Shocking service from Renault!!

Sparrr

So my car died this morning - slight ticking noise, problems on MS suggest its a battery. It's been out of warranty for 1 WEEK.

When the breakdown company arrived, I called RRG Autoworld to ask how much it would cost to get sorted , the person I spoke to (in Manchester?) said that they couldn't see me until Wednesday, so I asked about Wolverhampton. Wolverhampton could see me today, so naturally I asked how much it would cost me.

I was advised at this point that the fault WOULD be identified by a 30 minute Diagnostic Check, a comment which was confirmed by the rude 'Customer Service' person in the dealership.

So, I left it with them at 10am (my appt time). I've been chasing them for updates all day, finally managed to get a call back at 3pm (5 hours for a 10 minute job - nice), to advise me that they cannot identify the fault and that I have to pay £95 per hour for them to diagnose the problem, which would take 2-3 hours, as they need to remove my exhaust???

Now, fair enough that they need to go further to understand the issue, but at NO POINT was I told that this would/might be required and at NO POINT did anybody mention £95 per hour!! If they had, it would have gone to an independent!!

So, I called RUK CS, who has advised me that the dealers set their own prices, and that my issue isn't something they can sort for me, but they would speak to the CS Manager at Wolverhampton. However, I brought up the point around 'contributions' (parts only it seems!!) and was told that this would ONLY be considered if I used a Renault 'Main Dealer'. So, effectively I HAVE to have to seen by Wolverhampton, if I can expect any 'help' towards costs for my 32k mile, 1 week out of warranty car.

I have also pointed out the fact that my car has been stuck in Renault dealers for MORE THAN a week in the past 6 months alone, having warranty work, so if this is time/mileage related, this issue 'could' have happened during the last week of warranty.

I feel massively misled by RRGW, and in a way 'blackmailed' into having the work done there if I'm to expect a contribution from RUK.

My point stands that if the POSSIBILITY of the £30 Diag check wouldn't cure it, then the £95 they want to extort from me now should have been made quite clear BEFORE I decided where to have my car taken by the breakdown company. If this was clarified to me, it would have gone to an independent.

This point seems lost of RUK CS.

What should I do?

Regardless of all of this, I still think its a fuse in the battery, based on posts on MeganeSport. My only response from the ever rude and unhelpful agent is 'the battery should be ok'

skiddlydiddly

Buy a 50p fuse and see for yourself before they run any diagnostics.

Sparrr

I've just gone and bought the fuse (£3) and a new battery (£40) and am going to turn up at the dealer tomorrow unannounced and fit them.

My issue is that when choosing where the car was to be taken by the breakdown company, I chose Renault Wolverhampton because I was told that it would be diagnosed for £30. At no point was the possibility of £95 per hour mentioned.

Now, I don't have to have this work carried out, but I do have to pay to move the car (£100 or so) and if I do, then Renault UK won't contribute to the part, if something considerable is needed.

vikingaero

Would help if you tell us which model of Renault you have and the age of it.

Sparrr

Apologies. It's a 57 plate RenaultSport Megane 230 R26. Warranty ran out on 27th September.

custardy

was it a £30 diagnostic or a 30 minute diagnostic?
£95 hour isnt unusual for a main dealer
more than likely the diagnostic is flagging a few things or nothing at all
sothey are now having to physically investigate

Sparrr

£30 is for a diagnostic.

My issue is that I am now 'stuck' with having to pay £95 an hour, unless I fork out to move my car, and so feel misled.

Perhaps I am being naive, but that seems unreasonable to me, and a touch underhand?

Sparrr

Also, to add to this, when I spoke to a CS Manager at Renault UK, they told me that both they, and the Service Manager at Wolverhampton would call me with an update. I've just called to chase, and both are now closed, so I have no access to my car and will struggle to get a hire car now for tonight/tomorrow.

Wonderful...

skiddlydiddly

Lovely car, its a shame Renault cannot mate the driving characteristics with decent reliability .

darich

£30 for a diagnostic is perfectly reasonable.
£95 per hour is also reasonable

Didn't the dealer tell you it would be £95 per hour prior to starting? If so, then you have the choice of whether to pay it or go elsewhere. I appreciate that may be inconvenient but the same may have happened had you gone to an indy specialist who advised it was Renault only who could do the work. You'd then have to get the car from the indy to the Renault dealer.

Given that the car is out of warranty by one week and you say it's been in the garage for a week during the warranty, I'd plead to their better nature and see if they'll make a large contribution towards it. But I'd get the agreement before allowing the work to start.

Personally, if my car has no warranty I don't go near the dealer for servicing or diagnostics but in one week out of warranty I think most folk would have done the same as you.

If you want RUK to pay anything then you'll have to stay calm and good natured. Don't get personal or insulting - quickest way to get a "no".

Good luck in getting it sorted....if you mange to get a result from RUK then post back what your best line was!!:beer:

Kilty_2

TBH I don't rate RRG in Wolverhampton much - they looked at my Lag II when I was working down there and completely and I mean completely misdiagnosed a problem. I'd have ended up paying them said £95/hour to investigate the completely wrong thing further.