Most Fiat Dealers Are Awful - Confirmed Again! (1 Viewer)

[Bustup15]

Booked motorhome into Fiat dealer for MOT and Timing Belt - Water Pump change months ago for today.

Dropped it off and booked in. An hour after arriving home received a phone call from technician.
1. Can't do mot - it's a tag Axle and needs specialist kit for brake test. But it was booked in as a tag axle!
2. Can't do timing belt change. We normally remove drivers wheel arch liner to access. Your vehicle like other A class we have done has one piece moulding that's needs to be cut to remove it to provide access. Others have had the convertor modify the moulding and then booked it back in.
It was booked in as an A class!

Anyone else had this issue re access? Lenny HB

Makes you wonder why you bother.

 

[Lenny HB]

Anyone else had this issue re access? @Lenny HB

Mine was done by Adams Morey Portsmouth, no problems most of the work is done from underneath. They don't charge any more for an A Class either.

 

[Pausim]

The two Fiat Professional Garages I have used have both been happy to do A Class work and done excellent jobs. I don’t think it is fair to say “Most Fiat Dealers are Crap” if only one has let you down. Have you had problems with more than one Fiat Professional?

 

[Gandalf]

Used APEX motorhome services Ltd in Kent to change timing belt and carry out service, all carried out efficiently, reasonable price and friendly service. Nearest Fiat dealer never replied to emails or phone calls!

 

[Pausim]

I assume we are talking about Fiat Professional Garages, not car dealerships. Many car dealers would not have the specialist facilities for larger motorhomes or the headroom to get one up on a lift.

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[Puddleduck]

A FIAT professional garage near us managed to cause damage when servicing out motorhome. A 3 week wait for parts

 

[Bustup15]

The two Fiat Professional Garages I have used have both been happy to do A Class work and done excellent jobs. I don’t think it is fair to say “Most Fiat Dealers are Crap” if only one has let you down. Have you had problems with more than one Fiat Professional?

Yes! The only Fiat Professional dealership covers all of North of England via 3 or 4 branches. Tried 3 of them and vowed never again!

Adams Morey would be my dealer of choice but it's a LONG trip from Newcastle.

 

[TerryL]

I had a good experience with the Washington branch resolving the well-known throttle body fault, after suffering the usual "throw parts at it" efforts from other garages.

However I've now found an excellent commercial garage, Heathfields Commercials at Cramlington, who did the clutch and subsequently the braking system. Very friendly, quick and reasonably priced. They tend to deal with HGV's but are happy to slot a motorhome or two into their schedule.

 

[nicholsong]

I assume we are talking about Fiat Professional Garages, not car dealerships. Many car dealers would not have the specialist facilities for larger motorhomes or the headroom to get one up on a lift.

A commercial garage of any sort, Fiat or otherwise should have inspection pits because trucks and coaches are too heavy and large to be accommodated on a lift.

 

[Dutch 68]

Yes! The only Fiat Professional dealership covers all of North of England via 3 or 4 branches. Tried 3 of them and vowed never again!

Adams Morey would be my dealer of choice but it's a LONG trip from Newcastle.

It’s a motorhome , combine it with a nice trip for a few weeks

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[Ianbenny]

Yes! The only Fiat Professional dealership covers all of North of England via 3 or 4 branches. Tried 3 of them and vowed never again!

Adams Morey would be my dealer of choice but it's a LONG trip from Newcastle.

Is this in Darlington or are they just normal Fiat/Peugeot dealers?
I know they have a motorhome parking spot

 

[Hettie's Crew]

Ours was done, in 2019 by North East Truck and Van in Hull, a Fiat Professional commercial dealer, mainly huge trucks. They did a good job at a reasonable price fitting the full genuine Fiat kit. But! I’ve heard nothing but poor reports from others regarding their other branches.
It’s due again being five years since and now I’m in a dilemma as to where to take it this time.

 

[Bustup15]

Is this in Darlington or are they just normal Fiat/Peugeot dealers?
I know they have a motorhome parking spot

NETV - Blaydon, Teesside, Carlisle (and York I think).

Never used York

 

[Hettie's Crew]

NETV - Blaydon, Teesside, Carlisle (and York I think).

Never used York

Hull, Immingham and Lincoln too.

 

[Bustup15]

Hull, Immingham and Lincoln too.

Yip, can't beat a bit of competition to bring up the standards

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[Hettie's Crew]

Yip, can't beat a bit of competition to bring up the standards

Where else to go though? I’ve been using Van Centre in Hull for servicing and MOT the last few years but noticed a regular turnover of young disinterested lads, plus some questionable work. Then spoke to another recommended garage that can accommodate motorhomes for service and MOT and he tells me not to bother changing the belt at five years as the advice had changed to mileage.
I’m servicing it myself now but not the cambelt, I need someone who does them regularly and knows what they are doing.

 

[Bustup15]

Picked up the motorhome this afternoon and spoke with the manager.

The reason he gave for not carrying out the timing belt was :-

The wheel arch liner and the under engine cover are riveted together and sealed at all edges. We have no problem carrying out the belt change but would need to significantly alter the liners by drilling and or cutting them to access the timing belt cover. We can't guarantee that we can reseal them to the same standard without potentially invalidating any warranties held or future issues regarding water penetration and rusting.

How does any other garage/agent/dealer carry out this work?.

