Lowdhams & Lunar....A Warning (1 Viewer)

[Deleted member 29692]

I also fully appreciate there are two sides to the story we get only one. But come on help the bloke out and show some support even though it won't really help.

You mean give him bad, or even flat out wrong, advice just to make him feel better?

What's the point? How can that possibly help him?

 

[Charlie]

You mean give him bad, or even flat out wrong, advice just to make him feel better?

What's the point? How can that possibly help him?

No nick I meant a little encouragement. Besides who is to say who is ultimately right ??? Or is it and can it only be you ?

 

[Deleted member 29692]

No nick I meant a little encouragement. Besides who is to say who is ultimately right ??? Or is it and can it only be you ?

I did encourage him.

I encouraged him to accept the perfectly reasonable offer from the dealer to resolve the issues with his van

It appears he didn't want encouragement either

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[Charlie]

I did encourage him.

I encouraged him to accept the perfectly reasonable offer from the dealer to resolve the issues with his van

It appears he didn't want encouragement either

 

[Scout]

he did, so did I

 

[Chris]

His advice is peppered with insinuations that all customers are out to rip off retailers, he obviously is a business man who does not hold end users in high regard.

I also think he is trying to save you a lot of expense and hassle.

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[Langtoftlad]

Unfortunately for the OP, the courts expect you take all reasonable steps to 'mitigate' your costs/losses.
Whilst you may not be happy with the resolutions offered by the dealer/manufacturer it is their prerogative to choose how best to attempt repairs initially.
And to inspect the vehicle to see if your claims are valid.
That simply is the real world situation...
You can of course then reject such repairs as inadequate - but you cannot assume this will be so.
I've used Small Claims, and won - but you have to give them a chance to fix things first.

 

[138go]

You can of course then reject such repairs as inadequate - but you cannot assume this will be so. I've used Small Claims, and won - but you have to give them a chance to fix things first.

I have used the Small Claims Court as well. I sent a bill to the Dealer listing all the work I had done and parts that were fitted to sort out the problems I had. I also wrote on the bottom of the bill that I was more than happy to discuss it in front of a Judge. They thought my bill was a joke and so did Swift who said that I had modified the vehicle so had invalidated the warrantee. I pointed out to the Dealer that my contract was with them and not Swift. If they wanted to try and get Swift to pay it was up to them. I then waited 14 days for a reply and then sent the Small Claims Paperwork. They decided to settle ..

You must also realise that Swift will not pay for work to be re-done. Once they have paid for it then that's it as far as they are concerned. If the repair fails then it's the Dealer who has to foot the bill for the repair as it was not done properly in the first place.

All the British Motorhome Manufacturers seem to work the same way. The Manufacturer sells the vehicle to the Dealer and if there is a problem agrees to pay for repairs on a wage scale that is agreed with the Dealer. Parts that have to be replaced are then sent back and must eventually work their way back to the likes of Thetford or Dometic for refund or replacement. So all the Manufacturer is responsible for is the build quality and supply of bespoke parts. The Fiat part is the responsibility of Fiat and your local Fiat Professional Service Centre is by far the best place to take it. Motorhomes come before Truck repairs and they usually go out of their way to get you back on the road again as quickly as possible.

So your Contract is with the Dealer who supplied it. It's worth shopping around just to find a good Dealer. Ok you may spend a bit more on your purchase but if you can just ring up and talk to someone who is genuinely interested in trying to help and returns emails and does what they say they are going to do then it's worth the extra.

I queried the Solar Controller they had fitted to our new Laika as it was only rated at 10A with a 150w panel. The one we had on the Pilote burnt itself out when we went to France and the sun came out. After some discussion they said that I would probably be happier with a 20A Controller so they sent me one FOC next day to put in.

One other thing we have learned over the last few years is that MH's are built by human beings. They are not perfect and don't roll off a production line every couple of minutes. Each one is individual and two MH's built side by side will be individual. Ok they may look the same but there will be differences. Some of the cupboards will fit better or something will squeak on one and not the other. They work to +- a cm or two and parts that fitted last week have been changed by the manufacturer and no one knew until it didn't fit.

