Can an authorised Fiat repair dealership pick and choose their customers?

[Dave K]

I have recently had a recall letter from Fiat and in the past I have always used Chelston in Wellington for servicing or warranty issues. I phoned them last week to book the van in for the recall repair and was told by the service department that they are no longer dealing with customers who didn’t buy the van from them. In the past I have bought a motorhome from them and they have done a couple of warranty jobs on the current van which was bought from SMC in Newark without any problem but apparently the M.D. of Chelston has laid down this law, even though their details were on the attached sheet of Fiat repairers to use. I suppose it’s their prerogative to not maintain vehicles that weren’t purchased from them but can they turn down recall work as well?

 

[Wh05apk]

I suspect they can, but very short sighted as I suspect you will not consider buying from them in the future?

 

[Speve]

I would have thought if they are and authorised dealership they could risk losing that if Fiat got to know they were not honouring Fiat warranty and recalls.

 

[chatteris]

the trouble is Fiat will probably only pay about £10 an hour for labour on warranty work so its not surprising dealers are reluctant to do it

 

[pappajohn]

Ring Fiat UK and ask them.
I would say for recall and warranty work they have an obligation to do the work.

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[The Wino]

I sympathise both with you and them on the one hand its inconvenient for you on the other hand if it were you business and there was a group of customers you were making a loss on every time they came in would you want to see them?. We recently sold our business some of our previous clients are now getting a shock as the new owners are being more active on this type of thing quite a few people who thought they were getting a wise deal by seeing us then buying online are now getting the elbow or a much bigger bill for time.

 

[The Wino]

Ring Fiat UK and ask them.
I would say for recall and warranty work they have an obligation to do the work.

Would you want to take your m/h to people who are only doing the job because they have been forced to?. If they are forced to I would offer the most inconvenient time possible!!

 

[Speve]

Would you want to take your m/h to people who are only doing the job because they have been forced to?. If they are forced to I would offer the most inconvenient time possible!!

If they are not prepared to do that type of work they should not be an authorised Fiat dealership.

 

[Wh05apk]

I think car/van warranty work is paid at a reasonable rate, which is why most dealers are happy to do, unlike caravan/motorhome work which is paid at very low rates.

 

[The Wino]

I think car/van warranty work is paid at a reasonable rate, which is why most dealers are happy to do, unlike caravan/motorhome work which is paid at very low rates.

The work this relates too is in effect van work its on the mechanical side

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[Wh05apk]

The work this relates too is in effect van work its on the mechanical side

Yes, which I think is paid at a reasonable rate, which should be "profitable" to do unlike the habitation side which does rely on goodwill.

 

[Ivory55]

Is chelston an actual fiat dealer or a motorhome dealer ?

 

[Speve]

Is chelston an actual fiat dealer or a motorhome dealer ?

Quote Taken from Chelston website
Fiat Approved
Chelston Service Centre are Fiat Approved or servicing, repair and parts. Our Technicians are Fiat Trained and use the latest tools and diagnostic systems to to provide the best possible service to all our Fiat customers. As a Fiat Approved service centre we can carry out Fiat Based Warranty Repairs using genuine parts. We always hold a wide range of genuine Fiat Parts in stock.

Our Services
Chelston Service Centre provide a full range of services for motorhome and caravan owners including: parts, repairs, bodyshop, servicing, MOT, warranty works, electrical works, aircon and fridge servicing, caravan servicng, caravan repair, habitation inspection and most supply and fit accessories. Please select the appropriate department from the servicing drop down menu above

 

[Bobby22]

I sympathise both with you and them on the one hand its inconvenient for you on the other hand if it were you business and there was a group of customers you were making a loss on every time they came in would you want to see them?. We recently sold our business some of our previous clients are now getting a shock as the new owners are being more active on this type of thing quite a few people who thought they were getting a wise deal by seeing us then buying online are now getting the elbow or a much bigger bill for time.

The main dealer will be quite happy to take main dealer servicing costs which they get under the Fiat banner.
The problem with recall work is it can choke up a whole service diary and the regular customers are not happy bunnies if they can't get theirs done to schedule.
Too much work can be a problem, premium work comes first and they can tell Fiat they have been overwhelmed with recall and have to draw a line somewhere.

 

[Ivory55]

Quote Taken from Chelston website
Fiat Approved
Chelston Service Centre are Fiat Approved or servicing, repair and parts. Our Technicians are Fiat Trained and use the latest tools and diagnostic systems to to provide the best possible service to all our Fiat customers. As a Fiat Approved service centre we can carry out Fiat Based Warranty Repairs using genuine parts. We always hold a wide range of genuine Fiat Parts in stock.

Our Services
Chelston Service Centre provide a full range of services for motorhome and caravan owners including: parts, repairs, bodyshop, servicing, MOT, warranty works, electrical works, aircon and fridge servicing, caravan servicng, caravan repair, habitation inspection and most supply and fit accessories. Please select the appropriate department from the servicing drop down menu above

I guess that’s the get out, they are only approved and not an actual dealer for fiat.

