Absolute nightmare Volvo assistance experience

[tspdavish]

Advice would be appreciated.

Car is: XC90 2016 plate, Volvo dealership service for life, last service in April. Has Sytner Selekt warranty which has paid out for a new ERAD earlier this year.

Situtation: 17th December, cold weather. Compressor for suspension went caput. Called volvo assistance who towed it away later that evening, delivering it to my local dealership a couple of days later. The day after it was towed they put me in a taxi to my local enterprise hire centre where I was given a hire car.

I signed a contract for insurance etc. for the hire and was charged a nominal £1 on my Amex and was told, verbatim, I would not be charged any more and Volvo were covering this (by Enterprise).

I drive around quite happily and confirm with the dealership they have my car. Due to sickness there is a big delay in getting it sorted and won't be done until 6th Jan.

Meanwhile 2 days ago, so nearly 2 weeks after the Volvo was picked up, I have been charged £600 by enterprise on my Amex. They have said Volvo only paid for 3 days, they couldn't contact Volvo (or me despite them having emailed me and having my phone number) so had no choice. They tell me to call Volvo Assistance. Volvo now say they can't extend the hire until the dealership tell them a date for repair. The dealership no matter how many times I call, are not contacting Volvo assistance. Furthermore they now say it might not be covered as the car is out of manufacture warranty.

I am gobsmacked at no point in these 2 weeks have I received a phone call from anybody, or that I would be on the hook for the hire car.

Any tips or previous experience of this?

Thank you in advance.

[TeamG]

You made a verbal contract with Enterprise - they confirmed to you that you wouldn’t be charged more than the £1 you agreed to. You should ask that they refund you the £600 as you have not agreed to this payment (pursue via chargeback if they won’t agree to it). Then let Volvo and Enterprise sort it out between them.

[S90]

Hardly a ‘nightmare’ experience. A clerical error at worst. Contact Amex and dispute the charge, simple.

[tspdavish]

Originally Posted by TeamG

You made a verbal contract with Enterprise - they confirmed to you that you wouldn’t be charged more than the £1 you agreed to. You should ask that they refund you the £600 as you have not agreed to this payment (pursue via chargeback if they won’t agree to it). Then let Volvo and Enterprise sort it out between them.

Unfortunately verbal agreement might not help me if they decide to throw Ts and Cs at me but will see. Agree Amex is the final option but would rather not go down that route just yet. Unfortunately the lack of comms (read: they haven't once phoned each other) between the 3 teams - dealer, Volvo assistance & Enterprise makes this hard.

Originally Posted by S90

Hardly a ‘nightmare’ experience. A clerical error at worst. Contact Amex and dispute the charge, simple.

OK perhaps slightly an overstatement but I have spent the best part of 3 hours on hold to each of the companies trying to get them to talk to each other and it just isn't happening. It could hardly be described as smooth either...

[S90]

Originally Posted by tspdavish

Unfortunately verbal agreement might not help me if they decide to throw Ts and Cs at me but will see. Agree Amex is the final option but would rather not go down that route just yet. Unfortunately the lack of comms (read: they haven't once phoned each other) between the 3 teams - dealer, Volvo assistance & Enterprise makes this hard.



OK perhaps slightly an overstatement but I have spent the best part of 3 hours on hold to each of the companies trying to get them to talk to each other and it just isn't happening. It could hardly be described as smooth either...

Who is the dealer?? Have you spoken, or had a chance to speak to management at the dealer? Are there any figures written on the rental agreement??

It will likely, hopefully resolve itself. Someone somewhere hasn’t told someone else something and a mistake has been made.

Problem is most staff just don’t care these days, and too many automated processes get in the way of decent customer service!

[Ulrikas PA]

Can I just clarify if the car was bought from one of Sytner's Volvo dealers (with their warranty) or another brand dealer within the Sytner Group?

It's a classic example of no-one being able or prepared to take responsibility within the arrangements, for fear of being out of pocket, while you the customer carry the can.

I would call the Dealer Principal where you bought the car from and also get Amex to put a note on their system that you are likely to be contacting them about a charge back, with dates and times logged.

I used to manage the Mercedes Benz roadside assistance programme at head office, and before I left I drew up a chart using the 'Twister' game's circles with all the various parties involved and the customer in the middle not sure which leg to put where.

You have my sympathy. Don't give up, it's on a card.

[tspdavish]

Originally Posted by S90

Who is the dealer?? Have you spoken, or had a chance to speak to management at the dealer? Are there any figures written on the rental agreement??

