Perforation/Corrosion Warranty - wheel arch bubbled

[DonCarlos]

Ibiza will be 7 years on the road on the 1st Sept.

I bought the car 3 weeks ago.

The o/s front wheels arch is bubbled 40% of it's surface + one main area with a popped blister about the size of a 5p. There's bubbling right at the front of the wheel arch where the bumper is aligned, behind the plastic trim away from 'wheel splatter'. On underside the arch lip a 3" section of paint/corrosion just came off in my hand. Clearly this has been ongoing for some time. The underside of the bonnet is numerous places is also bubbled.

I did discount for this when I bought the car, but was concerned that it showed neglect but was happy with the service history. It looks like this was a duff wing from the outset and was just left to progress by the previous owners who maybe did not realise there's a 12 year warranty transferable to new owners.

Does anyone have any experience of successful claims by successive owners for perforation/warranty work on the body?

All the other arches are absolutely spot on.

The 12 year perforation warranty states that it must be reported as soon as noticeable, previous owners didn't do that + it's been serviced at an indy for the last few years.

Wondering what my best options are....


?

 

[unerdanielson]

My previous Mk4 Ibiza got rust under one of the arches. Despite servicing at a VAT registered dealer using genuine parts they would not cover under warranty. There excuse was that if it had been at a main Seat Dealer they would have spotted it despite the fact that when the car went it for warranty check many moons ago on tail light clusters condensing they only replace one. Best off just getting it painted/repaired. Unfortunately Seat are quite poop when it comes to paintwork warranty.


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[FR_MATT]

It's a sponge/foam bit inside the wing that appears to start the rust. I've seen very few people get anywhere with the warranty but have seen some!

 

[bobski]

got nowhere with it.

They gave every excuse under the sun for not to, stone chips, mechanical issue, not perforation etc etc

Will be interesting to know how you got on with it.

Tempted to try SCC to finally get a decision on mine.

 

[Arkaig]

If you go SCC please post the results.

Mine are bubbled about 15cm above the arch lip and yet my dealer said 'stone chips - no claim'. He was unable to explain how stone chips can cause paint to bubble from the inside, without any damage or break in the paint. The warranty is basically worthless.

 

[lm_92]

I also have slight bubbling on the driver's side wheel arch. I haven't yet had chance to get a look underneath to check if the foam pads are still there. My car is ten years old now so I'd really like to get it sorted under the perforation warranty, but I understand very few people have had much luck by going down that route.

 

[iain1970]

We had the near side front wing replaced under the anti perforation warranty last year at 9 years old. The only problem was the dealer not submitting the claim properly, rather than SEAT UK fobbing us off.

We've owned the car from new and only the supplying dealer has serviced it.

 

[krussel]

If you go SCC please post the results.

Mine are bubbled about 15cm above the arch lip and yet my dealer said 'stone chips - no claim'. He was unable to explain how stone chips can cause paint to bubble from the inside, without any damage or break in the paint. The warranty is basically worthless.

What total BS from the dealer.

The inside rust is caused by salty water getting trapped within the foam triangles underneath the wing. Its a known Seat Ibiza design fault. Same with Polo's although VW will fix it for you.

I made a video a while back showing how to remove them. Here :


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqv6IQ-qw9U

 

[Arkaig]

Yep, removed them as soon as I got the car. I think the damage was already done.

It's just SEAT that seem to be dodging this warranty. Next door neighbours have an 04 golf with bad rust on the wings, and if anything that IS stone chipping. However, VW honoured it and gave him 2 new wings and a bonnet respray.

 

[bobski]

Now taken it up with the ombudsman, they've had enough time to honour it but they won't, tried to fob me off with so many excuses.

Will update when I know.

Would be useful to have a rough estimation how many people this has affected & how many who have had claims successful

 

[iain1970]

There are several threads about this on the forum. Many claims are unsuccessful because the cars are taken for service outside the SEAT dealer network after the mechanical warranty runs out (or even before since the EU stamped on the manufacturers). The trouble with that is the third party places will not be able to perform the prescribed paint and body checks that the dealers are supposed to do at the service.

