Machine Mart

[Grandma Jan]

Clarkes iG2200 inverter generator puchased july 1st 2011 12 month garrentee,cost £479.77.

 

Worked for 12 hours over a 7 day period, not worked since been in to phoned machine marts tech department and it sent to them in Nottiningham they had it for 2 weeks sent it saying spark plug faulty air bubble in fuel line.

 

Brought it home couldnt get it started.

 

Took bach to store chap took it into the back of shop came back said can you hear it runing well i could hear a geni running but didnt see them start it or that it was mine.

 

Home we came couldnt start it.

 

Took back to store they could not start it.

 

It was sent back to tech dept with letter from me refusing the item we had had the geni for 4 months by this. I asked for a replacement or refund.

 

Got a letter from there head office saying awaiting engineers report, then a letter saying it was working ok and refusing refund or exchange.

 

Brought it home would not start took back to store thay could not start it. This was the 1st dec 2011.

 

The store got thier local engineer to look at it, he could not start it but he said the spark plug was coked up and was a cheap and nasty spark plug. Put a different one in after struggling with it for 2 days he got it started.

 

We brought it home on the 16th dec 2011, have tried to start the generator several times since then it wont start spark plug coked up again. Card company legal dpt took it up but wont help they say its up to me to prove it wont start not the to prove it will.

 

Help please

Edited June 13, 2012 by ims21

[ims21]

I've formatted your post for easier reading as not many folk will plough through a huge block of text

[phlipflop301]

Thanks for that ims21.

 

I'm Grandma jans son and pointed her to the forums to get some help with this matter. My fathers not well at present and thats part of the reason my mums post was all together and not well presented.

 

To try and clarify the situation a little better, i'll make the points a little more readable.

 

* On the 1st July 2011 they purchased a Clarkes iG2200 inverter generator from Machine Mart at a cost of £479.97 and came with a 12 month gaurantee.

 

* They took the generator away with them in there caravan on the 17th July 2011 and it worked for 12 hours over a 7 day period. The generator was packed away on return home and wasn't used again until the w/k commancing 26th sept 2011.

 

* On the first day away in Wetherby they tried to start the generator after priming and everything else that needed doing to no avail. The day after My father took the generator to the Leeds branch of Machine Mart to try and get a new spark plug, He was advised that they where only available online through Machine Mart. My father then travelled from Wetherby to Lancashire to swap the Clarke generator over with a Newpower Generator that they also own but is really heavy hence them buying the Clarke one. My mother also emailed Machine Mart from her caravan (she's pretty tech savvy) stating here unhappiness with the geneerator.

 

* On their return from holiday 3rd October 2011, there was a message from Machine Mart technical department in Nottingham, asking my parents to take the generator back to Machine Mart in Bolton so they could send it down to Nottingham to be looked at. After having the generaor for around 2 weeks, they stated spark plug replaced due to being coked up and air bubble in fuel line. Generator was returned but my mother and father could still not start it.

 

* My mother stated her dissapointment again. Someone from the tech team phoned them and they stated to take the generator back in refusing the item and saying they had lost all confidence. On the 22nd Nov 2011 they recieved a letter on behalf of Machine Mart stating they would be back in contact once they had recieved the engineers report.

 

* 23rd nov 2011 They picked the generator up again from Machine Mart Bolton with repair sheet stating work done, chacked and tested under load on all settings no fault found advise when generator runs out of fuel to prime unit before starting. This is done everytime anyway my parents are not stupid when it comes to using generators, and even following everything in the manual still results in it not starting.

 

* 1st dec 2011 they received a letter on behalf of Machine Mart again from an assistant service manager stating that all products are covered with a manufacturing and material defects gaurantee for 12 months. They state no fault was found so no replacement or refund would be given. The generator could still not be started and they took it back to Machine Mart in Bolton. The guy in the shop could also not start the generator he tried on the monday tuesday and wednesday to no avail. He phoned my parents to say that the Machine Mart engineer would be in on the friday and he would get him to have a look at it.

 

Engineer could not start the generator on the Friday and had a look at the spark plug. He stated he couldn't believe thay where still using such a cheap sparkplug. The engineer phone the tech guys in nottingham stating he was unhappy as they had sent it back the last time with no oil in the generator and the fuel vent left open. He stated he would come back the following friday with a new sparkplug, which he did and there was also another air bubble in the fuel pipe. Engineer got the generator running but didn't have it under any load. My Parents picked the generator up but have since been unable to start it. No matter anytimes they follow the manual word for word. Several other people have also tried starting it to no avail.

