Service Recall - still not right, what to do

[grnman]

I went in to the watch shop here in Melbourne Australia to pick up my RG 44mm 26400 H serial. It has the problem a few of you have also had being the minute hand advances (wiggles) about 20 - 30secs when the chrono is started or reset.
The watch shop in Melbourne is the only place here who sell AP and they simply charged me about $300 USD to transport the watch to AP service Sydney Australia acting as the middle man.

I went to pick it up yesterday and they explained to me that 'its better' and the way the movement is made it is normal for it to do it a little bit. Im not believing this for a $40k plus watch and don't see it happening on other ROO who share the same movement. I forgot to mention the watch is under warranty so the only cost to me is the postage.

i am not satisfied with the fix and have told my watch shop to discuss it further with AP Sydney. My research and some of you on here with the same issue have had the movement fixed so mine should be as well. My question is what do I do if they say no thats how it should be. and what if they say I have to pay again to sent it to somewhere like Le Brassus? Should I try and email AP head office and tell them AP Sydney cannot fix it. I cant keep paying for armor guards to fly my watch back and forth everywhere. I have done the right thing and returned the watch to AP within the warranty period and I don't see why I should pay more than other AP owners world wide because the Sydney centre does not have the expertise some other centres have. I might be jumping the gun as AP Sydney might be able to come up with a solution, but if not I need to be prepared as to what my options are.

[GB-man]

Sorry to hear that. Hopefully someone has a number with AP Lebrassus that will fast track your repair. Maybe you could even send it to Clearwater in the states?

[texex91]

First it's crazy (IMHO) that the store charged you $300 to act as the middle man.

Can you not deal directly with AP Sydney or am I missing something?

[SpunkyQ8]

Originally Posted by texex91

First it's crazy (IMHO) that the store charged you $300 to act as the middle man.

Can you not deal directly with AP Sydney or am I missing something?

X2
$300 thats absurd!

[jjnd08]

Originally Posted by SpunkyQ8

X2
$300 thats absurd!

x3. I would not have been pleased with that charge.

[Dickson Lim]

Out of curiosity, did you purchase from the shop in Melbourne you mentioned?

[gummy]

Originally Posted by jjnd08

x3. I would not have been pleased with that charge.

X4

That's silly...I would be real stinky with the AD.

[PJ S]

Originally Posted by Dickson Lim

Out of curiosity, did you purchase from the shop in Melbourne you mentioned?

It reads as if he didn't, and I suspect the store (being an AP AD) has trousered $300 (AUD presumably) due to not having made any profit from the OP on its original sale, even though if there is a charge, is likely to be reimbursed by AP, if not organised through them at no cost, given it's under warranty.

To the OP – I think your next action is to contact Sydney by phone to see what they say about the issue.

If you did purchase it from the AD in Melbourne, and you're still not happy with the answer provided by Sydney, then you'll need to look into your consumer rights and laws regarding rejecting an item of unsatisfactory quality – presuming that the AD doesn't want to stand over it.

On the presumption that you bought it pre-owned or via a grey dealer, then you'll have to have it out with AP Sydney that you'll keep rejecting it until it's working properly.

[grnman]

Thanks for the help everyone. Much appreciated.

I did not buy it from the Melbourne dealer but rather second hand from a swiss shop (who have been very helpful). Yes you are correct I could have dealt with Sydney AP directly but I took it locally to Melbourne first and then realised Sydney was where the repair centre was at. We realised I only had 2 weeks left on the warranty, and being really busy and flying away in those 2 weeks I thought it safer to just leave the watch with Melbourne as it was most important to me to make the warranty window.

They said it would take 2 weeks for an assessment which I find a bit lengthy as Rolex do it in 2 days. I also asked them to see if they could fix the hairline scratch on the ceramic bezel or let me know right away what a replacement cost would be and the kind shop I bought it off in Switzerland was going to pay for it. I never heard anything for 9weeks then got the call "its ready and is better than before". I asked again about the bezel and they said USD$3,000 and a 12 week wait for the part. This got me a little angry as i would not have my watch for a total of 5+ months.

i know there are some on here who have had the same problem and Clearwater have fixed it with no issue. if it comes down to it i might firstly need to get Clearwater to speak to Sydney and tell them a 100% is possible. im sure AP Sydney wouldn't want me to contact LeBrassus in case it makes them look incompetent.

Thanks again. im sure ill get somewhere in the end its just a matter of how long the watch wont be on my wrist.

[lapince]

Originally Posted by texex91

First it's crazy (IMHO) that the store charged you $300 to act as the middle man.

Can you not deal directly with AP Sydney or am I missing something?

REALLY CRAZY

Originally Posted by jjnd08

x3. I would not have been pleased with that charge.

I would not have paid and asked them if they are crooks, 300USD just for sending it there???????

You are right in that A 40K watch from a company like AP should run perfectly, I would not leave them alone until they definitely solve the problem and the watch work perfectly, this is unacceptable IMO. Good luck keep us posted

[grnman]

Thanks Arnaud. It all gives me the confidence to keep pushing as watch such as this should not do it.

[Hamish]

Master watchmaking in Sydney is the authorised service centre for AP. Karl the owner is a good guy. If he cannot fix the watch he either waits for a part from Singapore or ships it to Singapore. iMHO he is under resourced and it may be that the issues were not correctly described to him. I suggest to call him directly, explain the issue and the outcome you want then see what he says. On a seperate note the actions of the AD in Melbourne are disappointing. i wouldn't have paid $300 but hey that's just me. Good luck

[Hairdude1]

Sorry to hear it still isn't fixed. I would call the AP service as Hamish said. Please keep us posted

[jolimont]

Try AP singapore

I spoke to the Hour Glass as well re. 15300 servicing and they said that they send the watch up to Sydney fully insured so i guess thats why its so $$$

[grnman]

Yes apparently the watch is sent up fully insured with an armoured van etc.
Thanks for the very constructive imput guys, ill use all of your advice and come out of the other end with a good result.

[lovej]

Slightly off topic; my AP was at the Sydney service centre for 3 months for the 3 year warranty extension.

Aus don't have the service turn around times the rest of the world has sometimes.


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[Hamish]

Yes Sydney is very slow.

[grnman]

So the watch shop in Melbourne have now said they are going to firstly ask Sydney AP what they can do, and if they cannot do it they are sending it to AP Singapore. Does anyone know if Singapore are up to speed with this problem. if that doesn't work then why don't they just put an entirely new movement in that doesn't do this?