Mike,
This is a purely personal comment and in making it I have to declare that I've never had any problems at all with the factory on the few occasions I've dealt with them. Also, I haven't looked at the original order/ purchase documentation which came with my car but, here goes.
Essentially, I think there are legal and non -legal issues here.
Legally, the position might well turn on the exact terms of the order. If what has been ordered is a car FITTED with a hood, then that is what the factory must provide. If they don't want to provide a hood 'off the car' in terms of frames not fitted, holes not drilled etc, then there is every likelihood that they are entitled to refuse ( although this could itself be the subject of a counterclaim for a reduced price)
In the non -legal sense, while all of us will either have our own stories or have heard of others' experiences when the factory might have been a little more forthcoming, it is still a fact that the customer/factory realtionship is a heck of a lot more personal and useful than that which operates with the majority of other makes. Any kind of legal dispute which a customer does then take to litigation is not going to be helpful when/if that same customer wants information or help from Malvern at a future date. This might be 'unfair' but life often is!
I think what is intriguing is the mixed reaction different people seem to have had- in some cases, there's been a very cooperative approach; in others very much the opposite. To me this is the worrying thing. if this is the case, why such inconsistency from the same organisation-especially one which says it prides itself on good customer relations?
Cheers
