Suttons extended warranty issues

[aarong]

Hi all,

Had posted earlier in the week about steering issues with my Astra G. I dropped it in this morning to Suttons William St to get it checked and left feeling more than a little nervous.

The service dude greeted me with 'so you're the guy with the power steering problem' and I'm like, 'no there's something wrong or loose in the steering column, the steering wheel feels loose and you can feel it clicking through the wheel around right-handers'. The rest of the convo went like this...

Service guy: 'So there's a clicking sound?' Proceeds to write this down as on the service form.
Me: 'No, there's no sound. It's not a CV problem. It feels like there's something loose in the column, cos there's more vibration than usual."
Service guy: (ignoring me) 'So you can hear and feel a vibration through the wheel' (proceeds to write this down)....
Me: No you can't hear anything.
Service guy: So the car's out of warranty.
Me: NO, I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WITH SUTTONS!
Service guy: Oh, well there are only certain things covered by that. I'll have to ring and find out.
Me: I'm like ' well this should be covered because this is not a general wear and tear issue'.
Service guy: I'll call you with a quote for the work needed.
Me: (increasingly exasperated) WELL I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING COS THIS SHOULD BE COVERED BY WARRANTY!!

So yeah, left feeling VERY DISSATISFIED. Does anyone know if this guy's peddling me sh*t and what my rights are?? Are these extended warranties rubbish? I'm feeling rather f**ked off at the moment...

[Anonymous]

:bang: :bang: i guess if you could get a quote, then go to another holden dealer and tell him what needs to be done and that warrenty should cover it? :P

[Hotty_Smurf]

or how about going into another suttons dealership.

[aarong]

Yeah I'm gonna wait till they call and find out what the story is -- if it's gonna cost me I'll take it somewhere else. The thing that gets me is that you have to have it serviced with them (which costs a frickin' fortune) to validate your warranty, but then if anything goes wrong they baulk at fixing the problem under that warranty!

[SmellyTofu]

Read that little card they give you as part of the "extended" warranty. Personally I don't think it's worth the paper it is written on.

[kirssn]

**********

[Mr T]

Did you read the extended warrenty booklet?????

It will clearly state on page 1 (a box will be ticked) that says "unlimited claims to the value of $2000" it will then say in the terms and conditions that it only covers the driveline. (it actually states all the components that are not covered - very clearly)

I think its unfair that you take an attitude towards a dealership when it is you that hasn't read the terms and conditions.

Didn't you get that extended warranty for free along with 2 years/50,000 km servicing anyway.

At the end of the day, they haven't done anything wrong, appart from the bloke at counter not listening properly.

Edit: NB. These extended warranty programs are not tranferrable, so if you are not the original owner than it is void anyway.

[aarong]

Nah I'm the original owner and I've had it serviced with Suttons from day one. The thing is, I've copped the $700 services on the chin in the belief that if stuff like this went wrong, then they'd fix it free of charge. If I'd known they were gonna stuff me around, I would have taken it somewhere else that charged me half the price for a standard service. Just cos you've bought yer car in the eastern suburbs shouldn't mean you have to pay over the odds for servicing.

[aarong]

and as for stating very clearly what is covered and what isn't, there's not one mention of this in my Suttons extended warranty booklet, nor is there any mention of the fact that only driveline problems will be fixed free of charge. Nor is there a box that states that only issues to the value of $2K will be covered.

[Mr T]

I have filled out hundreds of those books, I know them back to front.

The first page is a carbon copy of a torn out page, on the bottom right side of this page there is two options: 1) 1 claim to the value of $1000 2) unlimited claims up to $2000.

In the middle of the booklet it states what is not covered, what is left is the driveline. I dont have a copy of the book ATM otherwise I would quote it.

Are you looking at the extended warranty booklet or the owners manual?

Ownly the 60K, 120K and 180K etc services are $700 due to the timing belt needing replacement, the rest are $140 and $230 (approx) its got nothing to do with the eastern suburbs.

[Anonymous]

yeh listen to him

[aarong]

well I dunno then, but my 45,000km service was $620, and there was nothing wrong with the car. when I went to pay for it, the girl at the counter even thought it was too much. They'd flushed the injectors without asking which was around $100 -- 90% of the time I use 98RON fuel, so I was pretty peeved. Also, don't know how much crap can accumulate after only 45K.

