What to do? (1 Viewer)

[RubyOptics]

I really feel this is a one sided story and persecuting the Dealer is not the answer and pushing someone ruin someones reputation isn’t nice.

Couldn't agree more. I think the dealer has been rather generous to accept responsibility in the first place. You can argue all you want about "they gave him the van with the skylight open" but I'm fairly sure the door and hab door may well have been open as well. If the OP had driven off with an open hab door and ripped it off, as a dealer I wouldn't accept responsibility for that!

OP has been given many different solutions and offers of help so I think we need to see what happens with those rather than calling for blood.

 

[Chris Summers]

Maybe let others judge?

 

[Brains]

We were so lucky when our hatch blew off that the dealer in Lincoln had one in stock.
It seems the EU are being the EU, and making problems with ridiculous paperwork etc.

To be fair, the EU are treating us just like any other external country.
As there are very few 'UK only' rules in place yet, the default rules the EU follow are the 'same as South Africa'

We need to get used to occasional shortages of items and paying considerably higher prices for imported items, just like the South Africans.

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[Wabs]

We purchased our Knaus back in March, on the day we collected it We were so excited, I drove a mile and a half and filled it with diesel, whilst on the forecourt a freak gust of wind ripped the front skylight/ sunroof off and smashed it on the floor.
I phoned the dealer and to be fair to them they immediately accepted that it was their issue. My guess is that it hadn't been closed properly when valeted.
They told me they would, get and fit the part and deliver my MH to me as soon as it was fixed. A few days later they called and told me there were no parts in the UK and the factory couldn't supply for 12 weeks because of Brexit. As there wasn't much we could do about it I agreed to wait.
In mid June 12 weeks came and went. No part and no likelihood of a part before the end of July. They offered a temporary fix of a perspex sheet, which I agreed to.
That was two weeks ago, still nothing.
We want the MH, they have had my 42k since the start of March and I am pretty p****d off. I have paid for insurance, storage and even a tank of fuel, but have nothing to show for it.
What should I do, I have tried to find the part, but to no avail.
Any suggestions welcomed.

Do they not have another MH they could take it off, and replace the same when it comes in?

 

[GMLS]

Take them to the Small Claims Court - you file the papers online. We have done this twice in our lifetime and both times had the situation sorted within 24 hours.

No legal expert but I think you'll find if the cause of the delays can be proved to be BREXIT related you might have a chance as arguably the delays and disruption could be argued as forseeable but if COVID the root cause then it could be reasonably argued that its force majeure. We are having fun in the Construction industry with this at the moment

 

[chaser]

I really feel this is a one sided story and persecuting the Dealer is not the answer and pushing someone ruin someones reputation isn’t nice.

Agree, once the van is in the buyers hands ,the dealer can't be following him about , 1 and half miles or hundred miles , makes no difference.
The thing I would be complaining about is the fact that it blew off while parked, are you expected not to open it on site, and I'm sure a same size light of a different make must be about somewhere.
No use complaining and waiting for someone else to do it, get Google on the job.

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[Garry - June]

We purchased our Knaus back in March, on the day we collected it We were so excited, I drove a mile and a half and filled it with diesel, whilst on the forecourt a freak gust of wind ripped the front skylight/ sunroof off and smashed it on the floor.
I phoned the dealer and to be fair to them they immediately accepted that it was their issue. My guess is that it hadn't been closed properly when valeted.
They told me they would, get and fit the part and deliver my MH to me as soon as it was fixed. A few days later they called and told me there were no parts in the UK and the factory couldn't supply for 12 weeks because of Brexit. As there wasn't much we could do about it I agreed to wait.
In mid June 12 weeks came and went. No part and no likelihood of a part before the end of July. They offered a temporary fix of a perspex sheet, which I agreed to.
That was two weeks ago, still nothing.
We want the MH, they have had my 42k since the start of March and I am pretty p****d off. I have paid for insurance, storage and even a tank of fuel, but have nothing to show for it.
What should I do, I have tried to find the part, but to no avail.
Any suggestions welcomed.

I have just ordered a replacement glazing panel for my Dometic Zeitz rear window.... not cheap..... but also a 10 week minimum lead time..... nothing at all to do with Brexit... its more pandemic related and there is a widespread shortage of raw Perspex...

 

[Garry - June]

My guess is the parts may not be available for many months, possibly not even this year.

That is not the dealers fault, and there is nothing they can do about it.

If the dealer can supply and fit a perspex sheet that is waterproof, then at least you can use the van for the rest of the summer.
As and when the parts arrive, it can be booked in at your convenience

It may also be worth considering getting a Knauss Dealer near Calais involved.
I see there is one near Bruges, only about 1hr from Calais
It may be a lot quicker and easier to go there rather than wait for a part to arrive in the UK .
This also may be considerably cheaper for your dealer.

Many EU and US companies are now not selling to the UK due to the added paperwork and taxes.
(and items getting returned because the pen used to fill in the form was blue not black etc)

Until such time as what is known as a 'Consolidator' companies are set up who receive EU goods for the UK and ship across one container at a time (and people are prepared to pay the eyewatering fees) then I don't see this problem being resolved. Consolidator companies already exist, many in the UK, mostly to ship items to Africa and the Caribbean, we have to recognise that we are now a country lumped in with them.

Love to know what Brexit has to do with US imports... what's changed.... i order loads of stuff from the US and Brexit has made zero difference to that...

 

[NJA]

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions. I am not going to name and shame the dealer, as they are being entirely reasonable in the circumstances. It is not their fault that this is mixed up with the Brexit debacle. Yes they made a mistake but they have accepted that.
My frustration comes to the fore with every passing weekend, because we can't do what we planned for the summer.
I will try and get the part number to see if it can be sourced in Europe.

