Problems with my megane

[Richardj2609]

Richard Johnston

11-Jun-07
Bishopbriggs Toyota
Arnold Clark Automobiles Ltd
Kirkintilloch Road
Bishopbriggs

Dear Customer Services Department,
On 03/07/2006 I purchased a second hand 2002 Renault Megane 3dr Hatchback 1.6 16V Dynamique registration SG52 FWM from your dealership. The salesperson, Peter Smith, stated that the vehicle would be ready on the 05/07/2006 for me to pick up the vehicle. As the vehicle had to be serviced, mot’d and taxed. I paid £5,451.75 cash plus my old car, which I received £400 trade in, this I put towards an extended 2 year warranty.
The car was supposed to be ready for me to pick up on 5th July 2006, but the car had to go for an mot and had to be taxed, I was informed that there were 3 things needed to be done for the car to pass the mot, but in fact it was 13.
1. FRONT BOTH SIDES STEERING ARM HAS RELATIVE MOVEMENT AT ITS FIXING
2. OFFSIDE FRONT SHOCK ABSORBER HAS SERIOUS FLUID LEAK
3. NEARSIDE FRONT BRAKE PAD LESS TAN 1.5mm THICK
4. OFFSIDE REAR BRAKE PAD LESS THAN 1.5mm THICK
5. OFFSIDE REAR BRAKE CALIPER HAS RESTICTED MOVEMENT
6. FRONT BOTH SIDES BRAKE DISC EXCESSIVELY WORN
7. REAR BOTH SIDES BRAKE DISC EXCESSIVELY WORN
8. NEARSIDE REAR TYRE TREAD DEPTH BELOW REQUIREMNETS OF 1.6mm
9. FRONT BOTH SIDES WINDSCREEN WIPER DOES NOT CLEAR THE WINDSCREEN EFFECTIVELY
10. REAR UPPER EXHAUST SYSTEM HAS A MOUNTING THAT IT DOES NOT FULLY SUPPORT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM
11. REAR TAIL PIPE EXHAUST SYSTEM HAS A MAJOR LEAK OF EXHAUST GASES
12. EXHAUST EMISSIONS LAMBDA READING AFTER 2ND FAST IDLE OUTSIDE SPECIFIED LIMITS
13. PARKING BRAKE EFFICIENCY BELOW REQUIREMENTS
After all the above repairs were done I eventually received the car on the 19th July 2006 with a statement that all work that needed to be done was completed. All I was waiting on was an owner’s manual, a spare key fob, also missing was a tow hook of which I would receive in due course. A few weeks later I received my manual and a spare key fob but I’ve still not got a tow hook.
Then a few weeks later I began to have problems starting my car, some day’s it would start first time, others it would take a 10 minutes for the car to eventually start. I telephoned and arranged for my car to go into the TOYOTA BISHOPBRIGGS where the previous repairs were dealt with and I got the car back on the 17th Aug 2006 but it was back in the garage on the 11th Sep 2006 so that the problem can be sorted. I was told that it would be sent down to the Renault garage as they would be better qualified to have a look at it. I received a courtesy car which I had to pay £15 extra on my car insurance and was told that it should be a week before my car was sorted, it wasn’t, apparently there was a sensor on my car which needed looking into, on the 22nd sep 2006 I was going away for the weekend with my wife as it was her 40th birthday.
I received a call from Michael Hutton who explained to me what the problem was and how much it would cost, over £4oo as I recall, I was not happy with this figure, because as far as I was concerned the car should have been properly sorted and I shouldn’t be having these problems within 2 months of purchasing the car. I then spoke to Jason Blane and he said that autocare wouldn’t pay the cost and he would get back to me. He did and said that the costs would be covered.
I picked my car up on the 04th oct 2006 but round about November/December the boot wouldn’t open, so I got a complimentary winter health check and when I booked my car in the boot would open, to this day it still does it, one day it will open, the next it won’t, also there is a message on the trip computer which say’s I need to change my oil and there is also a little flashing spanner, which I take must mean it needs servicing, but surely if I’ve only had the car since July 06 it should’ve been serviced then.
My next problem began on the 18th March 2007, I was about to go to Chapel with my wife and mother in law, when for no apparent reason my car wouldn’t start, I tried 5 times to start my car but nothing, I called the Toyota branch in Bishopbriggs and they referred me to the Renault branch next door as my car is covered with an extended warranty, after explaining my problem to them I was told to telephone a number and they would uplift my car and take it to the Renault branch, later on the AA breakdown service arrived, the guy had a look and tried my car but nothing, so he said he would have to tow it to Bishopbriggs, no such luck, it seemed to be that I do not have a tow bar or whatever he called it, so he had to call out a truck, when the truck did arrive the car started. I explained my problem to the driver and he proceeded to take my car in. I called the Arnold Clark Renault branch the following day and asked how long it would be before my car would be looked at, I was told that they where very busy and it could be Thursday before they would get a chance to look at my car, I therefore enquired about a courtesy car as I needed transport for my work. I called later on to ask what the problem was and they said it was a coil and spark plugs which was £270 or some figure close to that, I in turn asked if they where not covered by my warranty, I was informed that the spark plugs weren’t and had to pay £27.
