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Can anyone advise on this?

To cut long story short we have paintwork issues and the dealer is refusing to replace or refund but will agree to a respray of side of van (1 month old). I know our rights and we have quoted them and he does not seem to be scared of the threat of court action.....has anyone has this kind of work done and it was successful or did it cause more issues?

Really don't want it but feel backed into corner.

What's up with the paintwork?

We had a couple of minor 'dings' in the side of ours when we picked it up but they were 'fixed' when we pointed them out and I must admit you can't see where they were. Although that was just the other week so hopefully in the long term they'll still look ok.

Sorry to hear of your problems, are you pleased with the caravan apart from the paintwork. (silly question I know, it's probably taken the shine off your new purchase). We were supposed to be getting a cuillin, but with  6 and 14yrs daughters decided we needed more living space, but I've promised OH that once older daughter is away we'll get one then.

Good luck, and remember try and get a solution YOU'LL be happy with, or it will just annoy you and you'll alway notice it.

Nicky

If it is that bad at a month old then exercise your rights and return the van.  I am sure you have done your homework, know where you stand and can back it up so go for it.  Don't be bullied.  It is worth talking to Swift though for sure, sometimes works wonders when the dealer is dire.

Ali

it has large clumps of dots all over the side that are rusting, dealer saying that it must have happened after we collected it (reported it after 10 days on first outing) dealer saying Swift not accepting that its anything to do with them or their factory.

we only want a replacement which dealer saying cannot do as next batch is Sept and could be new 2010 spec, colours changes etc. Or we want a refund so we can go buy something else, he has refused this and told us we will need to get a solicitor meaning a drawn out process, cannot use the van, although we haven't since ou first outing as when rejecting you are advised not to.

backed into a corner, expecting baby in two months and cannot afford a legal battle.

hubby has meeting face to face tonight but feel the only option os accepting a respray.

If something is faulty within the first six months it is deemed to be faulty at outset.  The dealer is talking rubbish.  Get onto Swift themselves pronto, do not take his word for it.

Ali

Hope you have some sucess talking to Swift direct, they seem to have a really good customer service team and are active on another website dealing with customers problems.

I think I would have a problem accepting a van with rust too!

Nicky

You have a right to reject it I believe so do just that.  Don't compromise, stick to your guns, this early in the van's life you have far more power than later on and who knows what will happen to the other panels?  Don't forget to remind Swift this forum has over 100,000 members lol!!! 

I expect Swift will send a bod to inspect it, I helped my friends get their van repaired last winter after the dealer told them to get stuffed.  We involved Swift who arranged for inspection and repair pronto so don't give up hope.

Ali

Dealer is definately talking rubbish ! This has to have been a fault present on the van before you bought it , it would not show signs of corrosion within a month if it was damage caused by you . Sounds like either a paint or panel defect , it does happen . I'm a painter in the Motor trade and have seen issue's on fairly new cars where the metal has caused blistering due to poor preparation or metal defects . Likewise if poor preparation has taken place before painting or moisture was present in that area u can get small blisters ( micro blister ) in the paint that would cause what you describe . Have you considered taking the van to another dealer or a bodyshop to get a professional verdict ?

Steve

My situation was not quite the same because it involved a brand new car which arrived with a similar paintwork problem as you discribe, and on an independent report, it was identified as contamination of carbon particles onto the newly painted surface before it had dried. Luckily we had consumer legal cover with our house insurance, and together with the CC legal team, we worked out that we had to give the manufacturer a chance to put things right and the car ended up with a full respray at just 3 months old, something that we were never happy about and sold the car ASAP after it had featured in a Treid and tested artical in the CC magazine, featuring over 120 areas of paint fault, and again recomending replacement by the independent specialist report.

All this happened over 12 years ago, but i doubt much has changed since, except that we would never buy a new Kia ever again. We spoted the black spots on the car roof when we collected it, but due to the dealership being on a busy road, we thought it was just dust from the environment, never dreaming that it was firmly embedded under the glaze coat at the time.

Julia    

Quote: Originally posted by stevelolly on 07/7/2009

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Sounds like either a paint or panel defect , it does happen . I'm a painter in the Motor trade and have seen issue's on fairly new cars where the metal has caused blistering due to poor preparation or metal defects . Likewise if poor preparation has taken place before painting or moisture was present in that area u can get small blisters ( micro blister ) in the paint that would cause what you describe

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