Nicolaos

Awesome jason. I already mailed Fiat SA ans Fiat HQ in Italy. The HQ in Italy has not bothered to reply. Fiat SA replied and said theyed look into it (ie do'nt call us, we'll call you). I'll see what happens this week and if nothing happens by Thu i'll start writting offivial letters. Thanx dude.

Haven't heared about lemon law here, but i'll look it up. Thanx bud.

Lo there Chanti. I think i'll go with #2, thanx. Does anyone out there know of a rich babe who's willing to lend me her Porsche and (while i'm at it) buy me a new rig? (Bonus if her dad owns a brewery).

Oh, trust me, if they do not give me a new car or a refund i will go to all the media. I'm prepared to take out a half page advert in the national newspaper and write my story. Thanx bud.

The tugging and moaning has started!!! (evil laugh)

Awesome dude. Thanx. ie i should bug the shit out of them into submission!!

Has anyone had such crap F*cked-up service?: PART 1 * I bought a brand-new Fiat Grande Punto in May 2006 * During the first week of driving I noticed that there a few defaults: 1) Clip under handbrake would not clip in properly 2) Back right door wouldn't open smoothly - it needed force 3) Cover on dashboard had lifted/bend 4) There was a rattling noise from the front right wheel. * I arranged to take the car in and was told to leave it for the day and all would be sorted out free of charge as it's a new car. * At end of the day I was called to pick up the car and on arrival I found that NOTHING was fixed. They just washed the car. (1) * The service manager apologised and asked me to take the car back the next day. * I dropped of the car the next day (2). At end of the day I was called to pick up the car again and on arrival I found that only the handbrake clip was fixed. The dashboard was the same and the door wouldn't open AT ALL now. * I was asked to drop off the car again the next day and after I insisted that they collected the car(3). * After the third day the door was better but still not smooth and was told that the dashboard had a broken clip and they'd order the part and call me when it arrives. * After a month I called to inquire about the Dashboard and was told the part has been ordered and that they'd let me know when it arrives. * The following month I called again and they got abrupt and told me not to call as they would call me when the part arrives. * Two weeks ago I called Fiat's head office and spoke to a customer consultant and was promised to get a call back. * The next day after NOT having received a call back I called again and spoke to Fiat's Parts Manager. * He was upset with the service I had received. He called me back with a reference number and contact person and branch where they had a part like the one I needed for the dashboard was at. He said I should call them and tell them this so they can get the part for me. He also mentioned that he picked up that the part I was waiting for from them was only ordered 2 days ago. * I phoned them and gave him the details. They never came back to me. * The following week I phoned and left a message with the Fiat Manager and did not get any response. * I was at this point, after trying so hard and getting nowhere with anyone from Fiat, unsatisfied with my purchase. I would wanted to know what I could do. Even if it means canceling the contract, giving the car back and buying another new car from another make. PART 2 * I spoke to my bank (finance dividion) and mailed the story to them. * Beginning Oct 2006 Fiat's Regional Manager (RM) called me and set up appointment for meeting. * At meeting he apologised and promised that the Fiat will get sorted straight away. I gave him a list of the faults as the one that follows: 1) Dashboard top needs replacing 2) Rubber strip on roof needs glueing down. 3) Rattle at front left wheel needs sorting. 4) Right back door-handle needs adjusting. * End Oct Fiat called, said that they had the new parts for the dashboard and that I should drop the car off for them to sort everything out (4). * When I picked up the car the handle was adjusted. The dashboard looked much better but not perfect and the top strip looked good. They said that the rattling was as result of the steering-column and that they ordered the part and will let me know to bring the fiat in again for it to be replaced. (They mentioned that this has happen to a Many other G/Puntos as well). * Next day after I opened my boot I noticed that the top strip had popped out again. * A week later (4th Nov) the whole dashboard top had lifted. *I left a message with Fiat and also called the RM (7th Nov) and told them about the dashboard and the strip and made it clear that when I bring the Fiat in for the column EVERYTHING will be fixed and that this WILL be the LAST time that I am prepared to take it in. *The RM told me that he would call me when the steering-column arrives he would organize a loner car for me and take my car in for 3 days, and he''l personally make sure that EVERYTHING is sorted out before giving it back to me. *RM called me on Fri 17th Nov. He told me to bring the car in on Mon 20th Nov. He said he would have a loner car ready; they would keep my car for 3 days and return it, in his words: “…to the specification in which the vehicle was built.” *When I took the car in on that Monday, I was told that they did NOT have a loaner car, so they would fix everything that same day and give it back to me later that afternoon (5). * In the late afternoon the car was dropped off to me at my work. I was busy so I could not check it out. * After work I checked the car and NOTHING had been fixed. It was then the 5th time that I have had to take my car in and it is the 6th month since I bought the car. PART 3 *24th Nov 2006: One of the main managers of Fiat South Africa (FASA) came to my office. He apologized and promised that this time HE will make sure that my car is either fixed 100% or he’ll cancel the contract for me * I agreed to give Fiat one last chance. * He said he'll call me when they have everything on hand so i can take my car in. IT IS NOW MID JAN 2007 (9TH MONTH AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR) AND NO-ONE'S CALLED ME. Help guys. What can i do? I even -mailed Fiat HQ in Italy and have not received ANY response. Any suggestions/advice?