Anyway, the service dude rang back before and told me there's something loose in the column, which means they're gonna have to pull it apart and lube it. It aint covered under warranty so it's gonna cost $100

[Bernard Siong]

just pay the $100
doesnt seem that much coming from a dealer

or pull it apart yourself and lube everything dude

[aarong]

yeah to be honest, while it's not covered by warranty, at least it aint big money. I probably wouldn't have worried about it except I'm thinking of selling it soonish

[Mr T]

well I dunno then, but my 45,000km service was $620, and there was nothing wrong with the car.

If you had 2years/50,000km free servicing, which you would have if you got the 6 years/175,000km warranty.

The 45,000km service would have been free but only if you had done the k's within the 2 year period. In which case it sounds like you haven't and therefore when you had done the (what you thought was) 45,000km service, it was actually a 3 year/60,000Km service and hence a major service, which includes the timing belt.

Thats why it was $620.

[rjastra]

So yeah, left feeling VERY DISSATISFIED

Fancy getting all worked uP BEFORE anything has been done... weird.

NOne of my services have been over $350 yet (60,000km). And all have been done by Suttons. They are much more "helpful" with warranty work than Hunter Holden.

[aarong]

The 45,000km service would have been free but only if you had done the k's within the 2 year period. In which case it sounds like you haven't and therefore when you had done the (what you thought was) 45,000km service, it was actually a 3 year/60,000Km service and hence a major service, which includes the timing belt.


Ahhh OK. I don't recall seeing anything about the timing belt but that'll make it handy for the next service if they've already replaced it

[aarong]

I'll have a look for the receipt for the 45,000km service at home tonight and copy the details of it to the post

[Mr T]

1.8l recomended service costs effective Jan 2004 (http://au.msnusers.com/OpelAustralia/Documents/Recommended%20Serv%20Cost/Astra%20Z18XE%2Exls)

This also outlines the required tasks.

Say Thank You to Smelly Tofo, he posted this info on the msn site ages ago.

[SmellyTofu]

rj, u have a 2.2. You don't have to have a timing belt change at any stage of the car's life. Holden's service cost (as at '04) never went over $300. Drive a 1.8 and you'll start crying at service time. The 120k is at $800 but I wouldn't be surprised now in a year that it's more like the low $900 mark.

The thing at the time I bought my car (and it was 2yrs/30,000km free service) was that after the warranty at 60k, you had to service it every 10k even though Holden/Opel says 15k. Honestly, if I had my time again, I would take up the free service stuff but not the extended warranty.

Also as someone said here, DO STIPULATE NO EXTRAS like oil flush crap etc. Make sure you write it down clearly and scratch out every blank space on the job card. I got "conned" by a dealer mentioned here (not the Holden I used to work.. do a search and you'll know who I am talking about) for windscreen fluid (when I purposely filled it right up to the top with water), oil treatment, blah blah. Got quoted $250 or so... ended up with close to $400.

I don't take my car to the dealer anymore but this is the worse thing about buying a new car.

Oh, btw, I can't update that file because I have no access to the Holden files for obvious reasons. :)

[Namus]

this is why used car warranties are worth jack as well

[aarong]

It sounds like we're in the same boat here Smelly Tofu. I had the two yrs/30,000km free service deal, which is why I had to pay for the 45,000km service, which (I just checked) DID NOT include having the timing belt replaced.

Anyone know why the 2.2 is cheaper to service than the 1.8???

[Namus]

can't answer ur question, but last time i checked (this is wat happened with my 1.8l), the timing belt only has to be changed by the (or during the) 60k service

[SmellyTofu]

Yes, Z18XE engines require timing belt and tensioner change every 60k. The Z22XE runs on chains so it doesn't require any servicing at all. That alone you have saved yourself $300 minimum in service cost.

45k service is a very minor oil change and other fiddly non critical service. Even at $200, it's an expensive oil change.

[aarong]

45k service is a very minor oil change and other fiddly non critical service. Even at $200, it's an expensive oil change.


well dare I say it but I think I may have been ripped off then!

[Namus]

sounds like u have:|

[no1joey]

holden spare parts/servicing should be wearing balaclavas while working on your car and talking to you. full stop.

[Dave]

links dead man.

[SmellyTofu]

Dave, if you are a member of MSN Opel Aust, you would be able to download it. If you aren't (which I think you aren't) then you would find the link broken.

