Polite (but slow) in-warranty dealer repairs for an '08 Calais [Muirs, Ashfield NSW]

[666damo]

Thought I'd post my ongoing expeience with a dealer here.

I recently purchased a second-hand Calais which is still in the new car warranty.
The nav screen, dependent on other factors explained later, will start rolling (like old CRT monitors) or change colours (i've seen it in magenta, green, aqua, yellow) or sometimes both at once.
The problem almost never occurs on a cold day, but if the inside of the car gets to around 30 degrees after being in the sun, odds are the problem is visible; sometimes when driving over a bump, or many parts of Sydney's un-uniform roads, the thud through the chassis will set it off.

Tapping around the outside of the screen will sometimes set it straight for a while, but not always.

I took the car to Muirs Motors in Ashfield NSW as soon as I noticed this, and the service manager witnessed the issue. I booked the car in and left it with them for two days at the beginning of March.
When I collected it, I was told that the fascia was on order and when it came in they would call me and it could be fitted while I wait. They told me it should take a week, but probably closer to two. After three weeks, I called them and was told that the part still hadn't arrived, they'll call me when it does.
Almost two weeks after my last call, I tried again and they acknowledged that it was taking extra-long for the part, they would chase up and get back to me.
The next afternoon, I swung by the service department as I had a half day at work and the manager told me that Bosch was out of stock of the fascias, might take an additional three weeks.

Fast forward past the Easter break and four weeks more, I called and it was chased up again. Just received a call from the service manager admitting that they had balls'ed it and they have submitted a new request and have been promised the parts needed would be in tomorrow.

In all fairness, the service manager has always heard me out, seems to understand that a part shouldn't take two months to arrive, and has returned all my calls and gotten back to me every time he said he would. That said, I'm missing out here.
I have things I want to do to the car, but I need the car fixed before I think about such things as getting Greg's pre-out / aux-in mod etc.

If it doesn't get sorted by the end of the week should I demand a series II iQ system to be installed? Should I call up Holden HQ? write a nasty letter? throw a tantrum on the showroom floor?

Further to the above issue, while I've been waiting other issues have developed:

• The rear-seat screen / dvd has half fallen out. Broken clips I think.
• The 'NAV' button on the fascia has gone hard and cannot be pushed in, effectively disabling the navigation functions.
• Bug in the headunit - it receives the time from the GPS, and applies the +10 / +11 offset to display the time. DST start / end dates are wrong. the car was telling me the +11 time until 2011-05-01 when it should have reverted to +10 on 2011-04-03

This is going to be one of those love-hate relationships...

[666damo]

Here's a link to my car for anyone interested.
Lara, my 60th Anniversary Calais V V8

Damo

[davey g-force]

After this issue gets sorted, take it to another dealer. You don't have to take it to the purcahsing dealer for warranty issues.

I bought my car brand new from Muirs and had a really bad experience with them. Long story short - I had a big dummy spit and got the car for a discounted price but I vowed never to return there again.

I even chose to forego my so-called extended warranty (it's BS anyway) and not return.

A call to Holden Customer Service 1800 033 349 may help your cause also if they keep stuffing you around...

[666damo]

The problem is that you can never guarantee the level of service / professionalism you're going to get from anyone, let alone a dealer.
It seems as though you have to trust them, and check your car over when it's ready, hoping that you have evidence that they are the ones who stuffed up.

If you want something done right, you need to do it yourself. Unfortunately if you want jobs to be paid for and covered by warranty, you need to take it to a dealer.

[Voodoo_SV6]

Be polite but firm. Most prople react to this better than a tanty.

I deal with customers every day and so does my team. Requests for assistance from people who are polite certainly getting more of what they want than those who are rude and pigs.

Any longer though, I would start documenting it all via email and cc Holden HQ customer service in on the email trail. That will get someones balls in a vice if they don't react quickly

Tim

[davey g-force]

Unfortunately if you want jobs to be paid for and covered by warranty, you need to take it to a dealer.

Yeah but it doesn't have to be THAT dealer.

I found much better service elsewhere...

[666damo]

So, I picked up the car yesterday, and the nav screen / fascia issue seems to be resolved.

They fixed the rear seat DVD falling out problem, but charged me ~$50 claiming that it isn't warranty related.
I thought about fighting it, citing the fact that it fell out 2-3 days after they had the car the first time and that they likely caused it themselves; I then thought I might save up some goodwill in case I take it back.

There was 9km added to the car, when I questioned this, I was told that "...my top mechaninc was looking after your car. He's wouldn't have gone hooning..."
I added "but 9km, for an issue with a fascia?"
I got the reply "they wanted to make sure that the issue doesn't reoccur..."
I wasn't too sure what to take from that.

Damo

[davey g-force]

lol - dodgy bastards!

[666damo]

So I just got home after driving around for a bit, and wouldn't ya know it, the picture has turned a lovely shade of green.
[sarcasm]
If this is what Muirs / Holden call a working and tested head unit, then I guess I should be happy that they have graced me with this 'feature'.
[/sarcasm]

On another note, the time issue might not be DST related: At 1243 Sydney time (according to my wrist watch), the radio time read "12:43", but the nav time read "1:43". I stopped in to get some fuel, started her up and the nav time now read "12:57", matching the radio time.
This will be mentioned when the car gets returned.

[davey g-force]

Seriously - take it to another dealership...