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[Robert Clark]

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions. I am not going to name and shame the dealer, as they are being entirely reasonable in the circumstances. It is not their fault that this is mixed up with the Brexit debacle. Yes they made a mistake but they have accepted that.
My frustration comes to the fore with every passing weekend, because we can't do what we planned for the summer.
I will try and get the part number to see if it can be sourced in Europe.

Can’t you use the van with the Perspex repair until the part arrives ?

 

[Brains]

Love to know what Brexit has to do with US imports... what's changed.... i order loads of stuff from the US and Brexit has made zero difference to that...

It has made a difference to US imports.

Pre-Brexit, those in the US used the generic EU importation documents, also the actual routing of the items was to the EU (in many cases Rotterdam) for onward shipment the the UK.

Now US exporters have to use a different set of forms for the UK (only), and transshipment of goods can become more complicated if sent via the EU first.

End result is added complications and associated costs, which will be borne by the buyers.

 

[Brains]

Can’t you use the van with the Perspex repair until the part arrives ?

Or even a plywood repair !

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[Nanniemate]

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions. I am not going to name and shame the dealer, as they are being entirely reasonable in the circumstances. It is not their fault that this is mixed up with the Brexit debacle. Yes they made a mistake but they have accepted that.
My frustration comes to the fore with every passing weekend, because we can't do what we planned for the summer.
I will try and get the part number to see if it can be sourced in Europe.

there are quite a few specialist campervan/caravan breakers try to find a second hand one half the price and not waiting time for an hour on the phone your problem could be solved. A preloved is better than not having loved at all Good luck and please keep us posted I am looking for a external locker door but ducktape is working just fine to keep me travelling

 

[Brains]

I have just ordered a replacement glazing panel for my Dometic Zeitz rear window.... not cheap..... but also a 10 week minimum lead time..... nothing at all to do with Brexit... its more pandemic related and there is a widespread shortage of raw Perspex...

FYI- The global shortage of Perspex has been caused by every shop in the world buying Perspex Anti-COVID screens.

 

[Eggs]

The OP states he's accepted the temp repair, yet 2 weeks later he hasn't got his van. I'm glad he hasn't named and shamed, not really on when the dealer may not be a member here and able to give his side of the story.

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[NJA]

We have accepted the perspex temporary repair, still waiting on that to be done.
Hopefully next week.

 

[corconx]

Ask the dealer to take one off a demo model .......worth a try

My thoughts exactly

 

[Bucket]

Take them to the Small Claims Court - you file the papers online. We have done this twice in our lifetime and both times had the situation sorted within 24 hours.

How does that work? The incident took place after the OP had driven off (only his word how it occured) and the dealer accepted blame nevertheless when they could easily have quibbled. Now they are struggling to get the part. Why would that litany warrent a court claim?

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[TheBig1]

If this is the curved front skylight facing forwards over the driver, they are very badly designed and there is a shortage of replacements Europe wide. If it is a rectangular or square skylight there are replacements about

 

[NJA]

It is the front curved skylight, unfortunately.
As far as it being only my word, it was on a garage forecourt, so plenty of CCTV to show exactly what happened. That said there is no thought of a court case.

 

[Garry - June]

It has made a difference to US imports.

Pre-Brexit, those in the US used the generic EU importation documents, also the actual routing of the items was to the EU (in many cases Rotterdam) for onward shipment the the UK.

Now US exporters have to use a different set of forms for the UK (only), and transshipment of goods can become more complicated if sent via the EU first.

End result is added complications and associated costs, which will be borne by the buyers.

So why on earth would US exporters send items to the UK via anywhere in Europe, especially if as you claim it would require drastic amounts of additional paperwork....... do they not have direct freight flights in to the UK from the US these days...

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[Brains]

So why on earth would US exporters send items to the UK via anywhere in Europe, especially if as you claim it would require drastic amounts of additional paperwork....... do they not have direct freight flights in to the UK from the US these days...

In terms of world trade, if you combine all the delivery vans in the world, plus all the delivery bicycles, lorries, trains and air freight, you can argue the exact percentage they move, but it's around 7% of global movements.
The other 90'something percent is moved by ship.

In terms of cost, as a round figure a ship can move one tonne (1,000KG) of cargo, for the same price as a plane can move 1kg.
The greater the distance, the larger the cargo, the cheaper, per tonne/mile, the ship gets.
The inverse is true with airfreight.

Hence, planes carry people, documents, flowers and other fairly light/high value products.
Everything else, is in the 90%, which is shipped by sea.

As economies of scale are important to ships, (big is best), an item from the middle of the USA or China will be shipped to the coast by train or by ship on the internal waterways.
Road transport is best for 'last mile' deliveries (in fact more like first and last 200 miles)

Once the item reaches the port is is 'consolidated' and put with other items going to the same general area (ie Europe).
Depending on what the item is, will then decide on where it goes, but for the UK for example, a lot of our product is landed in Rotterdam which is the main port for northern Europe.

In Rotterdam the items are then divided to other ports, for Germany it would be sent to Hamburg, for the UK, often Felixstowe.
Only once it is in Felixstowe does the product then get onto a truck.

The issue we now have is the additional paperwork, instead of being dealt with as it entered the EU, now has to be dealt with as it enters the UK.
In 2017 the UK was 50,000 members of staff short in customs and freight importation/exportation.
Hence why stuff from the EU is just being waived through at the moment.

(I lecture on this subject, so happy to provide more info if you are not already bored! )