Grrr! Why me!

[chrisash32]

Hello Everyone!

Its been a bad week for myself and the Altea! and today it just got even worse!
Started last Thursday when i came out to the car and found all of my windows down... Not just that 90% of all my personal things in the car were gone!
After talking to the police and the main dealer it seems like a ye-old known trick of a screw driver and the central convenience system has been used... I could go into detail from the police but that's not for a public form.

I spoke to the dealer with great frustration about how SEAT can let such a thing slip through the net but they are not interested.

Anyway, car was booked in for Friday to have the various damaged components fixed and for a removable SEAT tow-bar to be fitted as well. I decided to wait around for the car as I was told it would be no longer than 3 hours... 9 HOURS LATER!! i get a phone call to ask me to head back to the garage as they have had problems.
The tow bar didn't fit and amongst other things new parts were on order.. My car was still in bits on the ramp so i took home a Leon!
I was due to pick-up my caravan from storage on Saturday but was assured it would be ready! (the Altea has now become our the tow car!)

Saturday, SEAT sent the wrong parts out AGAIN!! so i had to go and collect my car part-finished (which is a good 40min drive) and retire it for the weekend.
As on Saturday my storage contract was going to expire and i didn't want to pay for another 12 months, I had to get the van delivered to my house for £70!

After a call yesterday it is due to go back in tomorrow for the work to be finished.. I now have to insure the courtesy car myself and leave stupidly early to give myself enough time to get back to work!

Now last night when driving the car home i noticed that it didn't sound 100% "normal" and did some investigation under the bonnet but couldn't see anything out of the ordinary.
This morning i have come to use the car and a warning light has appeared on the dashboard (Looks like a picture of an engine) and now i am just fed-up!

So the car has been left at home today and i got a Taxi to work pending further investigation this evening (as the sods stolen my user manual!)
Am i to be expecting big bills??

Also, as a 3 hour tow-bar fit on friday has turned into a 7 day ordeal.. Would i be within my right to ask for some money off the total cost?
Its already cost me £70 to have the c-van delivered and now I don't want to waste a long weekend away that we had planned for this weekend!

Sorry for the rant!!!

Cheers
Chris

 

[CrispDust]

I'd knock off the ALL extra costs you've had to pay due to the dealer/SEAT incompetancies. If they stated 3 hours and it turned into 7 days, thats quite clearly a breach of contract/ reasonable time etc. SEAT/dealer will blame each other but thats NOT YOUR problem. Your contract is with dealer alone. They use stupid parts supplier, thats their issue.
Consumer laws are their to protect the likes of you and me, yet car manufacturers and ealers inparticular seem to think they don't apply to them.
Did they make any offers/recompense etc of any sort at any time?

 

[chrisash32]

I'd knock off the ALL extra costs you've had to pay due to the dealer/SEAT incompetancies. If they stated 3 hours and it turned into 7 days, thats quite clearly a breach of contract/ reasonable time etc. SEAT/dealer will blame each other but thats NOT YOUR problem. Your contract is with dealer alone. They use stupid parts supplier, thats their issue.
Consumer laws are their to protect the likes of you and me, yet car manufacturers and ealers inparticular seem to think they don't apply to them.
Did they make any offers/recompense etc of any sort at any time?

Cheers for the reply! They have not yet made and offered to me yet.. I also have a feeling that they wont. I have already had to talk about a new rear valance due to the bad cut because of the wrong tow bar.

 

[CrispDust]

Name and shame time me thinks.

 

[chrisash32]

Name and shame time me thinks.

I couldn't do that just yet... they are a member on here! I know that!

 

[CrispDust]

then a quiet word about naming and shaming on forum may produce some results?

 

[hanxslf]

on line Manual

If you are still after a manual try here for a down loadable version

http://www.scribd.com/doc/2550644/Seat-Altea-Owners-Manual-English-2006-Version

 

[chrisash32]

If you are still after a manual try here for a down loadable version

http://www.scribd.com/doc/2550644/Seat-Altea-Owners-Manual-English-2006-Version

Cheers for that! Very useful!

I have plugged the car into my fault code reader this evening and found the fault codes.
They are related to the glow plugs and the anti-shudder valve...

I decided to clear them and so far they have not come back!

Cheers
Chris

 

[MJ]

In my opinion ringing them up and explaining that you're a little p*ssed off with them and speaking in a polite manner rather than just giving them either A.an ear bashing over the phone or B.publicly slating them over the internet, which wont get anyone anywhere.
Anyway when are you getting the rest of your wheels painted to match your albinio O/S/F?

