Unbelievable

[Mark101 536]

Sold a Punto last week to a lovely family but the passenger seat will not tilt forward to reach the rear bench seat.

I said don'y worry, we will get it sorted.

Guy has taken it to Fiat main agent whom have diagnosed two broken cables. (they live 5 hours from me otherwise it would be done ny now)

Before I reveal how much they have quoted, have a guess - 2 cables plus fitting (access is via a zip in the upholstery btw)

She couldn't even tell me how much the part was because she was on the wrong screen.  Asked if they can do anything with the price and they said the manager if off until Friday so no.

Fuming....

[justina3 518]

£349 plus vat

 

[Mark101 536]

Just now, justina3 said:

£349 plus vat

 

Bloody hell - you're accurate.

£341.29 inc VAT

Told them to stick it

[NOACROSS 414]

6 minutes ago, Mark101 said:

Sold a Punto last week to a lovely family but the passenger seat will not tilt forward to reach the rear bench seat.

I said don'y worry, we will get it sorted.

Guy has taken it to Fiat main agent whom have diagnosed two broken cables. (they live 5 hours from me otherwise it would be done ny now)

Before I reveal how much they have quoted, have a guess - 2 cables plus fitting (access is via a zip in the upholstery btw)

She couldn't even tell me how much the part was because she was on the wrong screen.  Asked if they can do anything with the price and they said the manager if off until Friday so no.

Fuming....

Where do they live mate? Can’t let these Punters go to a main dealer and pay for the glass boxes and pointy shoe tax. 

[Mark101 536]

2 minutes ago, NOACROSS said:

Where do they live mate? Can’t let these Punters go to a main dealer and pay for the glass boxes and pointy shoe tax. 

They agree with me and are now taking to an indi - they live in Pembrokeshire, right on the tip of West Wales.

[Mojo121 229]

14 minutes ago, Mark101 said:

Sold a Punto last week to a lovely family but the passenger seat will not tilt forward to reach the rear bench seat.

I said don'y worry, we will get it sorted.

Guy has taken it to Fiat main agent whom have diagnosed two broken cables. (they live 5 hours from me otherwise it would be done ny now)

Before I reveal how much they have quoted, have a guess - 2 cables plus fitting (access is via a zip in the upholstery btw)

She couldn't even tell me how much the part was because she was on the wrong screen.  Asked if they can do anything with the price and they said the manager if off until Friday so no.

Fuming....

Ridiculous and exactly why I hate selling cars to people who aren't an hour or two away max! I had someone from 4 hours away wanting to come the other weekend and put them off until a local could come.

[It's me 615]

to be fair its a bit more complicated than just undoing the zip

to do it right

remove seat

carefully undo zips (they split easy)

remove all backing foam

find where wires go from

confirm mechanism weorks

fit wires

sometimes a modification could be done to the wires with a bit of cheeseblock

i reckon its a 3 hour job at 80 an hour

might be cheaper to find another seat

kick mot man up bumsy for not bringing this to your attention when seatbelt checking

[Mark101 536]

9 minutes ago, boring dave said:

might be cheaper to find another seat

kick mot man up bumsy for not bringing this to your attention when seatbelt checking

I am trying to source a SH seat but it is quite speccy (for a Punto EVO GP)

Agreed re: MOT but I am not about to upset him 

[Ocsltd 133]

I’m just shocked they travelled 5 hours for a Punto?! 

[justina3 518]

1 hour ago, Ocsltd said:

I’m just shocked they travelled 5 hours for a Punto?! 

What’s worse is they must have driven past me and I have two of them 

[It's me 615]

1 minute ago, justina3 said:

What’s worse is they must have driven past me and I have two of them 

bogof..............

[Stalker 180]

1 hour ago, Mark101 said:

I am trying to source a SH seat but it is quite speccy (for a Punto EVO GP)

Agreed re: MOT but I am not about to upset him 

We have a trimmer guy that repairs these kind of issues for local main dealers, you might find one down the customer way?

 

Justin might be able to help you find somebody?

[Mark101 536]

10 minutes ago, justina3 said:

What’s worse is they must have driven past me and I have two of them 

They went to see one en route to me in Cwmbran or Caerphilly (can’t remember which).  A white one which mine apparently knocked into touch. Dealer wouldn’t provide new MOT and it was tatty in comparison apparently.

Don’t want to sell me a seat do you? 

Edited February 4, 2019 by Mark101

[Ocsltd 133]

13 minutes ago, Mark101 said:

They went to see one en route to me in Cwmbran or Caerphilly (can’t remember which).  A white one which mine apparently knocked into touch. Dealer wouldn’t provide new MOT and it was tatty in comparison apparently.

Don’t want to sell me a seat do you? 

[NOACROSS 414]

There’s a few on eBay Mark. Looks like yours:

(177432) Fiat Punto Evo Seat passenger red trim

35 minutes ago, Mark101 said:

They went to see one en route to me in Cwmbran or Caerphilly (can’t remember which).  A white one which mine apparently knocked into touch. Dealer wouldn’t provide new MOT and it was tatty in comparison apparently.

