Customer care

[nolnod3]

Anyone have the up to date Customer care no of Alfa UK, want to telephone and register claim re Alfa Red paint on my sons Mito.

I think the previous owner did nothing about raising the issue of her paint work! Is it best to open a dispute or go directly to a dealer, still have 1 month left of the 3 year paint cover.

[Bri_Y]

Go to a dealer - they'll do a paint thickness test and report their findings to the insurance company (the third year of the warranty is an insurance based dealer warranty afaik).

How bad is the chipping? My 2010 alfa red mito has some stone chips - which, whilst not great, isn't bad considering what some people have had.

[nolnod3]

The rear arches are bad on both sides, the bonnet has around 15-20 chips

I knew about the 3rd year warranty as I have a 159, but what do you think my chances are? Even though he has just taken ownership of the vehicle!

We have all models in the family ie 159, GT now a MITO, that should count for something, loyalty points at least lol

[cue2]

Where do yo stand if you bought a product, such as a Mito , knowing that a condition existed before buying it ?
Your likelihood of getting goodwill may be less as you bought from a non Alfa dealer and have not owned it from new?
Good luck
From Sale of Goods Act ;

Where you have no rights

If you were aware of the defect before you bought it
If you bought it from a private buyer on a non-commercial basis (i.e. not a shop)
If you were invited to carry out a thorough inspection of the product and fail to spot a defect which that inspection ought to have revealed
You simply changed your mind or the item was not appropriate due to colour, size or style
The item is dirty and the mark can be removed easily at home. This is not the same as damage and shops are not obliged to give you any discount
Buying seconds or damaged items

[nolnod3]

Originally Posted by cue2

Where do yo stand if you bought a product, such as a Mito , knowing that a condition existed before buying it ?
Your likelihood of getting goodwill may be less as you bought from a non Alfa dealer and have not owned it from new?
Good luck
From Sale of Goods Act ;

Where you have no rights

If you were aware of the defect before you bought it
If you bought it from a private buyer on a non-commercial basis (i.e. not a shop)
If you were invited to carry out a thorough inspection of the product and fail to spot a defect which that inspection ought to have revealed
You simply changed your mind or the item was not appropriate due to colour, size or style
The item is dirty and the mark can be removed easily at home. This is not the same as damage and shops are not obliged to give you any discount
Buying seconds or damaged items

I appreciate all that, however same could be said with for example an engine fault, where you would also be covered under the manufacturer warranty! Given that this is a well known issue for Alfa, I don't think buying second hand should matter!!

I will be contacting the previous owner too and asking her if she was advised by the dealer when she had her service undertaken! As I do believe they have a duty to advise a customer of faults wether it be mechanical or paint related after all!

That's like in my job, someone comes in for an operation only to find further issues and not tell the individual about them!! And I think we come with an unlimited mileage warranty

[cue2]

Was it you recently writing
"I'm just about to take ownership of a Mito in Alfa red for my son with the dreaded issue re paint, the dealer selling is not an alfa dealer, however it still has a month warranty left and I will be pursuing Alfa for this!"
Kind of shows that you knowingly bought a Mito " with the dreaded issue" in which case you have negotiated a price reduction to cover repairs?

[996]

From previous experience...
You've ...Some hope...No hope and Bob hope realistically...

Best of luck anyway

[daveb257]

Important to note that the warranty, first two or dealer backed third year is mechanical,
The paintwork warranty is a different thing all together- haven't got the details to hand but all in your service/warranty book

[nolnod3]

Originally Posted by daveb257

Important to note that the warranty, first two or dealer backed third year is mechanical,
The paintwork warranty is a different thing all together- haven't got the details to hand but all in your service/warranty book

Yeah thanks for this, yes the paint warranty is a "full 3 years" cover and I would expect it to be honoured doesn't matter when the car is purchased.

[nolnod3]

Originally Posted by cue2

Was it you recently writing
"I'm just about to take ownership of a Mito in Alfa red for my son with the dreaded issue re paint, the dealer selling is not an alfa dealer, however it still has a month warranty left and I will be pursuing Alfa for this!"
Kind of shows that you knowingly bought a Mito " with the dreaded issue" in which case you have negotiated a price reduction to cover repairs?

Yes your absolutely right!! Re my post, however as I said previously, 3 year full paint warranty should be honoured and should not be what the price of the car is!

I will let everyone know how I get on..........

As the saying goes, you don't ask, you don't get!!!

[cue2]

"That's like in my job, someone comes in for an operation only to find further issues and not tell the individual about them!! And I think we come with an unlimited mileage warranty"
A car warranty is an insurance product to cover issues which may arise unexpectedly such as internal gearbox bits.
A visibly pre existing condition though....

[nolnod3]

Originally Posted by cue2

"That's like in my job, someone comes in for an operation only to find further issues and not tell the individual about them!! And I think we come with an unlimited mileage warranty"
A car warranty is an insurance product to cover issues which may arise unexpectedly such as internal gearbox bits.
A visibly pre existing condition though....

Yes that's what the 3year mechanical warranty covers, your right!! However the paint warranty is completely separate, read your warranty book!!

3 year paint defect warranty, regardless of ownership, cost etc, mileage within reason and as long as it hasn't been driven off road! And as the numerous threads inform you, a well known prob from new!! With certain paint colours of course!!