 

[CrispDust]

like I said, a quiet word before Mr Nasty. If they don't respond in the positive then they deserve all they get (or not in the case of custom)
I can't speak for anyone else but i want to know when organisations/businesses give good or bad service.
ie Bosch appliances have in my experience been brilliant.
Virgin media/mobile are crap
John Lewis give excellent customer service
Some Seat dealers dont give a s*%t (apologies to those that do...)

 

[MJ]

but i want to know when organisations/businesses give good or bad service.
ie Bosch appliances have in my experience been brilliant.
Virgin media/mobile are crap
John Lewis give excellent customer service
Some Seat dealers dont give a s*%t (apologies to those that do...)

lol thats quality.

 

[CrispDust]

Yeah, I'm just old and grumpy

 

[chrisash32]

In my opinion ringing them up and explaining that you're a little p*ssed off with them and speaking in a polite manner rather than just giving them either A.an ear bashing over the phone or B.publicly slating them over the internet, which wont get anyone anywhere.
Anyway when are you getting the rest of your wheels painted to match your albinio O/S/F?

Very true, wouldn't give this dealer a slating on-line.. or be off with them on the phone. They have been good in the past unlike my more local one... Hence why i travel so far to go to them.

One question though.. How do you know about my O/S/F??

 

[coltie]

hi Chris,

Hope that everything gets sorted for you.

I intend to tow with an Altea XL as well, so I'll be interested to see how you think it tows.

I have ordered the car with towbar electrics (company car), but my local dealer doesn't seem to know much about fitting a towbar or even what they could offer - yep a little worrying, didn't really fill me with confidence of letting them near it!

Does the SEAT towbar look good when eventually fitted? and did you get an option on a fixed or removable, I don't really mind either, I have a fixed on my A3 at the moment - no ones runs into the back of you in car parks!

Also does anyone know if a fixed towbar is likely to interfere with the rear parking sensor?

Be glad of any advise

cheers Coltie

 

[chrisash32]

hi Chris,

Hope that everything gets sorted for you.

I intend to tow with an Altea XL as well, so I'll be interested to see how you think it tows.

I have ordered the car with towbar electrics (company car), but my local dealer doesn't seem to know much about fitting a towbar or even what they could offer - yep a little worrying, didn't really fill me with confidence of letting them near it!

Does the SEAT towbar look good when eventually fitted? and did you get an option on a fixed or removable, I don't really mind either, I have a fixed on my A3 at the moment - no ones runs into the back of you in car parks!

Also does anyone know if a fixed towbar is likely to interfere with the rear parking sensor?

Be glad of any advise

cheers Coltie

Hi Coltie
If your car comes with the official SEAT tow bar electrics... i do believe that if you have the parking sensors they will auto shut off and not work when you are towing... And when not towing the bars done usually cause an issue. Mine are after fit and they are not too bothered that the tow-bar is there! Just a pain when you are towing in reverse...

The tow bar looks ok. I opted for the removable one which is fine. It does require a bumper cut but they come with a removable flap which you cant really see when its on the car! So all is good!

The car tows fine as well, mine is the PD140 but mapped to about 180.. I think the c-van is about 1000kg!

Hope that is helpful enough!

Cheers
Chris

 

[Td1man]

I have a Toledo with a witter fixed bar and non OE rear sensors which go solid beep at 300mm which is just short of the tow bar, tow bar doesn't interfere unlike when I have 4 bikes on the carrier, then I listen out for the bending steel and breaking glass sound then I know to stop

hi Chris,

Hope that everything gets sorted for you.

I intend to tow with an Altea XL as well, so I'll be interested to see how you think it tows.

I have ordered the car with towbar electrics (company car), but my local dealer doesn't seem to know much about fitting a towbar or even what they could offer - yep a little worrying, didn't really fill me with confidence of letting them near it!

Does the SEAT towbar look good when eventually fitted? and did you get an option on a fixed or removable, I don't really mind either, I have a fixed on my A3 at the moment - no ones runs into the back of you in car parks!

Also does anyone know if a fixed towbar is likely to interfere with the rear parking sensor?

Be glad of any advise

cheers Coltie

 

[MJ]

With regards to all this towing malarky - i once saw an escort cosworth tow a compass-lynx 342 2 birth caravan at 130mph on a runway, if anyone manages that in there seat i'll give them a tenner.

 

[JonTelfer]

I think you can disable the windows down everything nicked "feature"/vulnerability in VCDS (vag-com).

 

[chrisash32]

I think you can disable the windows down everything nicked "feature"/vulnerability in VCDS (vag-com).

would love to know how / where... the dealer told me this was not possible!
But if it is, anyone fancy some beer money?? hehe

 

[newbuyer17]

I'd also be interested in a fix if this is a known issue. I'd also be interested to know what the actual issue is, either on forum or via PM.
I'm an interested owner, nothing more sinister.