JFB

Complicated one I think.

I imported my Scooby in September last year via D C Cook (now in liquidation) from Kroonautos in Holland. Clutch was replaced by main dealer in Bristol and I did not have to pay anything. Then one month before the Dutch warranty expired, I reported what I thought to be a speedo cable whining noise coming from under the dash. This was the 15000 mile service. After three further visits to the dealer, a worn bearing in the gearbox was diagnosed and the new box was ordered. The dealer submitted my claim under the Dutch warranty to IM UK but was rejected as 1 year warranty had expired. Yes, the final diagnosis/repair was made one month after expiry.

I paid a total of £3518 including £650 plus VAT to keep the original gearbox in case this claim became "difficult" and sought redress from the Dutch dealer. He referred it on to the transporter of their vehicles (some management company) who I finally tracked down today to be advised that the warranty should be paid out by Subaru in the UK. I assume they mean IM UK who rejected the claim already.

Now I am getting confused. Who do I contact for a refund? Who is responsible for honouring the "Pan European" warranty? Or am I getting the usual run around?

Any informed comments would be most welcome but no references to "should have bought in the UK" thanks coz I know all about that. Still, you dont expect these major faults with a one year old car with no real performance mods and driven like a pram!

Thanks

Jerome

orbv

My understanding is, as you reported the problem before the warranty had expired its IM responsability to foot the bill as long as you regestered the Pan European warranty with them. (So they may end up claiming the money back from Subaru Holland but thats nothing to do with you)

Get the dealer to confirm in writing the problem was reported before the warrenty expired and then kick IM.

Shark

Another tricky one. My thoughts are as follows -

With hindsight you should have pushed the dealer harder to diagnose the problem while the vehicle was under one year old. That would have been a straight forward repair, IM pays dealer, Importer pays IM.

So what to do? The warranty exists with the Importer and NOT IM. I'm not trying to start a UK/Import debate as you mention, but IM just act on behalf of the Importer, in the same way in which the Dutch dealer would if you took your UK (IM) imported car and moved to Holland. I would guess that Subaru Japan are ultimately responsible for the pan euro warranty, but would question the success rate you might have in contacting them.

I'm a dealer as you may have guessed. I'm not trying to defend IM as on here I post as a scooby nut who is lucky enough to get one for free. But IM can and will only act as the agent for the Importer. IMHO IM are good at customer care.

I would suggest that you contact the Dutch dealer and get them to acknowledge the fact that you reported the fault before the year was up.

Your next problem will be the fact that a new box was fitted. It is IM's policy and that of the other European importers that components should be repaired and not replaced.

I was able to help a BBS member who had a transmission whine. The repair was carried out after the warranty expired. The request went to IM and was fowarded to the importer before the year was up. As I remember we changed the main bearings in the gearbox, at a much reduced cost of that you mention.

Do you have a case with the dealer? Tricky. Perhaps they should have pushed harder/done more to affect the repair before the year was up? I'm sure they would be able to supply you with documents (ie Jobcards/Invoices) that prove that you reported the fault.

IMHO the best you can hope for now is a payment equal to a repair, not replacement.

Your welcome to call me at work, but I'm off tomorrow. 020 8363 3456.

Regards

David

[Edited by Shark - 11/27/2001 9:02:38 PM]

dharbige

Shark - I wonder if the owner of the car you refer to would agree about IM being good at customer care?

JFB

ORBV's suggestion was the way I had intended to proceed from here and I have copies of the job sheets from my Bristol dealer and the car was regidtered with IM as they covered the clutch replacement under warranty.

David's synopsis depresses me entirely. The Subaru dealer recommended a new box even after the claim was rejected. He was convinced that replacing the bearings would not solve the problem so I went with the expert in the knowledge that the fault was reported within the Dutch warranty period (as evidenced on the dealer's job sheet)and should be refundable by someone even though the actual final daignosis and repair was carried out after the expiry date. (I was under the mistaken understanding that the one year warranty period ran from the date the car was registered in the UK but no......it's from the date of registration in Holland which was one month earlier!}

The question is where does the buck stop? This is a genuine claim and the Dutch dealer says it's Subaru UK (IM I presume) that should pay and then they claim back off Fuji Heavy Industries or whoever out in Japan.

Unfortunately, I have no choice but to proceed with a correspondence course with IM and hope that their reputed quality customer care prevails.

Thanks for the detailed reply David.

Jerome