Cactus owner left hot and bothered by air-con Martin Saarinen
CASE STUDY Reader left frustrated as Citroen fails to blow cool air – and at being asked to pay for fix Why so-called driving test ‘crash courses’ could turn out to be exactly that...
DESPITE the UK’S traditionally inclement weather conditions, air-con is seen as a must-have and is fitted as standard on most new cars. Now, with the summer finally upon us, it’s vital your system is up and running. One reader, however, was left fearing months of warm and stuffy driving – or being forced to keep the windows open at all times – after his air-con failed to blow cool air.
Paul Higgins, from Warrington, Cheshire, got in touch with us after his five-month-old Citroen C4 Cactus developed the problem. He’d taken the car to his local dealer – Bentleys Motor Group – and was shocked to be asked to pay for a repair, despite the model being well inside its warranty. Paul told us: “I’ve taken the C4 Cactus to my local dealership, which wants to charge me for investigating and re-gassing the system. The service manager was totally unhelpful, so I got hold of Citroen customer services. Again, staff there were no help whatsoever.”
We contacted Citroen to argue Paul’s case that the work should be done free of charge under the new car warranty. The company investigated the case, before coming back to us and confirming that there would be no fee for Paul to pay.
A spokesman said: “We’ve spoken to Bentleys, which has advised that the vehicle arrived at the dealership with the airconditioning not working. The customer was told that there would need to be an investigation, and that if the air-con needs re-gassing this isn’t covered under warranty, but at no point was the customer advised that there’d be diagnostic charges. After the investigation, it was noted that the air-conditioning compressor was not working. Parts were ordered and the full job is being covered under warranty.”
Paul was delighted – until he collected the car and found the air-con still wasn’t working. He returned the Citroen to the dealer, picked up another courtesy vehicle and waited for his C4 Cactus to be fixed.
A week later, and after an apology and a box of chocolates from Citroen, Paul was able to finally collect the car. He said: “I sat on the forecourt and did a test, and it all seemed fine – here’s hoping. Thank you for all your help regarding this matter.” IT’S now summer, and with the school holidays imminent, plenty of learner drivers will be looking to pass their test. Latest Government figures show an average 12-week waiting time for test dates, which of course allows 12 weeks to practise. So you might be surprise to see a number of driving schools offer accredited training in less than a week.
The idea behind these ‘crash courses’ is that within five days the school can teach you enough to pass the test. Given the popularity of these services – a look online found a host of driving schools in our area offering courses – the business model clearly works. Yet what does that say about the test itself, if a complete novice can be taught to become a ‘safe driver’ in the Government’s eyes in only five days?
Learning to balance the clutch and throttle, steering and indicating is all very basic – it boils down to muscle memory and hand-eye coordination. But driving is as much about the right attitude and spatial awareness as it is about vehicular control. Being aware and comfortable in foul weather is as important as it is to know how to control a car on slippery surfaces. Can all this really be taught in five days?
The RAC Foundation emphasised to Auto Express that any extra time spent with a qualified instructor will help reduce the chances of being among the one in five newly qualified drivers who have an accident within six months of passing their test.
If you’re looking to take your test this summer, think about the kind of driver you want to be when booking lessons. In the long run, it’ll be cheaper to pay for more lessons than to fork out for higher insurance premiums.
“We argued Paul’s case that the work should be done free of charge under the new car warranty”
A RECENT report by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), showed UK motorists spend an average of £695 on car maintenance each year – 12 per cent more than anywhere else. This significant annual investment re-affirms the importance of a Code of Practice within the aftermarket sector to ensure motorists receive a consistently high standard of care from dealers.
This is where Motor Codes’ Service and Repair Code of Practice has played a crucial role for nearly a decade. Approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, it’s a set of recommended operating guidelines and standards that subscribers to the Code comply with.
Using a Motor Codes garage gives consumers the confidence and peace of mind that they’ll receive a professional level of service. And if something does go wrong, the customer can be reassured that Motor Codes is there to assist them.
More than 7,600 businesses subscribe to the code, and with growing awareness of the benefits of having this independent endorsement, as well as access to a Ctsi-approved Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provider, this number is on the rise. It’s a very encouraging trend for today’s vehicle owners.