Hidsons of Rainham....

[JulianG]

Hi,

Just thought I'd share my SEAT experience since buying my Leon Cupra TDi a month ago...

I picked it up from Sidlow Seat Gatwick on a Friday afternoon, it was all ready and waiting for me and looked lovely. I then drove it back to my house in North Kent with no problems. Saturday I drove it to see my best mate and whilst on my way a warning light started flashing on the dash with alarm bells ringing too. I pulled over at the earliest opportunity and looked in the handbook... it was the brake warning light telling me that there was no brake fluid !!! I got to the nearest garage and bought myself a bottle to refill the fluid as I guessed it just hadn't been checked before I picked it up. At the beginning of the following week Sidlow rung me to see how I was enjoying my new car, and was shocked to hear of my brake fluid story. They told me to keep an eye on it and call them straight away if it happened again !
Well just over a week later the warning light was flashing again so I checked the fluid level and yet again it was below minimum
I got straight on the phone to Sidlow and they told me to either get it to them ASAP or to my local dealer, Hidsons of Rainham and that it would be a warranty job or at worse they would pay for anything. As I didn't fancy driving all the way back to Gatwick I rung Hidsons and got it booked in. A week later it was time to drop my car off at Hidsons, and when doing so I explained the whole situation and that it was a warranty job. Well a couple of hours later I get Hidsons on the phone telling me that the fluid leak is on the back calipers and that the rear discs and pads are knackered due to the leakage onto them. They also went on to say that the front pads and discs are also knackered and that the whole lot needs replacing at a cost of £450 !! I pointed out to them that it was a Warranty job or at worse Sidlow would be paying for it. Hidsons replied that it wasn't warranty as it was wear and tear and that I would have to take it up with Sidlow. Well I got straight onto Sidlow and they asked for me to get Hidsons to fax them a written quotation for the required repairs...
Hours later I get a call from Hidsons slagging off Sidlow and saying that Sidlow would only pay for the leak to be stopped !
I then rung Sidlow 3 times before getting an answer from them, which was they didn't believe Hidsons that the brakes were all knackered and that they would pick the car up from me the following day and check it out for themselves !
I was then left to pick the car up from Hidsons, where they first tried charging me for the work done and said it was up to me to get the money out of Sidlow and then secondly made me sign a form saying I was happy driving a car away from them that they had told me was un road worthy !
Well on driving it home from them I noticed no problems with my brakes and once home could not see anything wrong with the discs or pads
Next day came and Sidlow picked my car up from my work and left me a courtesy car, they then took it all the way to East Grinstead where they did lots of tests including a rolling road MOT test and found nothing wrong with my brakes !!!
They then gave it a full valet and returned it to me !
All they could say is that they believe Hidsons to have been Profiteering and Scare-mungering !

Well what the hell are Hidsons up to ?
Has anyone else had problems with them ?

 

[Saul]

very odd indeed

do you still have the "leak" is it still dropping below the minimum???

 

[orca]

Get my FR serviced there. Always been fair to me. They have given me a SEAT SPORT gear knob. and i've had lots of SEAT goodies and tickets from them. However, I would not touch their body shop with abarge pole!!

Always found Tim in Service to be very helpful Even gave me his company car when mine developed a fault with the airbag light (I was going on holiday for 4 days) and the only loaner thay had was a 1000cc Arosa auto or similar!!

still you have to speak as you find. so shame on tehm in this case. Get onto Nigel Hidson (the MD) and ask for a meeting. take your evidence from Sidlow's and ask him to explain.

 

[Ant FR]

be careful if you comment on Hidsons on here, they seem to take criticsim very hard.

Personally i would suggest taking it back to Sidlows, i have a problem with my handbrake and they have been nothing but helpful i too only bought it a couple of weeks ago, very impressed with their set up, very professional and nothing but helpful. So i trust they will get it sorted out.

If you are in North Kent can i suggest you talk to The motorist Centre in Canterbury/ Hearsden. I popped in last week for a few bits and the boss man served me and spent agood 20 minutes just chatting through how they work and operate, and all i can say is was well impressed when i left, Oh and the parts guy is a top man too and is sometimes seen on here. i know thats who will be doing all my servicing,

hope sidlow sort the other bits out, sure they will. but check out motorist centre as closer for your servicing.

