Hi Can anyone help or provide advice on the following:- I have recently posted on another forum about a problem getting a goodwill gesture from Vauxhall UK.Basically , I own a Astra that as has a major failure with the gearbox after only 65k and being out of the 60k warranty but under 3 years old. So far , i have had every request refused and have been advised to try and obtain certain document off them. They have told me they are internal document only and not available? I believe that these document will help prove my case and would like any advice obtaining them. They are the DFMEA and DVP documents for the gearbox. Has any one tried to get these before or is there a legal angle i could pursue. Any help would be appreciated Paulco62

Max Still not receive case notes as promised? Can you chase up? Also, I am pursuing this case with a number of bodies, to assist could you provide the information by PM :- 1: Your full name and official position within the company? 2: Contact details This will help in verifying the details of the case and timescales involved. If a PM is not possible, please confirm in writing to the address registered at Vauxhall. Regards Paulco62

Heliosuk Again thanks for the excellent advice. I will be pursuing this to the end and this is a another course of action I can take. Will start to look in the legal forums and see if anyone can help. Regards Paulco62

Max I would like to formally request under the freedom of information act for the full DFMEA and DVP documents for the M32 gearbox. Within these documents will lie the actual box performance and durability specifications references and I require this information for the following reason and to assist in the ongoing claim against Vauxhall . "Essentially these documents ensure that GM have looked at all reasonable possibilities of failure and the effect on the car should there be a failure. Then the DVP will prove that they have tested these. If the DVP shows a pass then the gearbox is essentially certified. Now these documents to those who can interpret them will show that the gearbox has a service life of X miles under the worst possible conditions". (Thanks to Heliosuk for this ) Also Max , thanks for the reply concerning the request for the transcript of my recent telephone conversation. I look forward to receiving it. Any Idea on the timescale? Thanks again to everyone who as replied to this post. It as provided some very valuable insights and as been a good starting point. As suggested by other "caggers", I will be contacting other forums , Watchdog and Motoring magazines (basically any one who will listen!) about this case and have also receive some very good advice from the Warrington trading standards which I will be pursuing. Regards to all Paulco62

Heliosuk Thanks for the replies. Some really good advice. Much appreciated. Just had it confirmed by Vauxhall that the gearbox (M32) is used in the newer vauxhall. Any suggestions on how i can put this argument to use?? Thanks Paulco62

Max I disagree with your reply to the letter. Particularly on Question 2 , it was stated by the rep that BECAUSE i have had the car service at a independent garage that no contribution or goodwill gesture would be forecoming. After that statement , I then questioned the fact that I had used UNIpart garages as well as Vauxhall and was told that this did not apply. Why is this point not being answer? It seems that the use of independent service agent is good on paper but when there is a problem, it does not apply. The clarify this issue , I would like a full transcript of my conversation with the rep as this is dragging on. Also, what of questions 3,4, 5 and the excellent question from Heliosuk concerning the gearbox? I will re iterate them again; 3: I was mot requested to take the car to a vauxhall dealer to have the car checked out. The decision not to offer any help was decide during the phone call by the rep based on the service history and before the rep was aware that it was still at the independent garage. Incidently this was a UNIPArt garage and they inspected the gearbox to determine the fault. 3: Only after I was told there would be no contribution, did I mention that the car was still at the garage. I said that I would be taking this further. I did not ask for or receive any follow up letter from Vauxhall until I sent my own. Why as this been incorrectly reported? 5: Based on the fact that the car is not yet 3yrs old, should a major component fail in this short time? Also the Gearbox is not part of the service schedule, so why should this be relevant? As I have said previously, I would like a transcript of the telephone call to clarify the sequence of events. I hope you canl answer the above queries ? regards Paulco62

