Flipping furious at Renault service centre

[Luke_197]

So recently I've been noticing my steering has been wandering and pulling to right slightly. With one month remaining on my extended warranty, I booked the car in with my local Renault service centre. It's handy as its just round the corner from where I work too.

So got there and took a technician out for a road test, who agreed there was a problem. Left it with them, also advised them NOT TO CLEAN THE CAR! (It had been cleaned on Sunday, so defiantly did not need one of their, 5 star swirl specials).

Anyhow, They phoned me later that day to inform me I need new lower ball joints on both sides. They are letting me know tomorrow if Renault classes this a warrenty item. It doesn't say in my warrenty handbook that steering components are excluded which is good. If they say it not a warrenty item, boy have they got a fight on there hands tomorrow.

But anyway I'm not furious about that, I'm furious about this:

So went back to pick my car up, as there was no point in them keeping it whilst they wait to hear from Renault uk and can get the parts in. Went inside whilst a member of staff bought my car round, dropped my key off to me. Went out to my car where it was parked in the DARK car park. (Couldn't see a thing) Jumped in and went home. Got home and thought I'd give my car check over just incase anything happened to my pride and joy, whilst out it was not in my care.

I was unpleasantly surprised to see this. [emoji35]

THEY HAD CLEANED MY CAR!



As you can see its covered in swirl marks
I didn't even realise until got home and stop under a street lamp outside my house for inspection. It's absolutely covered from top to bottom. Flipping furious [emoji35]

I can only imagine a spotty teenager has gone all out on my paintwork with a gritty sponge, bucket of warm water mixed the highest quality washing up liquid money can buy. Followed by a thorough going over with a well used chamois leather.





But that's not all they have used God knows what on my ad08r tyres. They look stupidly greasy. That's not curbing, (my wheel are immaculate), ITS HARD WATER MARKS.



I'm sure this has happened to other people before on here, so anyone have any idea what I can do, do I through it back a them and demand a paint correction. Unfortunately I have photographic proof that they have caused the marring.

It's not fair as I asked them not to clean it, they have cleaned it and have effectively damaged my property. The only thing that stops me is, the service centre itself and its staff are genuinely quite nice people and have alway been helpful in trying to get my warranty work, sorted even when Renault uk put up a fight.

Pissed of massively still, I was bought a Rupes Bigfoot polisher for Christmas. So I could just do it myself and get the practice in. Although I'm a novice and can only imagine it will take me hours and hours of not days to correct all the damage.

Any advice would be appreciated. Absolutely gutted as I spend so much time Valeting my car, degreaser/snow foam/fall out remover it every time and I'm scared to even touch the paintwork with a mit unless 99% of contaminants are removed first. Even when using a mit I use two buckets. Then seal after every wash. Just feels like a complete waste of my time.

 

[Dmonk197]

Unless they scratched it I doubt they will do anything.... Sorry to hear...especially after you told them Not to clean it

 

[GrumpyTwig]

Unless they scratched it I doubt they will do anything.... Sorry to hear...especially after you told them Not to clean it

Not true, have heard many a story of people getting compensation from dealers who cleaned cars without instruction.



Take it up with the service manager at the dealership but obviously in a reasonable tone, if they are of no help take it to Renault customer services. One Q though, do you have the invoice? It should say 'do not wash'.

 

[Chris]

Sorry to hear mate.

unfortunately it's not the first time I've heard this story, over on detailing world it happens quite a few times, and sometimes on cars where people have paid 1000s to have it professionally detailed.

it it would be worthwhile for you to pursue it like said in the above post and try and get them to pay for a correction detail, you do need to ascertain some prices for this though so you can make sure that you are heard properly. A big difference to a firm like that if they are getting charged apposed to just a disgruntled complaint.

 

[Rogue]

Unlikely to have that many swirls on the car from one car wash?

 

[Pav]

hi Luke..im glad that the problem is just the ball joints..hope u get it sorted with no cost...
regarding the swirls,I have heard lots of stories about this...did u display a massive sigh on ur dashboard saying"Do not wash my car"?thats what u need to do cause otherwise they will always wash ur car...anyway,if u told them not to wash it they should not have done it...i would pursue it as it is ur property and it got damaged while in their care... [MENTION=3203]Rogue[/MENTION],in all due respect i believe that enthusiastic people like us would know the condition of our cars...tbh with u,I washed my car a couple of weeks ago and i'd spotted lots of new scratches and even a little dent above my front right wheel..done by other people...so im pretty sure Luke knows his car well enough to be able to tell that something is not right...
hope u will come to a decent agreement with them..

 

[-Eddie-]

Sorry to hear of the issue you're having. I work in in a main Renault dealer myself, as a service advisor, and giving a complimentary wash and vac is one of those catch 22 situations. For 99.5% of people it's a real sweetner for them when they get the car handed back but then there are people, including myself, who can't handle the thought of a brush wash being used on their car. It has happened where I work, so I'd suggest speaking with the service manager and I would say you will get a favourable outcome.

On a side note, how old is your Clio? As there is a way to get the balljoints covered without the use of extended warranty. Renault cover balljoints on all models up to 48 months, so if you're within that time frame then you'll be grand.

 

[Merde Francais]

I would expect ball joints to be a worn item rather than faulty but hopefully that won't be the answer you're given.

 

[Luke_197]

Cheers for the kind words everyone. I'll keep you all updated as to how this story unfolds.

Quick update, Phoned Renault uk this morning and they have told me ball joint are covered under warranty which is a relief. What does annoy me is that I've told them the service centre is waiting to hear from them, but Renault uk are telling me there are no pending claims on my policy, so Basically the service centre haven't called Renault uk yet. I'll wait to hear from them this morning, I don't wanna be a pain them off before the agree to do the warranty work.

