Is TVR customer support always this bad??
Discussion
My Cerbie has just had (under 1000 miles) a total engine rebuild at the factory. It's a 97 4.2.
The removal and re-fitting was done by Newtown Motors in Cwmbran.
After deciding it was too far to take it back there for the 1000 mile service, I spoke to them and said is it ok for Walldonway to carry it out, and would it affect the 6 month factory warranty on the engine?
Assured all was ok with that I booked it in.
The day after, I started the car up to and almighty mis-fire and the MIL light staying on.
Not wanting to do any damage, I had the car towed in, to find out that Newtown had connected the Lambda sensors back to front causing the wrong sensor to be monitoring the oxygen flow for the wrong bank of cylinders. All was ok until the valve timing started going out and the sensors told the management system that the wrong cylinders needed a richer fuel mix. More fuel.... Sensor says no. More fuel still...... sensor still says no. Until....BANG.
Newtown have now basically said tough!!! As I didn't buy the car from them.
I spoke once to Jason at "customer relations" at the factory and said surely your warranty extends to one of your approved franchises fitting the engine correctly? "Yes of course" he said. "I'll speak to them and call you back".
6 days later, 17 phone calls and 6 voice messages, I am still unable to get Jason back to me, and my Cerbie is still very sick and I am facing a £600 bill for a cock up by Newtown Motors that they are not interested in addressing.
Is this the norm?
Do I sell the Cerbie and go back to Mercs?
The removal and re-fitting was done by Newtown Motors in Cwmbran.
After deciding it was too far to take it back there for the 1000 mile service, I spoke to them and said is it ok for Walldonway to carry it out, and would it affect the 6 month factory warranty on the engine?
Assured all was ok with that I booked it in.
The day after, I started the car up to and almighty mis-fire and the MIL light staying on.
Not wanting to do any damage, I had the car towed in, to find out that Newtown had connected the Lambda sensors back to front causing the wrong sensor to be monitoring the oxygen flow for the wrong bank of cylinders. All was ok until the valve timing started going out and the sensors told the management system that the wrong cylinders needed a richer fuel mix. More fuel.... Sensor says no. More fuel still...... sensor still says no. Until....BANG.
Newtown have now basically said tough!!! As I didn't buy the car from them.
I spoke once to Jason at "customer relations" at the factory and said surely your warranty extends to one of your approved franchises fitting the engine correctly? "Yes of course" he said. "I'll speak to them and call you back".
6 days later, 17 phone calls and 6 voice messages, I am still unable to get Jason back to me, and my Cerbie is still very sick and I am facing a £600 bill for a cock up by Newtown Motors that they are not interested in addressing.
Is this the norm?
Do I sell the Cerbie and go back to Mercs?
Give them the chance to put the problem right. If they refuse, send a letter to the service manager (copying TVR) explaining the situation and state that you will be seeking advice from Trading Standards. If you dont get a response, talk to trading standards - as its "only" £600 then you can set up a small claims action to recover your loss. Hopefully it wont come to that...
Had similar situation with an engine rebuild and dispute over who should be paying for the repairs.
TVR "customer services" were supposed to be investigating.... it took over ten weeks with me trying to get back hold of them and they just would not return calls.
I ended up writing four letters as well.
When I finally got hold of them (I had to call 3 times a day every day for weeks) they simply said TVR would not help out and blamed a dealer for the problem.
They also denied having received ANY of my four letters (very hard to beleive).
Basically... TVR customer support is terrible.
I think their moto is "ignore them and hope they go away".
TVR "customer services" were supposed to be investigating.... it took over ten weeks with me trying to get back hold of them and they just would not return calls.
I ended up writing four letters as well.
When I finally got hold of them (I had to call 3 times a day every day for weeks) they simply said TVR would not help out and blamed a dealer for the problem.
They also denied having received ANY of my four letters (very hard to beleive).
Basically... TVR customer support is terrible.
I think their moto is "ignore them and hope they go away".
On the other hand... when I had a problem with my Griffith a few years ago I got "Goodwill" from both TVR and the dealer. Ben S' spent a fair amount of time with me at the next Motor Show to ensure all was resolved ok, when he could have spent time trying to find punter more interested in buying a new car. Since then I have had excellent service from Mike W in the parts dept. and Neill Anderson has called me back a number of times to discuss suspension and brake upgrades with me in detail. I don't know many car makers where you get to chat directly with the chief chassis engineer if you want to! Rich...