1pm was the time I was told to go and collect a courtesy car which I did, a Peugeot 207 3dr, after filling in the forms, myself and Caroline went out and checked the car it was damp and sunny when we checked the car and I was a little annoyed and was in a hurry and I guess we never really checked the car out properly , I received a call around about 4 or 5 pm that day, to say my car was ready and went up to collect my car, on returning the courtesy car a girl checked it out and said that there was a few scratches on the offside door and asked if they where there before I took the car out,as I never really checked it out properly I just couldn’t say,but as I only drove the car home and put it in the driveway and at 3:30pm picked my wife up and went straight home dropped my wife off and then went straight up to Bishopbriggs I said that there was no way that they could’ve happened when I had the car as the scratches where just below the door handle, after the girls asked a few other people someone said that yes the scratches where already there before I took the car out. Therefore I wouldn’t have to pay. I then went to the next desk to collect my car and was explained briefly what my problem was. I drove home and parked my car. The next morning at 5am I left for work and guess what? My car didn’t start again, I tried a few times and just left it, I called a taxi and left for work, at 8am I called Arnold Clark and was told to bring my car up and the charge hand who I spoke to asked me if the car started when I got home later on from work just like it did the previous Sunday and if it did I was told to ask the breakdown guy not to start it and bring it straight in, I got home after 1pm and called the breakdown number and towed the car up to Bishopbriggs and again I got another courtesy car, a ford Ka, but this time myself and Caroline checked it out thoroughly, no damage. On Wednesday I got a call to say that my car was repaired and I asked what the problem was and they said it was a starter motor. I went up dropped off the courtesy car and went to collect my car. The gentleman I dealt with, an older chap with glasses explained it to me in good detail what was wrong with my car and how they repaired it, I was pleased with his manner in the way he dealt with me.
This is now the 25th march and I began this letter when my problems began last year, during this time I’ve had 3 courtesy cars, one for over a month, one for a few hours and one for a day. I’ve had to take a day of work make umpteen phone calls, be charged for spark plugs when it seems that it wasn’t them, it was a starter motor. What I do have to say is that certain people have been very helpful whilst some others have been very incompetent. Either way, it is extremely disappointing to me as a customer and reflects poorly on the reputation of your dealership.
It is now the 22nd may 2007 and its doing it again, sometimes it starts and sometimes it takes 5 to 10 minutes also my seat belt lights won’t go off even when the seat belts are worn, my steering won’t lock when I turn the car off, my offside window won’t open and then it does, my automatic door lock won’t lock after 6mph.
I would also like to add that if I didn’t take out 2 years extra warranty it would be costing me a lot of money I cant afford and now this, my old problems have arisen again, my car won’t start, it stutters in first and second gear, my boot opens when it feels like it, I’ve no tow bar and I’ve only had it back for 2 months. I am not one for complaining but this time I am a very disappointed to put it mildly which is an understatement and I won’t rest until this matter is totally resolved and I expect your dealership to resolve this situation in one of two ways:
1) Provide a full service/mot for the vehicle at no additional cost to me and repair all faults plus supply myself with a courtesy car for the duration of the repair or
2) Buy the car back from me at the price I paid for it so that I may select a vehicle with the comprehensive warranty I want.
I also expect you to discuss this matter with the people involved in repairing your cars and explain to them the importance of knowing and communicating the details of specific problems accurately and honestly.
Please contact me on (removed) within seven business days to resolve this matter. If I do not hear from you by then, I will report this incident to the appropriate regulatory agency.
Yours sincerely,
Richard Johnston


