Stuck in France with faulty car... Please help URGENTLY!!!!

[honeybee13]

Hello Zoe. How are you getting on with the car problems please?

 

My best, HB

[zoe_ashton]

Hello all,

We have just picked up the car from the garage to the tune of 3445 EUR!!!! It is hopefully fixed, and Chapelhouse are supposed to be reimbursing us, as the French garage could not accept payment over the phone from them. The French mechanic told us to get the car changed by the English garage too - think he was truly disgusted at the state of it!

 

He has given us the parts to take back to Chapelhouse, and the 'new' seal that Chapelhouse had fitted has almost disintegrated, and they have had to replace most of the parts that Chapelhouse had supposedly replaced already.

 

We are going to road test the car as much as possible this afternoon to see if anything else happens! But fingers crossed that we get back to England at the weekend with no further problems. Then we can start the battle of getting the car replaced as we certainly don't want this one!!

 

Thanks all for the advice and support. Will let you know how the journey goes.. and the progress with Chapelhouse (who are still ignoring any emails they don't feel like replying to!)

Zoe

[honeybee13]

Hi Zoe and thank you for the update.

 

Please let us know how it goes and if you need help from people here with the UK garage. I'm sure they can help you sort this out and reach a fair conclusion.

 

Good luck for the journey back.

 

My best, HB

[zoe_ashton]

Hiya HB,

Just trying to get in contact with Chapelhouse, as the payment in Euros takes me over my credit limit on my Credit card, so trying to organise a payment from them, but conveniently no-one is in the office!

Will keep you updated. Cannot believe how much this is affecting my life!! (and possibly my credit rating!!!)

[honeybee13]

Hi Zoe.

 

We can address all that once you're back. I have a feeling you will get justice .

 

Do you have other means of payment? Needless to say, you need receipts but you probably know that.

 

HB x

[raydetinu]

And three cheers for the french garage that helped you though all this.:cheer2:

I suggest they need an honourable mention on here for their efforts in getting you going.

I cant see many dealers/garages over here being quite so helpfull from the posts we get on here, but I amsure there are some!

[zoe_ashton]

Yes raydetinu - the french citroen garage have been great! And they our 3 year old son a citroen football when we collected the car this morning!

 

They have told us to return the car and get a different one too - they were really shocked at the (lack of) standard of work under the bonnet -and the parts are in disgusting condition. When we get home will try and upload some pictures of the 'new' parts that Chapelhouse had fitted

 

Keep fingers crossed, as off for a long test drive now!

 

Definitely 3 cheers for the french garage!!!

[raydetinu]

are you not going to Name them ( chapelhouse seem to get a lot ),

we can then pop over and have our servicing done there:wink:

[heliosuk]

Hello all,

We have just picked up the car from the garage to the tune of 3445 EUR!!!! It is hopefully fixed, and Chapelhouse are supposed to be reimbursing us, as the French garage could not accept payment over the phone from them. The French mechanic told us to get the car changed by the English garage too - think he was truly disgusted at the state of it!

 

He has given us the parts to take back to Chapelhouse, and the 'new' seal that Chapelhouse had fitted has almost disintegrated, and they have had to replace most of the parts that Chapelhouse had supposedly replaced already.

 

We are going to road test the car as much as possible this afternoon to see if anything else happens! But fingers crossed that we get back to England at the weekend with no further problems. Then we can start the battle of getting the car replaced as we certainly don't want this one!!

 

Thanks all for the advice and support. Will let you know how the journey goes.. and the progress with Chapelhouse (who are still ignoring any emails they don't feel like replying to!)

Zoe

 

Well that is good news at a price Zoe. I think the best thing is to get home and then we will address the situation with Chapels. Please scan the invoices for the repairs when you can to let us know what you are dealing with. By the sounds of it there is a recommendation to reject the car but this has implications and I think this might not be an option now. No doubt there will be people who will have different opinions but your case is very different to the norm.

[honeybee13]

Hello again Zoe.

 

OH just made a good suggestion [don't know what came over him ]. Sometimes credit card companies will up your spending limit if you ask them.

 

Fiingers crossed, you must be leaving soon.

 

HB x

[heliosuk]

Hopefully you have arrived home safely Zoe with little trouble. I would advise that before you go and see Chapelhouse you have a clear strategy as regards what you want and the outcome.

 

All too frequently I have been in front of customers ranting and raving and when I've asked what specifically do you want me to do to make you happy I get an errrrrrrrr.................don't know.

 

So sit down and have a think and then let us know.

 

The key to this saga is to be reasonable with reasonable justifications and not lose the plot.

[zoe_ashton]

Hello everyone,

Just in the hotal at Calais and about to leave for Eurotunnel and drive home. Tried asking CC company to up limit but as I no longer have a bank account with them they couldn't do it?!?!? So had to transfer £500 of savings onto CC to make sure my credit rating is not affected.

 

Anyhow..... the french garage was Citroen Parthenay - that's the town nearest to where we were -and yes they were very good.

