The Saga Continues

[dobbin]

I picked up my C3 HDI Exclusive on Friday as a replacement to my leaky Pluriel after a year of 'negotiations' with Citroen. I thought it was a great car but a couple of warning lamps have now come on and it had just been taken away by Citroen Assist (RAC) :)

Have already spoken to one of the directors at the dealership and told them in no uncertain terms that they need to sort this out pronto or I'll be having another new car off them.

Citroen Assist tried to charge me £200 as a deposit for a hire car but that didn't work. They don't know me as well as the dealer who have just dispatched someone to deliver a courtesy car to me. Thank God I've got a good dealer, at least they get things done when I make a fuss.

[hertsnminds]

Tell them you now have no faith in any C3 model they can supply and want a new C4 instead :)


Ian
Orange 03 Senso

[jennybash]

I've been asked for the £200 plus a £50 fuel deposit before now but I also went to the dealership and I usually get given a demo model off the forecourt. Not been given a C4 to try yet.

What I would say though before you contemplate swapping for a C4 is that it is a car made by Citroen and it is also a brand new model/concept..... Do you want to be a gineau pig again?!?! I know I don't

[dobbin]

I wouldn't contemplate a C4 for that very reason Jenny. It sounds good but like the Pluriel it is unproven.

I thought I'd be safe with a C3 but I was wrong. I now feel I cannot recommend Citroen in any way to anyone and I doubt if I will be having another one (if I have a choice).

My car is not yet a week old and is awaiting new glow-plugs in the workshop. What a shame. I think it might be nearly time to give my story to the local press and hope they will publish a story to embarrass the dealer. They don't deserve my goodwill anymore.

[dobbin]

Just heard that the dealer only ordered one glowplug when they needed four, so its going to be in for at least another day while they order more. You'd have thought that given the fact that I forced them to replace my previous car in the end, that they'd take more care keeping me happy this time. Nope.

This one is definitely heading for the local paper I think. Until now I've given the dealer the benefit of the doubt but its about time they had some bad publicity I think. I'm fed up with them :)

[hertsnminds]

They must have more than one HDI engine car in the showroom, why don't they just take some parts from one of those to use on your car. Anyone trying to offer best customer service would. But then again anyone offering best customer service would order the correct parts in the 1st place. I would probably demand to be given the Directors car until mine was working, I bet they don't order the wrong parts for that...or maybe they are soooo incompetent they do!

You can also try all the motoring magazines...Top Gear, Auto Express, Auto Car etc etc then you have the consumer programs like Watchdog.


Ian
Orange 03 Senso

[dobbin]

The excuse was that they ordered enough glow-plugs, but that only one was delivered. Apparently they come in packs of ten, so they ordered one (pack), but only one individual plug arrived. I told them I didn't care whose fault it was, it had still happened and simply wasn't good enough.

I have now had a personal apology from the Managing Director, and each department manager (parts, service, reception etc) has called me to say they will keep in touch to tell me what they are doing to fix it.

I told them that they need to sort this *very* quickly and *very* well or there will be a Court Summons instead of a Christmas Card this year.

Incidently, I had a Christmas Card from them yesterday, together with vouchers to use if I want to recommend them to family and friends!

Laugh? I almost cried!

Perhaps I should make some recommendation vouchers of my own using the photo of my 3 day old C3 on the back on a RAC truck.

( Its not only Citroen who are incompetent though. My Dad's fancy new Clio arrived yesterday after a 8 week wait to have it specially built to order. It had five doors instead of the three that he ordered. Oh dear!)

[hertsnminds]

What a load of BS (from the dealer that is)

1) If they ONLY come in packs of 10 how is it possible to be sent just 1

2) Why on earth would you pack them in multiples of 10 when 1 engine requires 4, you would have to order 2 packs of 10 to use them all up or be left with 2 spare. Not very cost effective.

3) They can apologise till the cows come home, it still doesn't give you the car you purchased fit for it's purpose.

It seems to me that where a 2 year warranty used tp be a nice add on with a new Citroen a 3 year warranty is ESSENTIAL. I have no idea how any Citroen that has no warranty can be of any value as they seem to be money pits.

Ian
Orange 03 Senso

[CE08LDB]

I have a 52 reg (Feb 2003) C3 1.4i SX Automatic on Motability. Lately the gears have been slipping and it keeps going into Snow mode. So I phoned my Dealer the guy said oh have the RAC to bring it up straight away sounds like the Automatic gear box has gone but we can't do it for 2 weeks and you will have to phone Motability for a courtesy car because we don't have any Automatics. So I phoned Motability and they don't do any adapted cars. So I emailed another Citroen Dealer and he got back and said Citroen UK has 4 Automatic gear boxes in stock and can't see why your dealer can't do it now. He said we can't do it because we didn't supply the car to you which is fair enough. So I phoned my dealer back and told them what this guy said and they gave me a different story. Oh it could be done in a day but staff are off sick and we are are fully booked for 2 weeks. So still got the car. No way im sending it to them just for it to parked up on the forecourt for 2 weeks.

The same thing happend to My Saxo 1.4i SX Auto V reg (Feb 2000). They told me the gear box would be back in 2 weeks yeah right it was off the road for 6 weeks. And I had to do without a car When the Saxo had the first MOT in Dec 02 it failed. This C3 has been a nighmare since I had it. It has a big list of faults.