Max I have received the letter but this seems to be a bastardisation of the sequence of event to suit Vauxhall. A couple of key points and in particular the timing the comments were made. Let me clarify:- The main issue is the fact that a major component as failed within an unacceptable time period.Surely a gearbox should last longer than 65k where ever it is serviced. Also the service schedule do not specify any gearbox maintenance? The car as a service history both at lookers and Unipart garages. Why did the Vauxhall rep say that this was not acceptable and NO CONTRIBUTION would be considered. WHAT IS A FULL SERVICE HISTORY? APPLICABLE ONLY IF COMPLETE BY VAUXHALL? Also at no point has it been made clear that only Vauxhall garages must be used for servicing and approved garages? At the time of speak to the Rep, I was not asked to take the car to a VAUXHALL DEALER to be inspected. Why was this not requested ? I could have organised this. ONLY after the rep had stated that there would NO CONTRIBUTION did i tall her that i would take this further but would have to get the car repaired. This repair was completed two weeks after the telephone conversation. The key statement here is "AFTER BEING INFORMED BY THE REP" the car not yet 3yrs old and at the time of the failure was showing 64590K. That's 4590miles over warranty or a couple of months over warranty at average milage. I am really concerned with the lack of correct information provide by the vauxhall dealership and the vauxhall rep. I feel that I have been manipulated into the position by being given the wrong information during the telephone conversation. Clearer explanation of position I was in with vauxhall, the correct procedure to get the car checked/repaired and the options open to me would have helped to resolve the matter. Max, if could you clearly answer these questions in order it would be appreciated Paulco62

Max Thanks for the reply. However I would like to point out that the car was actually at the garage it was picked up by. They had investigated the problem and advised of the fault. I then contacted my local vauxhall dealership who basically told me there was nothing they could do and i would have to contact Vauxhall. The only way I could find to contact vauxhall was via email on the website.I sent an email but because of the lack of space in the text box , i could not explain the details fully. I received a reply a couple of days later and it was explain quite plainly that because it was out of warranty and I DID NOT USE MASTERCARE FOR THE SERVICING, they would not consider a contribution. At this point I said that I could not do without the car I would need to get it repaired. I also pointed out that I would be taking this further. Unfortunately I was not given any opportunities to further explain the situation. One of the key point to my having the car repaired as soon as possible is that I travel 80 miles a day to work (round trip) and there was no possibility of getting to work . Luckly I was on Holiday when tis happened so had a couple of days to sort this. Due to the time taken to get a response and it being negative, I had to take further holidays. The car was in a manchester garage and I live in Warrington. The Warrington Vauxhall dealer offered to look at the car but I would have to pay to get it back to them. Then the estimated cost would be in the region of £1800. At no point did the Vauxhall service rep offer to have the car inspected so no matter what, I was faced with an hefty bill. I had no other opportunity but to have the car repaired. This as now been done, but I have full engineer reports (from a UNIPART garage), quotes and final cost which i will now be presenting to Warrington trading standards. Obviously if you know that I had stated that the car was going to be repaired, you must know that it was stated that UNIPART were not recognized as a viable service station. This also will be passed onto the garage that completed the repair. There is one thing you could chase MAX , is a reply to the letter I sent customer services but as yet received no reply? One other thing , a couple days after the first call from Vauxhall I received a call asking how I rated customer service. The response from myself was very negative and when I tried to explain why instead of giving scores out of 10, the call was terminated?? Did I upset them or can't they take criticism? Sorry this as gone on but can i thank everyone who has replied to this thread. This as provided some valuable information and advice I will keep you informed of any outcome. Regards Paulco62

Heliosuk Thanks for the reply.Not heard anything from MAX yet but I have recently had a response back from Vauxhall customer services after emailing them. There reply was that i was not entitled to any contribution because the car was out warranty due to the mileage. Also because I have had the car serviced at Unipart garages, Vauxhall do not accept this as a valid service record? (According to the customer service rep) Ultimately, I have had to have the car repaired at my own expense (£1000+ and rising). I have sent a letter to Vauxhall to clarify this but received no reply as yet. I am not sure I have sent it to the right address so if anyone as got vauxhalls customer service address, I would appreciate it. Regards Paulco62

Max Thanks for the reply. Appreciate the positive response. Not sure how to PM (Newbie) so reg is AT57dwc Regards Paulco62

Max My 57 plate Astra has developed a major fault with its gearbox. I have contacted Customer services but because the car as done 65000 miles it is out of warranty?? Surely the gearbox must have a better life expectancy than this?? They have informed me that they will not offer any goodwill gesture or honour any warranty because of the mileage and the fact i have used UNIpart garages for my servicing? The customer service representative did not want to hear or even consider any argument i tried to put forward or offer any further advice? I tried to explain that I am not some"boyracer" as she implied but a regular vauxhall customer with a few models under my "belt" I hope you can provide some help with this matter? Regards PaulCo62