Renault ruined my paintwork!

[Robo_#1]

Basically I thought Id post up for some advice/stories if its happened to anyone else.

I took my 197 into Harratts Renault in Wakefield. I trusted the dealers and had a good experience when I was in there a few weeks before looking to buy.

They replaced my worn Recaro, remapped my engine (for cold start issues) and have agreed to replace my rear window (broken heater element) all without fuss. To say I was relieved they did it all without me making single call was an understatement.

But.......

I got the car back last night (6:00pm ish) so was twilight time. Parked in a floodlit carpark later on and spotted there were horrendous scratch marks all down the car. Had another look in the daylight today and its blatently obvious it was caused with them washing it (scratches/swirls following the mucky marks they left whilst washing) the paint is truely trashed, and now in real need of a serious correction (which it will get one way or another, if I have pay out of my own hard earned). Now dont get me wrong, the car is 2yrs old and is black so does have a few swirls etc, but they are EVERYWHERE now, huge ones running down my bumpers and quarter panels.

I took the car back in straight away, but theres only sales people in, I demanded they took down details of my complaint and took photos today, but they pretty much just fobbed me off and didnt give a toss, just repeatedly telling me to ring the service department on monday.

Im furious right now since I was so happy to start with, so has anyone had this happen and did you manage to pin down the dealers and get them to accept responsibility.

(Yes I should have instructed them NOT to wash my car, but I also didnt mention for them not to replace my brakes with cheese, and crash it into the nearest tree, but sometimes things do slip your mind.)

Iv taken some pics myself in daylight, and will get some more tonight

any useful help/advice is VERY welcome!!! Thanks...
Sorry for the essay

 

[Andy]

As the sales lads said, contact the service department on monday.

Usual case of sales vs service that goes on in main dealers.

 

[richandgem]

just start playing up big time, its the only way you'll get anywhere. They will just try and fob you off to get rid of you so u need to be soooo annoying they cant ignore you and will do something to get rid of you

hope you can get it sorted mate.

 

[Arun]

that's why I bought silver

 

[Robo_#1]

that's why I bought silver

Just so Renault dont ruin your paintwork.... seems a touch extreme

Yeah looks like just gonna have to pester, think im gonna go in on monday morning, having to take time off work to sort out renaults problems sucks

 

[Paul]

Aw mate thats terrible! Iv just been to the same garage for the same bits doing and had the car cleaned. I hate to say it but I didn't have any problems like that the paintwork is fine, admittedly it wasn't cleaned to the same level as I would do it myself but there weren't any noticable marks etc on it but I will be checking tomorrow in the daylight!

I would take it up with the service manager, cant remember his name off hand, but he has always been able to help me out if I needed anything doing. With the amount of cars that they clean you would expect that they knew what they were doing.

I hope you get it sorted soon, if you want a hand just gimme a shout!

 

[DrDx]

My Nimbus was washed with a pressure washer after the 3-year service and I noticed a few days later that there were tell-tale swirls from a pressure washer brush around my rear wheel arches and along the side skirts. I'd have complained but I wouldn't trust those idiots not to make it worse....

10 minutes with a bottle of paint restorer and a bit of elbow grease and all was well again. Like Robo I forgot to ask "please do NOT let you unskilled hired help screw up my paintwork with your cheapo car wash?"

C'est la vie......

 

[Robo_#1]

Glad you had a good experience mate, like I said all was well and I was a very happy bunny till I spotted the paint. One side of the car is worse than the other maybe its not something they always do, maybe he just misplaced his sponge halway round so decided to use some sandpaper instead!?

 

[liquid_D]

"Harratts Renault in Wakefield"

enough said the guy who I bought my F1got the car from there
They would not help me one bit and are total ******

The car had a service from them also, but i got the car a few weeks after the service the brakes were fully sized and poor.

I also reported the garage to RUK for the very bad service I got from them and also selling a car with defective brakes.

Sales guy was also a jobs worth ****

needless to say Even though my car is under warranty I did the brakes my self.
IF you want a job doing right etc do it your self.

It's a shame these days that garage's don't give a toss, I take a sheet in with me for them to sign to say the car has no marks or curbed wheels and always state NO wash.
They hate this but if they will not sigh it then they get no business as main dealers will never own up to any thing.

 

[Paul]

Glad you had a good experience mate, like I said all was well and I was a very happy bunny till I spotted the paint. One side of the car is worse than the other maybe its not something they always do, maybe he just misplaced his sponge halfway round so decided to use some sandpaper instead!?

Yeah mate it seems like they gave up with the care and attention! Keep us updated with the progress! Do you have any photos you can upload of the damage? I would be asking them for a full detail of it if its really bad, it could work in your favour lol, get nice shiny paintwork out of it!

 

[Mike_RS]

I wouldnt bother complaining mate, just make a note for next time so they dont wash it again!

You can get rid of the swirls with good detail and some elbow grease..

I took my car to a hand car wash once and it was covered in swirls after it.. Nobody touches it but me now

 

[Mentalpen]

robo did you get this sorted? i've just dealt with them and they were most helpful.

 

[stanners]

Mentalpen did you get your clio from them?

 

[Mentalpen]

No but sister in law just bought a normal Clio from them and they bent over backwards for her, even waved a 500 repair bill on her old one after she did the deal!

They were spot on which is why I ask as it seems totally diffrent to what has happened to robo