[cue2]

I waited a year until Alfa reworked solid red for the Giulietta and got a new one, paying extra for the honor. I take great care of it. I hope not to need to read in the book about my entitlement to a respray. Equally , if buying a second hand car with a known problem of red paint I'd take a pretty good look at it in which case I'd know whether to avoid it. Still, good luck.

[wo0dy]

I had my paintwork sorted under the 3rd year of warrenty and I brought 2nd hand although through an alfa garage. Some havent been so lucky though

Ring ARUK or the cloverleaf club helpline if your a member and get a case rasied, get your car booked in for paint depth measurements and pre photos. Only took around 5-7 days for them to make a decision and mine was almost a full respray (even the roof)

[Captain Slow]

Why on earth would you buy something if you were not happy with it, and then try and retrospectively claim?

[nolnod3]

Originally Posted by Captain Slow

Why on earth would you buy something if you were not happy with it, and then try and retrospectively claim?

It's not that I'm not happy with the car, the colour and model is scarce in Scotland, and to be honest it was a lady owner before and she obviously was not aware of the issues with the Alfa red paint, I wasn't either until reading this forum. I own a 159 ti and no paint issues. My other son own GT no paint issues.

I believe both Alfa uk and dealers have the responsibility to owners of their vehicles to guide them when there is an obvious and well documented problem with anything related to their product!! Not just leave it to individual customers to suck and see!!

I contacted the dealer the other day and they do recognise the paint issue, although they have been told to state the party line from Alfa that they don't recognise that there is an issue with the paint!!even despite numerous complaints and resprays etc etc

I'll be phoning Alfa tomorrow to register my complaint and or disgust at this attempt to wriggle out of a well documented issue! Even if the car bought is second hand!

[nolnod3]

Originally Posted by wo0dy

I had my paintwork sorted under the 3rd year of warrenty and I brought 2nd hand although through an alfa garage. Some havent been so lucky though

Ring ARUK or the cloverleaf club helpline if your a member and get a case rasied, get your car booked in for paint depth measurements and pre photos. Only took around 5-7 days for them to make a decision and mine was almost a full respray (even the roof)

Hi woody can I ask what year your car is and when you raised your issue with ARUK?

I assume it's a 2009 model!

[Bri_Y]

I'm sorry but I'm with the dealer/crowd on this one - you bought it knowing full well what condition it was in (and getting a nice discount I presume).

[cue2]

Can I ask again ,if you were not aware then why did you write "I'm just about to take ownership of a Mito in Alfa red for my son with the dreaded issue re paint, the dealer selling is not an alfa dealer, however it still has a month warranty left and I will be pursuing Alfa for this!", prior to purchase?
Doh

[nolnod3]

Originally Posted by cue2

Can I ask again ,if you were not aware then why did you write "I'm just about to take ownership of a Mito in Alfa red for my son with the dreaded issue re paint, the dealer selling is not an alfa dealer, however it still has a month warranty left and I will be pursuing Alfa for this!", prior to purchase?
Doh

For your info, a deposit had already been placed and finance organised when the Alfa red issue rose!! Me thinks that some people just like to disagree with posts when if they had bought the same colour from new and the problem arose with them then they would not be so quick to be so smug!!

Think others who have experienced this would agree!! Or am I the only individual who thinks 3 years means, 3 years! No matter the cost, or indeed when the car is purchased, when there is obviously a" WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUE"

[cue2]

No wonder it's so difficult to deal with a valid claim which is actually within the sale of goods rules when the same unfortunate customer services people have to deal with this kind of nonsense!

[Bri_Y]

Originally Posted by nolnod3

For your info, a deposit had already been placed and finance organised when the Alfa red issue rose!! Me thinks that some people just like to disagree with posts when if they had bought the same colour from new and the problem arose with them then they would not be so quick to be so smug!!

Think others who have experienced this would agree!! Or am I the only individual who thinks 3 years means, 3 years! No matter the cost, or indeed when the car is purchased, when there is obviously a" WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUE"

Well no, *all* consumer laws in the UK take into account the cost of something. If you're aware, at the time of purchase, of a fault (which you would have since you would have been given a chance to inspect the car), then you have no legal right to anything.

There's also the moral side of it. You bought a car, knowing full well it had a fault "because I want to chase alfa up for it, so I can save some money". Oh, and it's not the same as somebody buying it new - buying a new car to have the paint chip is *not* the same as buying a car which is already chipped, expecting it to be fixed free of charge.

[daveb257]

Did the previous keeper(s) ever look into a claim do you know?

[nolnod3]

Originally Posted by daveb257

Did the previous keeper(s) ever look into a claim do you know?

No she didn't as she assumed it was just wear and tear! So to answer the previous comments with a question? Do you think the previous owner deserves to be given some assistance/guidance from the dealer? In my opinion yes she did, but as always it's like any modern day policy the provider will do anything and everything to wriggle out of coughing up for repairs, and the MORAL thing here is dealers and manufacturer just taking the P*ss out of customers who pay good hard earned money for a product, even when its from new or second hand!

I wouldn't be phoning Alfa if there wasn't a previously well documented issue, I would accept it to be wear and tear. So I don't know where some people are coming from.

[cue2]

Did the indie get the engine issue sorted before collection http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-...anagement.html (DNA - engine management)