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What would you do?

R

Rich Corrado

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What would you do?
I have had an absolute nightmare purchasing a new California from a VW Dealership and wondered what you would do in this situation.

This is a brief description of what I have been through so far!

1. VW brochure incorrect with spec, pricing and what comes standard

2. Finally ordered California at the beginning of December and given approximate delivery date of beginning of March.

3. Received an email from dealership on 20th January saying the vehicle was due late February/ early March

4. Received email from dealership on 14th February saying vehicle had been built and was in transit to the docks for shipping

5. Received another email from dealership on 22nd February saying my California was awaiting transporter to the docks for shipping.

6. I pointed out to the dealer that the vehicle had effectively gone backwards in its shipping process and asked what had happened?

7. VW couldn’t tell me what had happened and also couldn’t tell me where my vehicle currently was as they couldn’t locate the vehicle. (This is nonsense as every vehicle is issued with a bar code so VW know its exact whereabouts)

8. Due to VW’s inability to tell me where my vehicle was I started to think the worst and genuinely believed it had been stolen or damaged.

9. It took VW 2 weeks to track down my vehicle and said that it had been returned to the factory because they noticed it didn’t have the fly screens fitted. (The fly screens are not even something that is fitted, they are simply something you keep in the cupboard in case you need them)

10. At this point I started to doubt the information being given to me but there was nothing I could do.

11. During this time I have been dealing with the salesman, sales manager, dealer principle and VW customer services. (Every time I was given information by the dealership I was then given conflicting information from VW Customer services.)

12. On 10th March I was told by the dealership that my vehicle was at the docks in the UK but VW customer services said it wasn’t ????

13. On the 12th March VW Customer services said it was now in the UK.

14. During this ridiculous fiasco VW customer services and the VW dealership said there was nothing they could do to speed the process up but to be assured that as soon as my vehicle hit UK soil they would arrange priority transport to the dealership immediately.

15. It then took them 9 more days to get the vehicle to the dealership. (Would you say this is priority transport?)

16. The dealership offered me £1000 worth of further discounts due to the unfortunate scenario so this helped ease my temper.

17. On 21st March I was told my vehicle had finally arrived at the dealership, so they invited me in to inspect the vehicle. (I originally wasn’t keen to do this as I am having lots of extras fitted and didn’t want to view the vehicle until it was upgraded)

18. I couldn’t resist a quick peak so decided to go to the dealership and inspect my vehicle.

19. Guess what, it was damaged! It had a very noticeable dent in the tailgate and a small scuff/dent in the rear bumper. I can’t believe the dealership didn’t check the vehicle before contacting me and inviting me to view it!

20. This vehicle is nearly one month late. I have had to cancel a family holiday due to its absence. And have had days/weeks of stress wondering what was going on. It has finally arrived and now it’s damaged!

Do you think this is acceptable or am I being a bad customer?

I have requested that it has a new rear bumper fitted as I don’t want paint/filler on my new £50k+ vehicle but the dealership is moaning.

What would you do?
 
Take the £1000....have them replace the broken bits.....then leave them entirely alone and don't hassle them until they say it's ready to pick up.......
 
Keep your leg stiff. Delivery times are always an approximation, so little you could do there. But damage at delivery is unacceptable. Damaged parts will have to be replaced, not repaired. But that may take a long time again.
So, you could settle for repair rather than replacement, have your car earlier than with replacement, but then with much more off than the GBP 1000 offered. And don't go for settlement of the GBP 1000 in option stuff you hadn't cared for in the first place, but cash in hand/rebate on the invoice, i.e. real money.

Our € 0.02

[EDIT] Oh, and change dealer![EDIT]
 
Always a tricky one ,damage to a new vehicle ,I would insist on new parts to be fitted and their California SE Demonstrator for you to use until it is ready for your inspection and collection, it is supposed to be a brand new vehicle and they have got to admit that it takes the shine off the experience for you,if they had checked it beforehand they would have repaired it and you would be none the wiser unless a problem arose with the repair and then you would have had some fun and games with them. I agree that the delivery date is only an estimate and my dealer has told me that when it arrives in uk waters it disappears off screen for a while whilst Germany remove it from their system and the UK input it onto theirs ,so a £1000 for your inconvenience seems good to me.If you can get it in cash /off the total price that would be good but if is off accessories that you were going to fit anyway then thats ok.
 
Sounds like you would not have been as stressed if you were in fact given LESS information during the process?!?! If they had said "March estimate" and only shown it when it was ready for pick-up you'd be £1000 worse off!
 
johnyboy said:
Sounds like you would not have been as stressed if you were in fact given LESS information during the process?!?! If they had said "March estimate" and only shown it when it was ready for pick-up you'd be £1000 worse off!

