Another AA thread

[headlight]

My friend was going away Monday morning.
His 2015 Hymer Exis-T parked outside his house wouldn't start.
He rang the AA to be told as the van was outside his house it wasn't an emergency and would take 6-7 hours to get to him.
At 5.30 they rang him to say it would be the following morning.
Following morning AA turned up and couldn't diagnose the problem and said the van would need to go to a Fiat specialist.
The AA guy asked my friend if he knew one in the area so he suggested the Fiat professional garage he used for warranty and servicing work.
A recovery truck turned up early afternoon and took the van away.
Wednesday my friend rang the Fiat professional garage to find out how they were doing.
He was told that they didn't have diagnostics for his van as it was so old, 2015, and their diagnostics only did 2016 and newer so they couldn't touch it.
He then rang the AA who told him that he was only covered to be taken to one garage and that they had taken his van to the garage of his choice so he would have to arrange for the van to be taken somewhere else himself at his expense.
It's now Friday, the AA won't budge, the Fiat professional has said it's nothing to do with them and his insurers have told him that as the AA recovered him to the garage of his choice it's not their problem.
Obviously he assumed that the Fiat professional that had previously done warranty and servicing would be able to diagnose the problem with his7 year old van.

 

[DavidG58]

The big scandal here is Fiat, IMO, they shouldn’t abandon support due to age surely

 

[Riverbankannie]

I feel very sorry for your friend but surely there is an error by someone about Fiat professional only touching post 2016 vehicles. It just doesn’t sound right.

 

[Falcon 269]

A Fiat Professional garage doesn't have diagnostics for a 2015 Ducato? That seems ridiculous and not a little worrying. Mine's a 2014 model (X250?) and the roads are full of them still.

I'd be kicking off with the Fiat dealership.

 

[suavecarve]

As per others, Fiat not touching a Fiat because it is over 6 years old !

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[headlight]

His van hasn't been to this Fiat professional for the last 2 years due to COVID but presumably 2 years ago they did have diagnostics for a 2015 van.
Have they thrown the diagnostic program away.

 

[Riverbankannie]

A Fiat Professional garage doesn't have diagnostics for a 2015 Ducato? That seems ridiculous and not a little worrying. Mine's a 2014 model (X250?) and the roads are full of them still.

I'd be kicking off with the Fiat dealership.

The X290 came in in 2014 so a 2015 model should be no different for diagnostics than a 2016 model. The 2015 model in the OP story cpuld possibly be built on an older X250 I suppose but still ……

 

[Riverbankannie]

His van hasn't been to this Fiat professional for the last 2 years due to COVID but presumably 2 years ago they did have diagnostics for a 2015 van.
Have they thrown the diagnostic program away.

I suspect your friend is being fobbed off or he has got the story wrong somehow. It would be good to hear if he turns up there and see what they have to say in person and if they actually are working on older vehicles.

 

[chaser]

The world has gone mad, I bet if you turned up at a back street garage with proper mechanics they would solve it.

 

[headlight]

Strictly speaking I suppose his insurers and the AA are correct as they have done what his policy says.
In hindsight he shouldn't have suggested anywhere and then the AA would have to sort it themselves.
Total lack of customer care on the part of Fiat and no leeway on the part of the AA and insurers.
His insurers and the AA have lost a customer, although they probably don't care.

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[headlight]

I suspect your friend is being fobbed off or he has got the story wrong somehow. It would be good to hear if he turns up there and see what they have to say in person and if they actually are working on older vehicles.

He went there yesterday afternoon and was told to his face that his van is to old for their diagnostics.

 

[Dutch 68]

As said, what a ridiculous story, I bet you that they service thousands of vans older then that, straight on the phone with Fiat UK to sort it me thinks

 

[Dorset Diver]

To much reliance on computers these days. I'm sure a good old fashioned Mk1 mechanic would sort it 🛠.

 

[Riverbankannie]

He went there yesterday afternoon and was told to his face that his van is to old for their diagnostics.

A name and shame required here I think, let’s see if other Funsters have been there.

 

[headlight]

He rang Fiat yesterday and is waiting for them to get back to him.

