Ross Champion Mt. Edgecombe.

On the 8th April I approached the Mt Edgecombe branch of Ross Champion to get an assessment to repair the rear left door on my car. I walked into the reception where the assessor was busy eating a polony sandwich and drinking his coffee. When he finally attended to me he informed me that Ross Champion was very busy and that if I did accept their quote, they would have to send my car to one of their other branches. I wish I had taken his advice and walked away. However, the quote arrived promptly the next day in which he stated that my car was in “ fair condition “ . Actually it is in very good condition and even though it is nearly 7 years old, had only done 27,200 kilometres. I was actually on the under 5000 kilometre per annum plan. Stephanie, the service advisor at Ross Champion informed me, on one of the rare occasion that I was actually privileged to speak to her, that Santam had authorised a second hand replacement door! I was horrified and so disappointed in Santam. And especially disappointed when the Santam agent Grant Harris called to explain to me in an arrogant and condescending manner, that the car was old and out of warentee and therefore it was their prerogative to authorise a second hand part. After little or no real communication from Ross Champion, because they were never available and always in “meetings” I called the Ross Champion branch in Pinetown and explained my situation to the work shop manager. Relating the damage to my car and the fact that it was still with Ross Champion 22 days after delivery! He advised me that it was long over due and that the repair should only have taken 5 days, and maybe 6 if it was a second hand door. He advised me to speak to Michalle the branch manager. But she was always in a meeting, and did not return my calls. So he offered to speak to her on my behalf. My car was ready for collection the next day! Day 23! When I arrived to fetch, it I walked around to the outside yard of Ross Champion, and saw at least 5 rows of cars parked bumper to bumper, 5 or 6 deep, left outside in the hot sun, waiting to be stripped. And two large skips filled, and overflowing with second hand car parts. When I took possession of my car, the upholstery was full of white fingerprint paint smudges, the black trim on the side was flapping and the panel next to the door extended by 4 millimetres from the body of the car. At first they denied that they had touched this panel, but after I showed them the original car damage on my phone, they repaired it on sight. So all that was left for me to do was to remove all the bits of old newspaper and to remove all the white paint smudges from the black upholstery.