Update on JKM Portsmouth's refusal to honour previous work

[sjjhr]

Following my post on 23 Dec 2015, I received the answer below from JKM today. Very disappointing from a supposedly reputable garage which charged £2000 less than 12 months ago to fit H&R coilovers. They are now walking away from any constructive solution by using pathetic excuses.

RS4s are not cheap bangers and all I can do is to warn people to beware of JKM as they won't stand by their work. It's equivalent to a dealer saying that any work they carried out on a car paid for by a previous owner is not guaranteed even if it's less that 12 months old.

The motor trade lives up to its reputation...

"Dear X,

Thank you for your email.

I have enclosed the H&R Warranty Terms and Conditions which clearly states the warranty does not extend to any products presented for warranty coverage by a person other than the purchaser (Point vii).

Aside from that, our contract of sale is with the original purchaser as named on the sale invoice, not you!

You have purchased the vehicle ‘second hand’/’sold as seen’ which means we have no contract of sale with you as the new owner.

We have no idea how many times the vehicle may of changed hands since we last saw it, or indeed if anyone has adjusted the suspension since it was last in our workshop almost a year ago.

If you would like to book the car in for it to be inspected, then we would happily take a look for you, but we are most certainly not going to provide this service free of charge for reasons stated above"

[RossDagley]

As I said on your other post about this - I think you're being quite unrealistic and unreasonable.

They're well within their rights to request payment from a stranger with whom they've had no interaction. It's not a warranty issue it's an adjustment issue as you don't like the way the car is setup despite it being perfectly acceptable for the previous owner for 8 or so months. Why should they change the setup for free?

[sjjhr]

It is a warranty issue as the setup is not fit for purpose. No competent garage should have let such a badly riding set up out of the door. The previous owner had it for 8 years and sold it within a few months of getting the suspension changed because he couldn't live with the ride either. Simples.

[nastro azzurro]

I'm with Ross on this one too.
Actually, I can't believe you would think they're liable

[RossDagley]

It is a warranty issue as the setup is not fit for purpose. No competent garage should have let such a badly riding set up out of the door. The previous owner had it for 8 years and sold it within a few months of getting the suspension changed because he couldn't live with the ride either. Simples.

If I bought a car I was happy with, then had new tyres fitted that made the wheels judder because they weren't balanced, I wouldn't sell the car because of it, I'd take it back to the tyre fitter. But you are saying the previous owner drove it for 6+ months without returning it for a 'fix', then sold it because he couldn't live with it. If it was so bad, why didn't he take it back?

If you bought the car knowing it had such a terrible suspension setup, presumably you factored any rectification into the price - so use that to get it remedied.

I'm sorry - you're still asking a company who have never had any interaction with you to work on your car for free, and you're yet to convince me what the company has done wrong.

[SuprSi]

I'm with Ross on this one too.
Actually, I can't believe you would think they're liable

+1. The setup (ie dampening, spring rate, preload etc) is an adjustment, not warranty. Stop being an idiot.

In fact I'll go further to say the way you're trying to discredit an honest business sickens me.

[marc1]

Still not really clear from the OP's post what exactly is wrong with the set up. Not really surprised they've said they're not liable. Explain what the issue is and what has changed since you purchased it. Is it falling to pieces or do you just not like the way it drives? If it's the latter, there could be many contributing factors including suspension set up but not exclusive to. For reference, H&R coilovers are renowned for not feeling as compliant as other brands. Assume you were happy with the car when you purchased it?

[chunky79]

Both of the threads are pointless.

[nastro azzurro]

It really annoys me that this tool is trying to discredit a company he knows nothing about.
I have a business (not motor related but still in the service industry) and if someone came to me with the 'grievances' of the poster I would have reacted as the garage have.
You're right; he's being an idiot.

[geordie jay]

I totally agree with the garage..if you bought car knowing that previous owner sold it because of set up why didnt you raise concern before handing readys over??? Basically i think you pi$$ing in the wind fella

[sjjhr]

I disagree with most of you! But I'm glad I raised the debate as I'm interested in the replies.

Businesses have to stand by their services. I have found out that the previous owner didn't like the ride but I didn't know it at the time, clearly. There is no difference here between a dealer installing an item and my having redress under warranty, vs JKM not caring about the equipment they'll quite happily relieve you of £2000 for.

It should never have left their premises with such an appalling ride, which if anything, will have softened since they did it.

[nastro azzurro]

It's NOT your warranty........the contract was not with you, which the dealer has pointed out and has also given valid reasons as to why not.
What don't you get???
I'd give up now mate; you're making yourself look a fool.

[sjjhr]

I have noted all opinions and I can see that I am considered in the wrong. I do appreciate the comments though. This topic is now closed!

[PSB1]

This topic is now closed!

Doesn't seem to be. (Sorry, in a really flippant mood today).

[IanH755]

From my own experience I wouldn't buy a car if, during the test drive, it felt like it had an "appalling ride" so my question would be - has something changed since you bought it or has it always been "appalling" to you in which case why buy it in the first place?

Anyway, a warranty covers fault or failure of the item, neither of which has been confirmed by a garage yet. However, without knowing if is has actually failed you are saying it has been setup in a way which you consider to be "badly done" and would like it changed but that (a re-adjustment) is also not a warranty issue.

Personally I wouldn't expect a garage to re-adjust a car after so long, with a new owner, for free. What I would do is go to JKM to have the current setup looked at (like they suggest), including 4 wheel alignment, just incase something *has* failed making the car as dangerous to drive as you are suggesting, in which case you would have a warranty claim, but with H&R. Then, once the car had been looked over for any faults, if it has none then I'd start to chat to the owners about either getting it re-adjusted to my liking or, if thats not possible, removed completely and replaced with something else (Bilstein B16/PSS9 for example) which can be done by a different garage should you feel JKM aren't capable enough.

Outside of the "is it/isn't it" a warranty issue can you give us some more info as to why it's setup so bad - high speed, low speed, shaking, too stiff, too loose, too low etc as H&R are notoriously hard/stiff but your complaint seems to suggest something more than that?

***EDIT*** Just seen that you want to close the thread whilst I was typing this out, sorry.