Chrysler Returned in a Dangerous Condition!

My Response to an email from the accident repair specialists Solus.

Good morning Mr Fenton,

Please find my comments below…

From: Gordon Fenton [mailto:gordon.fenton@solusarc.co.uk]
Sent: 11 July 2012 17:27
To: <me>
Subject: RE: Voyager

Good afternoon Sir

Firstly thank you for taking the time to pass on the information to me as this is always useful when looking in to my customers concerns raised.

I understand how your wife must of felt as I too have been in a similar situation with my wife in an accident.  Reading through your concerns both regarding the recovery agent collecting your car and how it was delivered into us, I understand you had said to my staff that in your front tow eye securing bracket your vehicle had a rubber bung covering your thread. 

[CP] It was actually the rear one that was lost, along with the tow eye itself.

My understanding from speaking to my management staff they had spoken to our parts suppliers and said they have never supplied or fitted held this rubber grommet in stock.  I have also spoken to Marlborough another Chrysler dealer and they have also said they have never sold anything like it.

[CP] That does not mean that it has never existed or been lost. I have been doing some research on the matter and it transpires that the item may be called a Rear “Tie Down Eye” and not a Towing eye. Could you please see if your parts supplier can find one of those. Thanks.

But I am pleased to say I have myself found a grommet that I believe will fit in the thread I had a look and a friends PT Cruiser and he had a grommet in the front of his and he has allowed me to have his as he has disposed of his car.  If you would like to pop in I will leave it with Lee Dallard my production manager and he can see if it will fit as I believe the hole diameter is the same cross the range of vehicles, or if you would like it sent out just call the office and speak to Lee and he can arrange to get it in the post for you.

[CP] That is a good start, thanks. Could you please drop it in the post as it does seem to be a waste of fuel to come down there for a rubber grommet. Thanks again.

With regards to the two other concerns you had from presenting your car for Mot I’m sorry we had to have your vehicle back but on the first count with the shock absorber leaking this initial work was sub contracted out to the main dealer to replace the suspension part and has been carried out under their parts warranty failure process. 

[CP] Could you please let me know which main dealer.

I struggle to understand the testing station saying that the brake hose has been on the point of snapping as these are high pressure reinforced hoses and I cannot see how they can be fitted wrongly but I understand your concerns.

[CP] The hose was connected to a metal pipe that was clearly pointing in the wrong direction and was therefore stretching the hose. The hose itself may not have broken, but the connecting point to the metal pipe was under stress as was the point where the pipe connected to the break itself. It was clearly fitted incorrectly.

When we had your car back to correct your concerns we pushed to make sure we covered you with a like for like vehicle and also had taken care of getting an Mot carried out on your car when it came back from the dealer.

[CP] And I greatly appreciate that. But I would rather have not put you or myself to the inconvenience and simply had my car back, with all the bits it had when all this started, working and safe.

I would like to think we have now resolved any concerns and can now close this off if I can assist you in any other ways I will am now away from the business returning 30^th July on annual leave. 

[CP] Sorry, but No. All we have done is possibly replace a rubber grommet. It still leaves me without the towing (tie down) eye and has brushed under the carpet the fact that the car was returned in a dangerous condition. As I said before, I can accept that the shock leaked, parts do fail on fit, but the break pipe was clearly not installed correctly.

Kind Regards

Gordon Fenton
General Manager
Solus Accident Repair Centres - Solus Erith

Tel: 07970 159451 | Fax: 0208 3124803
Web: www.solusarc.co.uk
Email: gordon.fenton@solusarc.co.uk