So... if you have a full dealer service history at the time you make the claim, you are far more likely to succeed in getting the claim honoured.

Best thing to do is ring SEAT customer service first, log the problem there and ask them what you need to do next. Don't tell them their job unless you can prove other VAG brands are repairing no questions asked withing the anti-perforation warranty period. Quote the bulletin reference numbers.

The dealers should only act as go-betweens and in my case, they simply referred me to the local VAG approved body repair place (Fix Auto) to do the assessment who then got the dealer to complete the claim.

 

[Arkaig]

I remember mention of a ruling that prevented car companies denying warranty claims based on service history? Any truth to this?

 

[bobski]

I remember mention of a ruling that prevented car companies denying warranty claims based on service history? Any truth to this?

Yes EU rule states they cannot dismiss warranty claims based on this.

 

[GrumpyOldMan]

A couple of years ago I got two new wings replaced on my 56 plate Seat Ibiza. I didn't have a SEAt service history. It was a bit of a struggle but worth it in the end.

SEAT told me to get a paint vehicle inspection (£150) and promised to reimburse me for the inspection if the inspection was in my favour. It was, but then they said they wouldn't pay any of it and that i'd been given wrong advice. They eventually refunded me the inspection fee but wouldn't replace wings. I threatened SCC but then SEAT said I sould go to Motorcodes who also found in my favour. SEAT then gave in - I think the Motorcodes decision was binding for them.

In conclusion, if you think you have a valid case fight for it.

 

[bobski]

A couple of years ago I got two new wings replaced on my 56 plate Seat Ibiza. I didn't have a SEAt service history. It was a bit of a struggle but worth it in the end.

SEAT told me to get a paint vehicle inspection (£150) and promised to reimburse me for the inspection if the inspection was in my favour. It was, but then they said they wouldn't pay any of it and that i'd been given wrong advice. They eventually refunded me the inspection fee but wouldn't replace wings. I threatened SCC but then SEAT said I sould go to Motorcodes who also found in my favour. SEAT then gave in - I think the Motorcodes decision was binding for them.

In conclusion, if you think you have a valid case fight for it.

Do you have a ref number or something I could use as a case study?

I had a similar case however, motorcode seemed to be working but I asked for a decision after like 3 weeks, the guy I was dealing with then seemed to get very aggressive & now I'm taking it further with the obudsman

 

[iain1970]

I remember mention of a ruling that prevented car companies denying warranty claims based on service history? Any truth to this?

Yes, it's true subject to conditions. The company doing the service must be VAT registered and the parts used must be at least as good as dealer fit parts.

 

[DScape]

I got no where through SEAT and got fobbed off by SEAT UK. Lost the will in the end and had it done myself, but that was only for one side....I haven't taken the foam piece off the other side so I expect that'll do the same at some point.

This is the last e-mail I could find;

"Thank you for your email dated 29 May 2012 regarding the photos of your SEAT Ibiza, registration number FL54 XJZ.

I have sent your photos to the Technician and I am sorry to advise that the decision is still the same. We cannot overturn the decision that has been made by our experts and our Technician has agreed that this is not covered by the anti perforation warranty."

There were several calls that followed during this, but they wouldn't budge. In light of the recent VW saga, I wonder if it's worth showing how worthless their warranty can be as I know this is a common problem and it seems a bit of a lottery as to whether you get it resolved through warranty. It's obviously a design flaw, but they won't admit it.

 

[DScape]

My claim reference was ST-2012/05-000892 and below should be a photo just for the hell of it...

 

[bobski]

Just an update, took it to the Ombudsman but since they aren't a financial service they aren't willing to touch it.

Off to SCC we go.

Thanks DScape for the reference will be useful,

anybody got anymore?

 

[Johnsbegood]

Mine have just started to go on both sides. I'll send up a pic tomoz. Mines an 06 plate with 103k on clock. Both gone in exactly the same place!!