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[Captain Yoghurtpot]

His van hasn't been to this Fiat professional for the last 2 years due to COVID but presumably 2 years ago they did have diagnostics for a 2015 van.
Have they thrown the diagnostic program away.

Good point!

 

[ctc]

Cancel AA membership with a letter explaining why and you are going to spread the story everywhere you can. Similar with Fiat.

 

[RowleyBirkinQC]

If that is a Fiat Professional/Commercial garage, as opposed to an independent garage who ‘specialise in Fiat’, surely that is a terrible admission on the part of the garage? As a Fiat representative, do they not have any obligation to be able to service/diagnose/repair vehicles older than 2016? Madness!

 

[David and Sally]

So basically, scrap your Fiat if it is older than 6/7 years as it cannot be maintained?

Let's hope Fiat see the light.

 

[chaser]

I have been looking at breakdown companys this last week trying to see who to go with, but a similar thing I see in all of them is if in Europe if the van can't be fixed in 48 hours they will take it back home, does this not apply in the UK?

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[headlight]

If that is a Fiat Professional/Commercial garage, as opposed to an independent garage who ‘specialise in Fiat’, surely that is a terrible admission on the part of the garage? As a Fiat representative, do they not have any obligation to be able to service/diagnose/repair vehicles older than 2016? Madness!

Yes it is a Fiat Professional/Commercial garage.
Prior to COVID he used that garage as it is the only one in the area.
As an aside, but in relation to being an approved Fiat Professional, I have a boat with a Honda outboard.
At annual service time I have found that plenty of "approved" Honda outboard dealers, do not have "Doctor H" the Honda outboard diagnostic program.
Even though they are listed on the Honda Marine UK, find an approved dealer website list.
So it seems you don't need the necessary equipment to be an "approved" dealer.

 

[Dutch 68]

Maybe get some chairs and a parasol by the entrance gate of the fiat garage and tell every vehicle owner who drives in with 16 plate or older that they unfortunately have to turn around because they cannot possibly be helped, vehicle is too old

 

[headlight]

UPDATE.
My friend is at the Fiat Professional now.
He got nowhere with his insurers, AA or Fiat themselves.
The Fiat Professional is still adamant that they can't work on vehicles as old as 2015.
After lengthy discussions my friend has got the Fiat Professional garage to agree to allow a mechanic from an independent garage, who has the diagnostics to work on his 2015 van, to work on it in their car park.

 

[Riverbankannie]

UPDATE.
My friend is at the Fiat Professional now.
He got nowhere with his insurers, AA or Fiat themselves.
The Fiat Professional is still adamant that they can't work on vehicles as old as 2015.
After lengthy discussions my friend has got the Fiat Professional garage to agree to allow a mechanic from an independent garage, who has the diagnostics to work on his 2015 van, to work on it in their car park.

Well I am glad that he has found a resolution but it is still puzzling isn’t it?

 

[pappajohn]

I reckon the other AA* are more efficient.
I've been insured by the AA but I certainly wouldn't have breakdown cover.


*Alcoholics anonymous

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[John Barrett]

I reckon the other AA* are more efficient.
I've been insured by the AA but I certainly wouldn't have breakdown cover.


*Alcoholics anonymous

Looks like I'm on the wrong forum!

 

[Two of usI]

As previously stated...... mine is a Fiat, and has had issues, and, have heard loads of moans on here, yes, I know some will be good, but, when I can afford, it will be Goodbye Fiat !!!!!!

 

[Dutch 68]

UPDATE.
My friend is at the Fiat Professional now.
He got nowhere with his insurers, AA or Fiat themselves.
The Fiat Professional is still adamant that they can't work on vehicles as old as 2015.
After lengthy discussions my friend has got the Fiat Professional garage to agree to allow a mechanic from an independent garage, who has the diagnostics to work on his 2015 van, to work on it in their car park.

Could we please have the name of this garage please?

 

[headlight]

I find it hard to believe that at 7 years old a vehicle is "to old to work on" by a company that is supposed to be a specialist for that vehicle but I know my friend well so don't disbelieve what he's saying.

 

[headlight]

Could we please have the name of this garage please?

Yes as soon as my friend has managed to get his vehicle away from them as I don't want to cause him any problems.