3.5 years with Peugeot 408 Turbo - The Car, Maintenance and Service Quality

Before read:

1. My grammar is not Copywriter grade, so forgive me in case of grammar mistakes detected.

2. This post is my experience and I am not saying everything will happen at you as well. 

Updated story on 9/12/2016:

A call from Mrs Sharifah (the manager of Peugeot Careline) yesterday and I was told the the Peugeot management and PCM members read my story (posted on 5/12/2016). 

Thank you to spend time to read my blog. Peugeot Careline is looking into my cases (the compressor, condenser, oil leaking and wired engine sound). I will continue to update the progress until everything is settle down. 

To read about the progess >> Click Updated Story

This time, I am impressed by Careline and the Peugeot/Nasim management, who are really willing to know about their customers, as well as their experience with Peugeot cars. I understand they are trying their best to assist car owners like me to iron all unexpected issues. 

And thank you to Peugeot 408 Owner Club members (the FB group for Peugeot 408 owner). Thanks for your concern and advise. And I will response to your comments in the FB groups, in case any. 

You may find the history below:

The History (written on 5/12/2016):

This was the photo taken 3.5 years ago, 2nd day I received my car. Nice and sexy looking car, and I was so proud to own it. My friends, colleagues and relatives were trying to advice me not to buy this brand, but I was so ego to take up the challenge. I thought everything was under my control and plan. Well, things sometimes happen in different way. I could not remember exact date of all incidents, so I rather to put the timeline by quarter and year, for example I received the car by end of Q2 2013 (27/5/2013). 

My car came with free 100,000km/3years free service. So I do not need to pay for labour and parts/oils during services. And I followed mileage very closely, never ever extend mileage. 

OK, what else, let review my experience for the pass 3 years with Peugeot 408 Turbo.

--------------------2013---------------------

Q2, 2013 - Car received in perfect condition. Handling, best in class; Power, best in class. Chassis is hard, together with the Continental MC 5 tyres, too bumpy, but power-driven driver likes it. 

Q3, 2013 - The first thing down, the Yokohama battery. I remembered the mileage is around 14,000km while Peugeot technician came to swap to Delkor battery in front of my house during a public holiday. I felt so proud because I selected Peugeot. See, they come to my house to swap a new battery even public holiday. A-Class service.

Q4, 2013 - First alert message came out, Coolant level low, Top Up! WOW, see, got alert messages! (I was not aware this type of messages are so scary while it happens very frequently) Yeah, Peugeot is checking liquid levels under the hood, and advise me according. Visited to Puchong service centre and unhappy stories started. 

- Required to change water pump due to leaking (under Recall campaign)

- Replace thermostat since it is under Recall campaign as well.

They wanted me to leave my car for at least one day so they can do it. Of course I cannot leave it there because I have no alternative transport. No courtesy cars because all taken by other drivers. So I contacted Careline, bargain with service centre, until they agreed to do it in one day. 

--------------------2014---------------------

Q1, 2014 - Wired noise from disc brake while I stepped on it. Visited to Puchong service centre and thought to replace brake pads. They confirmed the brake disc scratched and must replace it as well. What? Disc scratched? It was less than one year! A "continental" car has such weak brake disc? Well, pay RM 900 to buy new set of brake discs, and another RM 500 for the front brake pads. 

After one month of sweet driving, something not good. Whenever my speed is more than 100kmh, my steering wheel vibrate like crazy while i step on brake. First I am not doing and E-brake, soft and gentle step to slow down the car only. How crazy the vibration? Imagine the steel waist watch on my left hand is shaking. Visited to Puchong service center to check, but they claimed nothing was wrong. Until I brought one of them to ride with me to experience it. The technician told me, Henry, stop slowly and let's back to the centre. I saw it and understand it, no need to demonstrate more (well, he was scare at the moment). 

This is time, I received a very bad condition 207 as courtesy car for 1 week. This is the only they have, so I got to take it. Then they provided me another 408T for 3 weeks. My car left in there for one month. When I received it back, they told me, they swap 3 pairs of brake pads, and only the 3rd pairs worked perfectly. What could I comment? The quality of spare parts? Or the workmanship? Well, I just want my car back. 

Q2, 2014 - Scary warning message "Engine fault. Send to Repair" came out before car start during a Sunday morning. Well, dare enough to start it up. Black smoke came out from exhaust and very loud engine noise. Car was jerky and I planned to get the tow truck to Seremban Service Centre (BTW I am from Seremban and back to home town during weekends). "What was wrong" I asked service advisor, "Yes, it was the high pressure fuel pump and it is under warranty. But you got to leave the car for TWO days, no courtesy car from us". OK I took a car from my father-in-law and back to Puchong. A call from service centre on Tuesday evening to tell me to pick up my car tomorrow. However I only collected my car during Wednesday evening because the "new high pressure fuel pump" did not give "good reading" and technician got to swap with another one. Yeah, the 3rd unit does the job. Why new part cannot perform perfectly? Again, well, I just want my car back. 