We usually put it up on the 6th Dec - Saint Nicholas' day.

Yeah, Taxis, 4x4's going through red robots, Drunk poeple rear-ending me, etc... it's been fun!! I do however take a little blame. It is hard for people in cars who look at rear-view mirror and see nothing and a second later i'm behind them. Could not get my Busa to go slow... I really tried!

My first bike a GSX750 (2 major accidents in 1year). Second bike was Hayabusa GSXR1300 (320km/h) (6 major accidents in 1.5years) - none of them my fault. Yeah, it's dangerous, but i'd do it all over again. Go for the GSX-R.. It's an experience you'll never forget. (unless you have a family... then you do not want to ride a bike in SA)

I'll have to agree that the beach is bt far the worst! Unless u'r into s&m

Awesome dude. Congrats.

Pharmacists/Manager. (ie legal drug-pusher)

I was young and idealistic once too. That changed. Ciels- Michele I've gonne through some bad sh*t (as i'm sure most of u also have) but that will never get me to drop my ideals. I want the full love-at-first sight, heart-pounding, i-will-do-anything-for-you (except stop skydiving od course) kinda love. I am really content in my life. I really enjoy working and playing. So i won't compromise for less. If i find someone that will fit into my lifestyle and me into hers then it's a bonus. But Mich, you are (or pretend to be) a little too much. Lighten up a little and smell the roses!

Apparently you don't understand. This is not my application. It's your application process (or any other man who believes he might meet my very high standards). So feel free to post/send photos and an application essay, and I'll see if you make the first cut. Ciels- Michele For those who want to submit applications, Michele's pics are attached bellow: Mich, thanx for making my Sat at work bearable. This has been a long, slow day. Gotta go though. Chat another time.

There is one somewhere on here that's a self portrait...I think I put it up in the spring sometime. If you can't find it, you're not looking hard enough. Ciels- Michele Got the thread with your pics: u posted it 31st July, but the pics are not available anymore. (Check out Michele's skydiving pics!) Walk the walk (instead of just talking the talk) and post some more pics of u.

Louise, with these words and with your icon u could easily melt a man's heart! I believe that both women and men (myself included) are getting way too picky and full of sh*t lately. It's more about who's gonna be on top of the relationship (for those getting excited i said on top of the RELATIONSHIP) and less about being happy and in love. It's about seeing who'll hold out longer before picking up the phone, it's about who can get the other person to say i love you first, etc,.. rather than jumping in head first with all your heart and giving it your all. Anyway, that was my 2c worth.

Leave the guy be. He's just horny! Chanti: shhhh, u'r giving away my secret!! lol I think he's waiting for one of us girls to chime in with a "How you doin'?" Good luck with that So, How you doin'?... lol

That's skydivinf with a cherry on top (no pun intended)

Leave the guy be. He's just horny! Chanti: shhhh, u'r giving away my secret!! lol

------------------------------------------------------------ Looks like it's quite an interesting thread though!

That has nothing to do with skydiving and has everything to do with the fact that you sound like a crushing bore who can't talk about anything else. If your own family finds you insufferable, how interesting are you going to be to a potential date ... well, at least once she gets off AFF? ----------------------------------------------------------- I have succeded in doing the normal whuffo chatting, but the whole point is that i'd like to be around someone ehere i can be myself and have fun!!!

Uh oh! Quick! Naomi, Tamsin, Julie ... RUN! Canti, i thought we discussed that u should leave the comedy to the professionals Shouldn't u b checking on a patient or something? C u later...

With pleasure. P.S. Psc still has some stunners. JUst checking to see what's out there.

It's not that i am limiting the criteria to a spicific sport: It's that even my own family can't be around me for more than a day or two at a time as the skydive talk gets to them. Now if i'm to find somebody for long-term the odds are that another skydiver will be able to cope with me easier than a whuffo. If i find a whuffo who's not inrested to skydive but has no problem going to the DZ with me all the time that's also gr8.