I'm glad they helped you out... thats how it should be.
There would be a lot more retained TVR customers if the customer service team could treat everyone else so well.
I very nearly sold up as a result of my experiences but thought I'd give it antoher chance. I'm glad I did as the car has been great since the rebuild.
However, the service that I got from TVR has seriously dented my confidence in them, and I'll have to have a hard think about whether to upgrade my Cerbera again or try a different marque.
With all the problems that happen with TVR's you'd think they would employ more than 1 customer service person. Poor old Jason must have a tough job trying to juggle all the incidents that happen (I don't blame him for my experience).... but there's no excuse really, TVR should review how they run this department
>> Edited by bandit on Friday 28th June 13:50
There would be a lot more retained TVR customers if the customer service team could treat everyone else so well.
I very nearly sold up as a result of my experiences but thought I'd give it antoher chance. I'm glad I did as the car has been great since the rebuild.
However, the service that I got from TVR has seriously dented my confidence in them, and I'll have to have a hard think about whether to upgrade my Cerbera again or try a different marque.
With all the problems that happen with TVR's you'd think they would employ more than 1 customer service person. Poor old Jason must have a tough job trying to juggle all the incidents that happen (I don't blame him for my experience).... but there's no excuse really, TVR should review how they run this department
>> Edited by bandit on Friday 28th June 13:50
quote:
Watching as I do and hearing all the stories I do it's incredibly frustrating to watch. Whether the cars are reliable or not (that's another debate I'm not getting into here), the perception of unreliability is exaggerated massively by the poor way that problems are dealt with.
I agree and when I mention it to Dad it upsets him as well. A few years ago he was Customer Complaints but got moved off to do other things he still gets involved occasionally.
There have been occasions where Customer Service has been very good and if anything is really urgent etc I have spoken to Dad and things have been sorted (the overreading odo in the Tamora and Nubbins Glovebox for example).
So things can be done.
Perhaps TVR should work on the more critical problems first?
It's great someone got their glovebox fixed quickly....I on the other hand ended up with a 10 week wait and a £2,000 bill and a car that was off the road for 3 months.... and no-one at TVR seemed to care at all.
This is what I would call a really urgent problem... not a glovebox that didn't shut properly !
>> Edited by bandit on Friday 28th June 16:22
It's great someone got their glovebox fixed quickly....I on the other hand ended up with a 10 week wait and a £2,000 bill and a car that was off the road for 3 months.... and no-one at TVR seemed to care at all.
This is what I would call a really urgent problem... not a glovebox that didn't shut properly !
>> Edited by bandit on Friday 28th June 16:22
Im not saying that the glovebox is as important to you as it probably was to Nubbin. What I am saying is things can be sorted.
Example: the burnt out Griff. TVR offered to bulid him a new one after it was brought to Dads attention.
I don't know what else Jason has to do but I am sure he is doing his best.
Claire
Example: the burnt out Griff. TVR offered to bulid him a new one after it was brought to Dads attention.
I don't know what else Jason has to do but I am sure he is doing his best.
Claire
I don't think anyone would think a glovebox was as important as a totally fried Speed Six Engine... not even Nubbin !
As I said, it's great that there are some people that are happy (it would be terrible if EVERYONE was upset !) but these stories of chuffed customers don't make me feel any better about what I had to experience..... it really was VERY bad !
As I said, it's great that there are some people that are happy (it would be terrible if EVERYONE was upset !) but these stories of chuffed customers don't make me feel any better about what I had to experience..... it really was VERY bad !
I agree that a glovebox is not as important, just niggly.
I don't know the details of your case just as I don't know what Jason has on his plate.
What I am saying is there are people at the facory that take Customer Service seriously.
Like I have said before, if Dad or I can help in any way we will. But is nothing gaurenteed.
Claire
I don't know the details of your case just as I don't know what Jason has on his plate.
What I am saying is there are people at the facory that take Customer Service seriously.
Like I have said before, if Dad or I can help in any way we will. But is nothing gaurenteed.
Claire
Gassing Station | Cerbera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff