Making a complaint to Renault UK

[Mike Roberts]

I think you're on a losing battle there, of course that's the kind of carpet you'd expect to see in a 100k car, but how are you going to prove you've not been wearing it out prematurely due to your driving style or choice of footwear?

 

[BenW]

I shouldn't need to prove that it was my driving style or footwear or lack of mats. Renault should design their carpets with this in mind. I do development work for a major OEM parts manufacturer as a Job, all our products are designed to take more abuse than any customer could give them

 

[Mike Roberts]

I totally get your point and I do hope they change it, but you've got to look at their argument.

They've identified a high wear area and designed a nice little heel pad for you to use, you for whatever reason don't use it and have been resting it on the carpet instead. Your natural rotation and movement of the foot/heel has worn it out. Be that through their poor design in heel pad placement, your bigger than average feet or driving position. How fast you've worn it is determined by the type of footwear.

Any manufacturer will say their product has a X life under average conditions and it stands to reason 10000 girls running on a carpet with ballet shoes is going to wear it out a lot less than 10000 workmen doing it in concrete encrusted hobnail boots. The carpet isn't designed for your heel, that's what the pad is for. They'll just claim you've worn it prematurely and should have either adapted your driving/foot position to utilise the pad or given they offer mats for sale to protect against this, advise that's what you should have bought to do so... they'll say the hole didn't suddenly happen, you should have seen what was occurring and taken appropriate action. You've a duty of care to look after your own stuff.

Your best argument is the heel pad design is not fit for purpose. Get every owner to photograph their foot position and tell you their foot size. If it isn't 'average' then it isn't fit for purpose.

 

[BenW]

Thanks Mike, unfortunately the car had this problem when I purchased it so I cannot say for sure if this problem is due to abnormal positioning of the previous owners shoes or not.

There isn't even any evidence to say that this is a footwear problem, it could just be that this area of carpet is more highly stressed (Feet on the rubber mat 'stretching' the carpet) and the sewing or adhesive attaching carpet to mat has failed.

I don't think it's fair of renault to leave this problem with me, the carpet has failed under warranty for one reason or the other and was covered up by one of their main dealers during the sale of the vehicle

 

[Mike Roberts]

Ahh, if you bought it like that then you're really just going to have to appeal to their better nature and hope they come good. They may offer some 'goodwill' and pay for all/part of it.

Remember, you catch more flies with honey than vinegar, always be nice to them and they'll be more willing to give that goodwill.

Good luck.

 

[gazb197]

Ive tried signing up to this forum but it dosnt send me the confirmation email, the one where you have to click the link to set it up. has anyone had any problem? ive tried it with a few emails, any help would be great, thanks.

 

[cookie-jnr]

Looks a lot like wear and tear... The previous owned could have torn the carpet causing this problem to start.

It doesn't seem to be a common problem on other 197s does it?

Give it a good clean, and buy some RS mats.

 

[White Knight]

I hope this help

I've had an ongoing complaint with renault UK customer services over the last month which they have finally closed today. Their conclusion is ridiculous and I refuse to accept it.

I believe I was talking to customer services manager (Sophie lewrie) which means I can't speak to customer services to complain about the service I had from her!

Does anyone have contact details for someone high up in Renault UK? Or, alternatively would trading standards be the next people to contact?

I actually got so pissed off i went to there head office I can tell you any email and phone number try mick.moore@renault.co.uk he is customer service director, It has taken me three years to have my car bought back.:wiz:

 

[BenW]

Useful email address to have

I actually emailed the MD of Renault UK in the end lol, definitely helped

 

[Roy]

stick with it ben you got nothing to lose

 

[BenW]

Looks like I forgot to post the results of the claim, here goes!

I sent a complaint letter in an email to the Renault UK managing director, sent it from my work email address to give a bit of force behind it (We're one of renault's big OEM suppliers).

Few days later I had a call back from the woman who was originally being difficult with my case to say that as a reputable car manufacturer they do sometimes reconsider cases and in this case they had decided that they should do something about my warranty claim. She then said that they would be willing to pay for half the cost of a new carpet to be fitted, the total cost would be ~£650!!!

I told her that was ridiculous but I'd had enough of all this messing about so asked that they just send me a set of renaultsport mats FOC which they did. I'll get the carpet repaired at some point for when I sell the car on in a few years time, shouldn't cost too much as its just sewing the fabric back onto the rubber heal mat.