Numpties

[Jcloughie]

As previously posted, in April I purchased a new, 2023 MG ZS Exclusive. I am well aware it is a comparatively cheap car so I don't expect high end Volvo or Jaguar at the price I paid. And so far I have been very happy and it has lived up to my expectations.

However, there are two problem areas that I would have thought were both minor.

First, on starting, the lights default to auto. So it is fair to expect not to get headlights and fog lights in daylight. Research shows this is a common issue fixed with a new sunshine sensor.

They first booked me in for a Saturday morning, 'while I wait', appointment. On arrival, I am told they cannot do diagnostics on a Saturday. And I may have to wait until 1 pm. plus, the right technician was not in! I was not best pleased.

They rebooked, This time they called me to say it all worked properly, and that they had had it in a dark workshop to test !! Though they had done an electrical reset which may have fixed any issues.

I took it home and it was no different, so I went back and insisted they looked at it with me there. In daylight, I started the car and asked them what lights were on. Again they tried to tell me it was 'the norm' and all I needed to do was to manually switch them off and on. I said this rather defeats having auto lights.

They ordered the sensor.

I then complained that the cruise control had gone faulty. Clicking the speed down in 1mph increments only worked intermittently. I took the manager for a test drive to demonstrate. Rather than admit there was a fault, he argued it was normal for this car. He volunteered to show me on another car. I said that was pointless as if the fault was on that car it just shows it is on both and that they are both wrong. I refused adamantly, to accept that it was 'the norm for this car'.

I have clearly told them I will return the car for a full refund if they cannot get it to operate as the handbook says it should.

Why do they think it is a clever thing to try to persuade a customer to accept clearly faulty operation? Surely, if they worked with me, they could actually get paid for correcting genuine warranty issues.

John

 

[Buckman]

Did they previously work for a caravan dealership? Apologies I know it is no laughing matter when a dealership states that a fault is a normal occurrence on a new vehicle. As a matter of interest aren't MGs now made in China?

 

[otherclive]

Did they previously work for a caravan dealership? Apologies I know it is no laughing matter when a dealership states that a fault is a normal occurrence on a new vehicle. As a matter of interest aren't MGs now made in China?

Yes they are now made in China along with many other electric cars that are on our roads. Until a few years ago they were assembled in Longbridge from parts shipped from China but that stopped and since then they are Chinese manufactured. MG is part of the large SAIC group.
This link although 2020 explains the arrangements.

How MG Motor is driving its way back to the big time | Autocar

The doyen of British motoring is rejuvenated and going places with a plan that includes an electric-only family estate and perhaps even a Porsche rival

www.autocar.co.uk

 

[Ukdave2002]

Dealers normally lap up warranty work as they get paid by the manufacturer, years ago our local Vauxhall dealer lost their franchise because they were “creating “ false warranty claims on customer vehicles.

 

[Jcloughie]

Dealers normally lap up warranty work as they get paid by the manufacturer, years ago our local Vauxhall dealer lost their franchise because they were “creating “ false warranty claims on customer vehicles.

It is a puzzle to me as to why the dealer might try hard to avoid doing warranty work. But to use a caravan dealer analogy. Caravan dealers get paid very poor, pre-negotiated rates for warranty work. So if they have plenty of the ‘easy’ well paid work, eg, servicing. They will avoid warranty work. Perhaps that is the case here. But in so doing, they just come across as total numpties.

John

 

[Beachball]

It is a puzzle to me as to why the dealer might try hard to avoid doing warranty work. But to use a caravan dealer analogy. Caravan dealers get paid very poor, pre-negotiated rates for warranty work. So if they have plenty of the ‘easy’ well paid work, eg, servicing. They will avoid warranty work. Perhaps that is the case here. But in so doing, they just come across as total numpties.

John

I hope your dealer gets this sorted your new car should be everything you were expecting so far my new car has been great and they said if anything comes up bring it back .

 

[Jcloughie]

I hope your dealer gets this sorted your new car should be everything you were expecting so far my new car has been great and they said if anything comes up bring it back .

