226 replies to this topic

[tommyboy]

My problem is that my dealer is very happy to have the car in and do stuff under warranty, but they break more than they fix! Here is the last 3 weeks in Drsteve style: went in for: 1. passenger window not closing fully 2. wind noise on driver side 3. centre console surface warped and wrinkled came back with: 1. passenger window fixed but door hinge pin broken (I opened door and it dropped an inch!), interior panel badly refitted 2. part ordered but arrived damaged! still waiting 3. centre console replaced but broke heater controls and have just tried to refill the washer bottle only to find the bonnet release is buggered I think the problem is the quality of the engineers actually working on the car - the front of house staff couldn't be nicer to me but that doesn't excuse poor workmanship and seemingly no quality control (they would only have had to open the passener door to know something was wrong) Wayne - do you need to have specially trained technicians to be a VX dealership? I know they send the sales staff on courses

Edited by tommyboy, 16 February 2004 - 03:11 PM.

[DrSteve]

I like your story!!! At least it's not just me! I forgot to mention that they used the last of the windscreen washer bottle (quite a bit if I remember rightly) and didn't even warn me! That could cause a serious accident! I don't think it is that the technicians can't work on the VX220, not even that they don't have the skills. They just don't have a satisfactory process. Hence my wiper never got finished and they never completed the reattachment of your door. As you say, Quality control is what's required.

[cyberman]

Anyone know another dealer near Abingdon or Wallingford?

Dr Steve

The following is the list of VX220 qualified dealers on the Vauxhall website which has a handy geographic search facility.

Caution: I have not used any of them although I did write to them all when seeking to arrange warranty service and other issues. None of them came up to scratch with an acceptable business-like response. 2 did write a reasonable letter back but both were factually incorrect and one definitely took umbrage at the idea of quoting and qualifying as a supplier. I thought Lance Owen as good as any - at least their advice was correct. Basically I thought none of them were trustworthy.

I was looking around for a good techie when I stuffed it and sent it back to Lotus for a rebuild. I have asked them to do the warranty repairs and I'll pay them. In future I plan to use Vauxhall to stamp the service book and get everything else done by someone who has a business to make around performance and safety (e.g. AmD).

Gurneys of Newbury
Faraday Road
Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 2AD
Phone: 01635 584444 Fax: 01635 580611

Hartwell Oxford
Oxford Motor Park
Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford, OX5 1RY
Phone: 0870 9095280 Fax: 01865 856501

Burnham Garage Ltd
87 - 89 Farnham Road
Slough, Berkshire, SL1 4UN
Phone: 01753 744844 Fax: 01753 744845

Skurray's
Drove Road
Central Swindon, Wiltshire, SN1 3AH
Phone: 01793 520971 Fax: 01793 512816

Lance Owen
70 Station Road
West Drayton, Middlesex, UB7 7DZ
Phone: 01895 427020 Fax: 01895 427030

Drive Aldershot
1 Lower Farnham Road
Aldershot, Hampshire, GU12 4DZ
Phone: 01252 369200 Fax: 01252 333208

Good luck. If you try them let me know what you think.

Kind regards - Ian

[MarkH]

Well, today I just bought a VXT, and I'm now in that "please just let me sit in it" frame of mind, knowing I've got to wait past the weekend and into next week before I'll be driving it for real. But anyway, I've been dealing with a very friendly chap at Murketts Vauxhall in Cambridge, and so far things have been fine. When I walked in the showroom a week or two ago, they had an NA on show. When I said I was interested in the Turbo he arranged to get one driven over from another garage without me even asking. Two days later I got a phone call inviting me for a drive, so I turned up half an hour later. I was in the car from the off, and went for a good 40 minutes around country roads and dual carriageways, with no pressure over time. The only advice given was where the speed cameras were... After that, there was no pressure on me at all, and the only time I got a call was when I contacted them asking them to call me back. The only slight funny was when I walked in the showroom today to agree a price, and the car was on display with an extra grand added above the Internet price. I said I'd just ignore that, and so we started at the Internet price and worked down. Once done, he even gave me a lift back to work. So, first impressions are good - let's hope it stays that way.... (I won't mention the name of the specific person I dealt with until I've obtained his permission) Now, does anyone have any advice about what I should do between now and next week to make the time go by quickly?! cheers Mark

[DrSteve]

Print out a picture of the car and put it on your wall at work. I had to wait 4 weeks and I found this helped enormously, especially when people asked about it! On another note, I also had a very good sales service (with respect to not being hassled -the car sells itself. Anyone who drives one, will buy one if they can afford it.) However the after sales service quality is not necessarily related...

[MarkH]

You're right about the after-sales service being unrelated I'm sure. I'll report back when I know either way...

Good idea about the printout on the wall - except that nobody at work knows. It's my little secret at the moment (unless they read this!)

Better plan - I'll put an A4 picture of it on the wall after I've got it and they've all seen it. How green will the chap opposite me with the MGF turn?

[ianrm]

We seem to have a lot of new people joining who are looking to get a car, both new VXT and NA.

I think it would be useful if we could post up our thoughts and experiences on the good, bad and ugly out there. If there is enough reponse I can set up a dealer forum (if thats what we want).

