Citroen Main Dealer problem

[Saleen836]

Speaking with a friend earlier and was told their 69 plate Citroen C5 Aircross 1.5 diesel had died, got it to the dealer they bought from who have now informed my friend the turbo has blown and the DPF has also failed, no idea which went first but apparently Citroen recalled almost 600 C5 Aircross models due to a faulty DPF. Of course the car is 'just' out of warranty ( as is usually the case), the dealer has said the cost to sort the car will be just shy of £3k and Citroen will cover 75% of the cost if the car has full service history.
Records are checked and dealer has pointed out no service was carried out in 2020, it was pointed out to them that it was during Covid and everywhere was shut due to lockdown and the government even extended MOT's due to lockdown measures.
Dealer is now saying they can't authorise the 75% payment and informed friend they need to contact head office in writing. The dealer however has also informed my friend that the turbo is on long term back order and can give no date when they will have one in the meantime as they have given the go ahead for the work to be carried out the dealer have given my friend a 22 plate Mercedes on long term hire (at no cost) until the car is sorted.
Dealer is and has not been returning calls or emails with the information my friend needs to contact head office, anyone here have a contact for the person in charge at Citroen head office for me to pass on to speed things up?

[911Spanker]

I think the COVID excuse for not servicing cars is a bit lame. I have 5 cars and they were all serviced in 2020.

[Jordie Barretts sock]

911Spanker said:

I think the COVID excuse for not servicing cars is a bit lame. I have 5 cars and they were all serviced in 2020.

None of my cars missed any services or extended their MOTs during Covid.

I don't think the dealer is being unfair here, they've given your friend a free car and pointed him to HO because they are unable to authorise the 75% discount.

[georgeyboy12345]

As above.

Also was their car not recalled to fix the dpf?

[911Spanker]

Jordie Barretts sock said:

911Spanker said:

I think the COVID excuse for not servicing cars is a bit lame. I have 5 cars and they were all serviced in 2020.

None of my cars missed any services or extended their MOTs during Covid.

I don't think the dealer is being unfair here, they've given your friend a free car and pointed him to HO because they are unable to authorise the 75% discount.

Exactly. The Covid excuse is one people pull when they couldn't be bothered to get their car serviced. Appreciate miles may have been lower at that time but a service schedule is a service schedule and it wasn't impossible to get this work done.

[Trevor555]

911Spanker said:

I think the COVID excuse for not servicing cars is a bit lame. I have 5 cars and they were all serviced in 2020.

Some people, like me, who were classed medically vulnerable, were told to stay at home by the government.

[911Spanker]

Trevor555 said:

911Spanker said:

I think the COVID excuse for not servicing cars is a bit lame. I have 5 cars and they were all serviced in 2020.

Some people, like me, who were classed medically vulnerable, were told to stay at home by the government.

That's all well and good but unfortunately a car which has not been serviced on schedule may have issues with warranty claims as seen here and possibly have its resale value impacted.

[FiF]

Trevor555 said:

911Spanker said:

I think the COVID excuse for not servicing cars is a bit lame. I have 5 cars and they were all serviced in 2020.

Some people, like me, who were classed medically vulnerable, were told to stay at home by the government.

We have a Citroen on our drive. It was serviced on schedule by the dealer who had quite extensive arrangements to deal with risks under Covid. Some of them seemed a bit over the top, and certainly reduced their available work slots. However this included an option to have the vehicle collected and delivered from your home for those in such a medically vulnerable situation.

[Trevor555]

FiF said:

Trevor555 said:

911Spanker said:

I think the COVID excuse for not servicing cars is a bit lame. I have 5 cars and they were all serviced in 2020.

Some people, like me, who were classed medically vulnerable, were told to stay at home by the government.

We have a Citroen on our drive. It was serviced on schedule by the dealer who had quite extensive arrangements to deal with risks under Covid. Some of them seemed a bit over the top, and certainly reduced their available work slots. However this included an option to have the vehicle collected and delivered from your home for those in such a medically vulnerable situation.

It's not a lame excuse though is it?

Some people were afraid of DYING if they caught it.

Stranger been in their car, how does owner know they sanitised it properly?

My mum was told at the time she'd most certainly die if she caught it (COPD)

[FiF]

Trevor555 said:

FiF said:

Trevor555 said:

911Spanker said:

I think the COVID excuse for not servicing cars is a bit lame. I have 5 cars and they were all serviced in 2020.

Some people, like me, who were classed medically vulnerable, were told to stay at home by the government.

We have a Citroen on our drive. It was serviced on schedule by the dealer who had quite extensive arrangements to deal with risks under Covid. Some of them seemed a bit over the top, and certainly reduced their available work slots. However this included an option to have the vehicle collected and delivered from your home for those in such a medically vulnerable situation.

It's not a lame excuse though is it?

Some people were afraid of DYING if they caught it.

Stranger been in their car, how does owner know they sanitised it properly?

My mum was told at the time she'd most certainly die if she caught it (COPD)

Clearly you did not see the effort and arrangements that our dealer went through to sanitise the vehicle before they took it in from us into their workshop, nor what was done afterwards.

Arguably, with the benefit of hindsight admittedly, much of those arrangements were a waste of time, but that was not the xase at the time and they were carried out rigorously. Even at the time they seemed to me over the top, but their house, their rules.

[Trevor555]

FiF said:

Trevor555 said:

FiF said:

Trevor555 said:

911Spanker said:

I think the COVID excuse for not servicing cars is a bit lame. I have 5 cars and they were all serviced in 2020.

Some people, like me, who were classed medically vulnerable, were told to stay at home by the government.

We have a Citroen on our drive. It was serviced on schedule by the dealer who had quite extensive arrangements to deal with risks under Covid. Some of them seemed a bit over the top, and certainly reduced their available work slots. However this included an option to have the vehicle collected and delivered from your home for those in such a medically vulnerable situation.

It's not a lame excuse though is it?

Some people were afraid of DYING if they caught it.

Stranger been in their car, how does owner know they sanitised it properly?

My mum was told at the time she'd most certainly die if she caught it (COPD)

Clearly you did not see the effort and arrangements that our dealer went through to sanitise the vehicle before they took it in from us into their workshop, nor what was done afterwards.

Arguably, with the benefit of hindsight admittedly, much of those arrangements were a waste of time, but that was not the xase at the time and they were carried out rigorously. Even at the time they seemed to me over the top, but their house, their rules.

Still not a lame excuse, that was the comment I was reacting to.

Oh the driver missed a bit?

Would you actually take that risk with your own life? Just to get the car serviced?

If Government decided MOT tests could be delayed, I'm sure Citroen head office will see sense if OP can get hold of them.

Edited by Trevor555 on Saturday 14th October 10:40

Edited by Trevor555 on Saturday 14th October 10:42

[FiF]

Just for the record I suffer from COPD albeit not severe, well managed. Though at one point was down to 41% lung function, pre Covid obviously and improved since, but still nowhere near 100%.

Was also out every day getting food and supplies to those who could not get out or had been instructed to stay home. And took a car for service, twice.

Hopefully Citroen will take a suitable line on the OP's case, I wish them well on that