Non-Starting Cupra - Whats Wrong Now? (Inc Video)

[RCS2K4]

I can't quite work out where SEAT got involved with the car at Vag-Tech? that makes no sense to me.

They've got no interest in diagnosing faults with "molested" cars - and that is the risk that is taken when you change parts.

Check your contract, but I imagine they're in the right terminating the hire contract. I bet you'll owe someone some money though...

Bad luck

I also never expected anyone from Seat travel out to VagTech to check things over. I can only imagine this was a result of my complaint to Seat UK directly yesterday over the dealers attitude.

A check of the car was mentioned, but I did not imagine it would be carried out so quickly. I guess they had to go to the place where the car was known to be, as it can't drive anywhere still.

It's also been a very expensive day. They charged me for the hire car to start, I have to pay VagTech to remove all the extra stuff (Approx 4-5 hours labour req), pay for a tow back to Seat, then pay for them to find the wireing fault, and then accept the rather paltry offer of £11,600 for the vehicle, against outstanding finance of approx £15,250 and bridge the gap myself.

They REALLY dont care that im car less and out of pocket by thousands. I'm never buying another Seat again (Despite owning 3). My employer is also not impressed, as I have informed them that I am not likley to make it into work again because of this tomorrow, as I need to find a car from somewhere. The downside of living some 30 miles from the offices I guess, and relying on a car to get me there...

 

[P0LKR]

This is really foofin stupid on SEAT UK's part. What the hell are they thinking????

In germany VAG embraces the likes of MTM and ABT, selling their kit as approved or endorsed products.

I think all of us SEAT owners should take something from this and perhaps try and take some action.

We should spread this thread/topic around the different VAG sites and perhaps get some sort of petition going as surely this doesnt make good business sense at all. Perhaps the likes of autocar, pistonheads, and worldcarfans could show some interest in running this story.

Too right.

I say the admin of the site should start mailing people. Show SEAT up for the assholes they are.

 

[RCS2K4]

Too right.

I say the admin of the site should start mailing people. Show SEAT up for the assholes they are.

Depending on whether or not I can take legal action over the demand to pay off the remaining balance in full (Asked to have this confirmed in wriing for Friday), I would be well within my rights to take this to the media?

 

[QuietQuackers]

SEAT UK must be stupid, don't they realise how much stories like this will affect the SEAT community?
It seems they don't care at all about their customers or their opinions, surely somebody from SEAT must relay information from this forum to SEAT as it's highly valuable market research?

I think they will find that the majority of Cupra buyers frequent this forum and some may well be put off from buying SEAT again due to this self centered attitude.
Many buyers are real driving enthusiasts and will change a few things to make their cars individual, what do they expect owners to do when no official performance packs or upgrades are released in the UK but are in other countries?

A complete over reaction by SEAT UK

Very sorry about the car, I was thinking it was just like what my ideal Cupra would be. I hope you can get something from a manufacturer who actually cares about it's enthusiasts!

 

[RCS2K4]

SEAT UK must be stupid, don't they realise how much stories like this will affect the SEAT community?
It seems they don't care at all about their customers or their opinions, surely somebody from SEAT must relay information from this forum to SEAT as it's highly valuable market research?

I think they will find that the majority of Cupra buyers frequent this forum and some may well be put off from buying SEAT again due to this self centered attitude.
Many buyers are real driving enthusiasts and will change a few things to make their cars individual, what do they expect owners to do when no official performance packs or upgrades are released in the UK but are in other countries?

A complete over reaction by SEAT UK

Very sorry about the car, I was thinking it was just like what my ideal Cupra would be. I hope you can get something from a manufacturer who actually cares about it's enthusiasts!

I will agree that Seat UK have over reacted somewhat. The demand to pay off the remaining finance is crippling - I'm no millionaire... Studying my pre-contract info for the car does state that alterations are not permitted, and car has to be in fully saleable condition. They may have me there then, but I will most likley challenge this.

It is funny that SEAT is seen as the VW's sporty brand, but yet they dont encourage or endorse any modifications. They must know that cars like the Cupra attract a certian type of driver, and are not likley to be used for the odd trip to the supermarket...

Other car brands like Vauxhall and Renault openly encourange aftermarket enhancements, and make good money from it. Seat could learn a thing or two in this area I think...

 

[Poverty]

SEAT UK must be stupid, don't they realise how much stories like this will affect the SEAT community?
It seems they don't care at all about their customers or their opinions, surely somebody from SEAT must relay information from this forum to SEAT as it's highly valuable market research?

I think they will find that the majority of Cupra buyers frequent this forum and some may well be put off from buying SEAT again due to this self centered attitude.
Many buyers are real driving enthusiasts and will change a few things to make their cars individual, what do they expect owners to do when no official performance packs or upgrades are released in the UK but are in other countries?

