Anyone else considering returning their Ineos Grenadier?
I was one of the first to order the Grenadier several years ago, as I was so pleased by the announcement of its release. I admired the concept and the way Sir James Ratcliffe went against the grain.
I was fully aware that, as a new company with a new car, there would be issues, and indeed, I encountered problems when placing my order, and my vehicle still lacks a number of optional components.
That is tolerable, but the fact that they refuse to communicate with me or my dealer with either no response or meaningless gibberish is intolerable.
I am aware that in the grand scheme of things this is unimportant, but this is an excellent illustration.
A couple of days ago I received an email informing me that I could claim my Belstaff Trialmaster jacket. I was ecstatic, so I went to order my jacket. However, when I went to the website to claim my jacket, I was unable to do so because the information provided did not work. I reread the email and used the email address they said to use if you have any issues, but the email bounced. I took photos of the scene and a copy of the non-delivery response and wrote a lengthy explanation to Ineos Customer Service. After several emails back and forth, I received the following response: " For now, we are having some problems with our website, We do apologize for any inconvenience caused, and we are grateful for your patience.”. I told them I already knew it was defective.
The next day it rained, and the side of the vehicle facing the prevailing wind and rain was the passenger side. I opened the passenger door and it was full of water contained in by the door seals. I believe the rain got in because the window seal failed to do its job, so I emailed and rang my dealer, and the response was deafening silence. I just felt he was embarrassed and could not add anything, so he said nothing. As you can imagine, I have had numerous conversations with them, but I do not hold them accountable because I believe they are as frustrated as I am by the dearth of a meaningful response.
I love the vehicle and the design concept; it drives well for what it is designed to do, it has character and is purposeful.
My dilemma is that the lack of meaningful engagement from Ineo Grenadier will destroy my enjoyment of the vehicle and make it extremely difficult if not impossible to formulate a resolution strategy.
The question is whether to return the vehicle for a full refund and search for another vehicle, or to keep the vehicle.
