Another Recall

[Grumpy Cabbie]

I have owned 3 Toyota cars all very reliable; recalls are no problem all done free of charge. Recalls are rare but Toyota recalls always get a lot of publicity.

Did you view "Watchdog" last night (Wed 2nd July) and the problems with the Citroen suspension which the company refused to take responsibility for until "Watchdog" took up the case?

I did :)

The French companies are dreadful for accepting any issues with their cars. Is it Gallic pride?

But at least you know with Toyota that they bite the bullet and get your car in. Anyone who says otherwise just has to google their own chosen car manufacturer and recall uk, ie "Volkswagen recall uk", or "Skoda recall uk", to find that others are not so proactive, as last nights Watchdog also proves.

I've mentioned before about when I worked for an insurance company who had concerns about a certain French manufacturer whose bonnets would fly up, usually when the driver was doing 60 or 70 mph. Still not sure if that's ever been subject to a recall, or at least a proper recall rather than just a service bulletin.

Citroen have never had a good reputation though. They make some smart looking cars - but that's about it - just look good. They may even be slightly more reliable than previously, but the dealer network is...well...ha ha ha ha ha. I'd never personally buy a Citroen, ever. I've seen fellow taxi drivers nearly bankrupted in repair costs and poor warranty and dealer backup - seriously.

They say you can't polish a tu rd, but Citroen keep trying :)

[Parts-King]

Is it me? Watchdog gets right on my t1ts, especially Ms Robinson, when she grills someone she is too busy yapping to let them respond

I find some of the topics appalling and I found this one on Citroen in that category. Why would a rubber component not wear out after 5-7 years? I find it incredible that owners of any product would expect it to be covered under warranty. I could go on but the blood pressure is rising

Some subjects (Like the Audi Ncap issue) deserve to be highlighted, as do the rogue traders, but something wearing out after such a long period??? I also find it strange that they should capitulate and offer 80% back. I bet it will not cover cars that have been repaired at an independent, that was not made clear at all

It is a well known fact in the trade that Citroen dealers make no money selling Citroen cars, it is all made on aftersales (parts and service)

[Grumpy Cabbie]

......

It is a well known fact in the trade that Citroen dealers make no money selling Citroen cars, it is all made on aftersales (parts and service)

Fixing them? :)

[orangezorki]

Totally agree on the Watchdog comments. One moment they are pursuing a major issue that nobody from the company cares about, then the next they are hounding a company that has made an understandable mistake and not even allowing them to speak in an interview. I'm still glad that they exist though.

I'm also split with my view of Citroen - again, glad that they are still around to be an influence on an increasingly boring and staid car industry. The larger DS cars also look to be fantastic alternatives to luxury cars. But I do wonder when all the adverts I hear on the radio are for lease-only, combined with the usual magic maths of a million pound deposit and 5p a year payments. It's almost as if they are afraid of putting out their MSRPs or allowing anyone to keep one of their cars for more than 3 years.

Then again, all car makers can get it wrong in a big way. My first car was a 2005 Corolla, which started going clonk when turning left after 2.5 years. To be fair the dealer did try pretty hard, changing CV joints etc. In the end I got rid before the warranty was out and it was only 3+ years later that I learned of a recall of that model for a steering rack issue that seemed to cause exactly the same problems. I guess at least they got it right in the end and I was proved to be not completely mad...

[Grumpy Cabbie]

... with the usual magic maths of a million pound deposit and 5p a year payments.

lol, my pet hate too :)

A brand new BMW 7 series, only £99 per month* Yes, a brand new BMW for less than £100 per month etc etc

(*based on deposit of £30,000, and a final payment o £14,000).

Like if you can afford the massive deposit you're not going to be bothered by the miniscule monthly payment. Complete nonsense and in the same league as the smoke n mirror slight of hand the supermarkets use with their buy 2 for £2 but they sell one for 89p.

Am I getting old or would it just be better if companies were straight up with people?

[Duffryn]

'Fraid you're getting old GC - like me!

Companies will always see £££s (ie profits) as a greater priority than ethical behaviour.

[johalareewi]

Had my recall done yesterday as part of my annual service. Only difference I've noticed so far is the car feels like you're driving in ECO mode where the gas pedal needs to be pushed harder to accelerate.

TBH I haven't noticed any difference. I drive in ECO anyway and have got used to the accelerator. Having to push the pedal further to make things happen means I find it easier to keep the HSI in the area that I want. If I need rocket mode, I just floor the pedal.

[Ten Ninety]

I had the recall done about 6 weeks ago. The only negative I've noticed is that if the Battery is exhausted in heavy traffic, the engine will run for a lot longer to charge it back up to a higher level. This is annoying as the car will sit there stationary with the engine running for what seems to be ages. Before the recall, the engine would kick in but it didn't used to run for anywhere near as long.

They say you can't polish a tu rd, but Citroen keep trying :)

Judging from the brash body jewellery on some of those horrible DS models, I believe they are trying the 'but you can roll it in glitter' approach instead.