Judgement - some bad... some good.

The Ombudsman Liaison Man called on Tuesday. And again on Wednesday. Tesco's engineer called on Wednesday too. Unfortunately I was away in Germany on business so didn't answer the calls.

On Thursday Tesco's engineer called to say he was authorised to fix the Secondary Air Injection Motor which is good. After a little wrangling he also agreed to get an under tray fitted which is also good. But the plastic inner bits of the wheels he wouldn't sort out which is bad. It seems that he wants me to make the arrangements to get it sorted too which is a bit tricky and not what I'd expect from a professional insurance company. I said that I would call the Ombudsman Liaison Man about the wheels.

I called the Ombudsman Liaison Man. He wasn't interested in sorting out the wheels. He's not interested in compensating me for the aggravation, the cost of driving backwards and forwards to collect the car, the insurance that I've paid for a car I was unable to drive, the phone calls (Tesco aren't a free number on a mobile), getting the car finally diagnosed or indeed anything else. He's closing the file and will issue a letter to that fact which he agreed I ought to have by Wednesday 31st March 2010. Clearly I'll have to take those things up with the Ombudsman.

The Ombudsman Liaison Man was again surprised that I still haven't got details of the engine. I know that this seems a small point but, according to their website, the DVLA require the information. The precise details I need are summarised below:

Change to engine and cylinder capacity (engine size)

DVLA will need written evidence of any changes to engine number and cylinder capacity (cc). Written evidence can be:

• a receipt for the replacement engine
• written evidence from the manufacturer
• an inspection report provided for insurance purposes
• written confirmation on headed paper from a garage if the change in engine size took place before you bought the vehicle

I don't know what the penalties for not doing this are but I do know that Tesco will be unwilling to pay them.

Progress... ?

On friday the Ombudsman Liaison Man did call back as promised. Thanks to him. He has all of the evidence (apart from the car but I've ranted on about that already). He'd even called SEAT to check on their diagnosis (it's a faulty Secondary Air Injection Motor) and asked if the damage could have been done in the accident. The faulty Secondary Air Injection Motor is right behind the dented bit in the picture...

SEAT said it could well have been damaged in the accident.

The Ombudsman Liaison Man will call back on Monday after he's assessed all of the evidence.

You'll notice that from the picture the dog clearly went under the car rather than over the car as there's no bloodstains on the bonnet and windscreen. This might suggest that any damage to the bottom of the car - you know like the exhaust, catalytic converter etc was also done in the accident. I think that maybe this ought to be checked before Tesco and the Ombudsman Liaison Man close the book on this.

At last contact... but I called them :(

I just spoke to the Ombudsman Liaison Man. He's still gathering evidence but should be ready tomorrow or possibly Monday - somewhat longer than the five business days promised! He still doesn't want the car to look at but is quite interested in my printout and will contact SEAT for a copy of it - he did want my copy but that's (a) paper so difficult to send and (b) evidence that the car wasn't correctly repaired.

Here's a scan of the printout showing the problem.

The Ombudsman Liason Man sounded a little surprised that I still haven't got the details of the new engine number etc. Personally I'd say I was disappointed but not surprised considering the track record.

I suggested that watchdog and Trading Standards might be interested in the case today. The Ombudsman Liaison Man agreed that Tesco et al wouldn't look good.

The Ombudsman Liaison Man promised to call back tomorrow regardless of what happens and whether he gets all of his evidence.

Diagnosis from SEAT

I've still not had any calls which is disappointing.

Earlier this morning, the car was analysed on the SEAT machine and there is a fault from the yellow engine warning light. It seems that the Secondary Air Injection Motor is faulty which is what is turning on the light. The motor is a sealed unit just behind the radiator - you'll remember that that was completely destroyed - so in all likelihood was damaged in the accident.

I'll call the Ombudsman Liason Man later to see what he has to say.

Still waiting...

Well it's Wednesday 17th March and the Ombudsman Liason Man hasn't managed to call even though he has clearly had a full five days to consider his decision. I'd call today but I forgot the letter with his number on it. I'll call tomorrow.

