Mazda CX-3 Breakdown - Can't Get Loan Car

desertsand on 14/11/2020 - 11:08
Last edited 14/11/2020 - 12:28 by 1 other user

Hello OzBargain,

Just looking for some advice from you guys.

I have a less than 2 years old Mazda that just died on a Friday night after work. It just wouldn’t start. I have roadside assistance, so called them up.

First mechanic comes around, jump starts it and says it’s not the battery but the alternator and the car is not safe to drive and it has to be towed. Tow guy comes, jump starts the car, I drive the car for 300 meters to somewhere some spacious and second guy says it’s not the alternator otherwise I wouldn’t be able to drive it at all but the car is not safe to drive.

I have the option to choose where to have the car towed to. I choose the dealership but service department is closed on the weekends and car will be towed on Monday and be stored somewhere over the weekend. I think all is good, I’ll get an Uber home ($50 dollars but ok), and will call the dealership on Saturday to organise a loan car while the car is being repaired.

Dealership 1 says they don’t have any loan car available, try dealership 2. Dealership 2 says they don’t have any loan cars available either and call Mazda roadside assistance again to see if they can organise a hire car. Roadside assistance says my policy doesn’t cover it. Insurance company (comprehensive) says my policy doesn’t cover it either because it wasn’t an accident.

Any ideas here? I appreciate any advices.

Tl;dr: New Mazda breaks down on Friday night. Mazda doesn’t have any loan cars available. Insurance and road assistance are a no. I need a car. What to do?

Thank you!

Automotive Car Mazda

Comments

    • This Guy on 15/11/2020 - 20:34
      +1

      Insisting won't work if it isn't offered. Staff are broken in training to become uncaring sociopaths.

      Complaining on social media is OP's best bet as it will damage their brand.

  • p1 ama on 14/11/2020 - 13:34
    +3

    Tl;dr: New Mazda breaks down on Friday night. Mazda doesn’t have any loan cars available. Insurance and road assistance are a no. I need a car. What to do?

    There are plenty of car hire places around…

  • [Deactivated] on 14/11/2020 - 13:41
    +2

    Have you looked at dealer forecourts at the moment? They are empty. Those loan cars are often just demo stock, so it’s completely believable they don’t have any loan cars available.

  • Randxyz123 on 14/11/2020 - 14:10
    -6

    No loan cars is bullshit.

    I’d be calling on Monday and speaking to the manager of the dealer not whoever is answering the phone on Saturday. If no luck, call Mazda Australia customer service and politely request a loan car. Either they can give you a demo or call up a rental car company and give you one that way.

    • spackbace on 14/11/2020 - 14:22
      +6

      Mazda Australia don't have loan cars, and all you'd get is them begging the dealer to supply one. They have no control over a dealer's stock, nor can they force them to. It's not a requirement to be supplied a loan car while a car is in for warranty repair

      • This Guy on 15/11/2020 - 20:44
        +1

        Mazda can withhold payments and bonuses for unsatisfactory customer engagement. I know one medium dealer that lost $150k and a different one (with different brands) that lost $50k for screwing up customer experience.

        Some brands will offer additional demo allocations. Other times it will just destroy the personal relationship and stop cooperation between non management employees of the dealer and the manufacturer.

        Even the top seller's are only the top because they have invested significantly in their relationship with their sales reps to the point they receive benefits the other dealers don't.

        Mazda is #2 at the moment and head office is in financial trouble. If a dealer doesn't jump, there is a very real possibility of loosing the brand.

    • Drakesy on 17/11/2020 - 14:16

      ok Karen

  • Seraphin7 on 14/11/2020 - 15:10
    +1

    Tl;dr: New Mazda breaks down on Friday night. Mazda doesn’t have any loan cars available. Insurance and road assistance are a no. I need a car. What to do?

    Either rent a car until yours is fixed, or Uber up.

  • tsunamisurfer on 14/11/2020 - 15:38
    -1

    Why the FK would the OP call their insurance for a loan car?

    Loan cars are supposed to be organised weeks ahead not requested at a drop of a hat.

    OP seems to believe they are entitled to free loan cars.

    Probably hasn't crossed the OP's mind to pay for one.

    • desertsand on 14/11/2020 - 16:02
      +3

      Because I pay for extras on my comprehensive car insurance. If my car is stolen or if I’m in an accident they would pay for a rental car. But not for a breakdown.

