Dennie Quill, Contribuor
THIS COLUMN is not about West Indies cricket. But I sympathise with those fans who in the face of repeated humiliation went to Sabina Park last weekend to witness the steam-rolling of the Windies yet again. As if to rub salt into a raw wound - don't forget that Pakistan is already in the West Indies. Frankly I believe we are cricketed out - all of us - fans, players, Board and sponsors. The boys need rest, some nutritious food, body-building exercises and a chance to recoup their energies. And may I ask what has happened to the esprit de corps which we saw on display at Bourda at the start of the campaign?
But this column is not about West Indies cricket. For more than five years my SUV has performed very well, but lately the ashtray has been rattling when I hit bumpy surfaces, the steering wheel is not as firm as it used to be, the arm rest squeaks, and my vehicle sounds like a discordant rock band when it is struggling along the street. So my eyes caught one of the newfangled luxury vehicles. We shall call it an X.
The vehicle looked so good. It is sturdy and drives well. Comfort heightened. But two weeks of driving and 100 kilometres into ownership of my X, a warning light appears on the dash. I thumped through the manual and found that such a warning should not be taken lightly.
I took the car to the dealers and explained the problem. I had serious misgivings about my decision to invest in this vehicle, the moment I entered the service department. The attendant was clearly overwhelmed with answering the telephone, checking in vehicles and checking on vehicles and answering queries, and grabbing his lunch at 3 o'clock. One owner complained of a problem with his air-condition system; it was fixed but when the vehicle was returned they had not screwed in the engine parts.
Another owner who had a telephone problem in his new vehicle talked about the high level of electronics required to service these vehicles. I became uncomfortable with each passing minute.
After waiting for an hour a manager at the department had the temerity to suggest that my problem was a minor one and it was safe to drive the vehicle, despite what was written in the manual. I would have none of it.
Three hours later I was told the problem was "fixed" and I drove home my vehicle.
But the next day, the 'check ABS' warning light continued to menace me. The car was collected by the dealer's representative on April 28 with the promise that it would be worked on "all night". At the time of writing this column the car is still languishing at the dealers. Their attitude has been very condescending. No "loaner car" has been available and no one feels obliged to keep me informed about the progress of the repairs. My e-mails to the manufacturers resulted in the standard reply about passing on the complaint to the relevant department. It defies all logic that what amounts to a fuse is missing and it has taken more than two weeks to correct the problem. I have suffered great inconvenience and am utterly frustrated at this point.
I never knew the meaning of the word lemon until the X came into my life. My research tells me that a vehicle qualifies as a lemon if it continues to have a defect that essentially impairs the vehicle's use, value or safety.
I contacted the Consumer Affairs Division to ascertain whether there are consumer protection laws relating to motor vehicles which are collectively referred to as Lemon Laws. There are no Lemon Laws in Jamaica which would give consumers remedies against breaches and manufacturers' defect that impair the safety of motor vehicles.
I know I will be locked into an arduous battle with the dealer and manufacturer over this problem. However, had there been Lemon Laws the manufacturer could have been forced to buy back the vehicle, replace it with a similar vehicle or order that it be satisfactorily repaired.
I see where these dealers will be displaying their wares at a car show in Kingston this weekend I am seriously considering doing a service to prospective car buyers by taking a placard to the venue. The vehicle is beautiful, it's handsome and drives well, but the service from the dealership is rotten.
Dennie Quill is a veteran journalist who may be reached at denniequill@hotmail.com
