[Grumps]

Anyone with an SE notice any areas where the lacquer is starting to oft and peel and the alloy starting to discolour?.

One of my Alloys started doing it a month or so ago and it looked like it was due to stone chip damage but now couple of the others are the same and it looks like it is coming from the plastic centre cap!! Not very good at all.

I will post a pic tomorrow.

Looks like I will have to do a bit of work to try and clean them up. The only problem is the surface is machined and lacquered so any marks or rubbing or polishing will show up. I will clean up and re lacquer as best I can just now but eventually it looks like I will have to get them refurbished either sprayed or powder coated.

I could get them re machined but I don't think it would be worth the money.

Pretty disappointing considering its only 18 months old.

 

[♠ChumBucket♠]

I wonder if you would get any joy from Vauxhall, anti-perforation warranty??

 

[Dave47]

Hi Grumps,Mine is 14.5 months old but so far the wheels are fine, or were when I last looked!
I owned a Lexus some 10 year back and like you noticed some staining in the lacquer, dropping by the local dealership one day I asked if some could take a look. Reply was simple and straightforward, no need to look, car booked in and five new wheels fitted including the spare that had never been out of the boot.
That was servicevx could take lessons.

 

[Grumps]

Well I might give my dealer and vx a call tomorrow but I dont hold out much hope but I will let you know what they say.

Worth checking guys it appears very quickly. I spend a fair bit of time cleaning my car it just appeared and spread pretty fast and its not even winter yet!!!!!!Edited by: Grumps

 

[Dilligaf]

You've probably polished them to death Grumps.

 

[Grumps]

Just a quick update. Dropped into the dealer today and the Bodyshop guy took pics to send off to VX.

Normally its only 12 months they are covered for but he's going to ask anyway. The fact that the car is immaculate and has only covered 16000 miles in 18months and 70% of it has been town driving they shouldn't be like that. It's not as if I'm driving off road or along dirt roads. To be honest he said its the first one he's seen doing that!!!!. But then again they always do.

So it could take VX 2 weeks to make a decision!!!. I did say I wouldn't let it drop I would argue my case with them.

 

[JR123]

Can I ask why they say they are only covered for 12 months - what part of the warranty are they covered by?

I had one on a few years ago which tarnished and the dealer exchanged it no bother, I also got a new back box at the same time as the service manager said the baffles had come loose, I thought it was just normal wear and was prepared to pay for it!

 

[Grumps]

Can I ask why they say they are only covered for 12 months - what part of the warranty are they covered by?

I had one on a few years ago which tarnished and the dealer exchanged it no bother, I also got a new back box at the same time as the service manager said the baffles had come loose, I thought it was just normal wear and was prepared to pay for it!

No idea but I will have a look at the warranty book to check

 

[Pondpaul]

You've probably polished them to death Grumps.

He was probably right, have you used any aloy acid on your wheels?

 

[Grumps]

You've probably polished them to death Grumps.

He was probably right, have you used any aloy acid on your wheels?

Lol no nothing but the best. I would never use something like wonder wheels. i use Iron X just now which is amazing.

 

[Pondpaul]

I thought as much, I must admit if I needed help on cleaning products in the car, you would be the first one I'd contact

 

[Grumps]

Just an update. I checked with the dealer today and Vauxhall have agreed to refurbish the alloys.

I cant say Im that impressed with that I was hoping for them to be replaced because I will have to do without my Antara for a week while the work gets done.

On the plus side they are doing something about it I suppose they could just say they are not interested.

I did call VX customer care but as usual with them got no place trying to persuade them to just replace them but they maintain they have to be given the opportunity to repair them first before they can think of replacing them. Not great but expected from the them. So watch this space. The Cars not going in for a couple of weeks so I will keep you updated.

 

[wilma08]

Hey Grumps find out who the Managing Director of VX is and recorded delivery a letter stating how displeased you are with the service you have received from customer care, and that it may in the future dissuade you from purchasing further VX, as well as you run a Antara website and most of us are unimpressed with customer care and there lack of care attitude that come's across due to poor listening skills

and take it from there, as you are dissatisfied with the response you have received.You can always get free advice from a solicitor or citizens advice

 

[wilma08]

Got it for you his name is Duncan Aldred,He is the Managing director and chairman of Vauxhall motors he is also the subsidiary of Adam,Opal and AG he was appointed in January 2013, and get this he is also acting vice president of sales, marketing and after sales, hope this helps you.
I will also try and hunt down the address you can write to

 

[wilma08]

Got it for you his name is Duncan Aldred,He is the Managing director and chairman of Vauxhall motors he is also the subsidiary of Adam,Opal and AG he was appointed in January 2013, and get this he is also acting vice president of sales, marketing and after sales, hope this helps you.
I will also try and hunt down the address you can write to

I have just had a thought and that is very rare since hitting 50 and that is give customer care a call asking for his Secretary's address or email, they will ask you why and you say that you are not pleased with the response you have received in connection with such a young car, and that since he is the acting vice president of after sales and you are dissatisfied you wish to contact him.
that should put the wind up them

 

[♠ChumBucket♠]

To be honest, I think Vauxhall are bang on with this. If you discovered a bit of rust on a panel, they wouldn't replace the panel but repair & repaint.

I think you've done well Grumps.

 

[wilma08]

Why are men so passive

why cant you be passive aggressive like some of us women, a panel is a different thing from a wheel so yes they would paint it, but the question is how well it would match up and also how would it look a couple years down the line, as for his wheels that could happen, look good at the beginning then a month year or longer and it is just the same looks rubbish, peeling etc but if he got new rims then it only takes an hr or so to change over and he has less inconvenience into the bargain.How old is his car

remind me again as i am getting old and forgetful

 

[♠ChumBucket♠]

Why are men so passive

why cant you be passive aggressive like some of us women, a panel is a different thing from a wheel so yes they would paint it, but the question is how well it would match up and also how would it look a couple years down the line, as for his wheels that could happen, look good at the beginning then a month year or longer and it is just the same looks rubbish, peeling etc but if he got new rims then it only takes an hr or so to change over and he has less inconvenience into the bargain.How old is his car

remind me again as i am getting old and forgetful

I might remind you that VX are a business & not a charity

A refurbed alloy will be as good as new, it's faulty, they are repairing it, result!

 

[wilma08]

Vauxhall can afford it, what about poor Grumps and the money has has spent buying this car, which was not cheap by all means a sum £20 to £30 grand well earned money not to be sniffed at.
Why should he settle for re furbed alloy when he has purchased a brand new car that has a fault due to the incompanence of othier that could not do the job right, as you say it is faulty so they should replace with new, say you purchased a kettle and it became faulty you would want a replacement not a repair

 

[Pondpaul]

I see the point of you both, but here's another for you to think about.
If someone crashes into your car, insurance and garages will use parts from scrap yards instead of new ones due to the parts being so expensive, which then in turn invalidates your lifetime warranty on that part if it goes wrong in the future.