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Renault UK are useless W*****S.



  320d M Sport


Very long story but I sent a 3 page complaint letter to my dealers about issues I had with them.They never replied, just binned it!I sent this letter along with another one to Reno UK, who basically are just fobbing me off.What now?I dont want to go into the ins and outs of it but basically im complaining about build quality issues and TRULY terrible customer service.Would appreciate your thoughts as Im at my wits end with Reno and will never buy another one ever again.
 
  Astra VXR 17/05/07


Trading standards Paddy ?

You have legal rights on issues like this but i cant quote them.Speak to your local trading standards office,ive used mine a few times and they are really helpfull,either they will tell you that you have no chance or advise you on a course of action.Im assuming an issue with a dealership falls under this as a purchase was made.

I hate crap like this happening,if you have a complaint it should be dealt with,be it your local shop or a dealer like Renault.

I hope you get some joy.
 
  320d M Sport


thanks for the replies, most of u that know me know that I wouldnt post something like this unless i was real pissed off!

I need to point out, the car isnt broke, everythings fine with it now so Im not going down the rejection line.

its more just a point of reno being totally useless, arrogant and so far up their own ass its unreal....

OK, main complaints:

1) I worked out that my car has been sat on a reno forecourt for at least 6 weeks (in total) due to warranty work, some big-ish problems, most are sh*tty niggling things. I still ad to pay finance + insurance even though I had NO car.

2) Last time it went in for the same fault 3 times, i had to tell them how to fix it, muppetts. They didnt even believe me it was playing up until I got PHOTOGRAPHIC evidence. fools.

3) Everytime I leave the car with them I end up with a dent in my door from another car opening up into it (why cant they have a separate warranty parking and then RENO cant blame other customers?) I look after this car so much and its annoying that other people are ruining it.

4) The dealers NEVER call me, NEVER explain what work has been done etc, usually the guy on reception doesnt even know.

5) Why did my dealer tell me to send my complaint letter to the ORIGINAL dealer where I bought the car, some 2 YEARS AGO?? (Cos theyre fobbing me off, thats why). Its a joke.

Theres more.

Just the general "we dont give a fook" that Reno UK are giving me.

Heres their reply to my letter. Its just a standard template which they jig around, Ive seen another sent to my mate thats almost identical:

"

Thank you for your recent email.

I was sorry to learn of the concerns raised within the email and I would like to reassure you that Renault have invested a lot to ensure that the dealer network offer the best possible service and that all customer complaints are taken seriously. I have spoken to Robert Bannister the Service Manager at Lookers Altrincham about the situation and he has offered his apology for not responding in writing. However he has suggested that you both discussed this matter after the letter had been sent when the car was being repaired and he was unaware that you wanted this in writing as well.

Renault, along with all manufacturers cannot guarantee that cars will be infallible or that there will not be any issues that lead to repairs being necessary. Because a car is a combination of many complex components, there is always a possibility that you may encounter difficulties. We pride ourselves on the innovations and safety of our cars, quality is our number one priority. Therefore, we are always concerned when one of our customers is disappointed. Your vehicle had a one year manufacturers warranty and a two year dealer warranty and this shows that we are confident in the reliability of our cars. Whilst you have experienced some issues it certainly does not mean that you will experience further problems.

I can certainly appreciate how frustrating the issues may have been for you but I cannot agree to your request for compensation in this instance.

Thank you again for getting in touch.

James McKnight
Customer Relations Manager"

I hate them, really, really, really pissed off.

I worked out Ive drove over 120 miles in total just to take the car in for warranty work!
No wonder Reno have been voted the 32nd Worst Dealer in the UK, and thats out of a total of 34.

Theyre a disgrace.
 
  Ford F-150 5.4 V8


rite with ya on this 1 paddy.

my car has done approx 400 miles for everyday its bin back in the garage an its goin in again after easter for a fault which has so far been fixed twice!!!

contact some1 like auto express or evo or woteva you read they sometimes use there clout to get answers.
 