 

[Ant FR]

oh just saw you did get it sorted

see told you they were good!

 

[JulianG]

No the leak was fixed by Sidlows...

they also pointed out that the nipple that was leaking was a good 3 inches from the rear pads and discs and therefore couldn't see how it could have leaked on them !

very odd indeed

do you still have the "leak" is it still dropping below the minimum???

 

[JulianG]

Thanks Ant, I will definately look at The Motorist Centre in Canterbury when my service is due !
I don't think Hidsons will be getting any money out of me

be careful if you comment on Hidsons on here, they seem to take criticsim very hard.

Personally i would suggest taking it back to Sidlows, i have a problem with my handbrake and they have been nothing but helpful i too only bought it a couple of weeks ago, very impressed with their set up, very professional and nothing but helpful. So i trust they will get it sorted out.

If you are in North Kent can i suggest you talk to The motorist Centre in Canterbury/ Hearsden. I popped in last week for a few bits and the boss man served me and spent agood 20 minutes just chatting through how they work and operate, and all i can say is was well impressed when i left, Oh and the parts guy is a top man too and is sometimes seen on here. i know thats who will be doing all my servicing,

hope sidlow sort the other bits out, sure they will. but check out motorist centre as closer for your servicing.

 

[ArosaRacer]

ive had no problems with hidsons, they are helpfull and when the arosa was poorly they explained what was wrong and what was needed, i even spoke to a techy in workshop, so this may be an off day. when i got the LCR from them they replaced everything i asked and also replaced things i missed so i cant complain. they even service a modded car something that SMC ford never did when i owned the mondeo. Maybe a letter to Tim might be in order then if no joy post your feelings up im sure they will sort it.

 

[tris]

from people i have met and spoke to it seems that they are good if you bought the car from them

 

[Redcupra20vt]

the "slagging" off ofother dealerships sounds familiar.

I took the car there with a coil pack issue, and i have in writing from hidsons that the coil packs where fitted incorrectly by a n other dealership. which as we all know it is near on impossible to fit coil packs incorrectly

Paul

 

[Vicky M]

from people i have met and spoke to it seems that they are good if you bought the car from them

this might be true,
we've never had a problem, other than waiting for a part on back order, which is hardly a dealer issue

but we did buy the ibiza from them, and will be buying the replacement from them too, probably with a second car too

So twice the niggling as to "when will my car(s) be ready"

 

[cup rahhh]

i've had no agro, air con replaced when it blew up - had the 1 litre or so auto ibiza to dirve about in whilst it was being repaired (which was an experience coming down from a cupra r)

servicing done there all the time since i bought it (the car) from the original owner as the car came from citygate

to be fair dude is does say brakes are a consumable part - dont start having a go at a dealer cos the manufacturer has made the rules - im pretty sure its the same for all of VAG (SEAT SKODA VW AUDI etc)

The best thing dealers can do is plead to SEAT UK as its up to them to accept it as a claim under warrenty

(SEAT CUSTOMER CARE BROCHURE - 5th Edition) - within the 1st 2 years
My pack with the car says "Normal wear and tear service items are excluded from the warrenty cover" in bold

also goes on to say about "motor sport activities" TAKE NOTICE TRIS
but then again it does say "may invalidate"

oh and later on page 5 it does give you a breakdown of what is excluded

Just thought i'd give ya the BIG picture

 

[claudefrog]

but if you read the whole post you will realise that the discs and pads were not worn/needing replaced.


thats his gripe with them.

i've had no agro, air con replaced when it blew up - had the 1 litre or so auto ibiza to dirve about in whilst it was being repaired (which was an experience coming down from a cupra r)

servicing done there all the time since i bought it (the car) from the original owner as the car came from citygate

to be fair dude is does say brakes are a consumable part - dont start having a go at a dealer cos the manufacturer has made the rules - im pretty sure its the same for all of VAG (SEAT SKODA VW AUDI etc)

The best thing dealers can do is plead to SEAT UK as its up to them to accept it as a claim under warrenty