Perhaps the OP should just get it fixed and then buy something else. He is never going to be happy with what he's got.

..

 

[Scout]

I have used the Small Claims Court as well. I sent a bill to the Dealer listing all the work I had done and parts that were fitted to sort out the problems I had. I also wrote on the bottom of the bill that I was more than happy to discuss it in front of a Judge. They thought my bill was a joke and so did Swift who said that I had modified the vehicle so had invalidated the warrantee. I pointed out to the Dealer that my contract was with them and not Swift. If they wanted to try and get Swift to pay it was up to them. I then waited 14 days for a reply and then sent the Small Claims Paperwork. They decided to settle ..

You must also realise that Swift will not pay for work to be re-done. Once they have paid for it then that's it as far as they are concerned. If the repair fails then it's the Dealer who has to foot the bill for the repair as it was not done properly in the first place.

All the British Motorhome Manufacturers seem to work the same way. The Manufacturer sells the vehicle to the Dealer and if there is a problem agrees to pay for repairs on a wage scale that is agreed with the Dealer. Parts that have to be replaced are then sent back and must eventually work their way back to the likes of Thetford or Dometic for refund or replacement. So all the Manufacturer is responsible for is the build quality and supply of bespoke parts. The Fiat part is the responsibility of Fiat and your local Fiat Professional Service Centre is by far the best place to take it. Motorhomes come before Truck repairs and they usually go out of their way to get you back on the road again as quickly as possible.

So your Contract is with the Dealer who supplied it. It's worth shopping around just to find a good Dealer. Ok you may spend a bit more on your purchase but if you can just ring up and talk to someone who is genuinely interested in trying to help and returns emails and does what they say they are going to do then it's worth the extra.

I queried the Solar Controller they had fitted to our new Laika as it was only rated at 10A with a 150w panel. The one we had on the Pilote burnt itself out when we went to France and the sun came out. After some discussion they said that I would probably be happier with a 20A Controller so they sent me one FOC next day to put in.

One other thing we have learned over the last few years is that MH's are built by human beings. They are not perfect and don't roll off a production line every couple of minutes. Each one is individual and two MH's built side by side will be individual. Ok they may look the same but there will be differences. Some of the cupboards will fit better or something will squeak on one and not the other. They work to +- a cm or two and parts that fitted last week have been changed by the manufacturer and no one knew until it didn't fit.

Perhaps the OP should just get it fixed and then buy something else. He is never going to be happy with what he's got.

..

very informitive post

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[Podney]

Spot on QFour,you have hit the nail on the head!!
I have been looking at motorhomes for quite a while with the aim of buying one later this year,and it's only in the last few weeks that the penny has dropped...........I should be looking at the dealer as much as the motorhomes.
So.......having decided on what layout/size etc we want,it's off to Becks near Yarmouth,maybe Oaktree,maybe SMC.
Do you have a dealership you would be prepared to recommend?
Thanks.

 

[138go]

Southdowns Portsmouth ....

 

[Xabia]

Fullers next to Lowdhams seem to have a pretty good reputation.
http://www.david-fuller.co.uk/used-motorhomes/

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[Silver-Fox]

What about John cross off here?

 

[Emmit]

It's as if, when buying a second hand 'van (or anything that has a warranty from the Manufacturer)
there should be a list of questions to ask the seller.
1. I see this 'van is xxxx days,weeks, months old. Is there a warranty from the maker?
2. Is that warranty transferable to my ownership?
3. Is there a cost to this?
4. If I transfer it to my ownership, what are your responsibilities to me?
5. Can I take it to any authorised dealer of the manufacturer for repair whilst under warranty, without cost repair wise to me?

I'm sure, you get the picture.
If those questions, (plus a load more, feel free to add) at the time of purchase, then in this case Lowdhams would be in a hole that would be difficult to get out of.

 

[mitrepooc]

I did encourage him.

I encouraged him to accept the perfectly reasonable offer from the dealer to resolve the issues with his van

It appears he didn't want encouragement either

No advice from you until i posted that i had declined Lowdhams "reasonable" offer.