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[Speve]

I guess that’s the get out, they are only approved and not an actual dealer for fiat.

I think reading between the lines they are not actually a main Fiat dealer so recall work would not be in their remitt

 

[pappajohn]

Would you want to take your m/h to people who are only doing the job because they have been forced to?. If they are forced to I would offer the most inconvenient time possible!!

No, but if they have an obligation and refuse they are breaking trading laws.

 

[Dave K]

I suspect they can, but very short sighted as I suspect you will not consider buying from them in the future?

It’ll certainly put me off using them for servicing etc

 

[PJGWiltshire]

By chance do you have any annual inspection work done at the centre (hab and water ingress). If so i bet they will not be turning you away. Nice call would be 'Can you do my warranty recall' No say they. In that case please cancel my £400 annual service

 

[Dave K]

By chance do you have any annual inspection work done at the centre (hab and water ingress). If so i bet they will not be turning you away. Nice call would be 'Can you do my warranty recall' No say they. In that case please cancel my £400 annual service

That’s exactly my thoughts as well, I think it’s very shortsighted of them to be honest.

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[Ivory55]

That’s exactly my thoughts as well, I think it’s very shortsighted of them to be honest.

But if they are not an actual fiat dealer are they really responsible ?

 

[Dave K]

But if they are not an actual fiat dealer are they really responsible ?

No but they’ll happily charge the rates of a Fiat repair shop, I don’t think I said they were a Fiat main dealer, just think they’ll lose a lot of trade that’s all

 

[Minxy]

By chance do you have any annual inspection work done at the centre (hab and water ingress). If so i bet they will not be turning you away. Nice call would be 'Can you do my warranty recall' No say they. In that case please cancel my £400 annual service

Actually if you didn't buy from them I bet they would! This is unfortunately 'normal practice' in the MH trade - they do NOT like working on vehicles they haven't sold, be it hab or base vehicle, so the fact that they won't undertake base vehicle warranty work on a vehicle they haven't sold isn't a surprise.

I don't like it and others don't too but it is up to the business to decide if it will take on the work or not and any consequences of doing, or not doing, it.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Ring Fiat UK and ask them.
I would say for recall and warranty work they have an obligation to do the work.

No, but if they have an obligation and refuse they are breaking trading laws.

"Yes, of course we'll do your warranty job Mr John. Happy to help. Let's have a look at the diary. Our workshops are pretty busy at the moment, fully booked for a while actually. The earliest we can fit you in would be the second week of October. Could you get the vehicle here by 8.30 on the 10th?"

They aren't refusing to do the work, they just won't drop everything to fit your job in.

Nothing wrong with that at all.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

I know that one of the most respected and biggest motorhome dealers in the country book their workshops 6 to 9 months in advance leaving only very limited space for genuine emergency work which warranty and recall stuff usually isn't.

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[PJGWiltshire]

I have posted before on other posts around this how I abused the system with the two new vans I have owned. I l just booked warranty appointments at a local authorised agent for a few months ahead, the date given so they give the impression of complience. I log the date if nothing goes wrong with the van no problem I just cancel the appointment. I appreciate that I am mucking the company about but hay ho they should be more accommodating

 

[Abacist]

Putting it bluntly it's a bad situation for customers when the dealers can fill their workshops with their own customers only. It may put people off buying out of their own area which means prices will go up. Motor homes are just too popular at the moment and they can sell all their stock and most will want servicing as not everyone can do DIY. I do my own hab servicing but get a local non- franchised van garage to do the vehicle side and MOT but if you have a warranty you usually have to have dealer servicing.

 

[jongood]

I'm reliably informed that Travelworlds new premises at Stafford will include a Fiat professional workshop and that they intend to be more accommodating with non TW sourced MH's.

Apparently they re also getting tired of customers complaining that the engine light is on on their new MH and not being able to do anything about it.

Jon

 

[Zepp]

We have just booked our motorhome in for the first fiat engine service at camperuk we did not buy it from them they even asked if we wanted the habitation check done.

Try booking a carthago into a German dealer if you did not buy it from them we tried four not one of them would do the work we did not want warranty work done just a hab service and damp check.

 

[Jim]

Generally speaking;
The thing is, despite the doom and gloom merchants, the market is good at the moment and dealers are selling loads of motorhomes. They are far too busy PDI’ing their sales stock and dealing with their customers.

Getting them to do work on vans that they haven’t sold is pretty much impossible. Even if you are a customer, even at the at the point of purchase; ask them to fit a solar panel, or an inverter and chances are they’ll tell you they don’t do that and point you toward someone who can.

In a downturn when they are not selling everyday; they won’t be turning work away. If you buy a van from them they’ll convince you that you need that extra battery, a solar panel an awning or an alarm and they just happen to have a great deal on fitting.

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