Anyone have warranty claim problems? My new Italia experience..

Hi,

I got my new 458 Italia last year - I've had 355s, 360s, currently also have an F430 and 599 - and can't believe the trouble Ferrari put me through when I had trouble with the hood latch on my Italia..

I noticed that when I closed the hood, the latch dragged on the safety lever release. I wrote it off as a quirk and did not give it much thought. The hood always worked. I tried to open the hood of the car and it didn’t open. I took the car into the dealer for its routine service and told them about the problem I was having opening the hood.

The Ferrari technician opened the hood using the emergency hood release under the steering wheel.

The dealership representative said that the hood safety mechanism ($2,400) was bent and that I it was not covered under the Ferrari warranty because I must have bent it somehow.

When I told them that I had noticed that it dragged and suggested that this might have been because it was out of alignment, which caused the hood safety mechanism to bend when the hood closed upon it, they dismissed the idea.

I sent emails and letters to Ferrari customer service, headquarters, warranty claims, etc. and they all treated me like trash.

If anyone is interested in reading all the emails and denial letters from Ferrari, I posted them online -- italiancarwarrantyissues.com/question/my-ferrari-warranty-service-experience/

Anyone else have similar experiences with Ferrari's warranty service?

-Ron

 

Good Lord!!! Sorry to hear about your issues. I feel the difference is in the service department of the dealership and the dealership as a whole. So far, my experiences with my dealer has been top notch. I've had a few issues in the past with my Fcar and 1 issue with my Maser and they always go to bat for me and present the case to FNA standing firmly on my side! I know it's probably hard to do so because of your location, but the right dealer makes the world of difference! At least is has for me. Gluck and I hope your issues are resolved speedily! I don't see the logic of the situation, especially, over 2000-3000 dollars?

 

Sorry about your problem. Why not take it to a mechanic or body shop and have them adjust it and unbend the latch? $100 and down the road.

 

I had a couple of warranty things done on my 430 with no problem. One was a leaking rear main seal. Over a year later, the dealer mentioned to me that FNA denied the claim after the fact even though they took photos, etc. I'm speculating your dealer figures there is no way they can be paid by FNA for this and that's the reason for your troubles. I think it is bad policy myself, but they haven't asked me for my opinion either.

Dave

 

I have to say that I found your emails a bit high handed and, in their description of the quality of the English used by Ferrari's customer service folks, insulting. Parli Italiano?

You describe your car as your "new Italia," but I gather from the correspondence that you purchased the car pre-owned?

Surely you must realize that Ferrari is not impressed by your ownership of other exotics, or even two other late model Ferraris - you are no different from many other purchasers of new Ferraris, perhaps most. The world of Ferrari is a very, very big pond. Nor are the Italians going to respond well to threats to pillory them in the social media.

I don't mean to offend you, but if you want to try your case in the social media, as you told Ferrari you would, you have to expect some criticism. I understand that you were genuinely angered and offended both by denial of your claim, and the handling of your appeal. I can't say that you handled it as diplomatically as others might have done.

I'm sorry you've had this problem with your 458, certainly very disappointing.



PS I have no idea why the word "loan" appears above this post. Some sort of error on my part, sorry.

 

What's that phrase, "the government that governs least governs best ?" Or, is it: "the warranty that honors claims least profits most ?" A few years ago when my car was still under the extended "Power" warranty, my dealer noticed a leaking oil line. The service manager checked with Ferrari North America as to whether this was a covered warranty item. Yp, it sure was, the response said in writing, complete with relevant part numbers. Work performed under warranty. A month or so later, while chatting with my dealer, they told me that FNA had retroactively denied the warranty claim...no reason given...even though it had previously been authorized in writing. The dealer, being honorable men, still ate the cost of the repair. Go figure.

 

Not sure that trying to solve this issue using social media is a good idea, but I think the denial of the warranty claim is dubious too. I really don't see how one can misuse a hood latch, seems that a hood latch is one of those things that should be designed to prevent misuse, and if misuse is even possible, that would be a design flaw.

 

Happens all of the time. The automated input system at the time of customer invoice is just a yes or no validation of in or out of what warranty.

Later when the paperwork goes in front of the human, the decision to send the requested payment to the dealership is weighed by how cooperative the dealership has been with initiatives, etc. And mostly if they are happy that day or not.

Most of the time they don't seem too happy. Dealerships lose money on EVERY warranty job.

 

+1

This individual's demeanor as expressed in his correspondence and the fact that he has shown up here only to "wash his dirty laundry in public" leave me with little sympathy.

 

For $2400, I hope it makes the car go faster.

 

Take a wrench, and bend it back........

 

Frankly, this was my first thought.

 

wow seems like for the money owners pay they could cover stuff like this (even if it was potentially your fault)

 

Seems like the misalignment problem got worse later(no mention of it during prior service visits) and after forcing a close bent the mechanism.(your fault) Sounds like the thing should just be bent back in shape and everyone move on? As stated earlier, grab a set of pliers or have someone else do it.

 

Not to be mean but for a "multiple owner" this should not be a surprise or anything to get bent out of shape about, you know?