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[138go]

It's as if, when buying a second hand 'van (or anything that has a warranty from the Manufacturer)
there should be a list of questions to ask the seller.
1. I see this 'van is xxxx days,weeks, months old. Is there a warranty from the maker?
2. Is that warranty transferable to my ownership?
3. Is there a cost to this?
4. If I transfer it to my ownership, what are your responsibilities to me?
5. Can I take it to any authorised dealer of the manufacturer for repair whilst under warranty, without cost repair wise to me?

I'm sure, you get the picture.
If those questions, (plus a load more, feel free to add) at the time of purchase, then in this case Lowdhams would be in a hole that would be difficult to get out of.

You have missed one that you need to work out for yourself ..

If the MH has only done 1500 miles and is only 8 months old why did the last owner get rid of it.

Possibilites Include :-

.... Didn't like it
.... Falling apart
.... Problems with Dealer who supplied It
.... Water Ingress
.... Major problems

..

 

[mitrepooc]

Thanks to all who posted i do appreciate it.

I think i'll go back to lurking.

Cheers

 

[The Wino]

It's as if, when buying a second hand 'van (or anything that has a warranty from the Manufacturer)
there should be a list of questions to ask the seller.
1. I see this 'van is xxxx days,weeks, months old. Is there a warranty from the maker?
2. Is that warranty transferable to my ownership?
3. Is there a cost to this?
4. If I transfer it to my ownership, what are your responsibilities to me?
5. Can I take it to any authorised dealer of the manufacturer for repair whilst under warranty, without cost repair wise to me?

I'm sure, you get the picture.
If those questions, (plus a load more, feel free to add) at the time of purchase, then in this case Lowdhams would be in a hole that would be difficult to get out of.

I would want the answer in writing!!!

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[BillandHelen]

Must say that when buying a new van I always take into account the probable need to return to the dealer once or twice to get "snagging" work carried out, usually minor things or mods that we want after using the van once or twice. On our latest, our "fault" list was,

Solar regulator failed - swapped out
One cupboard lock failed
Software upgrade for levellers by SAP
Remote switch fitted for invertor
Some rough edges on a locker rubbed down

If I had been handy I could have fixed them myself, don't think it's too bad given the complexity, it's also how dealer reacts and deals with faults that matters.

Really feel for mitrepooc, hugely disappointing when you've spent so much cash. Best luck for future.

Bill

 

[Langtoftlad]

Thanks to all who posted i do appreciate it.

I think i'll go back to lurking.

Cheers

I'm sure "we" [the collective] apologise for not giving you the answer you wanted, or wholly agreeing with your opinion .

 

[The Wino]

Thanks to all who posted i do appreciate it.

I think i'll go back to lurking.

Cheers

Don't be put off by some of the comments I think a lot of people have had similar dealers and have a lot of sympathy. The motorhome should be of a quality you would expect. As to the comments about how some people deal with complaints in their own business I hope they get whats due. We ran our own business for 25 years now just work part time. I learned to approach a complain as a way to really impress customers with how you deal with them there are a few who try it on but if you work as we did in a small community your reputation is your best asset we never advertised or had special offers to any extent and did fairly well in a competitive market. I forget the figurea but they recon if people are happy they tell 4 other 17 if they are unhappy lets hope Lowdhams turkeys come home to roost.

David

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[Emmit]

You have missed one that you need to work out for yourself ..

If the MH has only done 1500 miles and is only 8 months old why did the last owner get rid of it.

Possibilites Include :-

.... Didn't like it
.... Falling apart
.... Problems with Dealer who supplied It
.... Water Ingress
.... Major problems

..

Yes, I'm sure I've missed loads of questions but I started the list imagining, (as has happened) that others could continue it.

One GLARING!!! thought that I'll never be in a position to have to face is that, if buying new at a show, make sure that the dealer you are buying from is local TO YOU. Don't be fobbed off on a manufacturers stand to buy from a dealer 200 miles away with the promise that all dealers within the manufacturers association will do warranty work. After reading horror stories on here for years, it ain't gonna happen.g,

 

[The Wino]

Yes, I'm sure I've missed loads of questions but I started the list imagining, (as has happened) that others could continue it.