On Saturday 13th March I got two letters from the Complaint Person. They were both exactly the same and dated the 8th which suggests that first class postage from Tesco is very slow. The letters basically said that they'd done everything that they can and the car is ok and actually it's me being unreasonable and trying to rip off Tesco with the growling gearbox - something that I pointed out was faulty before the accident to them! Anyway it was all very defensive and not very helpful but then reading this blog that isn't really a surprise is it. The only positive thing is that he suggested I might get the car looked at for a second opinion by SEAT.

I called SEAT in Galgate and they're going to look at the car tomorrow morning. The are very friendly and jolly helpful even fitting things in really early to work around work. What a refreshing change.

It's still not working

It's now a week since the engine warning light came on again and I've heard nothing further from Tesco complaints department, The Ombudsman Liason Man or the engineer.

I videoed the lights dimming the other night. It was in the dark so it's fairly easy to see what's going on. I'll try to post the video for you all to see soon. I'm not sure if I need to have an image of a current newspaper just to prove that the video is recent - if someone in authority would like to comment I'll see what I can arrange.

Having driven the car for a week it does sound a bit rough. This could be an exhaust problem or just an engine problem but whatever it is it wasn't there before the repairs.

The whole car still shakes when idling. This isn't very apparent in the back but it's very noticeable in the front - particularly if you're the poor soul holding the wheel. I'm very sure that the bosses of Tesco, Churchill and UK Insurance wouldn't stand for their cars being repaired to this sort of standard and so I don't see why I should.

Computer says no

Apparently the bonnet and bumper and wings are slightly different colours and that's because some are metal and others plastic and the bonnet didn't need respraying. Ok.

Apparently the rear wash wipe didn't work before the accident as it is blocked and reattaching it did nothing. Ok.

The local SEAT garage got the radio working. It took them quite some time more than the 20 minutes suggested.

The random bits have now gone. I have a new button which doesn't seem to be missing from my car so someone else might be pissed off too now.

The engine warning light was turned off... Not sure who did this...

The engineer drove the car and said it was fine. But he didn't try the lights in the dark and he wasn't told of the vibration and erratic revs.

It was taken to a SEAT dealership who inspected and drove the car and also said it was fine. They prepared a report and I asked for a copy but the engineer didn't send me this. When I spoke to them they hadn't been made away of the problems with the car and so they didn't try the lights in the dark and weren't told of the vibration and erratic revs.

It was put on the special computer; the special computer says NO.

Eventually the car was returned on the 2nd March 2010. Visually the car seemed to have developed really badly scratched wheel centres which were fine before the last visit. I called my complaints man at Tesco to tell them this before I even unlocked the door but they didn't believe me because the engineer says they weren't touched and so they must be fine. He said I had to check the rest of the car.

I checked the rest of the car...

All of the engine problems are still quite apparent as is the crazy dipping lights. However, the engineer drove the car and said it was fine. The computer said it was fine.

My complaints man said that as far as he was concerned everything was ok with the car because the computer says so and the case is closed. I tried to suggest that eyes and ears and a sensitive bottom (sitting in the car when idling is a bit like sitting on a washing machine) have been used as sensory devices for far longer than computers. But the computer says no he said. He explained how we now rely on computers and if the computer says no that means no. I didn't mention that I program computers for a living...

I contacted the Ombudsman that afternoon. The following day I got some documentation from him. I am still waiting for the promised documentation closing the case and the engine number) from Tesco.

On the 5th March the engine warning light came on again. It remains on.

On the 8th March I called UK Insurance. Apparently they underwrite Tesco insurance. I was passed around and promised that someone (possibly my friend the complaint man) would call back. They didn't call back but the Ombudsman Liason Man did.

The Ombudsman Liason Man (he works for Churchill who seem to be UK Insurance too) is going to review the evidence and see if I've been hard done by and will call back in 5 days. I offered him exhibit A (the car) but he doesn't want to look at that.

I'm sending The Ombudsman Liason Man a link to this blog as some evidence.