  Burgandy 174 sport t


I have had a free service and 150 quid of vouchers and soon to be writting another letter askin why the hell I buy a car with the wrong spec fitted (or removed) and why a f**kin spring comes out!!
 
  320d M Sport


i asked for a service and theyre saying the complaint doesnt warrant it!!

how did u get yours sorted?
 
  Burgandy 174 sport t


went to town with them for damaging my car had meetings with the manager of the dealer complex not reno and went to town with reno coz the car had practically been rebuilt!! just persist!!

personally I think its because they are now getting so many complaints and some big cheif has put a stop to cmpensation,
 


Quote: Originally posted by paddymph on 08 April 2004



Renault, along with all manufacturers cannot guarantee that cars will be infallible or that there will not be any issues that lead to repairs being necessary. Because a car is a combination of many complex components, there is always a possibility that you may encounter difficulties. We pride ourselves on the innovations and safety of our cars, quality is our number one priority! Therefore, we are always concerned when one of our customers is disappointed. Your vehicle had a one year manufacturers warranty and a two year dealer warranty and this shows that we are confident in the reliability of our cars. Whilst you have experienced some issues it certainly does not mean that you will experience further problems.

I can certainly appreciate how frustrating the issues may have been for you but I cannot agree to your request for compensation in this instance.

Thank you again for getting in touch.

James McKnight
Customer Relations Manager"
Has this guy having a laugh or what?? :oops:

Ive been down this road paddy, go straight to trading standards, renault will continuasly fob you off untill the point you really wish you never bothered in the first place! :mad:
 


paddy, find the name and address of the CO. Director of Renault UK, put all this in a letter to him marked "Private and Confidential".

Be polite and tell him how much you like your Renault but state how unhappy and disappointed you are, include a copy of your original letter’s and the replies that you got.

On the occasions where I felt that no one listened to me I wrote to the top dog and things always got sorted and heads do roll....try it.
 
  320d M Sport


cheers Viv!

Im loving that "heads do roll" part!!

Ive told them that I will NEVER give in..... I wonder If theyve seen Shawshank Redemption where he writes every week for years.....
 


I really do sympathise and I can only point you in the direction of an independent Renault specialist once your warranty expires (or before if you care to do so).

Both my old 16V and Williams have been happy to cover large mileages without ever breaking down or having major problems. I cant see any newer hot hatch Renault being much different. Yes, there have been a few little niggles that could have been done under warranty if the cars were new, but as it is I just take them to a specialist and they sort it for me at minor cost.

Id not take my Williams near a Renault service department as I know that beyond the routine jobs, theyll lack the expertise to service the car. How many 16V/Williams/172s do these Renault dealers see in a year? Very few Id wager. My specialist is a face I trust, he works on my car as well as prints the bills - and if he didnt know what to do on the car hed tell me straight up.
 
  Elise/VX220/R26


jon1978 told me he got a good response by translating a complaint letter into french and sending it to renno france.....
 


Do what my father does, my mobile was playing up and id sent it back to orange numerous times but it kept coming back and the problem persisted, i told my old man so he found out the name of the MD of orange uk and phoned the head office, when they answered he said can you put me through to (whateva the MDs name was) its peter calling!!
He got put straight through, i was amazed!

Ended up with 2 top of the range PAY AS YOU GO phones, 2 orange F1 t-shirts, caps, swiss army knife, Orange bottle opener!! Loads of stuff!

Its gotta be worth a try!
 
  FN2 Type R +MK6 Golf


Now after all this people think other people are crazy to go and buy an import.Its quite clear from this letter that renault are crap,i agree and have had issues aswell.You really have to do all the work to get anything done and no ive never had a curtousy call from them either.

