Rare fantastic service

Palmnuts · 01-17-2012, 06:12 PM

I can't remember if I mentioned this on another thread somewhere but I am so delighted by the rare service I recently got at the Jaaaaaag dealer that I have to tell you all about it!

My hate of rattles and creaks is well documented over these pages so can you imagine how I was when my XKR, at just two-weeks old, started to develop a creak from the seat

Not just any old seat because these seats cost me thousands extra

And not any old creak but an intermittent one....the very worst kind of unwanted noise which makes diagnosis almost impossible.

The intermittence was caused by how cold the ambient temperature was so, when I initially took it to the dealer to have a look at it (just before Christmas), by the time I'd done the 15-mile drive to get there, the car was warm. Result = creak was unable to be replicated.

Frustratingly though, my normal commute is about 3 miles so this inevitably meant that I'd get the creak every day I drove the car as it never really full warms up in winter. Once I'd explained this to the dealer, the service manager agreed to collect the car from my house one morning when I could then replicate the fault to him.

Cue the day he came to collect the car - and guess what? It was one of the warmest winter days we've had with temperatures in the double figures and, yep you guessed it, no creak! I felt like a tool

Despite this, the service manager could see how anxious I was about this and decided he'd take the car and get the seat stripped down to pad out everything inside it to see if this would fix the problem (it was like a plastic on plastic creak). Now even I have to admit, they were going to try and fix a problem that they couldn't replicate so from their point of view, they were fixing something that wasn't even broken!

They had the car for two days and when the job was complete the service manager rang me and asked where on the backrest the creaking was coming from. I said definitely in the middle, half way up to which he responded with delight saying he thought they'd got it! Apparently, part of the metal seat-back structure is covered in two plastic panels that overlap right in the middle. Once they'd removed all the leather and got to the main backrest structure, they found they could get it to creak at that precise overlap point. They padded it out, put the seat back together and returned the car back to me.

Now, I was very concerned at having a seat stripped in a brand new car especially when the seat is of a new design that the dealer admitted they'd never worked on before. So I was relieved when the seat was put back perfectly - everything back in place and nothing broken

And the best thing is, regardless of temperature, there's now no creaking whatsoever

I am absolutely delighted not only by the fact I now have a creak-free car* but what about that service huh? What would most dealers do if they couldn't replicate a fault like that? In my experience, they'd send you on your way with NFF

and certainly wouldn't entertain attempting to fix something just on the basis of what you tell them without seeing/hearing it themselves!

So, big thumbs up for a true independent dealer - Sturgess in Leicester.....(who incidentally also sell Land Rover so you don't even need to buy a Jag to experience them!)

* I very nearly had another creak identified last weekend! I was driving around with no radio on for a change and I spotted another annoying 'noise' from the centre console. It could only be heard in stop-start town driving on pulling away or coming to a stop....yet it was driving me insane. That was until I put my hand on the seat-belt buckle and realised it was that and was the same sound any buckle makes. Beyond help....some of us just need locking up

Kerr · 01-17-2012, 06:22 PM

Things do go wrong and it's how they deal with it that counts more often than not.

I wish my BMW dealer was a fraction like the above Jag dealer.

dopper99 · 01-17-2012, 06:54 PM

Sounds like a very good service. Do they fix BMWs as well?

My dealer hasnt fixed a vibration coming from the passenger seat saying a cetain amount of vibration "is acceptable". Fooking useless and very frustrating.

I'm sure they judge people that go into the dealership moaning about rattles to be a pain in the ass.

01-17-2012, 06:12 PM	#1
Palmnuts Lieutenant Colonel 170 Rep 1,957 Posts Drives: Huracan Evo & M8 GC Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Leicestershire, UK iTrader: (0)	Rare fantastic service I can't remember if I mentioned this on another thread somewhere but I am so delighted by the rare service I recently got at the Jaaaaaag dealer that I have to tell you all about it! My hate of rattles and creaks is well documented over these pages so can you imagine how I was when my XKR, at just two-weeks old, started to develop a creak from the seat Not just any old seat because these seats cost me thousands extra And not any old creak but an intermittent one....the very worst kind of unwanted noise which makes diagnosis almost impossible. The intermittence was caused by how cold the ambient temperature was so, when I initially took it to the dealer to have a look at it (just before Christmas), by the time I'd done the 15-mile drive to get there, the car was warm. Result = creak was unable to be replicated. Frustratingly though, my normal commute is about 3 miles so this inevitably meant that I'd get the creak every day I drove the car as it never really full warms up in winter. Once I'd explained this to the dealer, the service manager agreed to collect the car from my house one morning when I could then replicate the fault to him. Cue the day he came to collect the car - and guess what? It was one of the warmest winter days we've had with temperatures in the double figures and, yep you guessed it, no creak! I felt like a tool Despite this, the service manager could see how anxious I was about this and decided he'd take the car and get the seat stripped down to pad out everything inside it to see if this would fix the problem (it was like a plastic on plastic creak). Now even I have to admit, they were going to try and fix a problem that they couldn't replicate so from their point of view, they were fixing something that wasn't even broken! They had the car for two days and when the job was complete the service manager rang me and asked where on the backrest the creaking was coming from. I said definitely in the middle, half way up to which he responded with delight saying he thought they'd got it! Apparently, part of the metal seat-back structure is covered in two plastic panels that overlap right in the middle. Once they'd removed all the leather and got to the main backrest structure, they found they could get it to creak at that precise overlap point. They padded it out, put the seat back together and returned the car back to me. Now, I was very concerned at having a seat stripped in a brand new car especially when the seat is of a new design that the dealer admitted they'd never worked on before. So I was relieved when the seat was put back perfectly - everything back in place and nothing broken And the best thing is, regardless of temperature, there's now no creaking whatsoever I am absolutely delighted not only by the fact I now have a creak-free car* but what about that service huh? What would most dealers do if they couldn't replicate a fault like that? In my experience, they'd send you on your way with NFF and certainly wouldn't entertain attempting to fix something just on the basis of what you tell them without seeing/hearing it themselves! So, big thumbs up for a true independent dealer - Sturgess in Leicester.....(who incidentally also sell Land Rover so you don't even need to buy a Jag to experience them!) * I very nearly had another creak identified last weekend! I was driving around with no radio on for a change and I spotted another annoying 'noise' from the centre console. It could only be heard in stop-start town driving on pulling away or coming to a stop....yet it was driving me insane. That was until I put my hand on the seat-belt buckle and realised it was that and was the same sound any buckle makes. Beyond help....some of us just need locking up
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01-17-2012, 06:22 PM	#2
Kerr Brigadier General 112 Rep 4,021 Posts Drives: BMW M235I Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Aberdeen iTrader: (0)	Things do go wrong and it's how they deal with it that counts more often than not. I wish my BMW dealer was a fraction like the above Jag dealer.
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01-17-2012, 06:54 PM	#3
dopper99 Lieutenant General 3533 Rep 11,292 Posts Drives: Golf R Mk8 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: UK iTrader: (1)	Sounds like a very good service. Do they fix BMWs as well? My dealer hasnt fixed a vibration coming from the passenger seat saying a cetain amount of vibration "is acceptable". Fooking useless and very frustrating. I'm sure they judge people that go into the dealership moaning about rattles to be a pain in the ass.
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