So I took my car into my dealer for some minor stuff (reported on the now warranty replacement of the rear control arms on a different thread) and learned something interesting. I found out that when a problem is reported for warranty work the only diagnosis conducted amounts to reproducing the problem and the only remediation is replacement of the part or parts.

I learned this because one of my problems was the sporadic locking of one of my rear doors. It would sometimes not lock when I pushed the lock button on the keyfob. I would have to open the door and physically push the locking tab closed. I would unlock fine, but not lock.

Well, the dealer was not able to reproduce the problem and therefore did not atempt any repair. Usually, if you took the car to a regular mechanic and they couldn't reproduce the problem they would, at least, try something like spraying some WD40 on the lock. But since this was a warranty claim and there didn't appear to be a failed component, the technician did nothing.

But that really does make sense to me from a cost-management standpoint. Replacement of parts are carefully costed procedures for the auto makers but repairs are not. So it makes fiscal sense to capture part replacements in warranty costs since it is so predictable, but to avoid nonspecific repairs as much as possible.

Second problem, and this is the neat one..., the other day I noticed that the "weather flap" on the external door lock on the driver's side wasn't closed. The keyhole was open and I figured that would allow water and road crud to leak into the lock body and corrupt the locking mechanism.

Well, just like the rear door lock, however in this case it was clearly evident, the technician, on confirming the problem, effected no repair he simply prepared to replace the entire lock body.

Again, what I initially found surprising, is that if I took the car to my local mechanic he would have tried freeing the flap by, perhaps, spraying some lubricant into the lock. But, again since this is a warranty issue, the dealership didn't try that, they just followed the book, which called for part replacement.

But, here's the cool part, it seems like this hasn't happened to anybody else and for that reason there are no replacement parts (i.e., lock body) available in the US or Canada. One is having to be made specially for me back in Merry Olde England.

I feel so special...

No idea how long it is going to take...

Imagine if I were in Oz and had to wait for this... =:-0
================================================
Jaguar: Grace, Pace, and Space - Sir William Lyons