# Let down by Opel car.



## theengineer (6 Jan 2009)

Hello everyone.

My new Opel car which only has 3,500km on the screen broke down On the morning of December 27th. I only got it back this evening ( 6th January). 

I was left without a car for a number of days, not good for me as i have extreme difficulty walking.
No one as yet has even said sorry for the trouble.

Did anyone, or do you know of anyone who had a bad experience like me? 

What would you do if you were in my shoes?


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## Billo (6 Jan 2009)

"I was left without a car for a number of days"

Did you not ask for a replacement car while your own was off the road ?
You would have been entitled to a replacement IMHO.


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## theengineer (6 Jan 2009)

Yes , I did ask for a replacement, they told me they did not have one, also it was subject to availiblity. I had to eventually get a bus to go to collect a car from a hire company.


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## gm88 (6 Jan 2009)

I thought all new Opel cars come with complimentary AA cover.  When mine (06) had to be towed from the road to my home (garage closed), following day towed from home to garage to be fixed (which I did have to pay for) I got a hire car "free" from the AA.


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## gm88 (6 Jan 2009)

Also - the complimentary AA cover was for 3 years.  This incident happened in 2008.


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## theengineer (6 Jan 2009)

you were lucky, 
I guess things come to a halt at Christmas.
It was the AA who came out to me, ( they did answer as opel service)


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## Pee (6 Jan 2009)

I've never driven anything but Opel and have found them very reliable. I'm shocked with the garage's attitude to you their customer.

Was it an Opel Main Dealer?

If yes, write a letter of complaint to the Opel Ireland and copy it to the sales manager and service manager of the main dealer.

If not then I think the best you could do is write to SIMI and the garage seeking some sort of compo for the loss of the car.


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## theengineer (6 Jan 2009)

yes the garage is a main opel dealer, 
what complicated the issue was the car broke down on the 27th dec, all opel garages were closed untill jan 2nd,( no use to me) i spoke to opel ireland on monday 29th, and got the car at 2pm approx, i had no car for sat, sun and most of monday. I made several phone calls to see if i could get sorted out, could not go anywhere during the holiday period. 

I do intend taking the matter up with the garage where i bought it, (i was not happy with the response this evening.) If opel ireland wants to make it up to me it will be fine, but my contract is with the opel garage .

I do because of my work have a meeting with a group of four people on Friday who have recently got primary medical certs, they will shortly be buying new cars. It will be intresting what car they choose to purchase. 


I myself do accept things break down, and really dont blame the car for that, I dont blame the mechanics as i am sure these modern cars are difficult to repair, but the way i was pawned off since 27th dec was not good. Prior to that I was happy with my car, I even put another person who got a primary medical cert towards opel. I hope they dont have any problems with their new car.


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## RS2K (7 Jan 2009)

What was the nature of the breakdown and what kind of Opel was it?

In very general terms GM products are ok reliability wise.


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## mrsmonypenny (7 Jan 2009)

I had a problem a couple of years ago when I bought a new Renault. I got it towed back to the garage, and they were refusing to give me a courtesy car also, as they had none available. I said that I wasnt happy with this, that I have a young child, and they gave in, and got me a car from a car rental company. They should have tried to accommodate you as best as the could, and if you feel let down and unsatisfied as to their customer service on the issue, definetly do NOT let it go, write letters of complaint to Opal Ireland and SIMI, as PEE said above.


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## theengineer (7 Jan 2009)

RS2K said:


> What was the nature of the breakdown and what kind of Opel was it?
> 
> In very general terms GM products are ok reliability wise.


 

The car(opel Marevia) would start,, but would not drive, It has an automatic transmission) Apparently the garage reprogrammed it. 

Would it take 3 days to reprogramme ?


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## RS2K (8 Jan 2009)

theengineer said:


> The car(opel Marevia) would start,, but would not drive, It has an automatic transmission) Apparently the garage reprogrammed it.
> 
> Would it take 3 days to reprogramme ?



I doubt it.


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## gm88 (8 Jan 2009)

It wasn't the garage, but the AA that provided the car for the few days to took to sort out the damage to my own. 

But it was the garage that provided the AA cover in the first place when I bought the new Opel there.

A few years ago, when I bought my first Opel, I didn't even know it came with free 3-year AA cover until the AA wrote to me when the 3 years was up!