      • Muzeeb on 14/11/2020 - 16:47

        I'm still in shock that your roadside assistance gives you 21 days of free car rental.

        Ask them again for help.

    • JungliChilli on 15/11/2020 - 20:17
      +1

      Lol…

      Lol…

  • Stewardo on 14/11/2020 - 15:39
    +9

    Probably just a dud battery due to the I-stop

    • swimmingtoad on 14/11/2020 - 23:12
      -1

      Unlikely within 2 years.
      Mazda's implementation of start-stop doesn't generally cause as much wear and tear as other brands

      • Stewardo on 14/11/2020 - 23:46
        +6

        My wife’s cx3 battery went after 2 years, battery guy said it was common due to I-stop.

        • Ms Mars on 15/11/2020 - 07:46
          +4

          Mine died just before the 3 year warranty was up, replaced for free.

    • FrugalDealHunter on 15/11/2020 - 13:00
      +4

      Agreed. I’ve disabled Istop on mine. Hardly saves any fuel but kills the battery.

      • Blitzfx on 16/11/2020 - 16:10

        How did you disable yours? And is it permanent?

        • Oofy Doofy on 17/11/2020 - 13:18
          +1

          Sometimes there is a switch.

          But really, just put in a lower CCA/non SS battery and it will turn off the stop/start automatically.

    • Cave Fire on 16/11/2020 - 02:43

      Stopping and starting several times can't be good for the engine over long term. Had one battery die just over two years and first battery lasted two for a Mazda 3.

      • athk on 16/11/2020 - 09:45
        +1

        Can't be good for the starter motor either :)

      • Zachary on 19/11/2020 - 04:42

        must be good since thats one of their selling points of new cars…..

    • peterpaoliello on 17/11/2020 - 12:52

      Even with dud battery if the charge circuit is working there's enough power to keep going. Having it cut out after <1km (assuming it wasn't I-stop which shut the engine off) I'd suggest there's something to do with cars ability to generate electricity as the 2 mechanics suggested.

    • BBQChip on 17/11/2020 - 18:06

      I have a 2018 CX3. I have always been suspicious of iStop being more trouble than it was worth. I'm going to turn mine off. I think there's a button somewhere…

  • askme69 on 14/11/2020 - 15:44
    +5

    My VW needed a warranty repair. 8+ weeks. The loan vehicle was organised by VW Roadside Assistance.

  • desertsand on 14/11/2020 - 15:59
    +16

    Thank you everyone for the replies. Let me try to explain why I am frustrated. I bought a new car 2 years ago for the peace of mind. In this instance i didn’t bargain. Got comprehensive insurance, roadside assistance and extended warranty. I chose to pay more and not have to worry if anything happened. For those saying a 2 years old car is not new is irrelevant. If this happened on the first week of ownership I would be in the same situation. Again, if I was in an accident then yes, I would either get a loan car or they would cover a rental car. But for something that it’s not my fault I’m not covered.

    I drive around 55k a day just from and to work now. Although I’m yet to hit 15k. I looked at renting a car and while they are cheap, km wise they are not. I would end up paying around 70-80 dollars a day. Uber would cost me about 100. And yes, I bought from a dealership and took it there for the last two services. I spoke to them, spoke to another dealership nearby and Mazda Australia. No loan cars available. By the sounds of it, service department is super busy atm and I don’t even know when I’m gonna have my car back. “If” they manage to fix it on Monday that’s already 4 days without a car. I agree, they are in no obligation to help me (apart for fixing it under warranty) but I would expect at least some sort of customer service and an alternative.

    Of course public transport is an option, but that would take me about 2 hours each way and that’s with my friend dropping me off/picking me up at the nearest station.

    • p1 ama on 14/11/2020 - 16:06
      +19

      Let me try to explain why I am frustrated.

      We get why you are frustrated. It doesn't mean you are entitled to a free loan car.

      I bought a new car 2 years ago for the peace of mind. In this instance i didn’t bargain.

      Well maybe you should have.

      Got comprehensive insurance, roadside assistance and extended warranty. I chose to pay more and not have to worry if anything happened. For those saying a 2 years old car is not new is irrelevant. If this happened on the first week of ownership I would be in the same situation. Again, if I was in an accident then yes, I would either get a loan car or they would cover a rental car. But for something that it’s not my fault I’m not covered.

