Customer Service

[JannerKebab]

Sorry about the long post but I’m absolutely fuming.
Got my MG4 Trophy at the end of June, no problems until last Monday. Used car as usual and it was down to 22% when I got home in the evening put on charge so it would charge overnight using cheap tariff. Got up Tuesday and the car had only charged by 4 miles or 1%. Contacted Ohme and they said charger was receiving suspendedEv error message. Tried granny charger and it wouldn’t charge. phoned my dealer and they booked it in for tomorrow 31st Oct, this is the earliest they can fit it in. They told me to phone MG assist. I did and within the specified time the AA turned up, he connected the laptop but it can’t read MGs, he said this is the case across all MGs. As the car as enough range to reach my dealer they could not recover the car to it as the car is drivable, just can’t charge.
I took the car to the dealer on their request on the off chance they could look at it early. I asked why I haven’t got a courtesy car, they said if I was brought in by AA as a recovery then I would get one.
During the week I have been getting error messages on the MG app as they have been connecting laptops etc.
Received a phone call tonight with an update, the dealer are in contact with MG and have been doing the updates they have asked them to do except one tonight which the car wouldn’t take. I asked if they could charge and they answered no. They hope to have an answer by close of play tomorrow, the dealer thinks it’s a control unit but MG need to confirm it.
Asked if I could have a courtesy car as my work are now getting a bit angry that I can’t go in. I was told no, only when a fault diagnosis is confirmed and there is a delivery delay on the parts will I get a car.
A 3 month old car that cannot be driven and I’m left without a car due to poor customer service.
Is there anything I can do and where do I stand legally?

 

[Rolfe]

I have no idea where you stand legally, but that is atrocious service.

People are having different experiences with different dealers, and some have switched to a different dealer and had much better service. You're probably stuck with this outfit for now, as they have your car, but if you have another dealer reasonably nearby it would be worth seeing if they would treat you better in future.

And you might consider telling your existing dealer that's what you're thinking of doing.

 

[siteguru]

To be fair I don't think the dealer are doing anything wrong ... at the moment it's a warranty claim (or more precisely a consumer rights claim) but not yet accepted by MG as warrantable, so all dealer costs so far and any cost of a courtesy car would be at the dealer's expense not MG's. (Assuming they don't have a courtesy car of their own available).

And I think an MG Assist courtesy car is only available for 48 hours: see this PDF (page 9).

 

[Grriff]

That's disgraceful service, more from MG than the dealer!
Has the dealer tried to use a rapid (DC) charger? If this worked it might prove that the AC to DC converter in the car is faulty.

 

[Rolfe]

I do blame the dealer to some extent, because some will treat the customer decently even if MG is being recalcitrant. This one appears not to be doing that.

 

[siteguru]

But there's a fine line between "being decent" and "complying with their legal obligations" ... at the moment they are doing the latter, and there's nothing in the contract of sale that obliges them to provide a courtesy car (unless it was specifically covered in the terms of sale - which I doubt). So in legal terms they're "being decent", just not as decent as the OP may like.

I agree though that MG's lethargy and procrastination isn't helping.

 

[Rolfe]

It's a cluster-whatever.

 

[Ian Key]

Would it make a difference if the car was on lease/salary sacrifice as to whether the OP got a courtesy car or not?

 

[olliewebb]

Would it make a difference if the car was on lease/salary sacrifice as to whether the OP got a courtesy car or not?

It would if that’s the case, I know with Tusker there is a relief car you can get.

 

[Tig170]

Sorry about the long post but I’m absolutely fuming.
Got my MG4 Trophy at the end of June, no problems until last Monday. Used car as usual and it was down to 22% when I got home in the evening put on charge so it would charge overnight using cheap tariff. Got up Tuesday and the car had only charged by 4 miles or 1%. Contacted Ohme and they said charger was receiving suspendedEv error message. Tried granny charger and it wouldn’t charge. phoned my dealer and they booked it in for tomorrow 31st Oct, this is the earliest they can fit it in.

