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QFour

QFour

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Had a bit of an issue with the Carthago the other day. Phoned Southdowns where it came from and they are fully booked until December. Phoned the local Fiat Dealer in Portsmouth and was told nothing they can do until October. If the RAC had taken us there it would just have to sit and wait.

Problem was it refused to start. Been out and about all day with no problem. Got back to campsite and stopped at the shop. Then refused to start and battery down at 12v. So rang Fiat Assist. While we sat and waited for RAC Commercial we pushed it to the late arrivals and plugged it in. 20 minutes later it started.

Following day. Checked the voltages with the engine running and battery showing 12.5v. Removed the fuses round the battery and checked them. Lots of clicks from relays etc behind the dash. Put everything back together and started the engine battery now showing 13.5v
 
do you really need a fiat or a motorhome mechanic ?
any good mechanic should be able to sort it.

tony
 
QFour said:
Had a bit of an issue with the Carthago the other day. Phoned Southdowns where it came from and they are fully booked until December. Phoned the local Fiat Dealer in Portsmouth and was told nothing they can do until October. If the RAC had taken us there it would just have to sit and wait.

Problem was it refused to start. Been out and about all day with no problem. Got back to campsite and stopped at the shop. Then refused to start and battery down at 12v. So rang Fiat Assist. While we sat and waited for RAC Commercial we pushed it to the late arrivals and plugged it in. 20 minutes later it started.

Following day. Checked the voltages with the engine running and battery showing 12.5v. Removed the fuses round the battery and checked them. Lots of clicks from relays etc behind the dash. Put everything back together and started the engine battery now showing 13.5v
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I‘ve had it with dealers, all friendly and nothing is too much trouble when they are taking the money from you, but after sales service - don’t even go there, agreed any good mechanic should be able to sort it, but why should you have to take it to a good mechanic and pay him/her to sort it after paying the dealer a pretty sum in the first place?

We won’t go back to our dealer two years down the line with a new van, I’ll not bore you with the complete list but I‘ll give just one minor example. One of the long as you’re arm snags on the list was the fridge vents bulged out at the sides and just didn’t look good, I described the problem as ill fitted fridge vents, they cured the problem by sealing them on with hard white mastic. Problem solved! I asked them how I was going to insert my internal winter covers, eventually sent replacement vents.

It took me hours to prise off the vents with Stanley blades and properly fit the new vents. Experts - Naa - just salesmen with some shoddy ‘technicians’.
 
**** said:
I‘ve had it with dealers, all friendly and nothing is too much trouble when they are taking the money from you, but after sales service - don’t even go there, agreed any good mechanic should be able to sort it, but why should you have to take it to a good mechanic and pay him/her to sort it after paying the dealer a pretty sum in the first place?

We won’t go back to our dealer two years down the line with a new van, I’ll not bore you with the complete list but I‘ll give just one minor example. One of the long as you’re arm snags on the list was the fridge vents bulged out at the sides and just didn’t look good, I described the problem as ill fitted fridge vents, they cured the problem by sealing them on with hard white mastic. Problem solved! I asked them how I was going to insert my internal winter covers, eventually sent replacement vents.

It took me hours to prise off the vents with Stanley blades and properly fit the new vents. Experts - Naa - just salesmen with some shoddy ‘technicians’.
Click to expand...
The best one we had was on the Swift from Lowdhams. Water pouring out underneath. The Service Dept said they had re-cut the threads in the tank and everything had been refitted. I asked what size adaptor they had used. When I got home and checked it I moved the pipe and it fell off. All they had done was put even more PTFE tape round the fitting and stuck it in with sikaflex. What a bodge. As you say some of the Dealers just don't have staff that can do repairs.
 
Because there‘s some distance between our ‘dealer’ and us I decided to get them to agree the snagging list and email me the work sheets their ‘technicians’ fill out, ie faults noted and remedies applied. One intermittent fault was - select reverse gear (Ford engine), the selection peep noise turns into a continuous annoying tone for the entire time that reverse gear is selected. The ‘Technician expert’ opined without any obvious investigation - “The customer must have parked the vehicle too close to a fixed object and the parking sensors have alarmed”. Genius! Still an intermittent fault. I even sent them video clips to demonstrate the problem fully.

At great expense we’ve returned the van twice now and were still left with problems I’ve had to solve and repair. Bunch of Charlatan shysters is all I can say.

Or maybe we just picked the wrong ’dealer’ ??
 
molly 2 said:
When people ask about buying a new motorhome ,I advise buy from a close to home dealer as you may need many return visits .I found out the hard way ,
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That might work for you in your particular circumstances, our circumstances are completely worlds apart. Thanks for the advice though.
 
QFour said:
The best one we had was on the Swift from Lowdhams. Water pouring out underneath. The Service Dept said they had re-cut the threads in the tank and everything had been refitted. I asked what size adaptor they had used. When I got home and checked it I moved the pipe and it fell off. All they had done was put even more PTFE tape round the fitting and stuck it in with sikaflex. What a bodge. As you say some of the Dealers just don't have staff that can do repairs.
Click to expand...
I would have been back with mates and baseball bat, not joking either.
 
QFour said:
Had a bit of an issue with the Carthago the other day. Phoned Southdowns where it came from and they are fully booked until December. Phoned the local Fiat Dealer in Portsmouth and was told nothing they can do until October. If the RAC had taken us there it would just have to sit and wait.

Problem was it refused to start. Been out and about all day with no problem. Got back to campsite and stopped at the shop. Then refused to start and battery down at 12v. So rang Fiat Assist. While we sat and waited for RAC Commercial we pushed it to the late arrivals and plugged it in. 20 minutes later it started.

Following day. Checked the voltages with the engine running and battery showing 12.5v. Removed the fuses round the battery and checked them. Lots of clicks from relays etc behind the dash. Put everything back together and started the engine battery now showing 13.5v
Click to expand...
Fit a volt meter on the dash board, one starter and one service, keep an eye on things when driving or charging.
lece 4.jpg
 
Because at the time it was the only option available?
 
We come from an expensive boat ride away and decisions weren’t made lightly?
 
Before i fitted a good radio, one which came with the van was so complicated I had to bin it, skoda one fitted now.
 
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