My 02 Alfa GTV died - RIP

[little_miss]

I'm hoping someone out there can help me, verging on nervous breakdown territory!. I bought a 2.0 ltr petrol Alfa GTV (new) in March of last year. Had a FANTASTIC relationship with Alfa, until I drove out of the forecourt that is! Various niggly problems from the offset that I had to battle with Alfa to sort for me. I'll try and keep this as short as I can! - Engine let go on me a couple of weeks ago. No warning signs, no indication in the whatsoever. Just BANG - oil everywhere, conrod shot thru the front of the engine. Phone Alfa who instructed me to get the car back to original dealership and here the fun begins. Basically, I had been getting the car serviced by another Alfa garage and the original dealership came to the conclusion that the oil filter had been left loose from last service and that was the cause of my problem. Do a lot of driving and have 30k on her already but last service was 10k ago and noticed no signs of oil leaks or the like. Hummed of bull***t although I know nowt about mechanics. Pushed from pillar to post, both garages blaming each other and Alfa refusing to even return my call. I appointed an independent assessor who has come to the conclusion that the car suffered "total and complete mechanical failure". Great help! No one is disputing that shes dead, but I cant get any kind of definative answer as to WHY. I havent broken the terms of my Alfa warranty, surely, when the car had been serviced at correct times, oil/water levels checked regularly, this shouldn't happen? They're actually starting to make me feel guilty!! and I get the distinct impression that they're going to do their best to pin this on me. Jaysus me nerves. Alfa Customer Care? Alfa Customer Couldnt Care Less. :( I've been in touch with a solicitor who says I cant really do much until Alfa have had one of their engineers inspect the car and compile a report but as the cars been in the garage nearly 3 weeks they dont seem too egar to do anything. Really what I would love to try find out is, is this kind of engine meltdown normal? and if so any suggestions as to why it happened in the first instance and if there is anything I can do to get Alfa to address the problem. The thoughts of another 4 1/2 years of HP payments at €750 a month with an engineless car makes me wanna curl up in a darkened room with a bottle of gin and sit it out! Any advice would be sooooooo much appreciated. Ta.

[WhipLash]

Little miss, sounds like a total disaster!

Who have you been dealing with? Have you only been talking to the garage staff? What has the Service Manager got to say?

If you haven’t contacted Alfa Ireland, then perhaps ask to speak to someone in authority, like a customer care manager. Just keep working your way up the chain. Note down all phone calls you make along with dates and times. Make sure you also write a letter of complaint to both the dealership in question and Alfa/Fiat Ireland.

You may want to read the Sale of Goods & Supply of Services Act (http://www.ecic.ie/June/Act4.html). It contains some very good advice concerning consumer rights. You could quote some of this in both your conversations and letters to beef up your complaint.

And finally, just keep following this up, every day if necessary. Get people to commit to dates too, and again follow it up on the day. It’s going to be a right pain I know and I’m sure you’d rather leave it alone and forget the whole experience – but then again €750 a month is a bitter pill to swallow.

Good luck, and let us know how you get on!

[little_miss]

:D Thanks a million WhipLash.

Sound advice. Time for me to put your words of wisdom into action. No more missus nice missus!!.

Will keep you posted.

And eh, really thanks ;) , I owe you a pint for that.

Troub.

[Beetlejuice]

I would suggest that you keep details of all correspondence with the garage. Write down dates/times of phone calls, keep copies of any letters you write, etc etc.
You will need these details if you are forced to take a court case.

I may be worthwhile contacting the Society of Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) who operate an arbetration service where there is a dispute between customer and garage.
(I would also suggest contacting the Office of Consumer Affairs.)

Good Luck,
Beetlejuice.

[little_miss]

The saga continues!! Nearly 5 weeks on and still carless!. My independent assessor is STILL trying to find a definative cause to the engine throwing a leg over. Payed them €550 and was told I'd have the report in 4 days. Apparently the engineer has never come across this type of "malfunction" before and needs to do some "research" hee hee. Discredits belief. Only one call from Alfa who say they'll do nowt till they get the report but have told me at best they'll replace the engine (will take approx 8 weeks!) and at worst I'm liable for full costs. Real customer care speak eh!! Might be time I considered cancelling my HP payments and making a quick get away, now, where did i put that bicycle!

Laters

Troub

:p