Have you tried it on DC rapid charger ? - also make sure that you have no scheduled / pre-heating charge set on the MG4, as the ohme doesn't like it.

 

[OriginalBigAl]

If the dealer has acknowledged there is a problem, legal or otherwise a courtesy car should be provided, the clue is in the name. I took a Peugeot Boxer in to a back street garage for a new clutch, not warranty, insurance, accident or the garage's fault, but I was given a car to get me home again.

 

[JannerKebab]

Finally got a courtesy car today, ten days after mine got taken in for not charging. Spoke to the dealer and MG UK keep on giving them updates to load but still not fixed. Dealer thinks it’s the charge control unit but they are not allowed to change it until MG UK say that is the fault.

 

[Sloucher]

Finally got a courtesy car today, ten days after mine got taken in for not charging. Spoke to the dealer and MG UK keep on giving them updates to load but still not fixed. Dealer thinks it’s the charge control unit but they are not allowed to change it until MG UK say that is the fault.

So MG don't trust their dealerships to diagnose a problem? That's worrying!

 

[JannerKebab]

So MG don't trust their dealerships to diagnose a problem? That's worrying!

You’re right there Sloucher. Also what is worrying, there is three MG4s, mine included, at the dealers all with the same problem of not charging.

 

[tsedge]

While there is no 'right' to a courtesy car, even small local repair garages normally have something available - providing nothing is poor service indeed, especially when you've bought a new car from them.

However, if there are three cars already there with the same problem, it is entirely possible they have run out of courtesy cars and then the argument is over who pay between them and MG to hire one.

I do wonder at some dealer's mindsets and what they would accept if it was their own personal car that had the problem, but it could be a simple practical issue like this.

 

[RichP]

I’m afraid this isn’t an isolated incident. My MG has been with the dealer for 15 weeks and still undiagnosed and still unrepaired. The only replacement vehicles I’ve had have been for initial few days via AA assist and then for 4 days because I pleaded with the dealer. MG UK tell me to deal with the dealer and the dealer tells me it’s MG UK who won’t authorise a hire car. And I’m left stuck in the middle paying for an expensive brick! The latest email from MG UK yesterday says we’re sorry your car isn’t meeting expectations. They don’t seem to understand it’s not an annoying squeak or a not getting the claimed range, I don’t have a functioning car! In the time I’ve owned it it’s been off the road for over 20% of the time. One things for sure I will never buy another MG! So, if you’re reading this thinking of buying one, my advice is please don’t!

 

[siteguru]

How long have you had it? How long after purchase did this issue occur?

If they've been unable to repair the car in a reasonable time (and this certainly seems an unreasonable timescale) then you should be able to reject it under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

 

[RichP]

It was just over a year old when the problems started. I did look at the consumer protection act but it seems a bit vague for cars that old when the problem started. I might see what citizens advice say.

 

[CR1]

Hi RichP
Did you get any answers from Citizens advice on your rights? Our MG4 trophy was 1 year old when it developed a charging issue. The dealer had it for around 12 weeks, returned to us on Monday and today the charging lights are flicking on and off… I fear the problems have not been fully rectified and we may have made a very expensive mistake in this purchase.

 

[RichP]

Hi RichP
Did you get any answers from Citizens advice on your rights? Our MG4 trophy was 1 year old when it developed a charging issue. The dealer had it for around 12 weeks, returned to us on Monday and today the charging lights are flicking on and off… I fear the problems have not been fully rectified and we may have made a very expensive mistake in this purchase.

Oh sorry to hear that. In the end, I had to threaten legal action via a solicitor who specialised in dispute resolution. It was expensive but it did the trick and got the dealers attention. Sad state of affairs, it seems car dealerships operate a bit like the Wild West! I’m sure there are good ones, but some sure are bad! Good luck getting yours sorted.