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Moto& Does someone in the industry deserve a pat on the back, or a dressing down? Drop us a line at Commercial Motor, Room 11203, Quadrant House, The Quadrant, Sutton, Surrey SM2 SAS or fax us on 181 652 8969. Alternatively you can e-mail us on Miles.BrIgnall*rbi.co.uk.
MAN WARRANTY
As a hard-pressed European haulier and MAN operator, I have noted with interest the growing success of MAN in recent years on the UK market.
I have operated MAN vehicles since 1992 and have been far from pleased with the parts and service back-up in the UK. I was therefore pleased to receive details of their "Premier Pledge" earlier this year, offering 48-hour delivery of VOR parts or you get the part free, with a two-year warranty on factory exchange units. This interested me as I was due to replace an engine during the summer.
In early June I visited MAN Manchester to order a new engine, and was given a delivery of five to seven working days. It arrived on the fourth day.
When I asked if this meant I got a free engine I was told there was a maximum of £1,000 on this pledge, a fact that was not mentioned as far as I could see, even in small print, on the brochure I received, and that I should contact MAN Swindon with my claim, which I did on 15 July. I received a letter four days later stating that MAN would investigate my claim: that is the last I heard.
Producing brochures announcing fancy pledges is all well and good, but when it comes to honouring the pledges MAN seems to be found wanting. The moral of this tale must be: read the small print, even when there appears to be none!
Peter Jacques, Jacques international Furniture Transport, Rochdale, Lancs.
U Vince Welsh. MAN's director of customer support, replies: Thank you tor this opportunity to rep6i TO Mr Jacques, an operator with whom we have had previous correspondence.
We certainly do not wish to fall out with Mr Jacques—every MAN operator is important to 11S and we genuine& dislike it when misunderstandings occur, So, as 1 read matters, there are three issues here: the lack of detail about the 4000 cash-back limit on 48-hour VOR parts from MAN: the question of Mr Jacques' eligibility for such a rebate; and the letter to which Mr Jacques received no further reply.
First, Mr Jacques is right in saying there is no "small print" regarding our offer. This is because, in every piece of approved MAN Premier Pledge material, the not-ungenerous limit of £1,000 is clearly spelled out in the same size print as every other detail.
Indeed, out-advertisement launching the Premier Pledge in Commercial Motor carried this "detail" in very bold type.
It appears from Mr Jacques' letter, however, that this was not what might be called a genuine VOR situation. He knew he was going to replace the engine well in advance, having discussed this with the MAN dealer some months before the actual change.
in fact we know this vehicle was not in a VOR condition, as it was driven into our Manchester workshop for an agreed service appointment—at his request, and at a time convenient for his operations.
At that time the engine was found to be sound, though well used, but Mr Jacques had felt a replacement was needed to ensure the ongoing reliability of this K-registered vehicle in his operation, it is also worth noting, in connection with this matter, that, at the dealership, he took advantage of our "Free Fit" offer, yet another cost-cutting service to MAN operators through Premier Pledge, However, as I have said, MAN operators are important to us, and even under these somewhat unusual circumstances we are prepared to offer Mr Jacques the 14000 "cash back" offer. Heaven knows, operators have it tough enough at the moment without manufacturers even appearing to add to their problems!
As to our non-response to Mr Jacques' letter, this genuinely upsets me. I have looked into the situation, and I can only apologise that on this occasion human failure meant we did not fofiow up our prompt inittaireply.
will personally oversee a review of our system to try and ensure such a failure does not happen again. So, my apologies to Mr Jacques for this. We will, of course, now contact Mr Jacques who is well known to us, to see that any future needs are dealt with to our mutual satisfaction.