Warranty Trouble

[MAGPIE]

Think you have warranty troubles....

Can see this dealer losing some servicing business out of this one, but as they say there is always two sides to a story.

Originally Posted by Stuff.co.nz

A couple have been charged with stealing their own car from their mechanic after a dispute over a repairs bill.

South Aucklanders Christine and Gary Foreman have accused the police of being heavy-handed and acting as debt collectors for Pukekohe Motors.

The Karaka couple got into a dispute with the garage, also known as Pukekohe Ford, last July after taking their $80,000 Ford Explorer in for a standard service.

Staff refused to return the keys and threatened to call police after the couple would not pay $126.37, part of the bill they believed was covered by a warranty.

The restaurant and bar owners say their children were frightened and crying during the scene at reception which shook and humiliated them.

They did not have another car big enough to fit their five children and a grandmother who lived with the family. So while Gary spoke to staff, Christine took their keys from a desk.
Last month, they were charged with stealing their car and depriving Pukekohe Motors of an interest in the vehicle valued at $595.85, the total repairs bill.

"I can't understand when the police are so stretched for resources they have the time to approach us in what is a civil matter," said Christine.

Gary said: "We said: 'Do you chase up Telecom bills as well?"'

Ford New Zealand's media relations manager Claire Ponton said the company could not comment while the matter was before the court.

A letter from customer relations manager Jan Todd in July said the car was no longer covered by its three-year warranty and had not been serviced every 15,000km as set out in the conditions. Ford could consider out of warranty requests on a case by case basis, and had since decided to cover the disputed part of the bill.

The Foremans said the problem should have been fixed when it was picked up during a previous service under warranty. They now wanted the entire bill cleared in compensation for the way they were treated.

They are due to appear in Pukekohe District Court on Wednesday.

Consumers' Institute chief executive David Russell said the row should have been sorted out in the Disputes Tribunal, rather than by police, who had "more pressing things to do with their finite resources". He said the Foremans had the right to expect a free replacement part, regardless of warranty, if it failed due to a manufacturing fault, not normal wear.