If someone is doing it right then we should be aware and if someone is doing it wrong we should be warned.

Anyone want to start?

I ordered my VXt in January for a March delivery. In the mean time I E-mailed Vauxhall through their main web site to enquire if it would be possible to visit the
Lotus factory and see my VXt being built. I was called back within a couple of days and asked to call Mike Pomfret at Lotus. He then called me back to say that my car was on the line and that if I couldn't make it within a couple of days I would miss it. In the mean time he had taken some photos of it just incase I missed it. I had a most enjoyable morning at the factory and must congratulate both Vauxhall and Lotus cars for this unique oppertunity.

Attached Files

•  VX220_II.jpg   134.69KB   1 downloads

[coolio]

I've been dealing with a very friendly chap at Murketts Vauxhall in Cambridge, and so far things have been fine

Malcom Milner told me his lightning was immac and I drove all the way down 450miles to find it had been bodge painted after some kind of prang. Tosser!

[caleebra]

Coolio - how has your experience of Belmont Aberdeen been? When I get mine I'm seriously considering using Autovision in Inverness. My mum stays near Elgin so it wouldn't be too unhandy!

[coolio]

Long story but the bottom line is I will be going to Inverness also next time. Belmont are sh*t

[caleebra]

That's all I needed to hear

[two4oneuk]

I've never had any problems with belmont Aberdeen. They even let me in when servicing my n/a so I could get a better look at the car. The VX mechanic Colin is a top bloke and the VX salesman Steve seems ok aswell. If your not happy go direat to Tom the sales manager. Martin

[caleebra]

Martin, Do you work for Belmont?!? I'm still waiting to hear Coolio's long story...

[two4oneuk]

No I dont work for Bemont I've just bought 2 vx's from them. Find them a lot better to deal with than the arrogant prat that works for the Town and County Lotus dealership. I know a few people that have been sold cars by Steve Morrison and have been happy with the service. Martin

[ic33]

I expect to be putting my car in to Belmont in the near future - air bag recall and a few other things I'd like them to look at while it's there (still within the first year warranty). Will report back after.

[coolio]

http://www.vx220.org...t=ST&f=2&t=3719

[trubvx220]

C. D. Bramall in Hemel Hempstead have been very good for routine servicing. They collect from and deliver back to my office. They contact you if anything other than the service needs doing and the general level of service cannot be faulted. Hope this helps anyone looking for service in the Hemel area.

[DrSteve]

1) LHS speaker rattles on base notes.

New speaker now installed. Rattle on bass notes still exists although not as bad. It is due to the surround not the speaker I am sure. I have given up on this, will just not listen to Limp Bizkit as often.

2) ABS control module upgrade

This was done the first time, but when the car went in yesterday they seemed to do something additional to it!

3) Wiper blade leaves line on screen

They fixed the chip on the bonnet that was caused by not re-attaching this correctly. However:

I took it in 8:00am one Tuesday morning, went to collect it at 5:45pm (they close at 6pm) and they said "It's not ready". At first I thought they were joking but in fact it needed to "air dry" overnight. No one had phoned me, visiting the garage on the way home adds nearly 20 mins to my journey, and in a horrible Corsa.

So next day no one has phoned me again so I decide to phone at 5pm to be sure that I won't waste another journey. "Yes it's ready but we close at 5:30pm tonight". It takes 25 minutes to get there in good traffic! So the courtesy Corsa and I didn't show anyone any Curtesy as we raced across Oxfordshire to get there for closing!

4) Alarm lights don't flash when alarm sounds.

We agreed that nothing could be done about this. Then a, week ago, someone phones from Geurneys: "We have your new sounding box". What on earth is a sounding box??? So it turns out that this is a part of the alarm which has been ordered to make the indicators flash properly. (Sounding box??!! Can anyone explain?) So this has been fitted and now I have to wait for the alarm to go off by itself as this is the only time that the indicators didn't flash.

5) LW radio reception is awful.

Still not fixed

6) Lock stiff *New in at no. six*

New lock aledgedly ordered overnight (during the painting incident) and fitted. I am not sure how I can tell whether it is a new lock, but the stiffness is gone.

Anyone know another dealer near Abingdon or Wallingford?

OK

You will all remember my fun with Geurnesys of Benson. For anyone that is interested, the car has been back 3 times (4 visits altogether) and here is an update:

[DrSteve]

Apologies for the backwards order of that last post! I don't seem to be able to edit it to fix it? Maybe I have sufficient technical skills to work at Geurneys of Benson...

[coolio]

Car went in yesterday for 2nd year service at Belmont. Quoted £175.00 inc Vat got a bill for £142.00. They have not cured the alarm not activating until floor level as they say it is working fine and that is how it is meant to operate. They have suggested the peeling paint around the lights is under warranty but haven't advised when they will do it. The airbag recall has already been done (they didn't tell me) The front gril rust didn't get mentioned. The peeling VDO buttons is only in the first year covered by warranty. But believe it or not I'm pretty happy with what they have done, I just think that quality of service is standard big dealer service. Lack of communication within their organisation.