A complete over reaction by SEAT UK

Very sorry about the car, I was thinking it was just like what my ideal Cupra would be. I hope you can get something from a manufacturer who actually cares about it's enthusiasts!

exactly, if this is SEAT' UK's attitude then why should I bother buying another SEAT. Only reason why I would choose one over say the equivelant VW is the fact that they are sportier and cheaper. But seeing as SEAT UK doesnt want us to tune our vehicles it would no longer make sense for me to get a cupra over a GTI. Infact with the way SEAT is behaving might aswell leave VAG altogether and get a Focus RS or 335i bmw.

Anyone have a email address for SEAT UK's headoffice, and one for VW headoffice? I would like to know their official stance on tuning withing warranty and whilst on finance. And how they can justify this when their european counterparts actually offer those mods as standard on special edition models or aftersales products.

I think in the end after all this hassle rcs2k4 should be compensated with a fixed vehicle, mods intact and an apology.

 

[warren_cox]

I've just checked out Audi-Sport.net to see if anyone has had anything similar on the S3, but nothing immediately jumps out (only this: misfire).

I can't believe what they have offered you against the vehicle, it's frankly a f@@king disgrace. How can a 9 month old car be offered £11k against a £20k starting price??? You don't lose 50% value in 9 months.

I appreciate your case is awkward due to mods, but if the contractual situation looks murkey and you don't prove to be 100% in the wrong, I'd consider highlighting this to Trading Standards or the motoring press as the treatment of a customer buying a top of the range car is unacceptable, and VAG have been all too good at this for too long.

A mate has just had a full engine replacement on an M3 CSL on an 04 plate and 50k but then all mods have been carried out by BMW. It''s like a mortgage provider saying,"You can't paint your house and put a conservatory on whilst you still owe us £180k over 25 years". How do SEAT uphold the warranty on that mental tuned SEAT Leon Cupra that was being sold by dealers in Holland or wherever recently???!!

What a load of old sh1t.

 

[QuietQuackers]

It seems they are too quick to blame mods to the car for any faults rather than spend money themselves and admit it's an unrelated fault. Surely doing mods are a good way of finding the weak points in the standard cars, making the manufacturer aware of changes it needs to make?

I can understand from a resale point of view, but what's wrong with sanctioning a select few brands such as APR, Milltek etc as mods which are allowed to be made whilst retaining the warranty unless the mod is at fault (however the mod is likely to be of higher quality than many of the standard parts) in which case APR/ Milltek etc would correct the fault?

Remapped/ modified car owners should be thanked and encouraged by SEAT as real life testers who save them money and provide unrivaled reliability testing!

 

[Igor23]

I find SEAT UK's approach to any kind of tuning or modification baffling, as other SEAT dealer networks throughout the EU and beyond offer tuning packages and the full range of SEAT accessories, (unlike here) yet as soon as any mods are discovered, it's immediately the mods fault if any problem arises, my dealer tried to avoid repairing my wet window problem for months, trying to blame my aftermarket spoiler and grille mods, ignoring the many posts on here about the fault...

 

[QuietQuackers]

I would also be interested in emailing SEAT UK in questioning them about their attitude towards modified cars compared to other manufacturers and even SEAT EU

 

[warren_cox]

I find SEAT UK's approach to any kind of tuning or modification baffling, as other SEAT dealer networks throughout the EU and beyond offer tuning packages and the full range of SEAT accessories, (unlike here) yet as soon as any mods are discovered, it's immediately the mods fault if any problem arises, my dealer tried to avoid repairing my wet window problem for months, trying to blame my aftermarket spoiler and grille mods, ignoring the many posts on here about the fault...

I think in Britain it literally is the 'Computer says no syndrome" that drives this. You buy a performance car from a dealer for £20-30k and the poor sods who service it haven't got a clue what they are working with. It may as well be a Saturn 5 rocket to them as most of the experts work in cottage industry specialist outlets like Stealth, VAGtech, DPM etc (eg proper engineers who don't charge £125 an hour just because they have a glassy/metallic showroom and a collection of lifestyle mags on the front desk). I appreciate you get the odd good mechanic, but not many in dealers. They tend to replace broken bits which the computer tells them to change, that's not mechanics. I know the car dealers don't have it easy right now, but they've made their money in the good times, and customer service is actually pretty much FOC.

 

[ZBOYD]

Too right.

I say the admin of the site should start mailing people. Show SEAT up for the assholes they are.

It's not our job to fight someone else's corner, so I'll set that straight right away.

At the end of the day the finance is contracted and SEAT have deemed the car in breach of that contract. Whether that's a harsh decision or not, its SEAT's call and myself or any other admin mailing them on the issue won't make a jot of difference.

It's essentially non of our business we do not know the full details of what has been said and done. It's a one sided point of view so were not wading into something we know very little about.