      This is where I don't understand the issue. You mentioned that it's likely a busted alternator. That's a job that's usually done in an afternoon, so I don't see why this has become an issue.

      I drive around 55k a day just from and to work now. Although I’m yet to hit 15k. I looked at renting a car and while they are cheap, km wise they are not. I would end up paying around 70-80 dollars a day. Uber would cost me about 100. And yes, I bought from a dealership and took it there for the last two services.

      Just go down to your local Europcar or Budget, a loan car is literally like $30 per day. Drive as much as you want.

      And yes, I bought from a dealership and took it there for the last two services. I spoke to them, spoke to another dealership nearby and Mazda Australia. No loan cars available. By the sounds of it, service department is super busy atm and I don’t even know when I’m gonna have my car back. “If” they manage to fix it on Monday that’s already 4 days without a car.

      Wow 4 days, two of which are a weekend. How unreasonable.

      I agree, they are in no obligation to help me (apart for fixing it under warranty) but I would expect at least some sort of customer service and an alternative.

      What alternative do you expect? Should they have a chauffer limousine drive you around and do your chores for you as well? Maybe they should rent out a hotel near your workplace so you won't have to drive there. Better yet, why not reward with a lifetime supply of Mazdas so you'll never have to buy a new car again?! Now thhat's fantastic customer service.

      Of course public transport is an option, but that would take me about 2 hours each way and that’s with my friend dropping me off/picking me up at the nearest station.

      Pipe down son, you're without your car for a day.

      • desertsand on 14/11/2020 - 16:15
        +14

        Thank you for your reply. I think the sarcasm in your answers don’t give me any space to reply.

        • BillyG687 on 17/11/2020 - 09:38
          +1

          But note, almost all rental cars in the basic categories allow unlimited km's. So, regardless of whether you drive it 1km or 1000km's doesn't matter and won't increase your cost outside of fuel (which you would be consuming in your car or theirs).

      • J6jsk on 17/11/2020 - 09:10

        👌

    • SnoozeAndLose on 14/11/2020 - 16:18
      +1

      No birds is about $150 a week?

      • desertsand on 14/11/2020 - 16:22

        I’m in Melbourne

        • pegaxs on 14/11/2020 - 18:52
          +6

          Location
          sydney

          Your profile says otherwise…

          • desertsand on 14/11/2020 - 22:46

            @pegaxs: Moved here from Sydney 3y ago

            • chriise on 15/11/2020 - 21:52
              +10

              @desertsand: Pull yourself together mate, you could get fined for not updating your Ozbargain profile within 7 days of changing your residential address.

              In all seriousness, you've copped a lot of shit on this post and I don't really get why. I don't think you're entitled to a loaner but it'd be a decent gesture that I'd half expect from a company like Mazda, especially if you'd bought brand new only 2 years ago, with extended warranty and roadside etc.

              This site loves to get all smug and piss on people asking for advice. Good luck with it.

    • Muzeeb on 14/11/2020 - 16:52
      +4

      I drive around 55k a day just from and to work now. Although I’m yet to hit 15k.

      My mental maths says you should be at around 25k kms

      I chose to pay more and not have to worry if anything happened.

      Then you should have researched the extra products you have purchased. They do not cover every situation / scenario.

      Have you read the conditions of the extended warranty or is that a forum post we can look forward to in a few years?

      • desertsand on 14/11/2020 - 16:57

        New job + COVID this year.

    • gimme on 15/11/2020 - 20:48

      Economycarrentals.com.au check it out

    • This Guy on 15/11/2020 - 21:02
      +6

      Your problem was both the brand and the dealership.

      Most other brands offer a free, no hassle, loan car as part of their free road side assistance program.

      Most dealerships are smart enough to raise an issue like this to the GM/DP to organise a loan car from a different department when they can't solve it internally.

      While Mazda has a reputation for making the warranty experience hard, this is more a case of dealerships trying to offer premium sales experience on a mass produced product. I have never been affiliated with Mazda, but I know plenty of people who have sold or serviced them and all of them would have made sure you left with a car.

      Complain directly and public on Facebook to both the dealership and Mazda. Make it clear that your 2 year old Mazda failed and your local, trusted dealership left you without a car. Make it clear that you are now unsure if you will upgrade to a larger Mazda when you have your family. You love the vehicle, but you can't trust the car or the the team at [dealership's name] to support their customers.