I just received a call from the head technician. He now totally accepts what I am telling him is the case, and he has also investigated further to find that the cruise stops going down in increments at 32, 37, 42, 47 etc. He has raised this with MG UK, who came back with a gobbledygook answer. First, they said, 'I am not a fan of the cruise on this car! But other makes do this as well', (none I have ever had). So we seem to have discovered that it’s an inherent fault, (Though MG would not say it is a fault).

Regarding the fog lights coming on at night. MG said the fog lights should come on when the car is in reverse. Try and make some sense of that!

But mine happens in any gear. The dealer has been told to update the software on the body control module. So we will see what happens after that.

Now that the dealer has started believing me and attempting to resolve issues they are becoming less numptyish than they were.

John

 

[Hutch]

I will ask a friend of mine, he has the same car, and has just bought the MG EV4 for his wife.

 

[Jcloughie]

I will ask a friend of mine, he has the same car, and has just bought the MG EV4 for his wife.

Thanks, that will be interesting. I am told that the headlights are a common issue, easily be fixed with a new sunshine sensor. But the fog lights are very odd.

I suspect, from reading other threads, that not that many make use of their cruise control. So may not even be aware of the problems. (I have friends who have never even tried it). I have always made a lot of use as keeping my right leg in a fixed position brings on cramps.

John

 

[otherclive]

It is a puzzle to me as to why the dealer might try hard to avoid doing warranty work. But to use a caravan dealer analogy. Caravan dealers get paid very poor, pre-negotiated rates for warranty work. So if they have plenty of the ‘easy’ well paid work, eg, servicing. They will avoid warranty work. Perhaps that is the case here. But in so doing, they just come across as total numpties.

John

Just had the screenwash pump and seal replaced under warranty on our 6 year old Kia Rio runabout. No quibble as I reported it loosing screenwash fluid and at its service the technician confirmed it and the warranty administration authorised the repair. My first Kia, a generation 1 Sorento only had 3 year warranty whereas in the US they had 10 years 100000 miles. A good reason to ditch the Disco 2. In 6 years ownership it didn’t need anything doing warranty or no warranty.

I just received a call from the head technician. He now totally accepts what I am telling him is the case, and he has also investigated further to find that the cruise stops going down in increments at 32, 37, 42, 47 etc. He has raised this with MG UK, who came back with a gobbledygook answer. First, they said, 'I am not a fan of the cruise on this car! But other makes do this as well', (none I have ever had). So we seem to have discovered that it’s an inherent fault, (Though MG would not say it is a fault).

Regarding the fog lights coming on at night. MG said the fog lights should come on when the car is in reverse. Try and make some sense of that!

But mine happens in any gear. The dealer has been told to update the software on the body control module. So we will see what happens after that.

Now that the dealer has started believing me and attempting to resolve issues they are becoming less numptyish than they were.

John

Good progress. Having fog lights on in good visibility at night used to be an offence. My daughter was stopped by a police traffic car one night. But she explained that about 200 m back there was a fog bank over the River Avon.

 

[Jcloughie]

Just had the screenwash pump and seal replaced under warranty on our 6 year old Kia Rio runabout. No quibble as I reported it loosing screenwash fluid and at its service the technician confirmed it and the warranty administration authorised the repair. My first Kia, a generation 1 Sorento only

Good progress. Having fog lights on in good visibility at night used to be an offence. My daughter was stopped by a police traffic car one night. But she explained that about 200 m back there was a fog bank over the River Avon.

I thought it still was an offense. But oddly, although I can’t switch the foglights off. they seem very dim.

John

 

[Jcloughie]

Just out of curiosity, having not ever heard of the ‘body control module’ which is going to be reprogrammed. I looked it up.

https://www.edn.com/what-is-the-body-control-module-in-modern-automobiles/

John

 

[otherclive]

I thought it still was an offense. But oddly, although I can’t switch the foglights off. they seem very dim.

John

Are they used as DRL?

 

[Jcloughie]

Are they used as DRL?

No, the DRL’s are in at the top of the headlights, like an eyebrow.

The DRL’s are on all the time except when side lights are selected. I thought I had read that DRL’s should go off when the headlights are on, (don’t know why that might be). But it seems that on some cars they do, and on others, they don’t. There is no legal requirement.

John

John