 

He didn't even feel the need to fill out his Fchat profile.

In my book, no profile = non-existent.

 

As a safety issue, I would think small claims court would be worth a try.

Since you own other Fcars, why is this one the only one with the problem. I assume you treat them all about the same.

When our brand new Subaru Outback turbo threw a rod in the first 48 miles, the service manager asked me how I was driving it. I told him the same way I drive the Forester with 80k miles on it. They gave us a loaner and put a whole new engine in the car.

If your problem can be solved by bending the part back, why hasn't the dealer done that?

 

I hate to tell you this, but although FChat has places for "social media" it was and is a site where discussions about a particular brand of vehicle is discussed, namely Ferraris. A dispute over warranty work, and the specific dealer and manufacturer's attitude toward that purchase is exactly what this site was created for. It may have morphed into a "dear abby" site for some, but for most of us, it is about the cars.

As for those that commented that the poster wasn't the original buyers, that is pure b/s. If indeed the latch was bent or broken, then it should be discussed, the cause of the bending made known, and if a defect in the car caused it, whether directly or indirectly, it should be warrantied.

Frankly, I'd drop a note the the NTSB, and advise them of the problem, and see if you can get a reaction from them. Same thing with the state you reside in automobile dealer franchise board. Let them know about the lack of support from the dealer.

Art

 

And I hate to tell you this, but being a classless boor, as the OP seems to me to have been, may work well in American courtrooms, but elsewhere....

I wonder whether the dealer, FNA and all others involved spotted a prima donna and wrote him off. Look at his site and his post, ego shines brightly. I find myself not caring about a guy who whines about not being addressed in idiomatic English. I find myself not caring about a guy who makes his broken Ferrari hood latch a cause celebre. I hope the NTSB has better things to do.

Did you really hate to tell me all that? I didn't hate replying.

 

Whether you care or not is irrelevant, the issue is the warranty, covered or not, and the dealer's assistance or lack thereof. Go back to you croquet or whatever you play and let us discuss the issues.

Art

 

I agree that Magistrate-Small Claims Court sounds like the proper way to resolve the issue. In fact, I suspect that once the dealer is served with the Complaint that they will call you an offer to fix the problem.

 

While I agree with Art that sailing a note to the NHTSB is a good idea and I like Art I do feel he's generally to Gentile and when I've had to write Ferrari in the past I was a bit less so.

Dear Ferrari

My 308 GTB ****ing overheats when I drive it up the West Side Highway in the summer in stop and go with the AC on. This is ****ing ridiculous. I told my dealer to fix it or there was going to be big ****ing trouble. When U buy a car you should expect it to work in normal situations no?

My man Sal took a saw to the front hood, cut in an exit vent for the rad, put on a grill we bought at the hardware store and it now stays cool. Of course when the dealer tried to charge me for that I said HaHa send that bill to Ferrari. The service director of FNA came by and noticed my vent. What the **** is this he asked. My Man Sal told him what the **** it was and that I was super pissed. He said oh took a picture and sent it to Italy. Now I see that you have cut a vent like that into all new 308 GTB's. What the ****? Send me a C for every car you copy my vent on or there will be more big ****ing trouble.

Jim


Dear Ferrari

The electric windows in my 308 truly suck. They broke again and when I had to lower them in the rain to pay a toll they didn't work and I had to open the door and get my whole ****ing arm wet. I went rip**** and dumped the car at my Dealer and told them if they didn't fix the ****ing windows once and for all I was going to ****ing lemon law the car. My man Sal ripped out the crap Ferrari electric window motors and replaced them with hot rod ones from JC Whitney which so far seem OK. What the **** is wrong with you guys making a car with electric windows that don't work?? I did you a big ****ing favor buying this car when 308's were piling up on the docks and even though you gave me 7K off and painted my car black for free you still should have sold me a car that the windows worked in.

Jim

Dear Ferrari

While driving my TR across the South Bronx Expressway the ****ing chassis cracked and the ****ing wheel came off. This is way too ****ing much. My man Sal said you're going to fix it all for free and re engineer the KO hubs. No **** you are. Until U fix it I'm going to rent a RR from Noah at 300 per and have him send the bill to you so you better fix this fast!!!!!!!!!!!

Jim

When you buy any thing you have the legal right to expect it to be fit for the use intended.

A hood latch should be robust enough to be use as a hood latch. Trust me on this. Ferrari has no interest in having you tell a jury of unemployed South Bronx jurors that they want to charge you 2.4K plus labor to fix yours.

You've sent them a letter now send them a Lemon Law Lawyer.

Tex

Remaking that POS latch is what I would do but bending it won't solve the problem permanently.

 

i see it now. you go to redo the latch, and by the time you are done every part of the car is re-engineered and p4/5c has a new race team partner

 

I think people complaining about the OP tone in his communication with Ferrari might be forgetting the big picture. What we see is probably not his first attempt to have the issue resolved with Ferrari (whatever entity he tried, i assume his dealer) and since he was unsuccessful in having a simple hood latch fixed on a $280k car for free, i would also not be happy and kissing ass in my next communication when Ferrari tells me it will cost $2400..