How long to wait for a letter of complaint to be answered ?

[andrew1977]

Hi Folks

I have had major problems with a 2004 used car i bought 6 months ago ( it has been returned 7 times to the garage )
I was very unhappy with the dealer and indeed the services managers attitude to me . It was a Nissan bought from a non nissan garage .Last time i brought the car back he said to me "what do i expect we are not a nissan garage ", but yet they are the dealer who is advertising nationally that " they stand over all cars, not just their own brand "

I put a letter of complaint outling all problems with the car, dates etc in writing to their customer service manager of the dealer and i also wrote to the head office of this brand in ireland

3 weeks later and i havnt heard a reply from either

Apart from ringing them and being fobbed off, should i write again requesting an answer from my first letter ?

cheers on any advice you can offer me

 

[someanne]

i would send them a registered letter outlining your problems and asking what action they will be taking to sort out your problems.

S.

 

[Mr2]

I remember this post a while back giving out about bits and pieces on your car and flicking through them.

What new problems have you had? There was not much on the last list to warrant a letter of complaint let alone a response.

 

[horatio1]

Dont hold your breadth.Customer Services from Major Companies is a joke.I have turned into a right Victor Meldrew and sent 3 complaints / queries to Fairyhouse racecourse/Vue Cinemas/Chorus(did not expect reply) and have not heard from any.Seems like you have to ring Joooooooee Duffy to get a response from a company.Have you tried Consumer Association?My complaints were small so i did not bother.

 

[CCOVICH]

Threaten and then take action through The Small Claims Court if you have exhausted the complaints process.

 

[andrew1977]

I remember this post a while back giving out about bits and pieces on your car and flicking through them.

What new problems have you had? There was not much on the last list to warrant a letter of complaint let alone a response.

Since i posted before -
Driver window has fallen through to door panel twice , 2nd time , this after being returned and whilst driving on motorway
Handbrake failure- brought it back, they assured me it was fixed, brought car to main Nissan dealer, for service , they told me handbrake needed replacing, it had not been repaired .
So you may be laid back and think it didnt warrant a written complaint, but paying out 16k for a car is a lot of cash for me, the least i would have expected is a relatively trouble free car in under 6 months .
What would have happened if my young son was left in the car for a minute or 2 and the handbrake which was supposed to have been fixed failed again and the car rolled off .Would the garage be interested then ?
So yes i do feel that a written complaint was deserved after totally unprofessional mechanical repairs and downright lies and fob off from the service department .
If you dont think the above warranted a written letter, i think you need your head tested

 

[Pique318]

Handbrake failure- brought it back, they assured me it was fixed, brought car to main Nissan dealer, for service , they told me handbrake needed replacing, it had not been repaired .

I hope you still have your reciept from the place that said it ahd been done, and get a letter from the Nissan garage stating it needed to be done, was not recently repaired/replaced.

Then copy it and send it to the manager, and head office and threaten legal action unless ALL your issues are sorted.

You've proof they lied, use it !!!!

 

[andrew1977]

Cheers Pique 318, i am heading down that road alright, have them by the short and curlys alright, my solicitor advised me to send it to put all my complaints in writing to the garage and to the head office in Ireland.
Wait for their response and take it from there
They are shooting themselves in the foot by not answering ,i would have least expected an answer especially the last major problem, blatant lies, telling me a handbrake was repaired and it wasnt, they had the car for 4 days (they even tried to charge me for the hire car ,i refused ) and done absolutely nothing with it , then handed it back to me ,saying all fine .

I used to be one who just walked away from hassle but not giving up on this one, no way

Thanks to all for their thoughts and opinions .