Well bit of good news has come my way data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
I sent ford hq an email back thanking them for putting in writing that they had no control over their dealership and how I was looking for to showing that to a lawyer. Especially as they had indirectly said that there was no such thing as an approved repair centre (to approve something means that you must have rules etc).
And what do you know data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7 hq now what to open a case to investigate the matter.
Very poor start from ford, but at least it's a step in the right directiondata:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
Well sent ford UK the confirmation that I was the registered keeper etc and got an email back with the original position from them of go away not are problem, not going to investigate etc. Starting to understand why in general chat a poster call someone a slut when they had issues! data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7 (didn't though data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Anyway I'm clearly wasting my time with ford UK so I've got in contact with the vice president of ford of Europe, doubt I will get a reply, but I lose nothing by trying.
On the plus side the van has just been picked up for its independent testing data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7, might find something or might not but I will at least know either waydata:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
I have a case data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
Whilst the vehicle is safe to drive, the chap thought that the brake pedal feels spongy and probably still has air in the system.
That one of the brake pipes has not been changed and that rather than fully replace the other (edit pipe) they have cut out the corroded sections and joined in a new section of pipework, then painted over the old pipework to hide it.
Need to wait for the report which will take a few days, but time to arrange a lawyer and start the suing process
Sounds absolutely outrageous....
do you mean pipes?
Yep,
What hacks me off about it all is that all I wanted them to do was check the work and make good if anything had been missed. No compensation wanted, no admitting of guilt, just check and fix. Their response was (in effect) that I'm just being difficult and that you get annoying customers like myself every so often. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
Stupid very stupid.
On the plus side, my email to Ford of Europe has produced a response as they have passed it on to Management in Ford UK who has asked for my number. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
Oops data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
Yes pipes data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
Man, when things start to happen they happen fast data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
Just spoken to Ford UK who have informed me that they have raised the matter with the dealership local manager and with one of the firm's Director, that they require a response being sent to them that they will forward to me, a number to contact Ford UK direct about it all, and can i forward a copy of the inspection report when i get it.
Faith in Ford UK restore data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
Although it took a difficult customer and an independent preliminary report ti make them sit up and take notice data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
Entry level Ford UK should have handled it much better and I'm still annoyed at their response, unfortunately that's just how things tend to be across the board data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
Ford of Europe I can't fault though (or Ford UK executive management) and they have certainly got things moving data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
Had a call from the service manager yesterday being very apologetic, and could I bring the van in today so as he and their area manager could personally look at it etc.
Naturally I said not until you put in writing that you accept the independent inspection report or if you prefer I will take it to an independent garage for you to look at there etc (with my own inspector being present).
To me, doing one thing and telling you and charging you for another (they repaired instead of replaced the brake pipes) is fraudulent behaviour. No way I can give them an opportunity to remove the evidence without it being accepted 1st.
The other items look like bad practice or human error at 1st until you factor in the repair work on the pipes, no way you can argue thats human error, which means that the same dishonest attitude likely applies to the rest that was missed, damaged or not done right
Edit
The service manager response was that he wanted to see the independent report 1st before he commented further, which is fair enough.