      The sales manager should be blasted by Mazda's regional sales rep within 5 minutes of your post and the sales manager should call you with in 30 minutes to make this right.

    • aboogee on 16/11/2020 - 13:33
      +1

      Unfortunately its a cruel world
      Paying up doesnt always equal all problems solved
      You paid for all the covers that dont cover the exact scenario you are in now
      Just like people complaining paying so much for health cover yet they always say the scenario that they are in arent covered by their policies

      Personally i dont believe in paying for hefty covers - I'd rather save the money and then use it to pay for the actual shit that I am facing
      having said that, third party cover is a must.

    • Yarra Warrior on 16/11/2020 - 23:59

      Hey OP,

      Sorry to hear you experience such an awful thing! But that's life in the end.
      I can understand why you are frustrated of getting nowhere to turn your head around. Furthermore, unfortunately insurance coverage or road assistance is also limited so it won't cover your scenario as you said.

      Have you spoken to your preferred dealership and nailed down to the exact issue and try to find out if that's something covered within warranty?
      If the issue relates to the unconsumable parts then there is a good chance to get it fixed under warranty. E.g. if the alternator is deemed to be a defect or damage not caused by you then you might need to discuss it with your service department etc. To me it's really odd that it's broken down within 2 years?
      Hope you get your stuff sorted as soon as possible.

      Regarding the car rental, have a look on this one (you need to download the app in order to book) and you might get it cheaper at www.carnextdoor.com.au
      You can pick a car of your choice on daily rate (from $20 p/d) plus the daily driven KM (from 33c per KM).
      Note: When searching for the car rental, you can use the nearest location to check the car availability or you might need to use the CBD location to give you more options.

      So far, FYI I do not have any issue with the loan car, every time when I bring my car to a service. I can choose and negotiate of what type of loan car I am keen to get. However, the loan car has to be booked and agreed with the CS in advance as there is no such warranty to get the loan car automatically.

    • EnALup on 17/11/2020 - 00:17

      Current Mazdas have 5 years of warranty. I would expect a loan car too if they are keeping car or over a day. May be try speaking with a manager and ask them if they can provide it on a later day. Try escalating it to Mazda and see if it helps. Try raising it on FB CX3 forum where you can get better responses.

  • John Kimble on 14/11/2020 - 16:11

    WFH?

  • brendanm on 14/11/2020 - 17:01

    Sounds like your battery is dead. An extremely simple thing to check with a cheap multimeter. Every single roadside assist person I've ever seen has had no clue what they are talking about.

    • desertsand on 14/11/2020 - 17:26
      +1

      He checked. Battery was good and charged.

      • brendanm on 14/11/2020 - 17:32
        +8

        Then jump starting it won't make a difference. You don't have to jump start something if the battery is good.

        • desertsand on 14/11/2020 - 17:58

          Sorry. I have no idea. He did something with the battery and the car turned on. I thought great. Easy fix! Then he used something to measure the battery charge and said it was all good. He said was the alternator. Even though the car was on, it wouldn’t last too long.

          • brendanm on 14/11/2020 - 18:00
            +17

            @desertsand: Odds of an alternator failing at 2 years old are very low, they are a simple device.

            Odds of a battery failing at 2 years are much higher.

            Odds of a roadside assist guy not knowing what he's doing are also high.

            • desertsand on 14/11/2020 - 18:03
              +1

              @brendanm: Hopefully 🤞

              • MrKnowItAll on 15/11/2020 - 14:02
                +1

                @desertsand: To add to this, the odds of an alternator dying without even a single warning sign like lights on the dash is extremely low

                • bazingaa on 16/11/2020 - 00:20

                  @MrKnowItAll: the battery light should be illuminated for sometime. isn't it ?

                  • MrKnowItAll on 16/11/2020 - 00:57

                    @bazingaa: Typically, yes. But some cars act very odd when voltage climbs too high or low, pajeros for instance have issue with traction control - some have the dash cut out. Most times you'd know it's failing before it reaches the point of no longer turning over

            • mezje on 15/11/2020 - 14:37
              +1

              @brendanm: +1 this, also a multimeter is really something everyone should own imo. They are dirt cheap for a simple one and can diagnose so many basic electrical issues.

              • mauricem on 17/11/2020 - 22:18

                @mezje: or a 12v to USB charger that also displays the voltage. Under $5 and no need to pop the hood!