 

[Pausim]

Then spoke to another recommended garage that can accommodate motorhomes for service and MOT and he tells me not to bother changing the belt at five years as the advice had changed to mileage.

I would check this out with another Fiat Professional. Fiat have introduced a new 2.2 engine which might have different requirements, though I haven’t had the opportunity to check this out yet. It seems unlikely that after many years of saying 5 years they would suddenly change the advice at the point when they stop using the 2.3 engine.

 

[Bleau’s]

A private garage opposite oak tree motorhomes did ours no problems would not nevt again

 

[jobla]

My MOT and timing belt/water pump were done by Sherwoods in Washington, Tyne and Wear. No extra for A class. Been using them for 14 years and always top notch.

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[Jaguarcat1]

I have my Autotrail arapaho tag axle Fiat Ducato serviced at Firth Truck and Van in Ossett near Wakefield and they do a great job at a reasonable price

 

[jobla]

Hi Bustup15
Sherwoods Fiat Professional Camper and Commercial Repair Centre. In Washington Tyne and Wear no need to think about a trip to Hull which in my opinion is not in the northeast.

 

[Bustup15]

Hi Bustup15
Sherwoods Fiat Professional Camper and Commercial Repair Centre. In Washington Tyne and Wear no need to think about a trip to Hull which in my opinion is not in the northeast.

It was Sherwoods Washington that I took it to!

 

[Ianbenny]

NETV - Blaydon, Teesside, Carlisle (and York I think).

Never used York

You could try the ones in Darlington to see if they can help. I know they do motorhomes as I used to drive past to work and they have dedicated MH parking. Just normal Fiat/Peugeot dealers though. Also have a branch at Dragonville but not sure if they do vans there
SG Petch - McMullen Road, Darlington

 

[busby]

Learned years ago to avoid main dealers..Took one of my trucks into Leyland Daf main dealer ONCE..called in on a sat afternoon to check it would be available for first thing Mon morning..Two fitters were running around the workshop playing cow boys and Indians!!!!..Cab was tilted but they had not started repair..Told them to drop cab and I took truck back to our yard.Not used a main dealer since..Very lucky now..got a great small local garage (500 mtrs away) and they are inexpensive and brilliant. BUSBY.

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[Tony50]

Picked up the motorhome this afternoon and spoke with the manager.

The reason he gave for not carrying out the timing belt was :-

The wheel arch liner and the under engine cover are riveted together and sealed at all edges. We have no problem carrying out the belt change but would need to significantly alter the liners by drilling and or cutting them to access the timing belt cover. We can't guarantee that we can reseal them to the same standard without potentially invalidating any warranties held or future issues regarding water penetration and rusting.

How does any other garage/agent/dealer carry out this work?.

I would say they didn't want the job, why they didn't tell you that when booking in , but a Receptionist just books work in and may not be technically minded, that's why someone thought that's a sod of a job, so fed you some bull!!

 

[The POPs]

Booked motorhome into Fiat dealer for MOT and Timing Belt - Water Pump change months ago for today.

Dropped it off and booked in. An hour after arriving home received a phone call from technician.
1. Can't do mot - it's a tag Axle and needs specialist kit for brake test. But it was booked in as a tag axle!
2. Can't do timing belt change. We normally remove drivers wheel arch liner to access. Your vehicle like other A class we have done has one piece moulding that's needs to be cut to remove it to provide access. Others have had the convertor modify the moulding and then booked it back in.
It was booked in as an A class!

Anyone else had this issue re access? Lenny HB

Makes you wonder why you bother.

What a load of twaddle
English Autos in Boliqueime, Portugal Algarve has done my Timing Chain and Service on my Fiat heavy Chassis and Fiat well. Had to go elsewhere in Albufiera to have tracking done because is length.

 

[The POPs]

What a load of twaddle
English Autos in Boliqueime, Portugal Algarve has done my Timing Chain and Service on my Fiat heavy Chassis and Fiat well. Had to go elsewhere in Albufiera to have tracking done because is length.

No bead to change water pump

 

[Bustup15]

What a load of twaddle
English Autos in Boliqueime, Portugal Algarve has done my Timing Chain and Service on my Fiat heavy Chassis and Fiat well. Had to go elsewhere in Albufiera to have tracking done because is length.

That's great - I'll book it in there then

 

[Tony50]

I would say they didn't want the job, why they didn't tell you that when booking in , but a Receptionist just books work in and may not be technically minded, that's why someone thought that's a sod of a job, so fed you some bull!!

In saying above I took my motorhome in for water gauges u/s and drawer not closing easy to Marquis in Ipswich, water gauges I had complained about before , and they had already supposed to have repaired them which they hadn't and on this Auto Sleeper Broadway they can monitor through the internet in Reception the gauges and I rang them up saying they are empty but showing full tanks etc.
So went and collected vehicle , checked gauges still showing full on waste tank , drawer not fixed , Receptionist got fitter to look at vehicle ,he said it needs new parts ,and what about drawer "needs new runners , I said " I'm selling the bloody thing don't order parts " ( 11 months old ) ,so I've sold it Sales manager ran me today " I hear you're selling your motorhome , I said I have , and I wouldn't buy another vehicle from you anyhow explaining as above, I said I would like some time in you workshop to sort it out , I have no time or patience for bad service.
ps. When I got home I timed myself from getting tools to to fixing drawer(18 minutes !! )

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