Advice regards main dealer negligence X2
Discussion
Missus bought a Citroen DS3 one year ago from a main dealer, when it was two years old. She had it serviced last week, the day after the service the drive was covered in oil, turns out they had threaded the plug (they've fixed this, in fact they thought them fixing it the day the leak was discovered was them doing us a favour).
Now today heading into a multi storey, warning on dash comes up 'STOP BRAKE FAILURE', goes off after a couple of seconds. So go into car park and she parks the car and the 'STOP BRAKE FAILURE' comes back on, so I give the brakes a visual inspection and the OSR brake calliper is covered in brake fluid and the alloy has a river in the bottom of it! So straight on to the phone to the main dealer who tell us it's not their problem and we need to get the car to them, so by the time I get a flat bed to come collect the car, it is now 6pm and we get to the dealer after the service lads have gone home. The principal has said he'll make sure it's seen to first thing tomorrow.
Now, what is pistonheads opinion, I believe we deserve some compensation for the state that this car has been left in! So how does pistonheads suggest I approach this situation and if compensation what level? Currently absolutely fuming and thinking when I get the car back I need to get it looked over by an independent garage. Should also add they changed the brake fluid during the service…
Sorry for the long post and hope this is the right section!
Now today heading into a multi storey, warning on dash comes up 'STOP BRAKE FAILURE', goes off after a couple of seconds. So go into car park and she parks the car and the 'STOP BRAKE FAILURE' comes back on, so I give the brakes a visual inspection and the OSR brake calliper is covered in brake fluid and the alloy has a river in the bottom of it! So straight on to the phone to the main dealer who tell us it's not their problem and we need to get the car to them, so by the time I get a flat bed to come collect the car, it is now 6pm and we get to the dealer after the service lads have gone home. The principal has said he'll make sure it's seen to first thing tomorrow.
Now, what is pistonheads opinion, I believe we deserve some compensation for the state that this car has been left in! So how does pistonheads suggest I approach this situation and if compensation what level? Currently absolutely fuming and thinking when I get the car back I need to get it looked over by an independent garage. Should also add they changed the brake fluid during the service…
Sorry for the long post and hope this is the right section!
What compensation are you after? They'll fix it presumably, so I assume you're talking over and above that.
Do you want free services from a garage who clearly aren't ideal - remember they'll know it's a free service and who knows how blasé they will be about it?
I'd settle for them fixing it and an apology. The thought of asking for compo makes me cringe.
Do you want free services from a garage who clearly aren't ideal - remember they'll know it's a free service and who knows how blasé they will be about it?
I'd settle for them fixing it and an apology. The thought of asking for compo makes me cringe.
I'd agree with Opulent Bob above.
I can appreciate you're angry. I'd be curious if that were my wife's car. But think of the longer game.
Insist they put right anything they screwed up, but then take your custom elsewhere.
Do you really want free services done by people who went that bothered when you're paying for it, who will know it's a freebie and to whom you will always be "that bloke who complained" (regardless of whether you're in the right or not)?
If you have that low an opinion of them, just find somewhere else to take the car once they put their errors right, and don't look back.
I can appreciate you're angry. I'd be curious if that were my wife's car. But think of the longer game.
Insist they put right anything they screwed up, but then take your custom elsewhere.
Do you really want free services done by people who went that bothered when you're paying for it, who will know it's a freebie and to whom you will always be "that bloke who complained" (regardless of whether you're in the right or not)?
If you have that low an opinion of them, just find somewhere else to take the car once they put their errors right, and don't look back.
king drive cleaning properly, at least!If they've damaged the thread in the sump, I'd be asking for that to be replaced and not repair it. It seams to be that main dealers aren't allowed to repair anything if you ask them, they simply replace parts except for when they balls up.
Driveway cleaned and some sort of guarantee that if there was a issue with the engine that could be put down to running low on oil that they'd accept responsibility.
Presumably the wheel which was covered in brake fluid will need refurbishing or replacing as the fluid doesn't do paint any good, I'd also check its not been sprayed up the side of the car if you where moving when it started leaking.
Driveway cleaned and some sort of guarantee that if there was a issue with the engine that could be put down to running low on oil that they'd accept responsibility.
Presumably the wheel which was covered in brake fluid will need refurbishing or replacing as the fluid doesn't do paint any good, I'd also check its not been sprayed up the side of the car if you where moving when it started leaking.
You haven't said who serviced it, main dealer you purchased from, different main dealer or third party.
They are obviously incompetent. If main dealer I would complain to the manufacturer (what if the brakes had failed entering a corner at speed, or the sump plug had actually fallen out whilst driving?) Totally unacceptable.
If a third party then either walk away or let them 'try' to put it right. Not worth the hassle . Your call. And then choose your garage more carefully in future.
They are obviously incompetent. If main dealer I would complain to the manufacturer (what if the brakes had failed entering a corner at speed, or the sump plug had actually fallen out whilst driving?) Totally unacceptable.
