arnold clark--what is a warranty

[lasertung]

Don't know if i can post about someone else on here, but this story needs telling.

Took my car to clarkies today for a service (joke, but i aint lafin). Whilst waiting i met a lovely 23yr old burd who had brought her Pug in because it had chewed up the front n/s tyre in only 4 months of ownership. We discussed the problem and i told her of the main faults which manifest themselves in one worn tyre. She went and asked service reception to have her steering tracked and was told that she would have to pay for this as it was not covered by warranty. Tell me two things please:- first, what causes one badly worn front tyre? second, how the Helen B Merry can you find out the cause of this fault without checking the tracking?

This young Lady was becomming a triffle upset, but had had to wait so long that she accepted clarkies offer of two new front tyres for £50. as she didn't want to be running dangerously or illegal. I warned her to keep a close eye on these new tyres, as if the problem was not fixed, she would be back in another 4 months or sooner depending on quality of new tyre.

What is the point of a warranty if it doesn't cover whatever work is required to find and eliminate the root cause of the problem?

IMO, this site is great but people only come here when bad things happen. It can't prevent people from becomming victims of such devious devils. This is proved by the number of people in clarkies today that were sat with salesmen writting away at their desks.

When will we learn.

[esmerobbo]

Anything which is considered a consumable is not covered by a warranty. Unless the item is faulty and not just worn. Tracking would be considered a consumable as every time you hit a bump or a kerb you could alter the tracking.

 

Saying that if a tyre wears out in 4 months the tracking would have to be pretty well off and I would think it would effect the cars handling in some way. If the tracking was causing the tyre wear Arnold Clark may be right in saying the tracking is not covered. I would however assume that Arnold Clark would have tracked the vehicle to rule out other problems with the cars front steering/suspension geometry.

[Surfer01]

Under SOGA isn't it up to the garage to prove that it was your fault that the tracking got knocked out especially if the vehilce si only 4 months old. It can't be a very good car if at the slightest bump the tracking goes out. To knock it that hard to screw up a tyre in 4 months of usage would leave tell tale signs indicaitng poor driving. I would say that under SOGA the car has an inherrent fault and it is up to Clarks to resolve the issue at their expense.

[esmerobbo]

I don't know if it was a new car OP didn't state. If the car was only 4 months old then yes you would be right, I would not expect a car of four months to chew a tyre. I would not say the slightest bump would effect the tracking however I don't know where you live but some of the potholes around my neighbourhood could certainly effect the tracking! as would bumping on and off high kerbs.

[Surfer01]

We live in a rural area down a lane. The OP gave the impression it was a new car referring to 4 month old tyre, but until they update us we can only live on assumptions.

[esmerobbo]

We live in a rural area down a lane. The OP gave the impression it was a new car referring to 4 month old tyre, but until they update us we can only live on assumptions.

 

I agree but I would have thought for good customer relations whether new or second hand a new tyre should have been fitted. I do hope they checked the tracking/geometry or the new tyre will suffer the same fate.

[Surfer01]

Unfortunately as the OP was an observer we probably will not know and the lady will carry on buying new tyres unless they sorted out the tracking. OP seems to indicate that they did do so.

[esmerobbo]

True true mind you £50 for two front tyres seems fair I paid £244.94 for two yesterday:sad:

[lasertung]

Hi Guys. I will try and answer some of the points you have raised in your replies. The young lady did not say if car was new or she had only owned it for 4 months and i didn't ask. What i did ask her was if there was any steering pull to the left during her ownership and she replied no. clark quoted £180 for two new tyres and the track was not checked when new tyres fitted. At the time i told her that a worn TRE or slack/worn hub or worn/bent steering component could cause one tyre to wear more rapidly than the other, but she would normally have felt something through the steering wheel. She claimed that no such symptoms were ever noticed.

I think the point here must be clarks responce to the problem which is very similar to a post by scaniaman where he had the same trouble getting clarkies to do work under warranty. In his case the manufacturer would only pay clark for 1 hour or so on investegative work, and clark would not work unless someone paid them. So much for customer satisfaction. Its unlikely i will get any further info from the girl as i did not ask her phone number incase she thought i had an ulterior motive. ME? LOL

[heliosuk]

LOL at Lasertung. Chatting up??? you should know better!!

 

Reality is that if one tyre wears to this extent then the fault is not with tracking but with camber angle which suggests, if not adjustable and unlikely is on the front on most modern cars, is down to an excessively worn component, usually a bush on the lower arm or top mount on strut if struts fitted. Arnold Lark workshops, if competent should have realised this. Tracking faults result in both tyre wear or there will be an extreme steering wheel angle in a straight line otherwise.

 

It would seem that from a history of posts about Arnold Lark their aftersales department doesen't actually know what a car is or let alone how it works.

[scaniaman]

That just about sums it up Heliosuk. They can't even read the service manual to know what items to service!! Then you get reems of bumf covered in ticks---but service book not completed??

Now, if you take the time required to do all these ticks, and consider how short a time they have the car in the workshop, WHAT ACTUAL MECHANICAL SERVICING IS DONE??????

Since it's a good few years since i ran a workshop, can someone please tell me why their workshop gaffers have to attend "Budget Meetings"? Would their time not be better spent learning more about the cars they sell--=-or is Clark's solely interested in profit at every turn?