COMPLAINT: FAILURE TO REPAIR MOTOR VEHICLE TO VW VOLKSWAGEN SA STANDARD

<p>1. My vehicle was sent for repairs at Farber Coach Works (<strong>Montague Gardens, Cape Town</strong>). This was arranged by TELESURE which is a part of the insurance company DIAL DIRECT.</p> <p>2. Upon the initial assesment of the vehicle, I asked the assessor if Farber Coach Works are a certified VW panel beater. The assessor confirmed that they are. I also asked the assessor if Farber Coach Works will guarantee 100% compliance to VW Standards. The assessor said they are certified VW panel beaters, however he will be honest with me in saying that TELESURE have experienced problems from this particular supplier before, where consumers would return their vehicles to be corrected.</p> <p>3. I trusted that TELESURE would know that it would be safe for my vehicle to go for repairs at Farber Coach Works.</p> <p>4. I however, experienced extremely POOR service from both Farber Coach Works and TELESURE.</p> <p>5. On the 31st of May 2016 at 08H30 am, I delivered my car to Farber Coach Works for repairs. About a week later, on Monday the 6th of June 2016 I phoned Farber Coach Works and spoke to a lady with the name Kim. She was my service advisor. Kim said to me that my vehicle is not finsihed yet, and that I will only receive my vehicle on Wednesday, 8th of June 2016. I said to Kim, that it is unacceptable, it’s nearly been a week already that they have worked on my vehicle. Kim rep**** that she does not want to put pressure on the workshop employees who are fixing my vehicle as just the week before they had an unhappy customer who also pushed for them to have her vehicle done in a short space of time, and she returned her vehicle very unhappy. I asked Kim when will I be able to pick up my vehicle, and she said to me on Wednesday the 8th of June 2016 in the afternoon. I agreed that the forementioned arrangement was fine by me.</p> <p>6. On Wednesday the 8th of June 2016, between 12 noon and 13H00 pm I phoned Farber Coach Works. Kim was not there to assist me, however one of the other ladies tried helping me gathering information regarding the status of my vehicle.</p> <p>7. It was said that my vehicle is not complete. I then phoned to speak to the Branch Manager, Mr. Mano Pillay. Mr. Pillay, was not much of help and just said that there is not much he can do, but to only return my vehicle to me the next day, Thursday, 9th of June 2016. I was furious!! I aksed Mr Pillay the reason why they did not bother to tell me that my car was not going to be ready on Wednesday but on Thursday instead, as I had arranged business meetings on the Thursday and Friday in St. Helena’s Bay. Mr. Pillay did not know how to help me. I then phoned Mr. Pillay for a second time and asked him to provide a courtesy vehicle until my vehicle is repaired. He kindly accepted the request and delivered a vehicle to my workplace in Epping on the Wednesday, 8th June at 17H00 pm.</p> <p>8. Upon my arrival at Farber Coach Works on Friday 10th June 2016 at 14H30 pm, I found my vehicle as follow:</p> <p>a. Unclean – Kim promised me that my vehicle will be completely valeted inside and outside. This was not done at all. Infact I could still see the chalk the technicians used to mark the vehicle. Despite the outside uncleanliness, I also found that paint was on the interior on the car, the airbag was switched on but the clock was not even set to the correct time. The carpets were dirty, and to find the plastic cover on the drivers seat as I collected the vehicle.</p> <p>b. New Right Rear Door was not in allignment with the body of the vehicle. I could see this and pointed it out to the team. They dropped the right rear passenger door, however it is still not in lign with the rest of the vehicle, or up to VW standard.</p> <p>c. I left Farbar Coach Works, drove straight to VW Barons N1 City, where I asked the foreman if he could assess the vehicle, whether he thinks is it up to VW Standards.</p> <p>d. The Foreman pointed out to me that the stoned chip strip painted onto the right-very bottom of the vehicle is 100% different to the other side. This is part of the frame of the vehicle. Once again Farber Coach Works failed to comply with VW Standards.</p> <p>e. Saturday, 11th June 2016 at 09H00 am, I drove my car to the TELESURE Assessment Centre in Century City, Cape Town. I met a very friendly Assessor with the name of Azhar, and he helped me to re-assess my vehicle, as I was EXTREMELY UNHAPPY about the whole experience and outcome of the repairs of my vehicle, considering the fact that it is still under warranty and practically brand new.</p> <p>f. Azhar agreed with my obeservation as mentioned above and also pointed out the following:</p> <p>· Pitt Marks: Right Rear Door</p> <p>· Vehicle Returned Dirty</p> <p>· Overspray over vehicle</p> <p>· Paint Runs: Right Rear Door and Right Rear Dogleg</p> <p>· Pitt Marks: Right Rear Door and Lower Dogleg</p> <p>· Poor finish: Right Rear Fender Edge</p> <p>· Right Rear Door not aligned</p> <p>· Stone chop app**** to tick on Right side</p> <p>· Paint Cover to thin on Right Sill</p> <p>g. After Azhar’s assessment he asked me to park the vehicle in the sun, as the lighting inside the assessment centre can be deceiving. With the vehicle outside in the sun, both Azhar and myself discovered that there is an extra dent, which was definitely not there when I took my vehicle for the repairs. The dent was noticed on the right-front fender edge. With this it implies that my vehicle was also dented at Farber Coach Works during the period of 31st May to 10th of June 2016. </p> <p>h. After serveral attempts to get in touch with Senior Management at TELESURE on Monday, 13th of June 2016, I finally received a phone call from Jaco Roodt. I explained my terrible experience with Farber Coach Works to him. He then arranged with Donovan Le Fleur from Farber Coach Works Epping 2 branch to meet with me to assess my vehicle. Jaco, assessed my vehicle with me at Epping 1, Cape Town Market on Monday, 14th June 2016 at 13H35 pm. I phoned Jaco later the afternoon to find out what is the plan of action going forward. Jaco explained that my vehicle will be repaired at Farber Coach Works, Epping 1 Branch.</p> <p> </p> <p>Details of steps taken to resolve the complaint:</p> <p>· Up until this very moment, I have had no further correspondence from neither parties, Farber Coach Works nor TELESURE. I have had NO apology either.</p> <p>· As a consumer of South Africa, this leaves me not only extremely unhappy and disappointed, but extremely disgusted with the Service I received from Farber Coach Works (Montague Gardens, not to mention SHOCKING to say the least. Is this the type of service we get for the money we pay and work so hard for?!!!</p> <p>I would NOT recommend ANYONE to take their vehicle to the Montague Gardens branch!!! To my knowledge and experience this branch should not be an accredited panel beater!!! I have also come to know that there are many people complaining not only about the service but regarding their workmanship!!!</p>