            • bazingaa on 16/11/2020 - 00:15

              @brendanm:

              He did something with the battery

              Could be loose terminals :D

        • pegasusx on 16/11/2020 - 16:04

          Personal experience is that low / dying batteries allow you to start the car but the car computer (ECU) will start to flag and code everything as fault if voltages arent right.

          e.g. Had a dead cell in battery and after starting the car the entire dash lit up like a Christmas tree. ABS/ESP/Electronic Clutch/ Gear box / Rear Seat belts/Right had mirror/Left tail brake light etc. Swapped out battery but had to get factory ECU reprogrammed.

  • tsunamisurfer on 14/11/2020 - 17:35
    +9

    The Car being 2 years old, purchased full retail, all that is just NOISE.

    You don't break down and expect people to have a spare car for you. The dealership has a fleet of loan cars which are loaned out on a schedule.

    If a breakdown service offers a free rental then chase it up. Otherwise pay like other humans.

    • desertsand on 14/11/2020 - 18:02
      -7

      I think you wouldn’t expect a 2 years old car to breakdown at all. Unlucky I know. But I would expect a company the size of Mazda to at least have some sort of solution for the customer if something like this happened instead of just saying we will fix your car whenever we can. In the meantime if you need a car, too bad!

      • tsunamisurfer on 14/11/2020 - 18:55
        +8

        They do have a solution.

        They are undertaking to fix the car as soon as schedule allows.

        Do you feel they should drop other customers off their scheduled or booked maintenance for you?

        If others have booked a loan car, should they be forfeited because 2 years?

      • cwongtech on 14/11/2020 - 20:09
        +6

        But I would expect a company the size of Mazda to at least have some sort of solution for the customer if something like this happened instead of just saying we will fix your car whenever we can

        You bought a car, from a car company

        Not "Transport as a Service" or "Vehicle as a Service".

        That's like expecting Samsung to wash your clothes for you for a few days while your in-warranty washing machine broke down within the warranty period.

        • desertsand on 14/11/2020 - 20:36
          -8

          That’s a silly example. No one would expect that. Interesting how you mentioned an appliance company. I had appliances breaking on me under warranty before and they have offered to drop a replacement while mine one was being fixed.

          • cwongtech on 14/11/2020 - 20:54
            +11

            @desertsand:

            That’s a silly example.

            It's really not.
            It's buying transport as a service (public transport, trains for example, sometimes they have trackwork on weekends, which they then provide an alternate transport mode via buses as train replacements) vs buying an item only that doesn't come with additional provisions in case said item breaks down.

            I had appliances breaking on me under warranty before and they have offered to drop a replacement while mine one was being fixed.

            That depends on the appliance and also the Service Level Agreement for the warranty which is built into the price.
            You can't apply the same logic from one product to another.

            For example, some business class laptops come with Next Business Day onsite warranty service, but are priced at $2000 and up as the starting price for the base model.

            You bought a consumer car, not a hire car that comes with a chauffeur, you bought an item, not a service (which then you have a set expectation for them to deliver)
            Your car is expected to get you from point A to point B, but there are unfortunate cases where the item cannot function normally, and thus is taken in for repair.

            Courtesy cars are not a consumer right, but a courtesy by the dealership or place of repair, subject to availability.

            • desertsand on 14/11/2020 - 22:34
              -3

              @cwongtech: Thank you again for taking the time to reply. However I don’t agree with you when you say when you buy a car from a dealership you wouldn’t expect service. Particularly when you sign up and pay for all the extras offered by them.

              • p1 ama on 15/11/2020 - 02:42
                +7

                @desertsand:

                However I don’t agree with you when you say when you buy a car from a dealership you wouldn’t expect service. Particularly when you sign up and pay for all the extras offered by them.

                Are you here for others' opinion or to just look for confirmation?

                If you're here for opinions, you're certainly not open minded to them, so it's likely you're just here for confirmation. Unfortunately you're on the wrong end of this one.

                I don't know why you're trying to convince random people on the internet you're right, go try to convince Mazda. It's not like anyone here can do anything for you.

              • DrPopkorne on 17/11/2020 - 15:05

                @desertsand: Well that's on you, because you signed up for extras offered by them subject to availability and this is unfortunately one of those times where they don't have any loan cars to give. It's the same with cwongtech's example that by paying for the more expensive business class laptops, you get Next Business Day onsite service…. subject to availability. I log like four of these jobs a week, and often they can't come until the week after.

