Brand New Car - Accept or Request Exchange - opinions please?

Hatrick24

Hi everyone, just looking for your views on our current situation in respect of a new car my husband collected on Saturday 19th September. Here are the facts:

Car: Honda Civic Type R
Collected: Sat 19th Sept
Fault 1: Collection was delayed by four days as the car was found to have a faulty gearbox. A new gearbox was therefore fitted prior to collection.

Fault 2: Three days in (Tues 22nd) the power steering stopped working. Honda picked up the car on Wed 23rd to repair.

We heard nothing from them until Saturday morning when they said they had replaced the main CPU unit (dashboard?) but that the power steering warning light was still on. They had arranged for someone from Honda Swindon to visit to assist in finding the fault.

So, since collecting the car on 19th, my husband had the use of it for three days and since then it has been back at the garage.

What are your thoughts please? Should we accept the repair or do you think we should be asking for an exchange? We are really not sure. We understand that the car is covered by the warranty, but at the same time, it is a new car and the faults we have had seem quite serious and apparently not easy to fix.

all views welcome...

Many thanks!

worried_jim

I would be asking to change the car, would be surprised if Honda had a problem with this.

dannyrst

It's a relatively new model. There will always be issues. They seem to be doing quite a lot to solve the issues for you. Let it run and see what happens. Yes it isn't ideal and your husband will no doubt be very keen to drive the car (I'd be running round the house doing backflaps having to wait) but it's one of those things. If it continues and it gets to about a month, I'd be thinking about replacements.

Sunshine62

Make them change it most definitely. Whose to say more faults won't develop, will be harder to get an exchange somewhere down the line.

Quentin

Reject it now!!

WellKnownSid

A replacement gearbox and faulty steering are more than just 'issues'.

I'd be pushing to reject it - you've lost faith in the car. A compromise position might be your next 60,000 miles of servicing for free.

Be clear what you want out of this.

dannyrst

Sunshine62 wrote: »

Make them change it most definitely. Whose to say more faults won't develop, will be harder to get an exchange somewhere down the line.

What if the replacement car develops a fault after 5,000 miles? Or 20,000 miles?

Horizon81

I presume this is a brand new £30k type r, not a second hand FN2? Doesn't bode well at all if it's new. I'd be trying to reject it if that is at all possible.

Hatrick24

Thanks so much for all the replies.

Ironically, the dealer called at lunchtime today to say they have sorted the power steering by replacing the main CPU? What doesn't quite add up is that they said they had done that last Saturday and it hadn't fixed the problem. Anyhow, they are now bringing the car back tomorrow, but we have said that if it should develop any further fault within the near future, then we will be asking for an exchange / new vehicle. We don't want to be unreasonable, but in the 14 days it's been registered, my husband has only had it for 4 and done 145 miles.

To answer your other question, yes it is a brand new type R and was around £35,000, so a lot of money!

I will post any updates.

thank you again!!

wba31

If you wish to exchange and Honda make it difficult, I have a 58 plate 2.2 diesel Civic I would HAPPILY exchange with you... 135000 miles and no major problems

Hatrick24

As a middle aged female - frankly, I think that is a much more attractive proposition! Who needs speed? Comfort for me everytime, however, my middle aged husband is yet to grow up!

As it happens we have just sold his old car - a 59 plate 2.2 Civic diesel that had 99,000 miles on the clock and like yours never gave us any trouble.