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## krissovo (8 Jan 2009)

It could have been just the dealership that was shut down for the festive period, did you ring other dealerships?  Many businesses effectivly closed between the 24th > 5th january.  

Opel is a honest reliable make for the most part and I have owned many Astra's, Cavaliers, vectra's (although on a UK Vauxhaul badge) and I could not complain about the "ok" service I got from them.  Also with many dealerships struggling the policy may have changed to be slightly less customer focused to save a few Euro's from the bottom end.

i hope you many reliable motoring years ahead of you!


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## theengineer (26 Jan 2009)

Got a reply to my letter from the garage today( main opel dealer)
I consider it to be a poor response.

Still awaiting Opels reply.


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## Yoltan (27 Jan 2009)

A friend of mine had a 06 Astra sport diesel and was having constant trouble with starting. Opel took it and said there was nothing wrong but the problem continued. Eventually my friend sold it and bought a Honda with (no problems!). About 6 months later a letter from Opel arrived saying the car was being recalled for a starting motor problem!!!


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## theengineer (3 Feb 2009)

Just an update, Opel still have not written to me, Like the Summer they say it is on the way.


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## theengineer (5 Feb 2009)

*New OPEL broke down*

As some of you may all ready be aware I had serious problems with a brand new opel. Opel behaved appaling, 
http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=100855

This is escalating on my part, and was faxing some documents to opel customer service and was suprised to find they are in the uk, and not in Ireland at all. Is this normal for car companies to have customer service in Uk, their phone number is an irish one .

I really want to have all the facts correct as i am mindful to get the legals involved, my own solictor always likes me to do as much ground work as possible, and then transfer to him.

One major issue that I have discovered. If one gets a replacment car here, one can not take the car out of the Island of ireland. In addition one cant get a replacment car even for local runs after 6pm any evening, never on a saturday, never on a sunday, and never on a bank holiday monday.


Anyone ever encounter this problem with anyother brand , is it normal? or is it just opel?

Thank you for all your replies.


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## theengineer (5 Feb 2009)

*Re: New OPEL broke down*

anybody?


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## theengineer (6 Feb 2009)

*New Opel gave trouble again this morning!*

Could you believe it, My new opel car gave trouble again this morning, 
the car is new, see my previous treads on it, It is now ok again, may be frost related. It always starts but would not drive, F on display!!

Any one having trouble with opel automatics at present?


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## RS2K (6 Feb 2009)

*Re: New Opel gave trouble again this morning!*

Just you I think.


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## Chris (6 Feb 2009)

*Re: New OPEL broke down*



theengineer said:


> This is escalating on my part, and was faxing some documents to opel customer service and was suprised to find they are in the uk, and not in Ireland at all. Is this normal for car companies to have customer service in Uk, their phone number is an irish one .


Very normal to have customer service in one central location, whether that is Ireland, UK, India, etc and also regardless of what product you buy.





theengineer said:


> One major issue that I have discovered. If one gets a replacment car here, one can not take the car out of the Island of ireland. In addition one cant get a replacment car even for local runs after 6pm any evening, never on a saturday, never on a sunday, and never on a bank holiday monday.
> 
> Anyone ever encounter this problem with anyother brand , is it normal? or is it just opel?



I very much doubt that any brand offer a 24/7 vehicle replacement service as part of the warranty agreement. I would imagine that the cost of such a service would significantly increase the price of the car. Can't say for sure, but I've never heard of such a service.
With most manufacturers you also get a very small/cheap replacement/courtesy vehicle. Coming to think of it, I've only ever heard of it being called a courtesy car, so it may not be a warranty entitlement but rather courteous gesture.

Have been driving Opel cars for many years now, and never had trouble; never had an automatic though.


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## theengineer (6 Feb 2009)

anyone know anything of relevance re opels automatics?
If you know of anyone having similar problems please let me know


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## theengineer (6 Feb 2009)

*Re: New OPEL broke down*



Chris said:


> I very much doubt that any brand offer a 24/7 vehicle replacement service as part of the warranty agreement..


 

I must check the warranty again, but as far as i can recall opel guranatee to keep you on the road 24 hours a day, the warranty did say a replacment car of similar class would be provided. 

i know max of 4 days was mentioned in the warranty.

I must reread the warranty,


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