Michael McAleeranswers your questions
From Derry O'Dwyer:
On May 29th I agreed a purchase deal for a new Ford Focus coupé cabriolet. The colour I sought was not available, but three others were offered as alternative. When I confirmed the second colour of choice I was informed on May 31st that only one colour was currently available, and any other choice would entail a three month delay.
To avoid that I agreed to accept the colour offered. A firm date for delivery was set for June 26th 2007. I called to collect the car that day and was informed that the pre-delivery inspection (PDI) was not completed, but the car would be delivered to me next day.
I paid by cheque €20,000, and signed the appropriate papers re transfer etc.
Next day - June 27th - I was phoned by the dealer supplier stating that Ford Motors had issued a fax on the previous day indicating that there was a seal problem with the roof of the coupé. However, the vehicle should be available for collection on the following Friday (June 29th).
I was then informed by dealer's agent on July 2nd that the relevant seal and tool had to be imported from Italy and Ford Motors could not give him a precise date for delivery of the necessary part(s) but that it was unlikely to occur earlier than the end of the following week (July 13th).
I rang Ford headquarters in Cork and was informed that the resolution of the problem was the responsibility of the Italian suppliers. I told the Ford representative that while I appreciated the problem which the dealer was encountering, it was my view that Ford were exhibiting contempt for the purchasers of this product and their agents, notwithstanding their flashy sales publicity.
He repeated that there was nothing he could do about the delay, and the fault and responsibility for the resolution of the problem resided entirely with the Italian production end.
The sales rep rang me on July 10th to offer me delivery of the vehicle, pending installation of the necessary seal. He could not give me any firm indication as to when the seal would be installed. Having regard to the contractual implications of this suggestion, I declined the offer.
Any assistance that you can provide in having this problem clarified and rectified will be much appreciated.
I first spoke with Ford last week after your phone call and before the email and was assured that the problem would be rectified quickly. Evidently it was not.
Recalls are an everyday issue with car firms, and it's not uncommon for minor potential problems to be spotted and corrected prior to delivery. For all concerned it would seem the sensible option. Yet the problem seems to lie with poor communication between the company and its customers.
You should not take delivery of the car before the problem is fixed, as there may be contractual issues arising from this. Given the long delay in this matter, perhaps a courtesy car from the dealer would be in order with Ford picking up the bill.
From Jenny Felton:
I wish to know whether a child may legally travel in the front seat of a car with an airbag if they are in a front-facing child seat? I have looked extensively on the internet, but have had no confirmation of my query. There are many comments about safety issues with air bags, but I have not been able to find a definitive answer regarding the legality.
We have checked with several industry people and it would seem that what you are suggesting is not specifically illegal.
What is illegal is for rear-facing child restraints to be used in seats protected by an active frontal airbag. However, many new cars now have a deactivation system for just such eventualities. You can switch off the airbag to allow a child seat to be placed in the car. However, it is always best to travel with your children in the backseat.
You should only really put a forward-facing child seat in the front, if there is no other choice. In this case, make sure the car seat is as far back as possible, the child seat is securely fitted and the child is securely held by the seat belt or child seat harness, keeping the child as far as possible from the dashboard.
From C McGowan:
Just wondering if you could advise me: I would love to buy an affordable SUV - a "Mummywagon" for want of a better expression, although I do realise that it may be too environmentally unfriendly these days.
We have two small children - it would be mainly used for their transportation and to get me to and from work. As we are originally from "the country" we would also be using it to spend the odd weekend in the faraway region of Mayo. A four-door with a 2-litre engine would be good. Could you please help?
There are a few soft-roaders that would fit the bill, such as the Hyundai Santa Fe, Honda CR-V or Suzuki Grand Vitara.
However, for our money we'd advise you to try out the new Nissan Qashqai. For a start the 1.5-litre diesel engine will save you money on fuel. Secondly, it's low fuel consumption and low emissions - better than a 1.2-litre Ford Ka - make it positively green, something you can remind any critics you encounter.
It also has the flexibility of a hatchback. Admittedly the boot apeture is quite high, but you'll get that with every SUV.
I would, however, advise that you spend the extra €800 and get ESP stability control. It's a useful safety feature that can stop you skidding off the road if you misinterpret a corner and that could be useful particularly with children in the car.
The 1.5-litre diesel doesn't come with four-wheel-drive, but even in the wildest parts of Mayo this will not make much of a difference. Thanks to some political clout, the road network over there is surprisingly good.
Send your queries to Motors Helpdesk, The Irish Times, Tara St, Dublin 2 or e-mail motorshelp@irish-times.ie