                It's sad, it sucks I know.. but just relax, do something nice for yourself and reflect, don't let this ruin your day!

        • This Guy on 15/11/2020 - 21:18

          Nope.

          Cars are commodities. They are all basically the same, with the same technology either supplied or licensed from the same suppliers.

          Most of the top ten manufacturers train their sales people to sell on service. All want the sales person to build trust with their clients.

          Ford, GM and Mitsubishi all have programs in place to ensure you are never without wheels if you break down under warranty. Hyundai and KIA expect new cars to help as part of their demo program. Even Isuzu and Suzuki have programs, and they have tiny foot prints compared to Mazda.

          Ford is so blunt about it they literately advertise if you buy a mustang you get a ranger for 2 weeks every year. They hold around half a million in stock at most dealerships just for this purpose.

          tl;dr: cars are sold as a service to remove discounting as a sales technique.

      • Muzeeb on 14/11/2020 - 21:51
        +8

        But I would expect a company the size of Mazda to at least have some sort of solution for the customer if something like this happened instead of just saying we will fix your car whenever we can. In the meantime if you need a car, too bad!

        It's a Mazda and one of the cheapest models. It's a bloody Mazda 2 on stilts. Not a friggin AMG GT R Pro.

        I get you are frustrated but you really need a reality check.

        • desertsand on 14/11/2020 - 22:39
          -4

          What do you mean? Mazda don’t sell those.

  • Quantumcat on 14/11/2020 - 21:35
    +4

    Solution: buy an electric scooter from jb hi fi and ride to work, or ride to the station for public transport. You could get to work in an hour. For a bonus, charge the scooter under your desk at work. Free transport!*

    *except for purchase price

    • Tleyx on 15/11/2020 - 20:05

      Are e scooters legal in op state?

      • Quantumcat on 15/11/2020 - 21:07

        Ah maybe not

      • Eeples on 22/11/2020 - 08:18

        Riding on private property, sure.

    • gimme on 15/11/2020 - 20:51
      +2

      dumb comment of the thread. Noone is going to ride a scooter 55km a day. Also cheaper to rent a car.

      • Quantumcat on 15/11/2020 - 21:06
        +2

        At least you still have something at the end unlike renting

        • gimme on 15/11/2020 - 21:44

          not after the first 55km run

  • Muzeeb on 14/11/2020 - 21:47
    +12

    The entitlement in this post is painful to read.

    • pegaxs on 15/11/2020 - 13:52
      +4

      OP is just looking for confirmation biased answers.

      • CocaKoala on 16/11/2020 - 12:05
        +2

        But, but how am I supposed to get to work?! They've not given me a car. Sniffle sniffle.

  • desertsand on 14/11/2020 - 23:06
    +1

    I really thank everyone for their inputs. Before we discuss further, I would suggest the commenters to take a look on Mazda website and their insurance and roadside assistance page. My main frustration is that if I was in an accident or my car was stolen then I would be covered and get a loan car, not because of a breakdown.

    • cwongtech on 14/11/2020 - 23:53
      +5

      Before we discuss further, I would suggest the commenters to take a look on Mazda website and their insurance and roadside assistance page.

      So from reading the Mazda's website

      1. Taxi
        If your vehicle cannot be mobilised due to a breakdown and must be transported to the nearest authorised repairer, we will provide one taxi ride per incident, to a maximum value of $110.00 (inc. GST) so you and your passengers can continue your journey to the nearest town or within the same city where the breakdown occurred.

      2. Customer Support Service
        Customer support services will be extended to you and up to four passengers of your vehicle without limitation to the number of calls and/or claims made, providing the total value of customer support services (per membership) will not exceed a maximum total of $1,100.00 (including GST) for any breakdown per annum, should the following incidents occur:
        Mechanical breakdown related incidents are where your vehicle has become disabled due to (non-collision related) mechanical failure or automotive related (non-mechanical) Driver fault and will, as reasonably determined by the Assist Service Provider, be disabled for a period greater than 24 hours;
        The following Customer support services are provided should your vehicle experience one of the incidents above, greater than 100 kilometres from the home address of the Driver

      • Emergency accommodation
      • Car rental
      • Alternate Transportation
      • Vehicle relocation

      The main takeaways are this:
      1) You should be able to claim your uber fees back
      2) If you got home with $50 of uber, you were definitely not 100 KM away from home

      • desertsand on 15/11/2020 - 06:31

        Can you keep reading that same page where it says car rental?