One GLARING!!! thought that I'll never be in a position to have to face is that, if buying new at a show, make sure that the dealer you are buying from is local TO YOU. Don't be fobbed off on a manufacturers stand to buy from a dealer 200 miles away with the promise that all dealers within the manufacturers association will do warranty work. After reading horror stories on here for years, it ain't gonna happen.g,

I think the dealer could be next door if they are crap it won't help. Yes choose local but also choose good (if possible). I had a new one from Lowdhams their aftersales is poor slow and unfriendly my mate got a secondhand one from 180 miles away had a slight problem they arranged for someone local to get in touch and sort it (but he did it himself before they got a chance). There are some good dealers its just a pity its so hard to tell who they are. Just a thought but would a court decide it was reasonable to expect a purchaser to return a motorhome so far at their own cost to rectify a manufacturing fault? it could be that the dealer intaking a sale from someone who lives so far away is also taking on the responsibility to put right any defects at their expense when it comes tot travelling costs. Our ford base was supplied to chausson in france but I wouldn't expect to take it back there for warranty work.

 

[simsy56]

Interesting post, however, I believe that a warranty isn't worth the paper it's written on.
I have bought all sorts of vehicles, motorcycles, cars, vans, 4x4s, sports cars, even garage contents and a fire engine once from auctions. Never a problem, IF you know what you are looking for, and looking at.
I have been in and dealing with the motor trade for a very long time, so it helps.
I have bought cars, motorcycles, motorhomes, and RVs privately too. Again never a problem. Knowledge is a wonderful thing.
I can understand people buying from a dealer, either new, or used, as the feeling of 'security' is paramount especially if the buyer isn't familiar with the workings, and idiosyncrasies of a vehicle.

Craig

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[The Wino]

Interesting post, however, I believe that a warranty isn't worth the paper it's written on.
I have bought all sorts of vehicles, motorcycles, cars, vans, 4x4s, sports cars, even garage contents and a fire engine once from auctions. Never a problem, IF you know what you are looking for, and looking at.
I have been in and dealing with the motor trade for a very long time, so it helps.
I have bought cars, motorcycles, motorhomes, and RVs privately too. Again never a problem. Knowledge is a wonderful thing.
I can understand people buying from a dealer, either new, or used, as the feeling of 'security' is paramount especially if the buyer isn't familiar with the workings, and idiosyncrasies of a vehicle.

Craig

Quite agree the warranty is worth only the integrity of the person or company you buy from but there can sometimes be legal redress if they act fraudulently. Yes I would sooner buy private if secondhand unless it was a dealer recommended by someone who had problems that were well sorted out. It is the horse trade of old full of dodgy characters.

 

[Ivory55]

I agree about the distance traveling to a dealer. Nothing worse then driving a long way to a dealer to sort a problem, it gives you longer to think and get annoyed about whilst sat driving there. I know some say make a trip out of it but if you do not have time or have better things to do it will annoy you about making the trip.

 

[mitrepooc]

I'm sure "we" [the collective] apologise for not giving you the answer you wanted, or wholly agreeing with your opinion .

I rest my case

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[BusyBuilder]

It must be nice to have a 'local' dealer and not have to travel 150 or 200+ miles for your chosen van/make. Living up in the Highlands our nearest dealer would be Perth about 180 miles away.
We bought private (still 200 mile each way trip) but knew what to look for in our first MH, (thanks to this site) and pretty much what we wanted in a MH. We did okay, couple of problems but I sorted them myself (leaky tap and faulty fridge valve).
So you don't have to buy from a dealer, just be careful.

 

[Manxcat]

You think that's bad. We live on the Isle of Man so £250 ferry before we start.

 

[Ivory55]

You think that's bad. We live on the Isle of Man so £250 ferry before we start.

Yes but you have got the TT , and I bet it's a nice place to live.

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