[thewallboy]

I was without my car for over a month due to the update failing and the car then needing a replacement part.
While I was given a courtesy car for the duration I can't help feeling hard done to and I think some ind of compensation should be forthcoming.
Has anyone had any joy with compensation claims with either their dealers or significant gestures of goodwill?
As I type this I fell like a bit of a spoilt child and maybe I should just suck it up, but then I feel there should be some accountability for this.
If you could share any advice/experience (happy to be told to just get on with it) that would be great.

 

[Mr_ess_jay]

Have you lost out financially?

 

[Tam9]

Have you lost out financially?

I feel that it's not financial compensation that should make a claim that warrants financial/good will gestures...here's a few examples:

Loss of experience due to the car not having the same features - tow bar, larger boot that would usually accommodate the dog so now needs to travel in another car, possibly fuel (if loaner was an ICE).

The loss of use of a purchase that you bought in good faith - a month is a significant amount of time to be without an item you paid for (significant one at that).

Now onto the OP. A month is a massive wait, I would be hoping for something substantial - free service for 2 years, new set of tires when needed, a we charge credit etc etc.

I've got an ID4 on order and that's what I would want if something of that magnitude made my car go away for such a lengthy period of time.

 

[No_Petrol_Now]

Good luck with tall of that

 

[Mr_ess_jay]

Yeah, I agree good luck. If you've been kept mobile in a broadly similar vehicle and not lost out financially (repeated visits, time off work etc) then they've met their obligations. There will be small print regarding hire cars not being like for like and all reasonable steps being taken by the dealership.

They may dig out the hamper or the discounted accessories card but it wouldn't be expected.

You could always ask but if the transaction has finished, you may have a bit of fight.

 

[Tam9]

serious question here then - I am obviously off the mark...

If I order an id4 with a tow bar so that 1) I can take my small trailer camping with my bikes or 2) put my bike tow bar carrier out so I can throw the bike on the back and head out etc etc...and then I have to put the car in and I get an id3 or something small and I cannot go out on my bikes - surely, I've been inconvenienced? Don't get me wrong, I'm coming from a privileged background of not having a car in the garage for an extended period of time so I am only guessing.

What's your opinion if the car is in the garage stifles your life due to it being fixed?

 

[Gailjon]

I feel that owning a car has its risks that include it breaking (software/hardware, or whatever).

If my washing machine broke down in warranty and had to wait for a part before it could be fixed, I wouldn't expect Hotpoint or whoever to pay to get my clothes washed during that period of time.

 

[Mr_ess_jay]

I understand fully what you're after, I really do but I still beleive the dealer will weasel out of it on a non like for like clause. It would be the same with breakdown or accident cover. You may get the same base car if you have the right breakdown or accident policy but it's a stretch to also expect options to be included in that deal.

The best you could do is ask, they might say yes but I'd be prepared for them to say no.

Is the towbar attachment also an option on an ID4?

And regarding having an ID3 as a courtesy car, that might also be a stretch, most dealers don't have them available as courtesy cars. You'll get a Golf or maybe a Tiguan if you're lucky.

 

[Electrickery]

Surely you should be able to expect reimbursement of the additional cost of fuel, if you are given a petrol/diesel?
If it's less than 6 months old you can always threaten to reject the vehicle.

 

[Tam9]

I understand fully what you're after, I really do but I still beleive the dealer will weasel out of it on a non like for like clause. It would be the same with breakdown or accident cover. You may get the same base car if you have the right breakdown or accident policy but it's a stretch to also expect options to be included in that deal.

The best you could do is ask, they might say yes but I'd be prepared for them to say no.

Is the towbar attachment also an option on an ID4?

And regarding having an ID3 as a courtesy car, that might also be a stretch, most dealers don't have them available as courtesy cars. You'll get a Golf or maybe a Tiguan if you're lucky.

Hi - as said previously - this is hypothetical for me (and obv not for the OP). Yes - ID4 has a tow bar option (I ticked that!) I should get the car mid May if I'm a betting man...actually, I think late May!

I do understand exactly what everyone is saying - but when something is removed you are aggrieved and want maximum return.

Thinking back, yes, a tow bar would be a push but definitely a very similarly sized car as I'm a very outdoorsy person who travels heavy everywhere and need all the space I can get.

 

[SoulGW]

I think we also need to think of what we want to achieve?

Do we want to put off manufacturers from launching new “untried” tech for fear of massive compensation claims, or (provided they behave fairly and sensibly) just accept we are running at the front end of technology, we benefit from it (cheaper running) and my have the odd issue....?

I am not saying don’t ask for your first service free or something, but at the same time, don’t be too silly or something as small as this could stop be developing new EV’s and does that benefit anyone in the long run?

