are so sharp they have cut our fingers quite badly as we've got out of the car recently.

The car is 5 years old and well cared for.

I called the dealers to see what 2 new handles cost £240 fitted.

I ask if they have been revised and yes they had, several times.

I then said I hoped this wouldn't happen again since they're not exactly cheap to replace considering the original components appear to have been faulty in their design.

Chap on the phone then tells me it's the solvent based cleaner I've been using has degraded the plating on the handle. I said politely that was not the case and he then tells me it must be something like hand cream.Well I pointed out that I don't wear hand cream and both handles are the same. He then went on to suggest it was perfume. He even suggested it was sweat from our hands.

I guess I can't prove that I haven't worn perfume or hand cream but he did confirm they have been changed a number of times and he used the term design flaw.

Would you be happy with this or just suck it up and pay up.



Edited by UrbanLegend on Tuesday 19th November 00:12

UrbanLegend

Original Poster:

15,169 posts

236 months

Tuesday 19th November 2013
quotequote all
JoPo1 said:
I wouldn't. That's mental.
As it appears to have been a problem, I'd appreciate them making a good will gesture.
We bought the car from them when new for £19k and we'd be more likely to return to them when we replace it if we didn't feel they are taking the pee.

UrbanLegend

Original Poster:

15,169 posts

236 months

Tuesday 19th November 2013
quotequote all
Can't leave them like it though as we both have quite sore cuts to fingers.

UrbanLegend

Original Poster:

15,169 posts

236 months

Tuesday 19th November 2013
quotequote all
Thanks folks.

My wife has booked it in for them to be done but I'll have a go at sanding them smooth first.

The parts were special order so I expect they'll have a moan about that.

UrbanLegend

Original Poster:

15,169 posts

236 months

Sunday 24th November 2013
quotequote all
Well to say I'm gobsmacked is an understatement!

12 hours before the car is booked in my wife calls their UK HQ customers service line (I said it was a waste of a call) to ask if there's anything they can do and they were apologetic and said they'd call back after they'd taken some details.

I also doubted they'd call back but they did.

What's more, they covered the entire cost and again apologised for us having cut our fingers on them.

Well done Manufacturer; fantastic customer service and I'll be looking to buy the same brand when I replace my car.

UrbanLegend

Original Poster:

15,169 posts

236 months

Sunday 24th November 2013
quotequote all
I deliberately haven't mentioned brand because of the rules here on naming but since it's an excellent outcome is there any harm?

I'm very impressed with their customer service.

UrbanLegend

Original Poster:

15,169 posts

236 months

Monday 25th November 2013
quotequote all
Apologies for the delay in posting again.

It was the Nissan.

I'm very impressed with how their customer service department at HO dealt with the issue.

Poor response from the local dealer initially; it wouldn't have been any issue for them to have said "lets see if there's anything we can do to help" instead of trying to think of every conceivable excuse to justify why they had peeled leaving razor sharp edges. They are still paid for the work by Nissan UK.

Nissan UK said although it wasn't covered by warranty now that since we bought the car new and always had it serviced with them, they valued our loyalty and custom.

A great result and very unusual in my experience.
Thinking back to when I owned a vehicle from the VAG stable with known instrument cluster issues rendering the car totally useless. They were very unhelpful in rectify any issues until watchdog got involved.