The forensic officer took away several parts. I'm not privvy to his report but from the parts removed it doesn't take a rocket scientist. One was the high pressure common rail - loose union on one of the pipes (loose as in finger tight only)
Second were bits relating to the cable from alternator to starter motor to battery. Where it passed over a steel bracket it would seem that insulation failed as there were strands of copper wire welded into the steel.
With the fire starting at the front of the engine bay it would seem to be the cable (assuming that it passes across the front of the motor)
Dealing with the matter has become almost a war of attrition. The dealer has passed me on to a different company (presumably part of the AHG group) where I'm told it is a matter between the insurance company and Citroen.
My conversations with PCA via Robert Lakeman of inchcape have also been fruitless with the same basic answer. Plenty of sympathy but NO actual assistance offered to me.
Contact with the RAC of WA proved next to useless. They are only concerned with flogging insurance or discounts to all sort of lifestyle products. No assistance available for questions of warranty etc available any more. I knew the monthly magazine had become a lifestyle rag rather than a motoring journal but apparently the whole organisation is now the same. My magazine generally finishes up in the bin as it is too much trouble to find the minority of articles that have anything to do with motoring.
Did manage to locate an old one to find it has no information on what actual services it provides for members and the website is the same. My email question was answered by the RAC Ins division requesting my claim number. My reply pointed out that my query wasn't to do with a claim and I've had no further response. After 8 minutes this morning on the phone being passed around the insurance division again I hung up. Rang again and was eventually passed to a lady whose advice was to contact the ACCC and be prepared to wait.
Telephoned the WA Consumer Affairs and found a helpful man who outlined a possible process. It concerned formally asking the dealer for the process of how to lodge a warranty claim. (he also told me to note down times, dates, people spoken to and details of the conversation)
Went back to North City Holdens assistant service manager with a formal request on how to proceed to be told to let the insurer deal with it. My objection to that is the loss of our no-claim bonus as well as the excess payments. In all we have four vehicles damaged or destroyed as well as damage to the house. So depending on how our insurers handle it we could loose no-claim bonuses on six policies as well as six excess amount to pay.
Pushing on with the subject of a replacement vehicle I have at least secured the last C5 remaining in Australia. Whilst prepared to pay for it I've been pushed aside. Once again it seems that no one wants to talk to me - mind you Bayside Citroen in Melbourne needed a dealer in Perth to handle the registration and stamp duty. It was left to me to ask a favour of a dealer in Perth that I knew. He will handle that when the car is delivered to him. I'll then have to get to Perth to pick it up.
Apart from sympathy the new importer for Citroen - Inchcape doesn't seem to be any better than Ateco or Sime Darby. I know they did have a conversation with Bayside but I've not been told what was discussed. My question to Inchcape concerning the transport of the C5 from Melbourne to Perth was dismissed with the excuse that the car was the property of the dealer and not Citroen Aust.
Where are we now? I'm waiting for the North City Holden assistant service manager to get back to me after Citroen Aust. respond to her question on how to proceed in the matter.
I suppose I'm being bloody minded but the loss of the C5 is to my mind a warranty issue. The resultant damage to the other vehicles and house may be an insurance issue.
Asking the local dealers agent (NCHolden) whether I should forget the warranty claim and just go direct to the ACCC to lodge a claim for goods not fit for purpose may have encouraged a bit more digging on their part.
Second were bits relating to the cable from alternator to starter motor to battery. Where it passed over a steel bracket it would seem that insulation failed as there were strands of copper wire welded into the steel.
With the fire starting at the front of the engine bay it would seem to be the cable (assuming that it passes across the front of the motor)
Dealing with the matter has become almost a war of attrition. The dealer has passed me on to a different company (presumably part of the AHG group) where I'm told it is a matter between the insurance company and Citroen.
My conversations with PCA via Robert Lakeman of inchcape have also been fruitless with the same basic answer. Plenty of sympathy but NO actual assistance offered to me.
Contact with the RAC of WA proved next to useless. They are only concerned with flogging insurance or discounts to all sort of lifestyle products. No assistance available for questions of warranty etc available any more. I knew the monthly magazine had become a lifestyle rag rather than a motoring journal but apparently the whole organisation is now the same. My magazine generally finishes up in the bin as it is too much trouble to find the minority of articles that have anything to do with motoring.
Did manage to locate an old one to find it has no information on what actual services it provides for members and the website is the same. My email question was answered by the RAC Ins division requesting my claim number. My reply pointed out that my query wasn't to do with a claim and I've had no further response. After 8 minutes this morning on the phone being passed around the insurance division again I hung up. Rang again and was eventually passed to a lady whose advice was to contact the ACCC and be prepared to wait.
Telephoned the WA Consumer Affairs and found a helpful man who outlined a possible process. It concerned formally asking the dealer for the process of how to lodge a warranty claim. (he also told me to note down times, dates, people spoken to and details of the conversation)
Went back to North City Holdens assistant service manager with a formal request on how to proceed to be told to let the insurer deal with it. My objection to that is the loss of our no-claim bonus as well as the excess payments. In all we have four vehicles damaged or destroyed as well as damage to the house. So depending on how our insurers handle it we could loose no-claim bonuses on six policies as well as six excess amount to pay.
Pushing on with the subject of a replacement vehicle I have at least secured the last C5 remaining in Australia. Whilst prepared to pay for it I've been pushed aside. Once again it seems that no one wants to talk to me - mind you Bayside Citroen in Melbourne needed a dealer in Perth to handle the registration and stamp duty. It was left to me to ask a favour of a dealer in Perth that I knew. He will handle that when the car is delivered to him. I'll then have to get to Perth to pick it up.
Apart from sympathy the new importer for Citroen - Inchcape doesn't seem to be any better than Ateco or Sime Darby. I know they did have a conversation with Bayside but I've not been told what was discussed. My question to Inchcape concerning the transport of the C5 from Melbourne to Perth was dismissed with the excuse that the car was the property of the dealer and not Citroen Aust.
Where are we now? I'm waiting for the North City Holden assistant service manager to get back to me after Citroen Aust. respond to her question on how to proceed in the matter.
I suppose I'm being bloody minded but the loss of the C5 is to my mind a warranty issue. The resultant damage to the other vehicles and house may be an insurance issue.
Asking the local dealers agent (NCHolden) whether I should forget the warranty claim and just go direct to the ACCC to lodge a claim for goods not fit for purpose may have encouraged a bit more digging on their part.