Don’t want to sell me a seat do you? 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F264074084775

[Tony911 79]

£349 cars not worth that much

[Mark101 536]

1 hour ago, NOACROSS said:

There’s a few on eBay Mark. Looks like yours:

(177432) Fiat Punto Evo Seat passenger red trim

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F264074084775

Brilliant - thanks NOA

[NOACROSS 414]

My pleasure. Hope it solves the problem.

Us 70’s boys have gotta stick together :O)

[Mark101 536]

Wish I could afford some 70’s cars - my first - a Mk2 Escort at £290 (insurance £410).

[NOACROSS 414]

Best place for old cars is in the past. Nostalgia is a dangerous thing Terry. :o)

MK 2 escort, you were cool! My first car was a Viva with a buggered gearbox. I put a Chevette one in it, whilst my old man moaned at me for taking up the driveway with old junk. 

[CCC 31]

Happy days, first car was a Chevette which I learnt to fill on. Followed by escort mk2 1.6, wanted a sport but could only afford to insure a Ghia (in old man gold/brown)

[NOACROSS 414]

You were cool too! Was the sport much different? What did it get over or less than the Ghia? I had an Orion L (again with a noisy gearbox now that I think about it. That wasn’t so easy to change) a few cars in, so I didn’t get any more street cred. 

21 minutes ago, CCC said:

Happy days, first car was a Chevette which I learnt to fill on. Followed by escort mk2 1.6, wanted a sport but could only afford to insure a Ghia (in old man gold/brown)

 

[Mark101 536]

My MkII was an embarasment at the time - it was during a time that the MkII was a chavy car, back when many a Ford had the sun visors with Kevin and Tracy across the top of the screen and fluffy dice (mine was a standard Pop or Pop Plus).

I soon moved the car on and after driving my Grandad's Triumph Acclaim, I bought one in beige as by comparison, it was quick - I later bought an auto too to break for spares.

The Acclaim burned 5l oil per tank of fuel and my Dad taking pity on me gave me £3,500 to buy a 2 year old Maestro accident repaired from his mate - another boring car which after only a few weeks later I chopped back in to the same garage for an Orion Injection Ghia MkII. Now that was cool and for the first time in my life (and never since), I was cool - 18 and driving a car that many a middle aged man aspired to, let alone a spotty teenager still in college.

Anyway, kicked out of college for the second time (I was planning a career in medicine, big disspointment I am sure) I went off to work at Butlins and found immediate (shallow) fame because I had a nice car.  I fell in with a car crowd running 2.8 Capri's and my love for RWD was refound.  I gave my Dad the Orion for a few months and bought a Chevette 1256 (I think) just because it was RWD.  Returning from my season at Butlins, I was soon back in my Orion which I later sold to start my first venture in the motor trade - still 18.

First retail purchase a highly modified 1275GT - flame spitting rocket with a cherry bomb exhaust, then an XR3i and many other (at the time) desirable cars.

See, cars are either in your blood or not IMO.  Do I still like cars and driving? - Yes, as much as the day I passed my test.  I still get excited whenever a new car arrives, either a £100 PX or a £50K Range Rover.

The only thing that has never excited me and probably because I have little mechanical experience, is working on cars.  I don't have any mechanical skills but have become proficient over the years at diagnosing faults (except DS3) but still rely on someone else who can swing a spanner.

[Screenman 47]

First car legal on the road in 1973 a mk2 jag cost £200 insurance £125, I was 17 and had just passed my test. Clutch lasted a month and I had an option when I had it done, engine out or chisel around the bulkhead if my memory serves me correctly, I took the cheaper option.

[Ocsltd 133]

4 hours ago, Mark101 said:

My MkII was an embarasment at the time - it was during a time that the MkII was a chavy car, back when many a Ford had the sun visors with Kevin and Tracy across the top of the screen and fluffy dice (mine was a standard Pop or Pop Plus).

I soon moved the car on and after driving my Grandad's Triumph Acclaim, I bought one in beige as by comparison, it was quick - I later bought an auto too to break for spares.

The Acclaim burned 5l oil per tank of fuel and my Dad taking pity on me gave me £3,500 to buy a 2 year old Maestro accident repaired from his mate - another boring car which after only a few weeks later I chopped back in to the same garage for an Orion Injection Ghia MkII. Now that was cool and for the first time in my life (and never since), I was cool - 18 and driving a car that many a middle aged man aspired to, let alone a spotty teenager still in college.

Anyway, kicked out of college for the second time (I was planning a career in medicine, big disspointment I am sure) I went off to work at Butlins and found immediate (shallow) fame because I had a nice car.  I fell in with a car crowd running 2.8 Capri's and my love for RWD was refound.  I gave my Dad the Orion for a few months and bought a Chevette 1256 (I think) just because it was RWD.  Returning from my season at Butlins, I was soon back in my Orion which I later sold to start my first venture in the motor trade - still 18.

First retail purchase a highly modified 1275GT - flame spitting rocket with a cherry bomb exhaust, then an XR3i and many other (at the time) desirable cars.

See, cars are either in your blood or not IMO.  Do I still like cars and driving? - Yes, as much as the day I passed my test.  I still get excited whenever a new car arrives, either a £100 PX or a £50K Range Rover.

The only thing that has never excited me and probably because I have little mechanical experience, is working on cars.  I don't have any mechanical skills but have become proficient over the years at diagnosing faults (except DS3) but still rely on someone else who can swing a spanner.

Great post!