Am i right in asking for what i ask or should i just accept i bought a banger and get on with it?

[IainMW]

That's terrible, I think it's time you contacted trading standards over this. You have given them plenty of chances to fix the car and they have not, I think you should reject the car under the sale and supply of goods act, as it's clearly a lemon.

Any car that needed that amount of work on it to pass an MOT should not have been on sale in the first place.

Arnold Clark again

Andy/Ray, can you move this into the Ownership Problems thread?

[sideswipe]

Arnold Shark, or arnoldsucks.com ......I wouldnt let them look at my skateboard m8, and I dont even had one , I have had dealings with them in the past , downright robbing ********.They tried to screw me for £3.500 for a wiring harness, when it a warranty job ...... get in touch with your CAB and take all paperwork to them m8, they will help you out as for what to do .

[pwingett]

Richard Johnston

11-Jun-07
Bishopbriggs Toyota
Arnold Clark Automobiles Ltd
Kirkintilloch Road
Bishopbriggs

Dear Customer Services Department,
On 03/07/2006 I purchased a second hand 2002 Renault Megane 3dr Hatchback 1.6 16V Dynamique registration SG52 FWM from your dealership. The salesperson, Peter Smith, stated that the vehicle would be ready on the 05/07/2006 for me to pick up the vehicle. As the vehicle had to be serviced, mot’d and taxed. I paid £5,451.75 cash plus my old car, which I received £400 trade in, this I put towards an extended 2 year warranty.
The car was supposed to be ready for me to pick up on 5th July 2006, but the car had to go for an mot and had to be taxed, I was informed that there were 3 things needed to be done for the car to pass the mot, but in fact it was 13.
1. FRONT BOTH SIDES STEERING ARM HAS RELATIVE MOVEMENT AT ITS FIXING
2. OFFSIDE FRONT SHOCK ABSORBER HAS SERIOUS FLUID LEAK
3. NEARSIDE FRONT BRAKE PAD LESS TAN 1.5mm THICK
4. OFFSIDE REAR BRAKE PAD LESS THAN 1.5mm THICK
5. OFFSIDE REAR BRAKE CALIPER HAS RESTICTED MOVEMENT
6. FRONT BOTH SIDES BRAKE DISC EXCESSIVELY WORN
7. REAR BOTH SIDES BRAKE DISC EXCESSIVELY WORN
8. NEARSIDE REAR TYRE TREAD DEPTH BELOW REQUIREMNETS OF 1.6mm
9. FRONT BOTH SIDES WINDSCREEN WIPER DOES NOT CLEAR THE WINDSCREEN EFFECTIVELY
10. REAR UPPER EXHAUST SYSTEM HAS A MOUNTING THAT IT DOES NOT FULLY SUPPORT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM
11. REAR TAIL PIPE EXHAUST SYSTEM HAS A MAJOR LEAK OF EXHAUST GASES
12. EXHAUST EMISSIONS LAMBDA READING AFTER 2ND FAST IDLE OUTSIDE SPECIFIED LIMITS
13. PARKING BRAKE EFFICIENCY BELOW REQUIREMENTS
After all the above repairs were done I eventually received the car on the 19th July 2006 with a statement that all work that needed to be done was completed. All I was waiting on was an owner’s manual, a spare key fob, also missing was a tow hook of which I would receive in due course. A few weeks later I received my manual and a spare key fob but I’ve still not got a tow hook.
Then a few weeks later I began to have problems starting my car, some day’s it would start first time, others it would take a 10 minutes for the car to eventually start. I telephoned and arranged for my car to go into the TOYOTA BISHOPBRIGGS where the previous repairs were dealt with and I got the car back on the 17th Aug 2006 but it was back in the garage on the 11th Sep 2006 so that the problem can be sorted. I was told that it would be sent down to the Renault garage as they would be better qualified to have a look at it. I received a courtesy car which I had to pay £15 extra on my car insurance and was told that it should be a week before my car was sorted, it wasn’t, apparently there was a sensor on my car which needed looking into, on the 22nd sep 2006 I was going away for the weekend with my wife as it was her 40th birthday.
I received a call from Michael Hutton who explained to me what the problem was and how much it would cost, over £4oo as I recall, I was not happy with this figure, because as far as I was concerned the car should have been properly sorted and I shouldn’t be having these problems within 2 months of purchasing the car. I then spoke to Jason Blane and he said that autocare wouldn’t pay the cost and he would get back to me. He did and said that the costs would be covered.
I picked my car up on the 04th oct 2006 but round about November/December the boot wouldn’t open, so I got a complimentary winter health check and when I booked my car in the boot would open, to this day it still does it, one day it will open, the next it won’t, also there is a message on the trip computer which say’s I need to change my oil and there is also a little flashing spanner, which I take must mean it needs servicing, but surely if I’ve only had the car since July 06 it should’ve been serviced then.
My next problem began on the 18th March 2007, I was about to go to Chapel with my wife and mother in law, when for no apparent reason my car wouldn’t start, I tried 5 times to start my car but nothing, I called the Toyota branch in Bishopbriggs and they referred me to the Renault branch next door as my car is covered with an extended warranty, after explaining my problem to them I was told to telephone a number and they would uplift my car and take it to the Renault branch, later on the AA breakdown service arrived, the guy had a look and tried my car but nothing, so he said he would have to tow it to Bishopbriggs, no such luck, it seemed to be that I do not have a tow bar or whatever he called it, so he had to call out a truck, when the truck did arrive the car started. I explained my problem to the driver and he proceeded to take my car in. I called the Arnold Clark Renault branch the following day and asked how long it would be before my car would be looked at, I was told that they where very busy and it could be Thursday before they would get a chance to look at my car, I therefore enquired about a courtesy car as I needed transport for my work. I called later on to ask what the problem was and they said it was a coil and spark plugs which was £270 or some figure close to that, I in turn asked if they where not covered by my warranty, I was informed that the spark plugs weren’t and had to pay £27.
