A Warning to all!

[Bubu]

This weekend that just passed I met up with a friend who I havent seen for a few months. We started talking about cars when he told me what had happened to him only a couple of months ago.

My friend who owns a Peugeot (I know, I know), got a good deal on his car brand new because he knew someone that worked for Peugeot. Well after a couple of years of ownership the car had a problem.

The first time it got fixed it was still under warranty. The second time it had the same problem with the car it was out of warranty. So my friend spoke to the person his knows at Peugeot and asked if he can help him get it done for free. So this person contacted the dealership where my friend takes his car for its usual service.

Now the service manager said he did not want to help out my friend with the problem because he had been writing stuff about them on forums.

My friend was a member on aussiefrogs forum and the dealership somehow made the connection between the user on the forums and the owner of the car. My friend still is unsure to this day how they figured out the user on the forum was him. His user name didnt give any clue to his identity and the only thing he can think of is maybe he put a picture of his car on the forum with the numberplate showing.

The thing is my friend didnt even write really bad things about this dealership. He simply wrote about his service experience. He said the worst he probably wrote would be to say the they were a bit rude, but nothing to flame them.

In the end he ended up paying half the cost of the repairs done to his car.

The moral of the story be careful what you write on these forums. I know it has been said before that many dealerships and even other companies keep an eye on these type of forums. But I have never know anyone to personally experience any issues because of what they have written on forums.

It probably wouldnt concern the guys who have older cars out of warranty but those who still have warranty be careful!

Note: Now that I am bit paranoid, I wrote the above without giving too much info away.

[gregozedobe]

I'd imagine that posting identifiable info on a forum about how well your car goes on the track or at the drags since you chipped it may give a dealer an excuse to deny a warranty claim on the turbo, suspension or brakes.

Same might apply if you have a prang at a track day and then subsequent discussions with your insurer.

That's why a lot of people obscure their number plates in photos (also makes it more difficult for thieves and scammers pretending to sell your car).

Food for thought.

As the saying goes - "If you want to play, be prepared to pay"

[maca]

As the saying goes - "If you want to play, be prepared to pay"

Well said. Just gotta be careful, anyone and everyone has access to these areas....

[mikinoz]

Forums are private and a comment said here is the same as having a beer in a bar shooting the breeze.*












* If you believe this, then you should probably not take me seriously.

[gregozedobe]

Forums are private and a comment said here is the same as having a beer in a bar shooting the breeze.*

* If you believe this, then you should probably not take me seriously.

That's OK, I don't believe it, nor do I take you seriously

[cme2c]

Forums (Fora?) are interesting places. I have found computer forums give me more help than navigating the manufacturer's phone system. My ISP has employees as members in forums and I have found them very helpful.

Peugeots... As you can see by my sig, I have one and I love it. My wife will not have another Peugeot after her 307 went onto 3 cylinders with a truck bearing down on her. The resale value was not good either.(and no, the truck didn't hit it) We bought a Honda Accord Euro 2 years ago, she found that a bit big so we recently traded it on the 118TSI.

Couldn't be happier (did you get that VWA?)