Q3, 2014 - Remembered the battery replaced Q3, 2013? It dead right after 12-months. Well, I pay to install a Panasonic, where people said it is so strong. I am here to tell you, it is not, it dead after 9 months. 

--------------------2015---------------------

Normal services and replace wear-and-tear items. Again one new battery (the previous Panasonic dead after 9 months) around September. And this time I installed GP Power. What for to care about its brand since no battery can last longer than 12-months. BTW the GP power still working until now.

While during each service interval, the Puchong centre replaced everything mentioned under the Recall list. I could not remember all. 

--------------------2016---------------------

Q2, 2016 - High pressure fuel pump failure again, but this time was lucky, the error message was on-and-off, I still can drove it. Yes again. Puchong service centre was under renovation so I visited to Balakong centre. And here begin the blood-vomit story to this centre. 

Called to book and I went to centre before 9:30am. Registered and car brought into service bay. Guess what? They required me to left my car for TWO days to repair it. I disagreed and leave centre. Contacted Careline and bargained again. Well, got to leave it for TWO days, and I paid to rent MyVi (RM106 per day). But 2 days passed and no word from both Balakong centre and I called them whole day, nobody picked up my calls. OMG, what happen? I reported to Careline and careline said, they cannot contact that centre as well. WHAT A JOKE? Until the 4th day, a call back from them and notified me to collect my car tomorrow (the 5th day). Well, I pay total of RM 530 for to rent a car, just to wait them to spend 5 days to replace a high pressure fuel pump. And they even bother about your complaint and your calls, just don't pick up and let you wait. The moment I collected my car, the service advisor did not want to talk to me, the receptionist just asked me to sign documents and passed the key to me. Am I deserve for this kind of service? 

Q4, 2016 - Even bloody painful story start here. I did my 10th free service (the last free service) in Geot Auto, PJ. Complained about the rattling noise during morning engine cold start. Yeah, I knew it was due to the timing chain and pre-tensioner, and these are under Recall program as well. Well, they can do it for me, but need FIVE DAYS, again no courtesy cars (all taken by other drivers). So again, rent a car for 7 days (because cross weekends), paid RM 650 (the boss offered me discount since he knew my sad story, thanks to him). 

Before the replacement of timing chain and pre-tensioner, service advisor informed me, there was serious carbon build-up inside engine, and RM 2015 to fix it. WHAT! Why cardon build up? Sales man told me no more carbon build up because Peugeot improved (before I signed the document). And I followed instruction from service advisors after the replacement of 1st high pressure fuel pump, use only RON 97. Finally I got to pay for it because it void my extended warranty if I don't do it. 

So RM 650 + RM 2015 to bring back my car after one week. 

Then I spotted drop of coolant level, poured in the original coolant (1L) to top up. The 1L finished within one month!. Seems like something to do with the water pump again. Brought to Geot Auto PJ to check and confirmed it was the water chamber. You sure thought I can claim warranty, right? No, you are wrong because extended warranty does not cover any leaking. The bill is RM 1600 to replace the fix the problem, and spend one day to wait in the centre. Still acceptable because no need to leave car for one day. 

Swap my credit card for RM 1600 and leave Geot Auto. 

After few days, the air-con started to blow hot air. I got to on-off the air con system up to 20 times while I am driving, then it became normal. I knew it was the air con compressor and it is under extended warranty. Visited to Geot Auto, PJ to claim it. "WHAT? I better got to Glemerie HQ to do it? If do in Geot Auto, I got to wait long time if I want Geot Auto to do it?", I shouted to the advisor. Well, same old technique, Careline and bargained again. Finally Geot Auto checked my air con compressor, snap photo and proceed to claim. Story did not end here. It took 7 working days to process document. And just now (10:30am, 6/12/2016) Geot Auto called me, insurance adjuster must check my car before claim can process. So? I got to pay them a visit again. And after the adjuster confirms, I got to wait few days again to get the work done. 

You think no payment required? No you are wrong. Let me tell you about extended warranty claim on air-con compressor. Yes the compressor is free, but you got to pay RM 900 for the condenser. You must pay because the procedure is to replace both compressor and condenser, whereby the condenser is not under warranty. See how they do business?

So I am going to prepare at least RM 900 (before GST) for this claim. 

