I am having a problem with my dealership and need other opinions. I have a 2007 XJ Vanden Plas. I have been having a vibration between 45 and 65 mph. I have had new tires installed and at a seperate time rebalanced to compensate for road force. Neither of these fixes made the vibration any better. $1000 for tires and $120 for road force balancing.

Today, I had the car back in for some other warranty service. (select edition certified car). I had them look again at the vibration and I was told that the problem is in the prop shaft. They ended up balancing the prop shaft and it seems to have fixed the problem.

My issue is that the prop shaft is covered under the select edition warranty, but the dealer is telling me the rebalancing of the shaft is not covered. Now they are holding the car hostage for $585 for the cost to diagnose and balance.

Is this BS on their part or am I way off base? Has anyone else had a similar issue and been able to get the dealer and warranty service to pay?

 

I do not believe Select Edition covers this as it did not involve replacement of a covered failed component. Most other warranties would not either.

 

If the car was delivered *with* the vibration condition, there is always the viewpoint that the inspection that created the "Select Edition" status should have caught the vibration. And that it should have been fixed prior to being sold. Anything you did after purchase on their recommendation to fix the problem would have been a misdiagnosis on their part and subject to reimbursement.

 

Most warranties will tell you what they pay for. It sounds like your beef is with the warranty company for not paying? I doubt they would pay for balancing it though. It usually has to be a hard part failure. I am surprised your dealer certified it with this issue? You might call them out on that.

 

Something sounds odd here. The propshaft is balanced at the factory and should not need rebalancing unless work on the transmission has caused it to be dismantled or removed and not put back in the same position.

 

First, full disclosure..............I'm the guy that balanced your driveline; we spoke briefly the other day.

Let me start with the fact that I would be tickled to death, to service or repair everybody's car on someone else's nickel. Then I would always be the good guy, unfortunately I can't. Whether it is Jaguar, Select Edition, insurance or service contract, someone is always telling us what they will or won't pay for. Then we have to be the messenger.

Another aspect, and what I suspect has happened with this car, is that if the prior owner [original owner] had raised this issue during the basic warranty, it would have been addressed and you would not be where you are today. That leads me to the comment I made to you, you would be surprised at how many cars come here for one thing, and during a drive we notice something even we don't like, say a vibration, but the owner doesn't make an issue of it. If the owner doesn't make a complaint, I can't either or I get into trouble. I learned years ago that the mfg., regardless which one it is, is NOT going to invest in a warranty repair that the owner is oblivious to. Basically, I can't "sell" warranty repairs. Period. Their logic, if the owner is happy, so are they. The older I get, the more I understand where they are coming from. If I stood behind something I built, I would probably feel the same way.

Now the car is in the hands of a new, more attentive owner, and here we are. I just can't say what would have happened had that car gone through our store and been purchased here; it may have gone differently, maybe not. Human nature being what it is, our used car dept. might have been inclined to chip in and assist. It's possible the folks you purchased the car from might also, that's their call.

I have spent years building a reputation with our clientele, Jaguar Cars, the Jaguar Clubs/Forums and this Forum as a competent, thorough, honest and helpful technician. And I'll back that up if you should ever see fit to give us another try.

Thanks for the acknowledgment the driveline balance did the trick!

Cheers,

 

It becomes more clear with the additional information.

If there is a warranty coverage query, it ought to be addressed to the selling dealer or Jaguar head office.

There is not much that a second dealer can do as a policy adjustment when they are not the selling dealer and when head office does not authorise coverage on a specific repair.

 

To the OP, I believe your beef would be with your warranty company and not the dealer!

Also FWIW....the fact that xjrguy posts here about this issue should tell you something about the kind of guy he is.....not something he needed to do!!
Too many times the techs get the dirty end of the stick when its not their fault!