(SEAT CUSTOMER CARE BROCHURE - 5th Edition) - within the 1st 2 years
My pack with the car says "Normal wear and tear service items are excluded from the warrenty cover" in bold

also goes on to say about "motor sport activities" TAKE NOTICE TRIS
but then again it does say "may invalidate"

oh and later on page 5 it does give you a breakdown of what is excluded

Just thought i'd give ya the BIG picture

 

[Ant FR]

i've had no agro, air con replaced when it blew up - had the 1 litre or so auto ibiza to dirve about in whilst it was being repaired (which was an experience coming down from a cupra r)

servicing done there all the time since i bought it (the car) from the original owner as the car came from citygate

to be fair dude is does say brakes are a consumable part - dont start having a go at a dealer cos the manufacturer has made the rules - im pretty sure its the same for all of VAG (SEAT SKODA VW AUDI etc)

The best thing dealers can do is plead to SEAT UK as its up to them to accept it as a claim under warrenty

(SEAT CUSTOMER CARE BROCHURE - 5th Edition) - within the 1st 2 years
My pack with the car says "Normal wear and tear service items are excluded from the warrenty cover" in bold

also goes on to say about "motor sport activities" TAKE NOTICE TRIS
but then again it does say "may invalidate"

oh and later on page 5 it does give you a breakdown of what is excluded

Just thought i'd give ya the BIG picture

Every dealer has bad experiences, i tried elsewhere and have stuck to it.

 

[JulianG]

Hidsons of Rainham.... NOT Con-Artists !!!!

Hi,

Well firstly I wish to apologise to Hidsons of Rainham !

Today I got a call from John Davies the Brand Manager for Hidsons Seat,
in response to my thread on here. He had seen my thread and was concerned about what I had said about his company. He told me that he had had a meeting with Sid, his head technician and that Sid had explained to him exactly what had happened with my car whilst with Hidsons. John went on to say that he would like the opportunity to meet me in person, to discuss the problems I was having and to get my car up on the ramps so we could all have a look at it and see what was what.
So I agreed to go down to Hidsons this afternoon so we could have a chat etc.

When I arrived I was greeted by John, who then went over everything that had been said. He then took me through to the workshop where Sid was just putting my car up on the ramps. After introducing me to Sid, they took me under my car where they pointed out to me where the leak had been and where it had contaminated. I could then see that the whole of the rear brakes had been covered in the brake fluid and therefore the rear pads where no good having been soaked in it !
They also showed me that from the outside my discs looked ok all round but from the inside (only visible when under the car) they where knackered !!!

Well I can now say that Hidsons have infact been the good guys in this story and it is Sidlows that are the bad guys !

John went on to say that he has got a meeting Wednesday morning with Seat and all the Southern Dealers. My case will be top of his agenda and he will be taking up my case with Sidlows and Seat and hopes to get my brakes sorted out for me.

John will be ringing me Wednesday afternoon to let me know the outcome and I will post on here when I know !

So again I would like to say sorry to Hidsons for questioning their morals !!

I'm just glad I posted on here and that Hidsons got in contact, otherwise I would never have gone back to them and would be driving around with dodgy brakes !!!

 

[ZBOYD]

I've edited this thread name, as it seemed more than unfair on Hidsons given the positive outcome...

What i would say to others in this situation, if you are making a complaint thread, about a SEAT dealer, that they should be treated with an element of constructiveness.

Avoid making assumptions, and making defamatory statements. We are here for you to voice an opinion, but if you make it constructive critisism rather than a rant, more often than not there will be a favourable outcome for all.

Anything that can't be substatiated, or puts the site in danger of litigation by your statements, will be removed, and remember no one is anonymous.

 

[100andthirty]

A lesson to all of us. Keep positive in spite of all the apparent problems. Hope the final outcome is positive.

 

[ArosaRacer]

well done mate for coming on and letting us know that its being sorted comments like that could be very harmful to a dealer, some dealers wont let you near techs and no were near the workshops but they have and it shows they've nothing to hide. Well done Hidsons for proving youselves not that i doubted you !

 

[tris]

glad to hear its all sorted good on hidsons for sorting this matter out

 

[cup rahhh]

glad to hear everything turned out ok - sounds like you got to see the real story with your car - fingers crossed everything gets sorted for ya !