Ferroli Lamborghini - Ferroli replacement

[1974stephen]

I've had Ferroli out today after my Maxima 35C nearly went up in flames causing a smoke filled room, amongst other things. IT's pretty much a right off.

They came out at 9am after I sent a snotty email to them with photos last night (copying in the MD helped I think).

They've offered a replacement boiler for £250 as it's the third Ferroli I've had in 7 years (other two were under warranty), and the guy who came out indicated that it would be the Optimax HE Plus, which is the one on their website.

It turns out from subsequent phone calls that they're coming tomorrow (fitter coming from Liverpool, but I only half an hour from their UK office in Branston!!!), to fit a Lamborghini.

Are they trying to have me over?

There's no mention of the Lamborghini on their website, and Googling it bring up all sorts of horror stories going back five years about them going bust, selling these Lamborghini's off cheap etc etc.

Can anyone shed any light for me?

I would buy a 'proper' boiler and get rid of all this Italian crap, but I can't afford it at the moment, and for £250 what will I get? I need to add nearly a grand to that other wise.

 

[simond]

I believe Ferroli are having a go at selling boilers branded as Lamborgini to help them get past the poor press they have received.

£250 sounds like a very good subsidised offer, I'd take it. Even if it only lasts 2 years it is good value @ £125 per year.

Perhaps Ferroli customer service is improving?

 

[Deleted member 105431]

3 ****boxes in 7 years and you want another?

glutton for punishment or just plain stupid?

 

[dcawkwell]

3 ****boxes in 7 years and you want another?

glutton for punishment or just plain stupid?

Errr. 4th time lucky??

 

[1974stephen]

Glutton or Stupid? I agree, but £250 versus £1000 upwards - I'm thinking a gamble worth taking?

It would certainly be my last one for sure. I'm getting a 12 month warranty, so it won't cost be anything for at least the first 365 days, which is asking a lot of a Ferroli I know!

To be fair to the last one (Maxima 35C) it hasn't skipped a beat in nearly five years (the fist two only lasted 11 months each).

 

[transam]

What colour are u having , lambo boilers came in red , blk , silver or white u will even have the lambo badge on it , as is on the cars

 

[1974stephen]

Whatever colour they've got most of - no doubt - or whatever no one else wants. Personally I'm not bothered, as long as it's red - so I can tell people I've got a red lambo in the garage!!!

 

[muggles]

Glutton or Stupid? I agree, but £250 versus £1000 upwards - I'm thinking a gamble worth taking?

Err, no. Get something better that will last 15-20 years.

It would certainly be my last one for sure. I'm getting a 12 month warranty, so it won't cost be anything for at least the first 365 days, which is asking a lot of a Ferroli I know!

It would definitely be your last one, rumours abound that Ferroli themselves are hanging on the edge of bankruptcy, if they go under that 12 month warranty won't be worth anything at all. The Lamborghini had a 7-year warranty last time I looked so the 12 months they're offering you is a swindle, although given what I've just said about their financial situation it might make little difference... The Lambo is pretty much a rebadged Opticrap anyway so you're not getting anything different really

 

[Dan Robinson]

Jesus....


That is all.

 

[Agile]

I've had Ferroli out today after my Maxima 35C nearly went up in flames causing a smoke filled room, amongst other things. IT's pretty much a right off.

I am interested in boiler faults.

Do you know what the problem actually was?

Did the boiler or smoke cause any damage?

Tony

 

[1974stephen]

The heat resistant material on the inside front edge of the heat exchanger has started to break down which in turn caused a hot spot on the front and flames started to break through at the edge of the viewing window.

By the time I found it (wife complaining that the hot water had stopped) the garage was full of smoke, and the room above the garage was pretty stinky too.

Liquid enamel / powder coating running down the front of the outer case, and I've never seen bulges of aluminium where it has melted, run down the front of the heat exchanger, and then solidified again.

I'm glad we were in, as of the heating bad been on, but us out, I hate to think how it could have ended.

Partially / all my own fault, as the boiler has not been serviced for the five years that it is next month, but a mate who's a heating engineer came and had a quick look and reckoned that there was no way it should have been as bad as it was, and to give Ferroli a ring.

To be fair to Ferroli, they have come up trumps as I emailed them with the story and photos at 8:45pm, at 7:45am the very next morning I had a reply, and 8am I had a phone call, and at 9:15 I had their field technical manager standing by the boiler. They have said it was due to lack of services, but have still agreed an exchange for the Lamborghini for £250.

I have had poor results from the quality of Ferroli boilers, but can't fault them for customer service and 'doing their bit' when their boilers go wrong.

They had a new MD and Operations Manager about sixth months ago who in the words of the guy who came out, have 'got rid of the dead wood' and are revamping the way they work. Good job, as by the sounds of what I read it's needed if they want to stay in business.