Today the amber engine warning light came on when I was driving, There was no message associated with it and the car was behaving normally but, obviously, I was concerned, particularly as I'm due to drive to Wales on Friday which is a 150 mile journey.
When I got home I rang my local Jaguar main dealer in Slough (the car is still under warranty). I thought I'd be very lucky if they could take the car in and sort out the problem tomorrow but I hoped that they could at least do a diagnostic check to locate the fault and tell me whether the car would make it to Wales and back. If they thought it would I'd do the trip and get them to sort out the problem next week. If they thought there was a risk of a breakdown I would make other travel arrangements.
I never even got to speak to a service advisor. The receptionist said that they were all engaged but after I'd explained the urgency of the matter she said she would get someone to call me back. While I was waiting, and knowing that these mysterious warnings or 'faults' often disappear after the car has been shut down and restarted, I fired it up but the warning light still showed. When over an hour had elapsed with no call from the dealer I rang again but no-one answered the phone. I tried again ten minutes later and managed to speak to a (different) receptionist. After I'd explained the problem and its urgency again she said that all the advisors were still busy and she suggested that I should call out Jaguar Assist. I didn't think the latter were there to deal with problems like mine but, nevertheless, I let her transfer the call to them.
What a contrast in attitude and efficiency! Within 45 minutes of speaking to Jaguar Assist a mechanic was on my doorstep. He was friendly, knowledgeable and helpful and sorted out the problem in half an hour. In a nutshell, it was dirt in the throttle assembly which wasn't serious enough to manifest itself when driving but enough to cause the engine management system to throw a wobbly, hence the warning light.
The episode has left me with good feelings about Jaguar Assist but, at the same time, my opinion of main dealers has been reinforced.
When I got home I rang my local Jaguar main dealer in Slough (the car is still under warranty). I thought I'd be very lucky if they could take the car in and sort out the problem tomorrow but I hoped that they could at least do a diagnostic check to locate the fault and tell me whether the car would make it to Wales and back. If they thought it would I'd do the trip and get them to sort out the problem next week. If they thought there was a risk of a breakdown I would make other travel arrangements.
I never even got to speak to a service advisor. The receptionist said that they were all engaged but after I'd explained the urgency of the matter she said she would get someone to call me back. While I was waiting, and knowing that these mysterious warnings or 'faults' often disappear after the car has been shut down and restarted, I fired it up but the warning light still showed. When over an hour had elapsed with no call from the dealer I rang again but no-one answered the phone. I tried again ten minutes later and managed to speak to a (different) receptionist. After I'd explained the problem and its urgency again she said that all the advisors were still busy and she suggested that I should call out Jaguar Assist. I didn't think the latter were there to deal with problems like mine but, nevertheless, I let her transfer the call to them.
What a contrast in attitude and efficiency! Within 45 minutes of speaking to Jaguar Assist a mechanic was on my doorstep. He was friendly, knowledgeable and helpful and sorted out the problem in half an hour. In a nutshell, it was dirt in the throttle assembly which wasn't serious enough to manifest itself when driving but enough to cause the engine management system to throw a wobbly, hence the warning light.
The episode has left me with good feelings about Jaguar Assist but, at the same time, my opinion of main dealers has been reinforced.