Yes you need a replacement car. Yes they should pause your finance payments and extend the end date so you have “free motoring” until the car is fixed, and perhaps even a fuel contribution.... but the dealer will end up paying for this, and the dealer didn’t build it.....

Let’s not have more dealers refusing to sell EV’s because they got bitten once - very short term thinking if that happens.

 

[TomH]

In reply to Tam9. (forget to press the reply button)

I've heard of eternal optimists but you have to be the eternal pesimist!

Your car will come with the latest software and you're planning in detail for it to go wrong big time!

I suppose it's all hypothetical and giving the OP encouragement but the logical conclusion is never to buy a car at all.

 

[RunningStrong]

serious question here then - I am obviously off the mark...

If I order an id4 with a tow bar so that 1) I can take my small trailer camping with my bikes or 2) put my bike tow bar carrier out so I can throw the bike on the back and head out etc etc...and then I have to put the car in and I get an id3 or something small and I cannot go out on my bikes - surely, I've been inconvenienced? Don't get me wrong, I'm coming from a privileged background of not having a car in the garage for an extended period of time so I am only guessing.

What's your opinion if the car is in the garage stifles your life due to it being fixed?

In a civil court of law you would need to evidence a financial loss.

An inconvenience would need to be quantified. So if you couldn't carry your bicycles, the cost of bicycle hire. If you can't tow a caravan, the hire of an alternative vehicle or alternative accommodation (additional cost) etc.

 

[Mr_ess_jay]

The other thing we risk is prices rising across the board in order to drive a fund for a compensation culture. It happened a few years ago when crash for cash claims on car insurance became a thing and everyone was claiming for whiplash.

 

[Electrickery]

I think we also need to think of what we want to achieve?

Do we want to put off manufacturers from launching new “untried” tech for fear of massive compensation claims, or (provided they behave fairly and sensibly) just accept we are running at the front end of technology, we benefit from it (cheaper running) and my have the odd issue....?

I am not saying don’t ask for your first service free or something, but at the same time, don’t be too silly or something as small as this could stop be developing new EV’s and does that benefit anyone in the long run?

Yes you need a replacement car. Yes they should pause your finance payments and extend the end date so you have “free motoring” until the car is fixed, and perhaps even a fuel contribution.... but the dealer will end up paying for this, and the dealer didn’t build it.....

Let’s not have more dealers refusing to sell EV’s because they got bitten once - very short term thinking if that happens.

I doubt they would pause your finance payments, but that would be acceptable if they did (though obviously a lot aren't bought on finance). If it's a lease then you would at least have the wriggle room to haggle with the lease company for acceptable resolution, after all with a lease you are paying for something each month which isn't being provided.
I don't agree with the "if everyone claims then we all pay more" mentality, it's up to these companies to provide a decent product/service in the first place. Evs are inevitable, dealers need to up their game, they won't stay in business if they refuse to sell them!

 

[Mr_ess_jay]

They will refuse to sell them if everyone wants to claim compensation for every little thing they feel they deserve.

Everyone complains EV's are expensive, should we stick a bit more on them?

Dealers just sell and maintain the cars, they don't design or manufacture them.

 

[scott28tt]

if you had spent hours sitting at the dealer, or hours travelling to them and back, or if they had left you without any car, then maybe you might “deserve” to be compensated.

 

[Monkeyhanger]

I doubt they would pause your finance payments, but that would be acceptable if they did (though obviously a lot aren't bought on finance). If it's a lease then you would at least have the wriggle room to haggle with the lease company for acceptable resolution, after all with a lease you are paying for something each month which isn't being provided.
I don't agree with the "if everyone claims then we all pay more" mentality, it's up to these companies to provide a decent product/service in the first place. Evs are inevitable, dealers need to up their game, they won't stay in business if they refuse to sell them!

If everyone claims, we do pay more - that's a fact, as previously mentioned with car insurance (false whiplash claims etc.). There's not a pot of free money, that compensation payment has to come from somewhere, and it won't be coming from the profit margin - if operating costs go up then so does the cost of the product.

The dealers upping their game is unfair on the dealers too. The facing of a brand new car with brand new tech and issues caused by the manufacturer that the dealers have to deal with.

I've seen first hand on a few occasions that VW UK leave the dealer to carry the can for VW AG's failings, and most of the time the dealershipis strong-armed to provide compensation out of their margin, not VW UK's or VW AG's.

 

[Geoff_S]

My BMW M3 went in for an oil change and they threaded the sump plug. A while you wait job took 4 days to sort out.

I didn’t get any compo, just a loan car for the four days.

It was an i3. And that’s how my EV journey began

 

[thewallboy]

Thank you all for your input. Broadly what I expected and I am pleased to have the car back.