What compensation, if any, should I ask Vauxhall for?

bigpat

The dealer are fixing the car, free of charge

Well, I have to assume they're being paid by Vauxhall/GM or that resolution of such problems - caused by faulty Vauxhall components - is part of the franchise contract. Either way, I'm sure they're being compensated for the work.

By all means, sell the car and buy a non-Vauxhall.
This may actually be your easiest way to resolve this. Ask the dealer if they will give you a reasonable offer for it now, as if the problem did not exist, in order to close this ongoing issue. I'll bet they'll jump at it.

That has occurred to me too. I checked Network Q and the closest I could find in terms of spec, age and mileage (only just over 50k) is advertised at nearly £5500. I would take £5k in a heartbeat but I can't see it happening.

AdrianC

bigpat wrote: »

Well, I have to assume they're being paid by Vauxhall/GM or that resolution of such problems - caused by faulty Vauxhall components - is part of the franchise contract. Either way, I'm sure they're being compensated for the work.

Yes, they're being paid by Vauxhall to carry out the recall - they'll be being paid for 40min of labour, at a lower hourly rate than "retail", to fit some FOC parts. But that's not where your problem lies. The ECU was not inherently faulty from manufacture - the fact it's lasted six years shows that. We don't know what did cause the problem, but we can rule out a manufacturing issue.

That has occurred to me too. I checked Network Q and the closest I could find in terms of spec, age and mileage (only just over 50k) is advertised at nearly £5500. I would take £5k in a heartbeat but I can't see it happening.

Nor I.

Just 10% below premium-approved screen price? No way. What do the price guides give for a PX value?

Graham_Devon

I don't believe you are owed any compensation at all to be honest.

Scrapping the mondeo was purely your own choice. It was scrapped simply to avoid paying for the clutch, which seems a little extreme to be honest as the next car you buy to replace it could need something 3 months after you have bought it..... But each to their own.

Vauxhall have loaned you a car, which is, in itself, sometimes difficult to get. Your need of a bigger car seemed to be for one single trip, which is unfortunate at best.

In essence, what I'm suggesting is, you are probably wasting your time. You have been treated pretty fairly. Just my own opinion based on my own experience of trying to get courtesy cars from dealerships.

bigpat

We don't know what did cause the problem,

To be honest I don't care what caused the problem, as mechanics or electronics are not my field. I just know that the car was in good working order, no warning lights, no knocks or rattles, right up until I took it in. Which Vauxhall invited me to do. My interest is not in trying to figure out why this happened, rather for Vauxhall and/or the dealer to accept that between them they did something wrong and are taking too long to put it right.

What do the price guides give for a PX value?

Is that relevant though? I'd take a like-for like exchange i.e. a 10-reg 1.6 Astra Exclusiv with full history, two owners from new, 50k on the clock, good bodywork and tyres etc (I feel like I'm writing an ad here!) but I wouldn't be able to get that with whatever the PX value is. So if I took the PX value I'd be out of pocket.

Your need of a bigger car seemed to be for one single trip

. Not at all. We went out for Sunday lunch the other day and had to take two cars because 4 tall adults simply cannot fit comfortably in a Corsa. We have put off a trip to see relatives in Scotland for the same reason. My son and daughter are named drivers on my insurance, but are not insured on the Corsa as they're under 21 and the courtesy car policy does not cover them. I have to fold the back seats down to get larger loads in. The Corsa is a right flippin' pain! If I don't hear by this Friday I will insist on a hire car, something Astra or Focus sized..

AdrianC

bigpat wrote: »

To be honest I don't care what caused the problem

You should, because it's very relevant to whether you are due any recompense for the inconvenience.

I just know that the car was in good working order, no warning lights, no knocks or rattles, right up until I took it in.

Indeed. But was it working up to an issue, perhaps corrosion related, which was merely hastened by the work being done? Doing the work SHOULD be as simple as unclipping a couple of multiplugs, some basic checking-around, and reconnecting a couple of multiplugs.

Which Vauxhall invited me to do.

And which did not directly cause this issue. Did it indirectly cause it? We don't know. Was the cause already present on your car, just not yet apparent? We don't know.

My interest is not in trying to figure out why this happened, rather for Vauxhall and/or the dealer to accept that between them they did something wrong and are taking too long to put it right.

But, unless and until you know WHY it happened, you do not know that they DID do anything wrong.

bigpat

But, unless and until you know WHY it happened, you do not know that they DID do anything wrong.

In which case I'm flogging a dead horse because, short of expert opinion, it's going to be very difficult to prove what went wrong. So, a stiffly worded letter and then just take whatever they give me, seems to be the best option. Knowing my luck they'll finally repair mine just after I fill theirs up with fuel.

burlington6

bigpat wrote: »

. Not at all. We went out for Sunday lunch the other day and had to take two cars because 4 tall adults simply cannot fit comfortably in a Corsa. We have put off a trip to see relatives in Scotland for the same reason. My son and daughter are named drivers on my insurance, but are not insured on the Corsa as they're under 21 and the courtesy car policy does not cover them. I have to fold the back seats down to get larger loads in. The Corsa is a right flippin' pain! If I don't hear by this Friday I will insist on a hire car, something Astra or Focus sized..

Rubbish. I'm 6ft 3 and getting in the back of even a 3 door corsa isn't an issue

forgotmyname

4 Adults cannot fit ointo a Corsa? Yet they all fitted fine in an old classic Mini which is MUCH SMALLER!

Wont fit yet the internal dimemsions in the rear is so close it comes down to the thickness of your clothes.

Your compensation claim = all your losses. But it seems that you dont have any losses except a few phone calls to see if its done yet.

bigpat

Rubbish. I'm 6ft 3 and getting in the back of even a 3 door corsa isn't an issue

Can you do it with a 6'3" driver in front of you, one who's all leg and needs the seat pushed all the way back? We can't! Yeah, they can get in, but then risk having their toes amputated when the driver's seat slides back.

I never sat in the back of a Mini. Don't much fancy trying it, not sure I'd feel safe on the road.

And this misses the point. Why should we have to cram into a small car? I bought a car big enough to suit our needs as a family, and feel I have been deprived of it for seven weeks now. We could all sleep in a small bedsit too, but we bought a house big enough for our needs. Same principle in my book.

forgotmyname

If unsuitable you should have told them its unsuitable, I have a Mondeo and the rear leg room is not that great either for such a big car.

Jeremy Clarkson's 6'4" or 6'5"? And he fits in a classic mini. Unsafe on the road? I drove one for many years and still alive. Anyway back to the question of what can you claim. What have you lost other than a couple of phone calls?

Nothing.....