You couldn't make this stuff up.
Phoned Ardens again today (3 times because the operator couldn't find anyone to answer my calls and nobody phoned me back as was promised)) and eventually gave up trying to get sense out of anyone and asked for the name & contact details of the CEO.
I was then put through to the Customer Service Manager who listened to me and then promised to phone me back within the hour. I did indeed get a return call this time, from the Parts Manager, who again listened to me, then told me that they always have seat lock barrels in stock and it only takes half an hour to change them, and I could book the bike in straight away and they would sort it. I'm away on another trip tomorrow morning, so booked it in for 2nd August.
It's taken from 23rd June to 19th July for them to tell me something that could have been sorted out when I visited the garage on 1st July. It's taken 4 emails, 7 phone calls and 1 personal visit to get this far.
That is shocking - I'm of the opinion that main dealers of big brands don't need to try overly hard as they get more than enough custom through the door via the brand and it's just a numbers game, bikes will no doubt get serviced with them if under warranty, bikes will be bought from them as they are the main dealer e.t.c. e.t.c. - at least with an independent they live & die on their reputation within the area, the main dealer only has to keep their corporate affiliation
I bought my approved used Rallye GSA through main dealer, when it was delivered was missing the Akrapovic exhaust the build sheet said it left the factory with and the sales guy just shrugged and quoted me the price for a new one - I'd bought it off a stock list after the one I saw was sold by the time I'd got a deposit together, was not impressed
It was a "do you want the bike or not" response - won't be going back there for another
On the timeline this is useful in the future, I've successfully rejected 2 bikes and 1 car through main dealers after various issues (2 for excess corrosion, one for unable to fix fault) used the Ombudsman twice when dealer refused to accept rejection, who were excellent, consumer rights are extremely powerful as stated (and in addition to any warranty) and if you did buy with credit the financial services ombudsman deals on the basis of what is reasonable, which is IMO more favourable than court action
anyhoo - the rule of thumb as stated is:
Fault within 30 days - you don't have to prove whether it was faulty or not at time of sale or give them a chance to repair it, can request rejection (again though, has to be reasonable)
Fault within 6 months - don't have to prove whether it was faulty at time of sale (dealer would need to prove it wasn't) but you do need to give them a reasonable chance to repair - they can offer replacement or partial refund
Fault after 6 months - you have to prove it was faulty at time of sale, dealer has to be given reasonable chance to repair it if they accept it was faulty, can offer replacement or partial refund
2 of my rejections were after 6 months of ownership (the corrosion issues on frame and on another bike the engine block) - I got an expert report written that stated corrosion was down to poor paint application on one bike, the other the finance company sent their own inspector out and was pretty obvious paint was flaking all over on the frame
1 rejection was accepted by the finance company (who are jointly liable under consumer credit legislation with the dealer) - they refunded me then took the dealer to court
each time the dealer gave it "warranty refused" and "it must be something you have done to cause it" or, with my KTM, after the KTM UK folks just flat out refused the dealer warranty request they conspired with the finance company to blame me for the issue (got all the emails via freedom of information request) which was quite hilarious
sorry, long reply! - anyway - in summary, you are being more than reasonable - I would write an email to their complaints address along the lines of:
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To whom it may concern,
I bought a bike from you on xx date - I notified you on yy date, within x number of days, that their was a fault with the bike and requested that you repair the fault.
I believe by giving you an opportunity to repair the bike rather than rejecting it as faulty at time of sale, as is my right under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, I am being more than reasonable, however, the delays and wasted visits without a repair being made is now unacceptable.
I detail below the time, date & duration of our interaction to date as evidence that I have given a reasonable time and opportunity for you to put this right.
This letter is formal notice that if the bike is not repaired by xx date then I will be enacting my right of rejection of the vehicle and expect to be put back into the position I was before I purchased it,
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Then see what happens!