        • cwongtech on 15/11/2020 - 10:59
          +8

          I did.

          You don't qualify because your breakdown was not 100KM away from home.

          Can you read what I pasted for you?

          • desertsand on 15/11/2020 - 14:36
            -1

            @cwongtech: Can rental is a little bit below what you copy + past

            • ShortyX on 15/11/2020 - 20:30
              +4

              @desertsand:

              rental is a little bit below what you copy + past

              Did the breakdown incident occur within 100km of your home?

              • Drakesy on 17/11/2020 - 14:19

                @ShortyX: Looks like OP should've towed the car to outside the 100km radius then called Mazda customer care.

  • [Deactivated] on 14/11/2020 - 23:11

    Australian consumer law? Not sure what's the rule around that.

  • miwahni on 15/11/2020 - 00:01

    What am I missing here? Why do you think you're entitled to a loan car? Is it in your purchase contract?

  • KMeister on 15/11/2020 - 02:20

    Please read ACL guidelines available in the public domain and familiarise yourself with your entitlements.
    All you have to do is this,
    -Contact the dealership and request a loan car, if they fail to do that, contact Mazda Australia Headoffice and formally request a loan car citing the reasons, grab your reference number and liaise with them via email. Sometimes the manufacturer may not honour your consumer rights, that's when you need to seek assistance through your respective office of fair trading.

    -If you still do not get a loan vehicle from Mazda, and the failure is due to to a manufacturing defect, you can seek reimbursement of any reasonable losses due to the vehicle breakdown, this is including hire car fees, loss of income etc.. however, you must be able to substantiate your claim with valid and legible invoices and records; and most of all, you need to give an opportunity to the manufacturer to respond and provide a repair solution first, where it's practicable.

    If the failure is due to a manufacturing defect, you are entitled to request a "like for like" loan car during the vehicle repair, unless the dealership can repair your vehicle in a reasonable time( ie: while you wait). The manufacturer/supplier(ie: dealer) needs to take all reasonable steps to support the repair in a timely manner, and if the failure is a major failure or multiple minor failures, the consumer has the right to ask for a replacement or refund. If the failure is minor, the manufacturer has the right to repair your vehicle.

    It's shocking to see the level of knowledge of ACL and the advice given here.
    Remember this, the warranty provided by your manufacturer is an additional warranty, you have automatic consumer guarantees(state laws /ACL or both) applied on goods and services (most of them, refer to ACCC for exceptions) you buy within Australia which may exceed your manufacturer warranty entitlements.

    • p1 ama on 15/11/2020 - 02:46
      +8

      If the failure is due to a manufacturing defect, you are entitled to request a "like for like" loan car during the vehicle repair, unless the dealership can repair your vehicle in a reasonable time( ie: while you wait).

      To put it into perspective, OP's car broke down on a Friday night. By all accounts he's getting it back on Monday, which is completely a reasonable time given service departments do not operate on weekends.

      This entire issue is completely stupid. If OP was without their car for a week, then yes, fine, I can understand the frustration. One business day, absolutely not.

  • Bob Svargis on 15/11/2020 - 08:00
    +3

    It’s a Mazda, not a Lexus. There is no automatic entitlement to a loan vehicle.

    Premium brands often have loan vehicles available whilst a car is being serviced but you are not automatically entitled to it just because of a breakdown.

    Some dealers have service contracts for this. I’m not sure why the OP feels that a loan car is an entitlement here. It is not.

  • OzHunterNSW on 15/11/2020 - 10:44
    -2

    If it is NOT the alternator… what is it?
    Why is it UNSAFE? If it runs, it is then normal to drive.
    Just get it dropped off somewhere and hire a car if you need one…. why are you making life so difficult?

    Sounds more to do with Camshaft Positioning Sensor… welcome to "Come in Spinner" where mechanics will tell you anything and charge the moon to fix a $5 component.

    Forget about waisted money on road side assist…. they know and do nothing. They only deliver fuel, or change a tyre. Issues beyond that, they always then dial for a tow truck - where you are forced to wait another hour or more.

    Just have a private tow truck number in your phone and have a reputable mechanic's address.

    • doctordv8 on 15/11/2020 - 11:26
      +2

      Ugg! This posted reply is wrong on many levels.

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