 

When I was in business, medical capitol equip. not automotive, we sold what were termed "warranty extensions" and "service contracts"

Warr. Extensions were just that. Everything that the original warranty entailed was covered and the warranty expiration date was merely extended. The customers loved them when they had high profit margins but they were quite expensive and I'm not aware of such a product in the consumer auto business.

We also had Serv Contracts that could be what ever the "terms and conditions" said they were. They varied all over the lot but always covered less than the original Warranty and were always cheaper than Warr Extensions. This is what we have in the consumer automotive business.

My point is that Automotive Service contracts vary all over the lot as well and the "terms and conditions "most particularly the "exclusions" are required reading.

I calculate that 50% of these "contracts" could not be sold to an informed buyer as they actually cover so little. You must read and understand before you sign and buy. I am a hell of a better informed consumer than the average car dude and I've been burned twice in the last 20 years buy these "devices". I had a 2000 Buick whose power windows failed 6 times in 2 years and not one was covered. SOAB
.

 

Thank you for all the posts. Especially thank you to Steve, the technician that worked on my car. I know things got a little heated at the dealership the day I was in there and that you guys are just playing within the system that exists. I just feel the system is broken, or at least set up in favor of Jaguar USA. I am trying to work through Jaguar USA to get this resolved. My biggest frustration has been that when I contact Jaguar USA for the Select Edition Warranty info they always defer to the dealer. It just feels like Jaguar USA can make no decision on their part, or are not willing to cover anything without an argument. I am just really disspointed that I bought a certified car because the select edition warranty was through Jaguar and not some third party. I had hoped that Jaguar would be a little more reputable than the third party warranty services. In hindsight I should have asked that the cost for the select edition warranty be taken off of the vehicle and just put that money in my pocket to fix issues such as this.

Thanks again for all the posts.

 

Unfortunately, your first issue landed in an area excluded from any warranty. Look at it this way, you now have a car that drives like a dream, concentrate on that right now. You still have a year or two of the Select Edition coverage that will take care of a lot of things that could fail. If you would check up on it a little, you will find Select Edition has been hailed by automotive writers, financial organizations and watchdogs and consumer groups for many years as the best in the business. I know you don't feel it right now, but check me on that!

You enjoy that car, there ain't nothin' like em!

Cheers,

 

A bit of research prior to the purchase will help obtain a service contract more inclusive. The only benefit Select Edition provides is covered repairs by a Jaguar dealer.

The Jag dealer I have purchased all 4 Jags from advised against Select Edition on the Super V8, indicating their coverage excluded many items including common failures such as the air suspension and recommended I search for one more comprehensive.

If you have not had any repair claims against it, you maybe entitled to cancel the contract for a full refund to apply towards another policy. However, it is doubtful it would cover labor only as they all require failed components as far as I know.

I still believe you may have a valid argument with the original selling dealer regarding their certification if indeed the condition existed at the time of purchase and Jaguar USA should be able to help.

Good luck and at least your vehicle has been repaired correctly.

 

Very true, but it is still an exclusionary insurance policy, as they all are. Again its greatest benefit is hassle free covered repairs by any Jaguar dealer, something many contracts will not cover due to labor costs and parts costs.

 

Couple of nice posts there to hopefully round this off on a slightlky happier note.

Flstfi - Please come back and report how you get on if you move forward with this and or if you have any other issues and how they're handled.

 

Good points, but I'll still have to differ with you AND your dealer about the Air Suspension. Select covers the compressor, all solenoids and valves, just about everything but the air springs and air hoses. They even cover the air leak diagnostic procedure in the attached bulletin to locate the source of a leak. I don't think any contract will cover air springs/dampeners themselves.

I'm a little surprised your dealer took that position, I wonder if they thought pricing it with the car would keep you from buying??

 

No, I bought the contract before the factory warranty was up and seemed like the best option at the time. AND I wanted an additional 5 years coverage, Select is only 2.

 

Yeah, Buddy!.......I'm hip on the additional three years! That's a good move.

Cheers,