[BassyAstra]

Both my old and new astras came with 6 year 150,000km warranty / 3 year free servicing.
Most of you seem to be getting jipped on warranty?
I paid no extra.

[Dave]

Dave, if you are a member of MSN Opel Aust, you would be able to download it. If you aren't (which I think you aren't) then you would find the link broken.

Ahh yeah i registerd there im just waiting for the manadger to aprove my aplication.................lol does any one check it any more? would it be possible to upload the file here, if not i can host it for free.

[SmellyTofu]

When was this? I've change the settings for that site just now to register again if you can but there's no one to be approved.

[Dave]

ahh ok, i did it around 12, will register again.

[Dave]

This is a members-only area

You need to be a group member in order to gain access to this area. You have already applied to join this group. You will receive an e-mail when your application is approved or denied by the group manager.

lol, umm i couldnt register again, thats the only thing about the msn sites they make you use your .net passport etc.


I spoke to soon, thx man.

[Slimcraigie]

Standard dealer service receptionist speech, All dealerships are crap I know I work for one :lol:

[mfl]

I also had the 'free extended' warranty with free service for 50,000km/2 years free service from Suttons, of course the cost is included in the cost of the car in first place.

the first service I paid for was the 60,000 km service, car 2 and bit years old. cost was $1,200 because of the high mileage (their words not mine), and I got a discount for being a long time customer I needed the throttle body cleaned, brake and radiator fluids changed and the usual Suttons $250 decarb.

I will not be returning to Suttons ever

by the way the car is a 2.6l International JSII.

[rjastra]

the first service I paid for was the 60,000 km service, car 2 and bit years old. cost was $1,200 because of the high mileage (their words not mine), and I got a discount for being a long time customer I needed the throttle body cleaned, brake and radiator fluids changed and the usual Suttons $250 decarb.

I will not be returning to Suttons ever

Well, it's your fault not theirs.... you don't need ANY of that additional stuff. They ask me about it every time i take my car there. I say NO THANKS... car is serviced well and is relatively inexpensive... Maybe I am being subsidised by guys like you :D

Throttle body clean? Why the heck does that need to be cleaned? Like needing your injectors cleaned... You only clean them when the car starts to run rough and it can be traced to dirty injectors. Probably closer to 100,000km.

[SmellyTofu]

You actually seen a fuel injector cleaning machine at one of their workshops? A lot of this franchise have it stuffed in the back corner gathering dust. :)

Here's a tip if you want a really really good de-carb that you can do yourself. Go to your Subaru dealer and buy this thing called the upper engine cleaner (SA459). Cost around $17.15 inc. (Do a google search if you don't trust my biased opinion) ;)

[mfl]

Actually I did not ask them apart from the de-carb, they claimed it was a 'log book service' and they certainly did not qoute me $1,200 for the service. When I complained about the cost I was told to be grateful as I had recieved a discount for being a long time customer.I have since found an honest mechanic and smelly tofu I'll take your tip.

-mfl

[Namus]

You actually seen a fuel injector cleaning machine at one of their workshops? A lot of this franchise have it stuffed in the back corner gathering dust. :)

Here's a tip if you want a really really good de-carb that you can do yourself. Go to your Subaru dealer and buy this thing called the upper engine cleaner (SA459). Cost around $17.15 inc. (Do a google search if you don't trust my biased opinion) ;)

then wat do u do? just stick it in ur fuel tank? sorry just curious

[SmellyTofu]

Spray half through a vacuum hose in the TB, leave it for 10mins, start it up, spray the rest with the engine running again through the same vacuum hose, then give it a thrashing (after you've put back the vacuum hose). Instructions are on the bottle in case you forget. Can is about the size of those spray paint cans in KMart.

[AndrewH]

I have an Astra 1.8 as well, and have just had my timing belt replaced at the 4yr/60 000 km service a few weeks ago. My dealer quoted me $800 or so, but from past experience, I knew that this would creep up after adding their miscellaneous 'add-ons'. I ended up taking it to Ultra Tune and paid $660.


Yes, Z18XE engines require timing belt and tensioner change every 60k.

I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to engine internals, but when you say "tensioner" do you mean the tension pulleys? The guys at Ultra Tune told me they checked them and the pulleys didn't need changing. Would I have been safer to have had them replaced as well?