 

[Luke_197]

Not true, have heard many a story of people getting compensation from dealers who cleaned cars without instruction.



Take it up with the service manager at the dealership but obviously in a reasonable tone, if they are of no help take it to Renault customer services. One Q though, do you have the invoice? It should say 'do not wash'.

I don't have the job card right now mate, as it was just an inspection, its still pending. I'll speak to the service manager today, he's a nice guy. I think that'll be the last resort going to customer services. Even if they can send it to there paint department for a light paintwork correction to get the worst of the swirls and holograms out I would be happy.

 

[Luke_197]

Sorry to hear mate.

unfortunately it's not the first time I've heard this story, over on detailing world it happens quite a few times, and sometimes on cars where people have paid 1000s to have it professionally detailed.

it it would be worthwhile for you to pursue it like said in the above post and try and get them to pay for a correction detail, you do need to ascertain some prices for this though so you can make sure that you are heard properly. A big difference to a firm like that if they are getting charged apposed to just a disgruntled complaint.

Thanks bud, I'm sure its happened to other forum members also. Luckily I haven't paid out to have mine detailed professionally. Will check out some prices, like I said they have been good to me in the past so I don't want to go in and cause a scene. I'll. speak to the service manager when they call later.

 

[Luke_197]

hi Luke..im glad that the problem is just the ball joints..hope u get it sorted with no cost...
regarding the swirls,I have heard lots of stories about this...did u display a massive sigh on ur dashboard saying"Do not wash my car"?thats what u need to do cause otherwise they will always wash ur car...anyway,if u told them not to wash it they should not have done it...i would pursue it as it is ur property and it got damaged while in their care... [MENTION=3203]Rogue[/MENTION],in all due respect i believe that enthusiastic people like us would know the condition of our cars...tbh with u,I washed my car a couple of weeks ago and i'd spotted lots of new scratches and even a little dent above my front right wheel..done by other people...so im pretty sure Luke knows his car well enough to be able to tell that something is not right...
hope u will come to a decent agreement with them..

Thanks mate, I called RUK this morning and they will cover it luckily just waiting for the service centre to confirm.

Yeah I've seen those. Next time I drop my car there for the bl joints to be done. I'm gonna cable tie a sheet of laminated a4 to my steering wheel saying "do not wash" and maybe place one on my dash just to be certain, Haha.

I'll admit my clio was no out and out show car before this wash. There was a few lights swirls mainly on my bonnet and boot lid. But nothing major like compared to how it is now, there where no swirl marks on the roof or spoiler(spoiler was painted around 10 months ago so that was immaculate. You can see a huge marring mark on the roof pic, that mark has defiantly been cause by one single bush stroke.

 

[Luke_197]

Sorry to hear of the issue you're having. I work in in a main Renault dealer myself, as a service advisor, and giving a complimentary wash and vac is one of those catch 22 situations. For 99.5% of people it's a real sweetner for them when they get the car handed back but then there are people, including myself, who can't handle the thought of a brush wash being used on their car. It has happened where I work, so I'd suggest speaking with the service manager and I would say you will get a favourable outcome.

On a side note, how old is your Clio? As there is a way to get the balljoints covered without the use of extended warranty. Renault cover balljoints on all models up to 48 months, so if you're within that time frame then you'll be grand.

Thanks Eddie. Yes I can understand that and I agree it's nice of them to do it. I'm sure when Doris brings her Renualt scenic in for it MOT she overjoyed to have it washed. So you think its been brushed washed? Like what you get at your local jet wash? That's made me shudder.

Ok thanks for that mate, I'll speak to him today. Mine is 47 months old believe it or not haha. Should have no problem get them sorted.

 

[Luke_197]

I would expect ball joints to be a worn item rather than faulty but hopefully that won't be the answer you're given.

Should be ok mate, will keep you updated.

 

[-Eddie-]

Thanks Eddie. Yes I can understand that and I agree it's nice of them to do it. I'm sure when Doris brings her Renualt scenic in for it MOT she overjoyed to have it washed. So you think its been brushed washed? Like what you get at your local jet wash? That's made me shudder.

Ok thanks for that mate, I'll speak to him today. Mine is 47 months old believe it or not haha. Should have no problem get them sorted.

Absolutely. Even customers with brand new cars don't mind. I'm exactly the same as you though bud, I'd hate mine to be washed in a brush wash. At the dealer I work for that's what we use (we simply dont have enough time to hand wash every car).

I had a customer last month who's car was 1 day within the 48 months, so long as the job card is raised before the car turns 4 years old youre grand . Plus the Renault extended warranty is as comprehensive as the original warranty on the car so you've nothing to worry about.

 

[Matt W]

When I took mine in last time, they luckily understood that I didn't want it washed. Also went for the big sign on the dashboard 'do not wash'

 

[-Eddie-]

[MENTION=4792]Paddy_R[/MENTION] has a great "do not wash" sign he puts I'm his car when brining it to us. No on can be mistaken lol.

 

[Paddy_R]

[MENTION=3002]-Eddie-[/MENTION] that I do. I would not be happy if my car was washed by the garage. Having said that I usually bring it in spotless to reduce the chances of it happening.

 

[Giles]

Sorry to hear that, hope you get it sorted.

Best way just put a notes on the dash say "Please don't wash my car...thank you"

 

[Womble]

I had a very similar experience about 12 years ago with a Racing Puma, at the main dealer, wiped down with a gritty rag. Dealer had the car acid prepped, which removed the top skin of laquer, then polished, looked better than when it went in. Car didn't go in with scratches, so they should be responsible. Detailing World sell do not wash mirror hangers. Worth a fiver of anyone's money, to stop this. I have friends who only get there car cleaned when it gets a service and they are proud of this, so it is a service that is obviously wanted by most.