It's disappointing it's come to this, because in our opinion it's probably a simple problem to rectify. But if it's a contract hire, or hire purchase involving SEAT's finance then its their call to make unfortunately...whether that's a bad or good decision is all dependant on what side of the fence your sitting.

If I'm brutally honest its not a very good situation to be in modifying a car you essentially do not own as is the case with finance agreements linked to the actual car.

I can see SEAT's point of view that they are paying to diagnose a fault on a car that is outside their manufacturers specification.

The fact SEAT UK don't offer modifications officially is a separate issue aside, if they did they would most likely cover them. But I'm not so sure they can be held to account when they are having to diagnose a car around non standard modifications.

I feel desperately sorry for the situation the OP finds himself under, and though it does sound incomprehensibly harsh in which the way he has been dealt with based on his side of the story. Though I can't say I'm surprised either.

Maybe SEAT UK do need to embrace their enthusiasts a little more and bring some of the European ethic to their dealers and aftersales, but in the same vain we can't expect them to pay for everything when they go wrong either. Tough one to call, and no doubt it will run and run.

 

[Mr Cellotape]

This sounds disgusting.

How on earth can they decide to have the car back and upset a customer rather than sit down and run through the possible causes of this problem?

Surely this makes no sense!!! Especially in the current climate where customers are hard to come by.

Did you have any argument with the SEAT representative/anyone else or have they just over-reacted for no reason?

If you have really not upset them in any way then I would suggest calling What Car Magazine first thing in the morning and asking if they want a really good story.

email your story over to them and cc SEAT UK in.

I really hope that you are able to get this sorted amicably.

 

[warren_cox]

Maybe SEAT UK do need to embrace their enthusiasts a little more and bring some of the European ethic to their dealers and aftersales, but in the same vain we can't expect them to pay for everything when they go wrong either. Tough one to call, and no doubt it will run and run.

Maybe if there was an annual event like Audi Driver International or GTi International for SEAT's, SEAT UK may turn up with a few cars / people from HQ and this bad situation could be slowly resolved out through re-education on both sides. The SEAT community is so large now that I'm surprised one doesn't exist given the brands original pretentions. Once they start to connect and understand their customer base they may start to embrace and move the brand forward as it certainly needs all the help it can get right now.

 

[P0LKR]

I actually agree wholeheartedly with you Mark but it does seem that Seat have tunnel vision to start with and only see it from their point of view not at all from the customer side whom which keep them in business. Gone are the days when an individual problem stays just that. With the internet an individual problem becomes a mass one with much wider consequences such as a significant drop in an already small customer base.

 

[QuietQuackers]

wading into something we know very little about.

Sounds like a SEAT service department!

 

[m0rk]

I actually agree wholeheartedly with you Mark but it does seem that Seat have tunnel vision to start with and only see it from their point of view not at all from the customer side whom which keep them in business. Gone are the days when an individual problem stays just that. With the internet an individual problem becomes a mass one with much wider consequences such as a significant drop in an already small customer base.

But the OP clearly broke the agreement (by his own admission) - so all the responsibility would have to lie with him sadly.

Basically the OP 'damaged' a hire car. and as such why should the hiring firm be liable for any costs incurred.

 

[RCS2K4]

I think it's only right that MoRK and ZBOYD maintain a neutral stance, as when sites like this start to take sides, the situation snowballs.

Also, the info is only coming from my side. the dealer or Seat is unlikley to post here wth an official answer, so i've tried to be accurate the best I can in my posts, and include comments from both sides, even tho as a customer of theirs, I feel like I have totally been done over.

With the popularity of car clubs such as this, when problems like this do come up, they no longer remain quiet, or find thier way to a small column of the local press. This is the benifit of such systems, because this can be seen and viewed by anyone, and can be very damaging to a brands image.

Hence the reason why i have stuck to the facts only, and viewed my personal anger towards them, and encourage constructive debate. If it gets out of control, or I choose to fight through legal channels over the re-payment on full issue, this thread will need to be locked and discussed no more.

In the meantime, lets just keep it sensible

 

[Poverty]

Maybe if there was an annual event like Audi Driver International or GTi International for SEAT's, SEAT UK may turn up with a few cars / people from HQ and this bad situation could be slowly resolved out through re-education on both sides. The SEAT community is so large now that I'm surprised one doesn't exist given the brands original pretentions. Once they start to connect and understand their customer base they may start to embrace and move the brand forward as it certainly needs all the help it can get right now.

well it seems like seat uk are launching a forum so we could vent through them then.

seeing as the finance was of the hire type, I suppose you can see where they are coming from, but their valuation of the vehicle, and full payment demands with such short notice isnt very friendly at all.

 

[QuietQuackers]

well it seems like seat uk are launching a forum so we could vent through them then.

seeing as the finance was of the hire type, I suppose you can see where they are coming from, but their valuation of the vehicle, and full payment demands with such short notice isnt very friendly at all.

Poor customer service strikes again ...