1pm was the time I was told to go and collect a courtesy car which I did, a Peugeot 207 3dr, after filling in the forms, myself and Caroline went out and checked the car it was damp and sunny when we checked the car and I was a little annoyed and was in a hurry and I guess we never really checked the car out properly , I received a call around about 4 or 5 pm that day, to say my car was ready and went up to collect my car, on returning the courtesy car a girl checked it out and said that there was a few scratches on the offside door and asked if they where there before I took the car out,as I never really checked it out properly I just couldn’t say,but as I only drove the car home and put it in the driveway and at 3:30pm picked my wife up and went straight home dropped my wife off and then went straight up to Bishopbriggs I said that there was no way that they could’ve happened when I had the car as the scratches where just below the door handle, after the girls asked a few other people someone said that yes the scratches where already there before I took the car out. Therefore I wouldn’t have to pay. I then went to the next desk to collect my car and was explained briefly what my problem was. I drove home and parked my car. The next morning at 5am I left for work and guess what? My car didn’t start again, I tried a few times and just left it, I called a taxi and left for work, at 8am I called Arnold Clark and was told to bring my car up and the charge hand who I spoke to asked me if the car started when I got home later on from work just like it did the previous Sunday and if it did I was told to ask the breakdown guy not to start it and bring it straight in, I got home after 1pm and called the breakdown number and towed the car up to Bishopbriggs and again I got another courtesy car, a ford Ka, but this time myself and Caroline checked it out thoroughly, no damage. On Wednesday I got a call to say that my car was repaired and I asked what the problem was and they said it was a starter motor. I went up dropped off the courtesy car and went to collect my car. The gentleman I dealt with, an older chap with glasses explained it to me in good detail what was wrong with my car and how they repaired it, I was pleased with his manner in the way he dealt with me.
This is now the 25th march and I began this letter when my problems began last year, during this time I’ve had 3 courtesy cars, one for over a month, one for a few hours and one for a day. I’ve had to take a day of work make umpteen phone calls, be charged for spark plugs when it seems that it wasn’t them, it was a starter motor. What I do have to say is that certain people have been very helpful whilst some others have been very incompetent. Either way, it is extremely disappointing to me as a customer and reflects poorly on the reputation of your dealership.
It is now the 22nd may 2007 and its doing it again, sometimes it starts and sometimes it takes 5 to 10 minutes also my seat belt lights won’t go off even when the seat belts are worn, my steering won’t lock when I turn the car off, my offside window won’t open and then it does, my automatic door lock won’t lock after 6mph.
I would also like to add that if I didn’t take out 2 years extra warranty it would be costing me a lot of money I cant afford and now this, my old problems have arisen again, my car won’t start, it stutters in first and second gear, my boot opens when it feels like it, I’ve no tow bar and I’ve only had it back for 2 months. I am not one for complaining but this time I am a very disappointed to put it mildly which is an understatement and I won’t rest until this matter is totally resolved and I expect your dealership to resolve this situation in one of two ways:
1) Provide a full service/mot for the vehicle at no additional cost to me and repair all faults plus supply myself with a courtesy car for the duration of the repair or
2) Buy the car back from me at the price I paid for it so that I may select a vehicle with the comprehensive warranty I want.
I also expect you to discuss this matter with the people involved in repairing your cars and explain to them the importance of knowing and communicating the details of specific problems accurately and honestly.
Please contact me on (removed) within seven business days to resolve this matter. If I do not hear from you by then, I will report this incident to the appropriate regulatory agency.
Yours sincerely,
Richard Johnston


Am i right in asking for what i ask or should i just accept i bought a banger and get on with it?

THANKS FOR THIS POST, I KNOW OWN THE CAR AND HAVE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH IT BUT BECAUSE YOU HAVE PUT THE BLOODY NUMBER PLATE UP, I AM HAVING DIFFICUITS IN SELLING THE CAR EVEN THOUGH YOU HAD IT BACK IN 2007 SO PLEASE REMOVE IT KNOW

[davelowe]

Oh dear! I don't really think anything can be done about this unfortunate incident...