If a third party then either walk away or let them 'try' to put it right. Not worth the hassle . Your call. And then choose your garage more carefully in future.
andye30m3 said:
If they've damaged the thread in the sump, I'd be asking for that to be replaced and not repair it. It seams to be that main dealers aren't allowed to repair anything if you ask them, they simply replace parts except for when they balls up.
Driveway cleaned and some sort of guarantee that if there was a issue with the engine that could be put down to running low on oil that they'd accept responsibility.
Presumably the wheel which was covered in brake fluid will need refurbishing or replacing as the fluid doesn't do paint any good, I'd also check its not been sprayed up the side of the car if you where moving when it started leaking.
I'm glad you've written that, as it's virtually what I tried explaining to her! And now she's seen it from another source agrees!Think I'll deal with the garage from nowDriveway cleaned and some sort of guarantee that if there was a issue with the engine that could be put down to running low on oil that they'd accept responsibility.
Presumably the wheel which was covered in brake fluid will need refurbishing or replacing as the fluid doesn't do paint any good, I'd also check its not been sprayed up the side of the car if you where moving when it started leaking.
You don't appear to say what the cause of the brake fluid leak is.
You can't just assume its the dealers fault? Did they do any brake work as part of the service?
EDIT - yes you say they changed the brake fluid. that does make it something of a co-incidence doesn't it?
You can't just assume its the dealers fault? Did they do any brake work as part of the service?
EDIT - yes you say they changed the brake fluid. that does make it something of a co-incidence doesn't it?
Edited by OverSteery on Wednesday 2nd August 10:10
cmaguire said:
You haven't said who serviced it, main dealer you purchased from, different main dealer or third party.
They are obviously incompetent. If main dealer I would complain to the manufacturer (what if the brakes had failed entering a corner at speed, or the sump plug had actually fallen out whilst driving?) Totally unacceptable.
If a third party then either walk away or let them 'try' to put it right. Not worth the hassle . Your call. And then choose your garage more carefully in future.
Yes it was the supplying main dealer who did the 'service', who sold her the car as one of their approved carsThey are obviously incompetent. If main dealer I would complain to the manufacturer (what if the brakes had failed entering a corner at speed, or the sump plug had actually fallen out whilst driving?) Totally unacceptable.
If a third party then either walk away or let them 'try' to put it right. Not worth the hassle . Your call. And then choose your garage more carefully in future.
OverSteery said:
You don't appear to say what the cause of the brake fluid leak is.
You can't just assume its the dealers fault? Did they do any brake work as part of the service?
As I said in the main post, they changed the brake fluid. My inspection revealed that the fluid was pissing out the bleed nipple, so as they managed to thread the engine plug I imagine they've done the same to nipple, or not tightened it properly. You can't just assume its the dealers fault? Did they do any brake work as part of the service?
Lynch91 said:
OverSteery said:
You don't appear to say what the cause of the brake fluid leak is.
You can't just assume its the dealers fault? Did they do any brake work as part of the service?
As I said in the main post, they changed the brake fluid. My inspection revealed that the fluid was pissing out the bleed nipple, so as they managed to thread the engine plug I imagine they've done the same to nipple, or not tightened it properly. You can't just assume its the dealers fault? Did they do any brake work as part of the service?
Dumping a sump of oil and brake failure could both have seriously consequences. The combination of for the 2 is starting to paint a pretty damming picture for the dealer....
OP, in your shoes I would be angry about their incompetence, but I wouldn't be asking directly for compensation. They will probably counter with an offer of the next service being free. Personally, I'd go in and speak directly with the Dealer Principal and be looking for:
1. Refund for this service
2. Driveway cleaned
Then you should inspect the alloy and paint to ensure that no damage is left behind. Basically, you should be back to where you were before these retards worked on it.
What they have done wrong is about as simple as mechanical work gets, so whoever did this shouldn't be trusted with anything beyond sweeping the floor.
1. Refund for this service
2. Driveway cleaned
Then you should inspect the alloy and paint to ensure that no damage is left behind. Basically, you should be back to where you were before these retards worked on it.
What they have done wrong is about as simple as mechanical work gets, so whoever did this shouldn't be trusted with anything beyond sweeping the floor.
StuTheGrouch said:
OP, in your shoes I would be angry about their incompetence, but I wouldn't be asking directly for compensation. They will probably counter with an offer of the next service being free. Personally, I'd go in and speak directly with the Dealer Principal and be looking for:
1. Refund for this service
2. Driveway cleaned
Then you should inspect the alloy and paint to ensure that no damage is left behind. Basically, you should be back to where you were before these retards worked on it.
What they have done wrong is about as simple as mechanical work gets, so whoever did this shouldn't be trusted with anything beyond sweeping the floor.
Appreciate your response, good thinking about the alloy too. 1. Refund for this service
2. Driveway cleaned
Then you should inspect the alloy and paint to ensure that no damage is left behind. Basically, you should be back to where you were before these retards worked on it.
What they have done wrong is about as simple as mechanical work gets, so whoever did this shouldn't be trusted with anything beyond sweeping the floor.
What are the thoughts about me wanting the main dealer to pay for the car to have an independent inspection? As I'm sure you guys can imagine I have little faith in this car now!
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