Oh ya, I yet to talk about the engine oil top up story, I discuss at this point because it was confirmed by Geot Auto as well. Since my 9th service did in Balakong centre, they used Mobile One engine oil. However I got the error message, Engine Oil Minimum Level, Top Up! I bought Petronas Synthium 0w40 (RM 290) to pour in and 3L gone. WOW, 3L engine oil consumed after 7000km travelled? Unbelievable but it happened. During my 10th service with Geot Auto, I want to use Petrons or Total, but they must use Mobile One since my car was still under the free service. Again a 5L pack of Mobile One engine oil poured into the engine. This time I bought 4 x 1L pack of this engine oil from them (total cost RM 250 for 4x1L pack). Why? I know I got to top up again. 

Yes I am correct. Every 1000km travelled, I got to top up around 400 mL of engine oil (that is why I bought the 1L pack, easy to handle). Well, I already travel 8000km since the previous service, there is now 600 mL left (the last bottle with 600 mL of engine oil). Simple math

4 x 1000 ml (1L pack) = 4000 ml

4000 ml - 600 ml = 3400 ml

3400 ml / 8000 km = Loss 450 ml per 1000 km

Why 450 ml loss every 1000 km? The gasket is torn out. And I complained since during my 8th service with Puchong centre, 9th service with Balakong centre and 10th service with Geot Auto. Even Geot Auto was doing the de-carbon work for my car but they ignore this.

Why none of the service advisor take my words? None of the technician care about this? II is so obvious! And now Geot Auto said, this gasket torn out and result in serious engine oil consumption. BUT, any leaking is not cover under extended warranty. My 3 years warranty ended by 27/5/2016, however I already complained before this date, and nobody is taking this into consideration. End up, I got to prepare few hundred to fix this. 

Again got to spare at least RM 1000 to fix this. 

Now did you ever notice there is a wired noise while you off your engine (not the fan noise)? It is like releasing its tension. Watch it at Wired engine noise

Again checked with Geot Auto, they are uncertain what is the problem, but something is releasing the tension. Why they do not know? Because diagnostic tool yet to display any error code, so they do not know. WHAT?!!! But they conclude if that is the bearing or tensioner, again at least RM 900 (before GST) to fix it. 

Again got to spare at least RM 1000 to fix this.

Up to this point, how much I got to spare up?

RM 900 (air condenser, before GST)

RM 1000 (gasket, before GST)

RM 1000 (bearing or tensioner, before GST)

Better spare RM 3500 to get ready. 

Oh ya, forget to include the car rental. To conduct such big repair, I believe they will tell me at least one week. So 7 days x RM 106/day = RM 742 to rent a Myvi for 7 days. 

So better make it RM 5000 on hand before I take any move.

I have no idea what is the next repair, nor the cost, but for sure, it will happen again and again. 

Complaint to Careline? Not really useful because customer service officer can only reply an email to you with "sweet words, but uncertain answer, nor any promise". For example "we are looking into your case closely...", "we will check the relevant service centre to escalate your case...", "we will back to you in timely manner..." and etc. Does this help? I do not believe a sweet reply with nice grammar cannot give any confident to me. 

Work with Service Centre? I got to put myself down to the ground, talk very gently to them even I am very angry. First, sometimes it is not the centre nor the advisor/technician, they wish to help but too many cases are pending (lots of owner are waiting) and they have no idea with the problem, some even required instruction/approval from the engineers from Glemeria HQ or France. 

My passion to Peugeot 408 Turbo was weaken by all of these and I should said I am upset with it. But what else I can do?

Option 1: Sell or trade in it to get another car

I have RM 65k to pay off, while my car is only worth less than RM 40k. So I got to pay up bank with RM 25k to settle it. Then I got to pay again to buy another car. 

Option 2: Keep going with it. And this means I got pray hard so the car behave properly. In the other hand, I got to ready with cash or credit card, to pay off any incoming bills. And have a good relation with car rental company so I can get discount to rent car while my Peugeot lays in the centre. 

I got to ake Option 2 by this moment, because I have no extra money to pay off the bank loan. 

My advise to you, especially you are looking into Peugeot cars, do ask yourself, do you have all the followings? Think twice if any one of the following is not with you. 

1st element - EASY/EXTRA MONEY

2nd element - FREE/LEISURE TIME

3rd element - GOOD TEMPER/GREAT PATIENT

4th element - SPARE CAR

And before end, my sincere apology to Peugeot/Nasim. I should not buy it from you because I do not have any of the above mentioned elements. And it is my fault to believe into your advertisement, sales talk and FB stories. I was stupid to believe into what I saw and read. 

Updated on 9/12/2016 >> Finally catch up with Mrs Sharifah (the manager of Careline from Glenmarie Service Center) and Careline is helping me to iron out the problems. 

To continue reading >> Click Updated Story.