One point id like to make:

clio 182 from dealer roughly £14000

clio 182 from motorpoint £11699 at the moment

Why bother giving some turd your hard earned money to feel totally pissed off all the time and spend more.Just buy an import,your dealer is still gonna treat you like sh*t but you save money and if they only give you 2 years warranty so what,buy an extended yrs cover for a couple of hundred quid.

And when you come to sell it theres no way your gonna loose £2500 over a uk car that was bought at the same time,so why let britain rip you off.

regards,ian
 
  320d M Sport


possibley true mate.

i know that letter I got sent hasnt been written just for me, they must think Im daft!!

looks like the MD is the only way to go. Wat a total ballache.
 
  ExigeV6|Q5|DS3|Fiat


Paddymph

I had similar grief with my dealer when i bought the 16v. I took it in for a service then never paid them cos of all the problems i had.

After countless letters demanding payment, i got a court summons, at last i had to go to court and this is where renualt actually listened.

The service was then free of charge and small compensation for the hassle they had caused.

The employees invoved were apparently sacked.
 
  320d M Sport


hi aaron alright mate, its a joke isnt it.

Latest news is Reno UK have asked my dealer (Reno Altrincham) to write to me.

Its really pissin me off now, theyre the people I wrote to in the 1st place who did fcuk all!

arrghhh. cant wait to move to the dark side...
 
  GW Clio 200


I think that it depends on the dealership rather than Renault themselves. Some dealerships can be really bad yet other the opposite.

My Sister has also done what Viv suggested with Peugeot, she wrote to the Peugout Head office and owner of the Dealership which was Cliffords. She got what she wanted and some in the end as they couldnt do enough, that had been a whole different story for the previous 5 months..
 


Paddy - best way to get back at Renault is to never, ever by another of their sh*tty build quality cars and never spend another penny (unless pissing against one of their cars) at another Renault dealership. Theyre a total piss take. Even us Brits can put cars together better than the French. Dont waste any more time, effort and money with the idiots.

PS: This thread has got me all annoyed again so ive filled in a feedback form on Renault UKs website:

I just want to tell you that Ive finally sold my Clio 172. It is the 4th Renault ive owned. It is also the last. Your dealers (esp. Reg Vardy Sheffield) are incompetant, greedy and disrespectful. Customer Service is non-existant. You make some damn fine cars, but you cant bolt them together properly, you cant repair them properly and your parts are comically over priced. Ive tried to point this out in the past, but to no avail. So, my only recourse is to never, ever spend my hard earned money on another rattly, unreliable Renault again as long as I live. The way you treat your customers is a disgrace and Ill make sure that all my friends and family know it. Thanks for 2 years of un-necessary inconvenience and expense. May god have mercy on your other customers/victims. Yours sincerely, R Turner.

Ah....i feel better now (not that Ill get a response, as usual).
 
  FN2 Type R +MK6 Golf


Quote: Originally posted by Rhys on 09 April 2004

Paddy - best way to get back at Renault is to never, ever by another of their sh*tty build quality cars and never spend another penny (unless pissing against one of their cars) at another Renault dealership. Theyre a total piss take. Even us Brits can put cars together better than the French. Dont waste any more time, effort and money with the idiots.
as ive said before buy an import and save yourself the money.There great cars but there services lets them down,so buy a cheap one and you wont feel so robbed when you need something fixing

ian
 
  The Jinx


Paddy, I agree with BenH. By all means continue your arbitration with Renault but get the warranty work done elsewhere now. You no longer have to take it to a dealer for warranty work.

I know the name of a sh*t-hot Renault specialist that both me and Paul1178 use in Stockport if you need it. Theyre very highly respected and wont talk arse to you.

Does a lot of your trouble relate to Lookers? I know that one used to be Jackson & Edwards didnt it? Was it always pap or has it gone pap since Lookers took it on?
 


Quote: Originally posted by ian 172 on 09 April 2004


as ive said before buy an import and save yourself the money.There great cars but there services lets them down,so buy a cheap one and you wont feel so robbed when you need something fixing

ian
Youre still paying money to Renault if you buy an import, and the dealers treat you like an even bigger turd thats just walked in off the street. I know this because my 1st 172 was an import.
 
