Misleading / Poor Service

On Sunday, 29th December 2024, our Renault Triber refused to start. After several attempts, it started briefly but failed again, only starting intermittently. Since it was a Sunday, we decided to take the vehicle to Renault Umhlanga on Monday, 30th December 2024, at approximately 9:15 AM. Upon arrival, an employee came to assist us and later revealed he was the manager. He mentioned that he suspected the issue might be the starter motor, but the workshop would need to assess it further. He also indicated that if they did not have the part in stock, he would assist us in arranging a courtesy vehicle.

The manager suggested my husband return the following morning, 31st December 2024, at 7:00 AM, without even taking any of our details. I advised my husband that since we were already at the dealership before 10:00 AM, and the dealership closed at 5:00 PM, they could assess the vehicle and begin the necessary process immediately. My husband went back inside and insisted on leaving the vehicle for assessment. The manager then recommended that we book the vehicle in with the assistant.

When we went to the assistant to provide our details, she advised us that a booking is reflecting for 2nd January, which confused us. We clarified that the manager had specifically told us to come back on the 31st. Just in time, the manager intervened, preventing the assistant from creating the wrong booking, as he already had a job card ready for the vehicle(which I think he created for the 2nd) The assistant took our contact details, and we left.

Later that day, at around 4:34 PM, we received a call from the dealership, confirming that the starter motor was indeed the problem, and they were awaiting authorization for repairs.

The following morning, 31st December 2024, we arrived at the dealership at approximately 8:30 AM, expecting the manager to assist us in arranging a courtesy vehicle, as promised. The assistant informed us that the manager had stepped out, but she would inform him as soon as he returned. After over an hour of waiting, the manager finally arrived and told my husband that they did not have the required part in stock, nor did any local branch have it. Only the Johannesburg branch had one, and they were unsure when it would arrive. While we understood the timing, being the holiday season, he mentioned that he has no vehicle in the dealership, which he lend us and put under our insurance coverage.

He then suggested that he would try to start the vehicle to allow us to use it for the next couple of days, but that we should return it by Thursday, 2nd January 2024. After another hour passed without any feedback, I approached the assistant to ask what was going on, as we had been told the vehicle would be ready for use. The manager then informed us that the vehicle was still not starting and that Renault would only cover the cost of a courtesy vehicle if the vehicle was in the workshop for more than 7 days. He could not offer any further assistance.

Our concern is that the manager already knew the vehicle would not be seen to until Thursday, as he had booked it for the 2nd of January. Yet, he still instructed us to return on the 31st, promising assistance that was never delivered. This misleading and poor customer service, coupled with the lack of professional communication, has left us extremely frustrated. We understand that parts may not always be in stock, and there is a process for repairs. However, we feel misled and disappointed by the lack of genuine effort to help us. The issue with our vehicle was an unforeseen one, and as the manager himself acknowledged, it was related to a manufacturer’s warranty part.

Given our long-standing relationship with Renault and have purchased more than one vehicle from them, we find this level of service unacceptable. We expected better customer care and a more transparent approach to resolving the issue. Renault should have shown more courtesy in addressing the situation, especially given the circumstances.

We hope that Renault takes this feedback seriously and reassesses the level of service provided to loyal customers, as this experience has been incredibly frustrating and disappointing.