It will likely, hopefully resolve itself. Someone somewhere hasn’t told someone else something and a mistake has been made.

Problem is most staff just don’t care these days, and too many automated processes get in the way of decent customer service!

Sentinel in North London. I have a contact there but they haven't as yet spoken to Volvo Assistance. I will keep trying.

Originally Posted by Ulrikas PA

Can I just clarify if the car was bought from one of Sytner's Volvo dealers (with their warranty) or another brand dealer within the Sytner Group?

It's a classic example of no-one being able or prepared to take responsibility within the arrangements, for fear of being out of pocket, while you the customer carry the can.

I would call the Dealer Principal where you bought the car from and also get Amex to put a note on their system that you are likely to be contacting them about a charge back, with dates and times logged.

I used to manage the Mercedes Benz roadside assistance programme at head office, and before I left I drew up a chart using the 'Twister' game's circles with all the various parties involved and the customer in the middle not sure which leg to put where.

You have my sympathy. Don't give up, it's on a card.

Good point - car was bought from High Wycombe BMW (it was a trade in), but came with Sytner group warranty. When I had the ERAD replaced it was all very smooth and they told me the Sytner warranty I have is equivalent to the Volvo warranty you get with a used car from Volvo dealership. Whether that is true or not I don't know...

Interesting to hear your side of the story. Lets see what happens over the new year period. I'm probably going to return the hire car tomorrow in case they want to keep charging me. The rental agreement only had date of hire on and a charge of £45 a day with volvo marked as the ones paying. As a side note the car (Kia niro) was filthy and stank (I mean STANK) of weed...which is Enterprise's fault but I can't be bothered to complain at this stage...

[Philip Fisher]

When I used Volvo Assistance in the summer the dealer was very much on the money.

The deal is supposed to be as follows:-

Volvo Assistance pay for the car for the first 3 working days. They settle this directly with Enterprise. By the end of the 3 working days, the dealer is then supposed to either start paying for the car, or they are supposed to put you in one of their loan cars whilst yours is repaired.

My dealer knew exactly how it worked and contacted me to swap me out of my enterprise car into one of their service XC40s before the 72hours. In fact I hadn't used the pile of cr@p Enterprise had sent me as I had nicked the pool car from work instead - so I told the dealer to arrange collection sooner than later and save some money. My dealer arranged the collection directly with Enterprise and then Enterprise collected it. My £1 was refunded.

My car was not a warranty repair either but I don't think this makes a jot of difference. I believe that "the dealer pays after 72hours or gives you a car" is part of the franchise agreement between Volvo UK and the dealer.

[S90]

Originally Posted by tspdavish

The rental agreement only had date of hire on and a charge of £45 a day with volvo marked as the ones paying. As a side note the car (Kia niro) was filthy and stank (I mean STANK) of weed...which is Enterprise's fault but I can't be bothered to complain at this stage...

So Volvo shown as one paying?? There you go, why have they billed YOU? GO back to enterprise and tell them to refund you and charge Volvo or the dealer.

[tspdavish]

Originally Posted by Philip Fisher

When I used Volvo Assistance in the summer the dealer was very much on the money.

The deal is supposed to be as follows:-

Volvo Assistance pay for the car for the first 3 working days. They settle this directly with Enterprise. By the end of the 3 working days, the dealer is then supposed to either start paying for the car, or they are supposed to put you in one of their loan cars whilst yours is repaired.

My dealer knew exactly how it worked and contacted me to swap me out of my enterprise car into one of their service XC40s before the 72hours. In fact I hadn't used the pile of cr@p Enterprise had sent me as I had nicked the pool car from work instead - so I told the dealer to arrange collection sooner than later and save some money. My dealer arranged the collection directly with Enterprise and then Enterprise collected it. My £1 was refunded.

My car was not a warranty repair either but I don't think this makes a jot of difference. I believe that "the dealer pays after 72hours or gives you a car" is part of the franchise agreement between Volvo UK and the dealer.

THIS sounds right on the money. It is what I was told by Volvo assistance but noone is taking ownership. I suspect the dealership is trying to avoid paying.

Originally Posted by S90

So Volvo shown as one paying?? There you go, why have they billed YOU? GO back to enterprise and tell them to refund you and charge Volvo or the dealer.

I have told Enterprise to do this but they "don't have authorisation". Once again the buck is passed. Madness. I will probably submit a claim on my Amex (it hasn't posted yet) ASAP and let them fight it out.