Ford's Warranty

[Guest Actuary]

I have only just found and joined this forum. Looks really good, and gives me a chance to get something off my chest!

 

Ivor_E_Tower commented on 15 December that "Ford's so-called customer service/support/assistance centre ... just were not interested because the car was still driveable". Well in my case they're not interested even 'though my car is not driveable and has been off the road for nearly two months whilst still under warranty.

 

My car is a 2001 2.8 Ghia manual. I first reported problems with the transmission in April at about 13,000 miles with car less than 2 years old. After several thousand miles, several months, and attempts at replacing different parts, Lifestyle Ford of Redhill decided to remove the gearbox. Ford would not let them replace it but insisted that they ordered in shims to try to sort problem out. I thought this was ridiculous as there was no way that shims designed to take up wear would deal with a gearbox that clearly had a fundamental problem. And so it proved. And I'm not an engineer and would be pretty hopeless as one.

 

So now I have to wait while a new gearbox is sourced - apparently there's a backlog, it's the ninth week that my car is off the road, and no-one has any idea when the gearbox will arrive. Of course, had Ford had the sense to change the gearbox in the first place I could have kept driving the car until it arrived. So now my car is clogging up Lifestyle's workshop, and my family is tying up one of its courtesy cars semi-permanently.

 

The Glasgow centre was useless. Apparently I was supposed to be grateful that the courtesy car was a Fiesta rather than a Ka. When I called again and suggested that Ford could let me borrow one its cars coming off fleet at a cost to itself that was rather less than it would cost me to hire one each weekend, the girl I spoke to was little short of rude.

 

So I faxed the MD at Brentwood, one Paul Thomas. No apparent response. I tried to call him. They would not put me through to him, instead diverted me to the Customer Service Manager, or something like that. I didn't speak to him/her, but a lady promised to investigate and call back. Again no response or evidence of any attempt to respond.

 

So, does anyone have any idea where I stand legally? Can Ford take (say) six months to get the car back to me and still claim it is meeting its warranty obligations?

 

This is our third Galaxy, and ironically we are seriously thinking of replacing it. We want an automatic and the seventh diagonal seat belt that appeared shortly after our car was made. In a fit of pique we went and tried the Espace yesterday. Absolutely brilliant, comfortable and easy to drive - can recommend anyone thinking of changing to look at it. Problem is of course that it's quite a lot more expensive, and I don't suppose for one moment that Renault would behave any differently to Ford in the same situation. However, unless Ford changes its attitude to us very quickly, I will ignore the money issue and nagging concerns about French reliability (after all the gearbox is from VW and hasn't proved so reliable) and switch. Mine could be the shortest membership of this forum yet!

[Ivor_E_Tower]

The car must be "fit for purpose" and of "merchantable quality". It may be worth having a word with your local Citizens Advice Bureau, usually staffed by ex-solicitors. Good luck - and as for Renault, I had a Scenic before with similar problem - it was recalled the day before I took delivery. Renault UK would not help or loan one of their press fleet to me, but the local dealer went out of their way, hiring a Mondeo for me until the replacement part was delivered and fitted about three weeks later.

[johnb80]

So far as the Espace goes I think it is the very best people carrier of all without exception. DON'T GO AND BUY ONE THOUGH ! 2 years ago I had a 2.9 Espace, top of the range, bells and whistles etc, I purchased it used (13 months old), 35,000 miles on the clock and a full Renault Warranty. The warranty covered and I quote "All mechanical and electrical items" pretty good, no problem there. The first problem arose within 3 months on the first long journey (180 miles) on the motorway, 70 (ish) the gearbox decided to start playing tunes 4th - 2nd -4th - 3rd for a while etc. The dealer re-seated the ECU but the problem remained, new gearbox fitted under warranty