 

My father decided to get the credit card company involved. s75 in March 2012 they asked for all sorts of information which my parents have provided. My father phoned Virgin Money 12th June 2012 asking what was happening and they stated they could do nothing due to Machine Mart stating the Generator is working and my Parents stating it isn't. They told my father that he would need to get a generator engineers report to send into them. Who is liable for paying this? is it down to my parents and can they claim that expense back from the Virgin.

 

Any help would be appreciated in this matter and i hope it has clarified the situation a little better. My parents like i have stated already have another generator which they can start/service/prime no problem at all but is heavy. they have also bought one of the parkside generators from lidl recently and have no problem starting that. There is obviously a fault with the clarke generator with the spark plugs always having to be replaced and also other reviewers seen on amazon seem to have had the same problem with this same model generator. Unfortunatley my parents are not engineers and that seems to be the only people able to start the generator. My father is also very poorly at present with going in and out of hospital with his heart so the added stress with all this isn't helping.

 

Thanks for reading

Phill

[rebel11]

Hi phl

 

You shouldn't be out of pocket, so the Credit Card Company should refund the cost of the report, just clarify with them.

 

Here's some further info:- http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/sale-of-goods/your-rights-when-paying-by-credit-card/

 

'They told my father that he would need to get a generator engineers report to send into them. Who is liable for paying this? is it down to my parents and can they claim that expense back from the Virgin.'

[Grandma Jan]

Hi virgin credit card issued by MBNE thier section 75 claims dept told me that as they dont know what this Generator is or what a generator actualy is used for they could not refund me .I have now been in contact with the ombudsman and they have written to mbna and if they havent refunded within an 8 week time period they will take the matter up for me.Thank you for you input Reble11 much appreciated.

[rebel11]

Hi Grand

 

It sounds like they are playing 'silly beggers', they could easily google, generators, that would make sense. It sounds pretty straight forward. It's sounds like the retailer isn't helping. Let us know what the FOS say. You've taken the correct steps. Once you get it resolved write a complaint to Richard Branson. I'll find the details for you.

[Grandma Jan]

Thank you rebel11 i will let you know and i will certainly write to mr Branston,thank you again for you support.

[Grandma Jan]

Just recieved final responce from M.B.N.A.They tell me they have contacted Mr Martin the tech dept manager at Machine Mart and he says the genorator starts fine.and M.B.N.A.say that as we have had to purchase another Genorator to enable us to go away with our caravan off electric that this is the reason we are asking for a refund.Not impressed.i have now emailed Mr Martin and issude an invatation to him to come to my home and start this genorator i have offerd to make him a cup of tea and have even offerd cake when he gets it started.Maybe the Watch dog program is an option as well.

[rebel11]

Hi Grandma

 

Take the following steps:-

 

1) It might be an idea to get an independent report from an engineer on the generator, testing it for faults that can back up your case. It needs to be someone that's an expert on generators.

 

2) Lodge a Complaint with the FOS, it can be done online or over the phone. It will cost MBNA £500 plus when the FOS start looking into your Complaint.

 

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/faq/complain.html

 

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/ombudsman-news/31/creditcards-31.htm

 

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/ombudsman-news/86/86-consumer-credit.htm

 

Just recieved final responce from M.B.N.A.They tell me they have contacted Mr Martin the tech dept manager at Machine Mart and he says the genorator starts fine.and M.B.N.A.say that as we have had to purchase another Genorator to enable us to go away with our caravan off electric that this is the reason we are asking for a refund.Not impressed.i have now emailed Mr Martin and issude an invatation to him to come to my home and start this genorator i have offerd to make him a cup of tea and have even offerd cake when he gets it started.Maybe the Watch dog program is an option as well.

[Grandma Jan]

thank you for advice i will hand it over to the fos .

[capridave]

Quality is dire, i have bought several tools, compressor, air nibbler, pipe flaring kit, welder all of which defective from manufacture.BUYER BEWARE machine mart take it on themselfs to opt out of any form of warrany. instead they point you to thier parts department that want extortionate prices and have part numbers invisible to google, so your can`t repair their defective products, without them.