Why should we trust caravan service engineers?

[xtrailman]

I have tried two different service centres, both disappointed.

First service, asked for various repaires, one was a kitchen window, the small type with one window stay.

The problem was the stay wouln't keep the window open.

On pickup, everthing is done sir, well i just check. How did you go on with the kitchen window (ticked as done) oh there were nowt wrong with it. Here we go again i'm thinking, checked the window showed the "fitter" look it does not support the window!.I'll have to fit a new one then!. So another 30min delay, and they had it a week.

Second was a mobile service engineer, sorry lutz but in england engineers are sometimes dustbin men?, i know in europe they enjoy the same status as doctors ect, but not here.

To cut a long story short, he jcaked the van up on the alko chassis, and bent the channel lip up, apparantly this is quite common. Yet alko have specific places for jacking.

All i can say is if you have a good engineer let me know, i live in the sheffield area.

 

[RayS]

I may wish I had not made this posting but here goes.

First, Engineers- A Chartered Engineer is registered as such by an Engineering Institution which hold a Royal Charter. To qualify, you must have an educational qualification approved by that Institution (today usually a good degree), a formal and structured period of training - again approved, a period of direct experience and to have held a position of some responsibility. All this is likely to take around 8 years from leaving school. A Chartered Engineer is considered to be a "responsible person" and can countersign passport applications etc. much like a doctor.

The qualification requires hard work and dedication over this period of years. It is therefore not surprising that those who hold such qualifications may be a little miffed occaisionally to find the title 'engineer' used by and for those who have not followed such a career path.

Every good Chartered Engineer in a real job will know that he/she needs and relies on the Technician Engineers, Technicians, Artificers, mechanics, fitters, etc. etc and that it is the team that really does the job.

This arrangement is widely recognised in Europe and indeed there is an overall qualification of Eur Ing available. Elsewhere in the world such qualification is required to be able to approve designs, sign off safety related work etc. In Europe and the rest of the world the qualification is generally recogniesed in salarly level too - less so in UK.

(I write as a Chartered Engineer in two disciplines and as a past Pressident of one of the Chartered Engineering Institutions)

I understand that the AWC has been taken back in-house by NCC and that a Chartered Engineer well experienced in quality assurance matters has been appointed to review and manage the scheme. This will inevitably take some time, not leasst because the structure into which it has to fit - usually called National Vocational Qualification - is itself under review with inevitable multi committees and he parade and balancing of vested interests. I have been in touch with the Engineer concerned and he has kindly indicated his lines of approach, which I think are excellent. We should wish him every success it what is a considerable task. Once re-launched, we should show our support for the wcheme by using AWS members whenever possible and providing feedback to NCC.

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[Parksy]

To try and answer the points made by Dusty Dog and Roger L :

I'd suggest that those wishing to let other members know about good service from caravan related companies post in the 'General'

section of the forum because if they are mentioning a caravan park for instance or an accessory sales outlet then being restricted to the 'technical' section might result in other members missing the topic.

Roger L

It's a bit of a tricky one from the moderators point of view. One the one hand this is a forum and we wouldn't like to knowingly prevent our members from finding out if they are being sold short or even endangering themselves or their caravans.

On the other hand forum etiquette rules 2,3,5 but above all rule 4 prohibit the 'naming and shaming' of companies and specific complaints being aired on the forum.

Unlike many of the caravan forums on the internet we on Practical Caravan forum are 'hosted' by the magazine or it's publishers. While the mods don't work for the publishers we have to try and keep the forum within the rules which are set by the publishers. We are directly answerable to them via the administrator of this forum.

They are a potential target for litigation because unlike privately owned and funded caravan forums it could be well worth while for a company to sue them from a financial standpoint. The magazine also wants to foster and maintain good relationships within the caravan trade in which it operates for various reasons, advertising revenue being just one of them.

The publishers have had a couple of recent 'near misses' from firms who have threatened legal action as a result of things which have appeared on this forum so as you can see, we walk a bit of a tightrope.

We try to balance the interests of members with those of the publishers and at the moment we look at each topic individually to see what we can 'allow' and what we cant.

Usually if a member 'praised' a company and another member wrote something along the lines of 'that hasn't been my experience' without going into detail the post would be ok (I think!)

When we're in doubt we remove and save a post and ask 'them upstairs' to decide. If they give us the go ahead the post is re instated.

Clear? - Me neither! lol

 

[RogerL]

Parksy - thanks for your response - I wasn't trying to be awkward nor trying to pick your brains (I am a moderator elsewhere) - it's a difficult area particularly as even the worst dealer will treat some customers well, if they "name & praise" it can be difficult to reflect a proper balance when "name & shame" isn't permitted.

Ray S - I am encouraged by your post regarding review of the ACW scheme by a Chartered Engineer with a properly structured professional scheme as the end result.

 

[Parksy]

Parksy - thanks for your response - I wasn't trying to be awkward nor trying to pick your brains (I am a moderator elsewhere) - it's a difficult area particularly as even the worst dealer will treat some customers well, if they "name & praise" it can be difficult to reflect a proper balance when "name & shame" isn't permitted.

Ray S - I am encouraged by your post regarding review of the ACW scheme by a Chartered Engineer with a properly structured professional scheme as the end result.

Hi Roger

Trying to pick my brains would be where the phrase 'slim pickings' came from.

 

[HideHi1]

Parksy - thanks for your response - I wasn't trying to be awkward nor trying to pick your brains (I am a moderator elsewhere) - it's a difficult area particularly as even the worst dealer will treat some customers well, if they "name & praise" it can be difficult to reflect a proper balance when "name & shame" isn't permitted.

Ray S - I am encouraged by your post regarding review of the ACW scheme by a Chartered Engineer with a properly structured professional scheme as the end result.

I suggest that you all go and read the information on the NCC website or better still actually give them a ring - regarding Workshop Approved TECHNICIANS !!!

You might find that some of these technicians have worked extremely hard to become a Workshop Approved Technician.

Also, i would like to make clear that you dont have to take your caravan back to your dealer for your annual service you can use any NNC Approved Workshop without invalidating your Manufactuers Warranty (please clarify this information with the NCC if your in any doubt and they will clarify this to be true!) also (some) dealers allow NCC workshops to carry out some types of warranty work - the best thing to do is clarify this with your dealer!!

Just because you have had a bad experiance in the past - please dont paint all NCC workshops with the same brush - there are some excellent ones out there - especially Mobile ones where you get a one to one personal service, where most technicians are happy for you to watch from start to finish!!!!!