drive from wheelchair cars

[hel40]

Hi everyone my name is Helen
I have come on here to find out if anyone has any problems with the above.......I have no problems with my lovely drive from renault kangoo that I have had for 3 years now and enjoy driving it with hand controls.....it is just the idiots at the renault garage I have problems with.
I need help and support to deal with them......anyone else have problems? any ideas what I can do?
I suffer from a big problem....I am female !!! ewvery time it goes for a service and recently it had it's MOT and they always mess up and stress me out big time.
Any ideas on hoe I can cope with this and any hints and tips welcome.

Helen ( a happy confident driver)

[Step]

Change garage.
They make more money on service then they do on sales.
Make sure they know that you know that and if you feel like they mess up... go somewhere else.
If you were driving an Aston Martin, that'd be difficult but I'm sure there's another Renault dealership in the neighborhood.

Or complain and if they don't take you serious, write the importer. Mention you're disabled (I hate playing that card but sometimes...) and that you need the car at all times.
Renault is quite sensitive to bad customer service in their garages.

[hel40]

Hi Step

Thanks for that...given me some confidence to fight my corner.....I am now waiting to hear back from another renault dealer
Helen

[Martin O Refurbisher]

I assume that the problem is that they adjust the controls so that they can drive the car, then don't put them back where you need them.

If so, I'd talk ot the service manager and explain the problem, and ask how they are going to overcome this. Next, as Step suggests, ask someone else

If the difference is discernable, work with pictures.

Best,

Martin

[hel40]

Hi Martin
Yes they have done that in the past at last years service........turned handbrake off (push button one ) and then had a nightmare trying to get them to put it right........this year MOT would not collect, wanted me to deliver, explained there would be no drivers seat in, obviously.....as i drive from my wheelchair.......left it with them for 2 hours and when i got back they had not moved it ...........and then had difficulty with MOT as i was told "there is no drivers seat "!!!!!!
service desk not speaking to mechanics..........post from step made me become more assertive and I rang Mobtability.........but they do agree it is my resposibility to send it to them with drivers seat . I told them that it is impossible for me so have found new garage and I will speak to them next week.........so I WILL TRY AND GET THEM ON MY SIDE HOPEFULLY !!
Helen

[ex-Gooserider]

Well it is obviously going to be a problem for the mechanics if there is no drivers seat - it is going to make it impossible to test drive, and nearly impossible to even move it into the service bay without something for the mechanic to sit on...

In my van, it is possible to move the passenger seat into the drivers seat position, would that be possible in your van?

If not is there some other alternative you could provide, even if it's something as crude as a folding beach chair? (or do you have a backup chair you could let him use?)

A second possible issue is the controls... In my van, the normal AB controls are still there, and work normally, but in a lot of vehicles with more "high-tech" adaptive gear, they might not be, or the mechanic might need to change things to make it possible for him to drive the car...

It might be helpful for you to talk with the service manager and / or mechanics to see what they would like to do - perhaps it would be easier if you offered to stay while the car was being worked on so that you could get it in and out of the service bays, do any test drives, and so on...

It will help if you do your best to sound mechanically clueful so they will be inclined to bend any rules against customers in the service areas (as opposed to being one of the persons that CAUSED those rules... )

I haven't really had my van long enough to need much service, but the only issue that I've encountered so far is that because of the lowered floor I have had several places say they can't work on the car because I won't fit over their lifts...

ex-Gooserider

[hel40]

Thanks a lot for all your comments, I have now contacted a new garage and I will certainly use all of your suggestions when dealing with them. I do have the drivers seat which I keep in my flat as there is no room in the car for it. One of my problems is that the garage will not collect the car and have to put the drivers seat in(health and safety). I live alone and have only a few hours a week of help so it is difficult to ask anyone else to put it in for me.
The new garage is going to speak to their mechanic about the possibility of coming to collect the car and put the drivers seat in, if this is okay I will then speak to them about the use of all my hand controls and adaptations.
Unfortunately I am unable to stay around and put the car in an out of service bays. I have multiple sclerosis which I have had for 23 years I have had a gradual decline in my mobility and function.
I have had my drive from wheelchair car for three years, it has pushbutton gears, push brake and a steering accelerator ring. I am only able to drive for an hour maximum as I do suffer with varying levels of fatigue, I would not be in good shape to sit around a garage and driving it about. I know my driving years are limited and I want to get the best out of what I have now.
Hopefully this new garage will help me out and as I have said all your comments have been really useful with knowing how to deal with mechanics there. Unfortunately living in East Anglia UK garages are few and far between so I hope this one will suit me,
Thank you to whoever thought of this website xx
I'm sure I will be back!!!
Helen

[hel40]

Hi
I have had success.new garage collected..by putting the drivers seat in........took it away serviced it and even washed it for me.......you were all right they were happy to do it for my business.....so well worth shopping around. You made me realise I AM the customer and not to allow them to call the shots so thanks for the advice.
Helen