6 Yr Service Issues

Well the Wind will be 6 yrs old in Sept & due for a cam belt on age grounds even though it's only done 17000 miles.

Previous owner did 5500 miles up to July 2015 & I've done the rest in 17 months!

I've serviced & repaired my own cars for many years; replaced the cam belt on my daughter's XR3i a few years ago; & done cylinder head work on other OHC engines.


BUT: Realising that this job; on the Wind; is rated at 5.5hrs even with access to main dealer facilities I've chickened out.

Allowing someone else to work on "MY CAR" is a real culture shock for me but something I'll have to get used to as the years advance. Jobs I used to tackle "on the drive" are no longer viable with modern car technology.

I see the Wind as a "keeper" so as it's also  due for a service I've booked it in for: Cam belt; auxiliary belt; water pump (why take the chance whilst it's in bits); & a full service.

I'd had cause to complain about a number of servicing issues on my wife's new Captur as well as work they did on the Wind when I bought it so the Service Manager indicated that he would charge lower than the current hourly rate as a goodwill gesture. They now know my background re car mechanics & also that my past hobby was as support mechanic for a classic racer so hopefully they will be on their best behaviour!

Quoted guaranteed price; parts & labour; is: Belts: £399; Service: £189; Water Pump & new coolant: £50; a total of £638

It goes in next week so fingers crossed!!

Mine is going in February for Campbelt change and MOT 38k on the clock.

Hopefully it goes well keep us posted. Mine due in June so will keep an eye on this thread

Will let you know. It's being done tomorrow.

Ironically, if all goes well, I'll have spent over £600 to have a car that feels exactly the same as it did before it went in.

At least in the "good old days"; when cars gradually went off over time; the benefit of a service could actually be felt when carbs, distributor; etc, were retuned/retimed & brakes were manually adjusted.

HAPPY DAYS!!

Job due to be done yesterday (Tues) so I took Wind in Mon afternoon so they could get their "Top Man" on it first thing.

Fine: come 4pm Tues I got a call to say it was ready.

Picked it up & less than a mile down the road  I realised the heater wasn't working & spotted that the temp gauge was fluctuating. Air lock thought I.

Turned round & went back. By this time it was dark but "Top Man" came out & said probably a small airlock but heater now working & top hose hot so all well. Advised check coolant level in morning. Drove home OK with heater & stable temp gauge. Thought OK.

Checked next morning (today): expansion tank EMPTY!

Called garage. Bring it back they said so I gently drove the 30 min trip back. During this trip my headlights packed up. Something they had "cured" under warranty a few months back by changing the control stalk.

Asked them to look at lights as well as doing a proper bleed & top up of the cooling system.

Told their "Top Man" would get straight on to it.

An hour or two later (by now I'd lost track of time sat in their showroom drinking very strong coffee) I enquired how it was going. Manager disappeared to return to say that "Top Man" had taken an early lunch. He put someone else on the job.

Eventually got car back. All is now well I was assured & the headlamp fault could not be replicated & they are now working.

Drove home.

Gave the car the once over (Remember that it had a service as well as belts, water pump etc)

Tyre pressures varied between 31.5 & 32.5 instead of the correct figure of 35.0!!

My little plastic box containing the locking wheel nut key & the 4 spare bolts now only contained 3 bolts!!

Someone had obviously shut the seatbelt in the drivers door as there was a deep scratch in the sill!!

Shirty e-mail sent to Service Manager. No response as yet.

Spent all this money so I could have confidence in the car when we take it to Europe; two trips planned so far; later in the year. At present my confidence in the car is at an all time low. Just hope time will prove that the work done can can be trusted.

AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!

That's a nightmare I do hope you get it sorted please let us know.

It gets worse.

Graunching noises when manouvering.

Under tray not fitted properly so under bumper deflectors now contacting tyres.

Took it back & told them to sort it.

Incompetence isn't the word.

pittstop, it doesn't instil confidence does it!!
when I picked mine up, I mentioned the "6 year belt limit" to the sales guy, HE told me to go to an independent to have it done as he said Renault would charge a fortune!! 
mines is due in September, so I better start saving now ...............just in case!!
I hope yours settles down and returns to normal.

Very sorry to hear. Hope the garage come up with a nice gift to take the sting away. Keep us posted

Picked up Wind late Sat am. Advised the tray had been "removed, adjusted, & refitted". ADJUSTED: What does that mean for an under tray?

Given that: In the past I'd raised a number of concerns re work on the Wind & my wife's Captur; I'd had to return the car 3 times for attention after the belt/service work: & I'd also had to raise 3 other issues re the belt/service work; I decided a formal complaint was required.

Three pages of A4 are now winging it's way to the Service Manager!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Will be interested to hear of other experiences & costs.

My belts (£399) & water pump (£50) came to £449 (excluding the service) seems pricey but others experience may or may not confirm that.

Just want to get on with driving & enjoying the Wind.

Well a week has passed & not even an acknowledgement!!!!!!!!!!!

Will allow one more week then it's a copy to someone higher up the dealer tree.

Again sorry to hear. On you cambelt price I was told when I bought mine main dealer would charge circa £350.

I'm guessing that the prices for 1.6 & 1.2 are probably different as I think the 1.2 is more accessible.

Wouldn't have minded paying what I was charged if job had been done right first time.

Yes I think the 1.6 is dearer fro the belt change. Keep us posted

I think my local dealer quoted me £399 for the 1.2 and £599 for the 1.6, not sure if that included a service or not!
As previously mentioned, he told me to go elsewhere and save myself some money!!

Update: The letter I sent to the dealer on 28th Jan has elicited zero response so; having given them 2 weeks to respond; I am forwarding a copy of the letter to the MD at their head office.

WATCH THIS SPACE!!!

EUREKA!  I have an acknowledgement of my letter.

i just got quoted £380 cam belt and water pump

pittstop wrote:EUREKA!  I have an acknowledgement of my letter.

That's great news. Hope you get a result but remember there is forum power just don't tell them it is a small forum.... Hate to harp back on the old forum but because of it I got front ball joints and a new alloy. @Mkstevo sorry I didn't carry the torch but thank you for starting that one. This 
one won't burn out till my WIND dies or me lol
At this point I would like to say that without @Skippy and @Araf
This forum would not exist.

Dealer has owned up to all points I raised & a cheque for £50 in on it's way to cover petrol & inconvenience.

Assured my letter will be used in staff training.

Let's hope that's an end to it & we can get on with enjoying the Wind & be confident of it's reliability when we go to Spain in June.

Apparently their are lot of Winds in Spain used as hire cars.

Before we bought the Wind we had never seen one in the UK nor Spain.

We had seen one street parked in Rapallo; Italy.

The other time we saw one was in the guest car park at the Hotel Martinez in Cannes which gave it much street cred!! We were in the apartments next door with our MGTF at a time when we were considering when we would need something that was still compact & fun but more refined.

Glad it's sorted. I had had the roof off today - makes it all worthwhile.

I cleaned mine today. Weather not as good as forecast for Doncaster.