 

However, car is not so good..... losing power on hills (by up to 35mph on some!) and then at 11pm last night when little one wanted a wee, we pulled over in a service station and then the car would not start at all - as in, the key would not turn, it said 'handbrake faulty', and we could go nowhere..... So to the tune of 172eur we had a nice ride in a french motorway breakdown truck to the cash machine so we could pay (our breakdown company has said they will reimburse this - so that is at least something!!) And the breakdwn man who spoke no english what-so-ever managed to get us going again - we were only 30 miles from Calais too. So only arrived here at 1.30am this morning!! Grrrrrrrrr....

 

So keep fingers crossed that we actualy manage to get home today... will be happier knowing we are back in England too though

[postggj]

reject the car in writing and keep all the bills and invoices

 

let me know when you are ready to do battle:wink:

[honeybee13]

Hi Zoe. I hope you got back OK.

 

Please keep us posted about how you're getting on. I imagine you'll be back to ask the guys for help with the car once you're home and settled.

 

HB x

[zoe_ashton]

Hi all,

FINALLY back home after a very long journey! We finally gave up and called the breakdown company when we were at north London - and spent the last 180 miles of our journey relaxing in a breakdown truck! Car kept going into limp home mode with no other warnings, but still kept losing power on hills, so we just could not manage to drive safely on the motorway. So the nice man drove us home and dropped the car off with us

 

I am absolutely convinced that there is an underlying fault that has not been fixed that is causing the limp home mode all of the time - I do not know much about cars but don't think that it can be the turbo again - as it has had 3 different ones in the past 4 weeks! And honestly, I am SO past caring what the matter is with the car... just want it changed!

 

So the plan for Chapelhouse is to request:

 

Replacement car of same age & mileage, or newer/less miles for no additional cost

Payment of associated costs to transfer finance (which according to the paperwork is a Fixed Sum Loan), and admin charge to amend car insurance (again) (Not including a change in premium though)

Repayment of car repair bill by french garage, and associated credit card costs, including currency charges, over credit limit charge

Reimbursement for mobile costs for contacting breakdown service (both from England & France) plus Reimbursement for the additional toll charges on the M6 on way to France

Reimbursement of telephone costs from my parent's french landline to contact french citroen garage, and also the phonecalls to Chapelhouse in England

Courtesy car while we wait for a suitable replacement vehicle to be available

 

What do people think of the above? I do not think the requests for reimbursements are unreasonable, as we would not have had any of these costs of the car had been satisfactory.

Also any ideas on how to put this in writing, and what to take to Chapelhouse?

We have to ring Chapelhouse in the morning to arrange a meeting with Dave (service manager) and Ken Potter (General Manager) to discuss things.

 

Also... does anyone know how we stand with the parts that we have to give to Chapelhouse so they can claim back from Citroen? As they are worth about £1500 do we just give them back and hope for the best while things get sorted, or do we hang on to them until an agreement is reached about reimbursements? Don't want to delay matters by keeping the parts, but if we hand them over and Chapelhouse get their money back but then do not pay us... where do we go from there?!?!

 

Thanks all for the help! Please let me know what you think of my requests etc..

Zoe

[heliosuk]

Hi Zoe,

 

Nice that you are home. Do not release the parts to chapelhouse. Drop Honeybee a PM to ask why.

[zoe_ashton]

uploads of receipts for work done by French garage

[zoe_ashton]

Thanks heliosuk - will PM Honeybee now

[zoe_ashton]

Pictures of parts....

[zoe_ashton]

More parts...

[zoe_ashton]

Saved the best (or worse) part for last

[zoe_ashton]

Meeting arranged for 5pm tonight, so any input before then would be highly appreciated!

Thanks all

[honeybee13]

Hi Zoe,

 

Nice that you are home. Do not release the parts to chapelhouse. Drop Honeybee a PM to ask why.

 

Hello Zoe and helios. I'm a bit confused about this, sorry. Zoe, if helios says don't release the parts, then in my view that's what you do. As for the rest, I'm flattered, but I know less than diddly squat about cars.

 

Helios, I don't know if you'll see this before late afternoon, hopefully Zoe will be OK until you can turn up.

 

My best, HB

[zoe_ashton]

We are thinking that if Chapelhouse say they cannot progress with anything without the parts, to release them on condition of getting a receipt for them stating that we still own the parts until they agree reimbursement - or something to that effect.

 

Will hopefully be ok!

[honeybee13]

I don't know Zoe. If helios said don't release them, he will have his reasons. Speaking as a motoring numpty myself, if he told me that, I would do it.

 

From memory this part was faulty? So if you part with it, you may not be able to prove later that it had a problem and it could be your word against theirs, couldn't it? And they haven't done much so far to inspire great confidence. I would 'forget' to take the part and offer to drop it off tomorrow or another day, hope it isn't too far. That way, you can talk to helios and the guys later and receive more advice.

 

My best, HB