  FN2 Type R +MK6 Golf


Quote: Originally posted by Rhys on 09 April 2004


Quote: Originally posted by ian 172 on 09 April 2004


as ive said before buy an import and save yourself the money.There great cars but there services lets them down,so buy a cheap one and you wont feel so robbed when you need something fixing

ian
Youre still paying money to Renault if you buy an import, and the dealers treat you like an even bigger turd thats just walked in off the street. I know this because my 1st 172 was an import.
No thats wrong,they treat you like a turd from day one.You are nothing to them but a turd.By saving £2500 you will keep that in your pocket and by law they still have to give you warranty.I dont understand this kind of mentality.

Do they smile at you differently or offer you gifts.NO ,they still do a crap job,so why not save yourself some money an buy imports.

Look at it this way,if we all decided that enough was enough and bought them then what would they do,nothing,NO they would bring their prices into line with the rest of europe and stop ripping us off.

The real joke of it all is that they are all imports because they dont build renaults in the u.k but if you dont buy one from a dealer they are imports,i dont understand how people are hoodwinked into this senario and waste their money.If somebody lined 2 182s up and said pick one.They are both identical but the one on the left is £2500 cheaper than the other one,why do people pick the other one.THE SERVICING IS sh*tE FROM RENAULT WHETHER YOU OWN A UK MODEL OR IMPORT,THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBS AND HAVE LET US ALL DOWN.................WHY PAY 2.5K MORE FOR THAT PRIVELIGE

ian
 
  320d M Sport


fair point.

everyone is moaning about terrible customer service yet only a handful of people are doing anything about it.

this thread is now posted on the Honda Forums + Saxosports as well.

About 1000 people have read this so far...!
 
  FN2 Type R +MK6 Golf


Quote: Originally posted by paddymph on 09 April 2004


fair point.

everyone is moaning about terrible customer service yet only a handful of people are doing anything about it.

this thread is now posted on the Honda Forums + Saxosports as well.

About 1000 people have read this so far...!


wooohooooo im famous.....hi mum:D
 
  320d M Sport


hehe.

right, just sent the mutha of all complaint letters back. its the last one im writing, just cant be arsed with them any more........ :mad:
 


I have to say that the customer service side of renault is either fantastic, or shocking. So much so that my car is never going near another renault dealer again, unless my friend gets his renault franchise. It will be going to Griffin Racing.

/y0z
 


I have had nothing but problems with my dealer - unable to fix basic faults, damaging the car every time its in, failing to carry out a service properly by forgetting to bleed the brakes after fitting new brake cylinders which left the car with practically no braking power. I have tried complaining on several occasions, but both the dealer and Renault UK couldnt care less, every time I complain I either get no response or I just get fobbed off with a load of crap.

At one point I even mannaged to get hold of the UK area managers mobile number and called him to complain about the service, but that didnt make any difference either - they couldnt care less.

The daft thing is I actually like the car and would have probably bought a 182, but the fact that there is always something going wrong with it that the dealer can never fix has put me off ever going for another Renault. If the service at dealers was good I could cope with all the problems, but it isnt.

The other big problem I have is the cost of having work done at dealers - I have paid out £998.85 for the 18+36k services to be carried out which for a small 1.4 litre car is just ridiculous - I know people with big Mercs that dont even pay that much. Again I wouldnt mind paying more if the quality of work is good, but in my experience it is crap.

I have now had enough of my car after finding large areas of rust on the sills and underside of the car, engine not running properly, alarm problems, CD player problems etc, etc, that I have decided to get rid of it - as of this Saturday I will no longer have a Clio - thank god!!!
 
  320d M Sport


craig, sounds all so familiar!!

thats basically the point my complaint letters have been getting. bottom line is they dont give a fook!

they ruin the good theyve done in making a decent car...idiots
 


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