Very true!

If they hadn't given me any info I wouldn't of known a thing.
 
If I were you I would ask you to please calm down before you cause yourself a stress related attack. I can understand all of your frustrations over this having read through all of your posts, it is a huge investment and outlay and as you said in one of your earlier posts, it is something you have wanted for a long time. I would be feeling the same if it was me however, what has happened has happened. You have asked what would I do if it was me. I would sit back, re think my strategy and use it to my advantage. I would write a letter highlighting all the events but do not go into to much detail...keep it brief as they already know. Explain your concerns and your loss of faith in VW. Explain that you require new parts to replace the damaged ones and not to be repaired. Then ask but don't demand that they confirm to you in writing that they agree and confirm it will be carried out. Thank them for their offer of £1000 however, suggest you will agree to this offer once they confirm the work will be carried out to your suggestions. Once this is confirmed then you can go back to them and negotiate a better cash offer. The important thing in this is to keep is short, polite and when there is any verbal communication keep quiet until they speak first. Remember it's not the dealers fault on what has gone wrong so you don't really want to cheese them off too much or they will close on you and remember you will have your Cali for a ling time and you never know when you will need the dealerships help again, the last thing you want is the dealer to think 'oh no its him again' It is very stressful for you but as I said in my opening line keep calm and don't cause yourself any further harm as stress is invisible and can jump out on you without warning. I hope this message helps and you get it sorted with a happy end result
 
I would agree the repair , new parts or tell them to stick it (that would be me and I would take great pleasure in taking my deposit back ) As others have said all delivery dates are an estimate.
All new car I have bought I have always inspect prior to be registered in my name, some have been imported other have been unregistered stock. A few cars have been preregisted by dealer.
We had to make a choice with our Cali due to the run in times we decided on we would go for a pre registered van we we lucky enough to have the choice of about 6 Cali's that met our spec close enough to inspect. We saved quite a few thousand £s for the sake of the van be 6 months old with 99miles on the clock had to compromise and have automatic We had no wait no hassle and picked it up in 2 weeks when we wanted it. If replacing our van I would go down the same road. So if you still wanted a Cali and had rejected your damaged van I would look at whats avalible ready to go
A the end of the day the choices each of us make are individual but like you I would not be a happy bunny. HAPPY CAMPER VAN LIFE WHEN YOU ARE SORTED
 
Wise words. :thumb don't give yourself a heart a attack before you get it.
 
Pollychops said:
If I were you I would ask you to please calm down before you cause yourself a stress related attack. I can understand all of your frustrations over this having read through all of your posts, it is a huge investment and outlay and as you said in one of your earlier posts, it is something you have wanted for a long time. I would be feeling the same if it was me however, what has happened has happened. You have asked what would I do if it was me. I would sit back, re think my strategy and use it to my advantage. I would write a letter highlighting all the events but do not go into to much detail...keep it brief as they already know. Explain your concerns and your loss of faith in VW. Explain that you require new parts to replace the damaged ones and not to be repaired. Then ask but don't demand that they confirm to you in writing that they agree and confirm it will be carried out. Thank them for their offer of £1000 however, suggest you will agree to this offer once they confirm the work will be carried out to your suggestions. Once this is confirmed then you can go back to them and negotiate a better cash offer. The important thing in this is to keep is short, polite and when there is any verbal communication keep quiet until they speak first. Remember it's not the dealers fault on what has gone wrong so you don't really want to cheese them off too much or they will close on you and remember you will have your Cali for a ling time and you never know when you will need the dealerships help again, the last thing you want is the dealer to think 'oh no its him again' It is very stressful for you but as I said in my opening line keep calm and don't cause yourself any further harm as stress is invisible and can jump out on you without warning. I hope this message helps and you get it sorted with a happy end result

Very true, I am getting myself stressed.

I need to chill out!

I haven't been aiming my anger at the dealer as most of it isn't their fault.

I have insisted on new parts and they are apparently going to do this so all I can do now is sit back, relax a bit and wait for the call saying its ready.

:thanks
 
Calikev said:
Wise words. :thumb don't give yourself a heart a attack before you get it.


I'm calming down now :crazy :crazy :lol: :lol:
 
So with the dealer repairing and giving new parts you are almost there soon it will all be sorted and you will be able to relax and enjoy ownership :cool
 
I understand your feeling about body-filler but I wonder how many new vehicles go out with filler in them unknown to the customer!
 
That's a rotten start but on the bright side, your first ding is out of the way. Fingers crossed it is the last ding ever and you can go and enjoy it now!

Ours had a small dent which I didn't see until we got it home. In retrospect, the sales woman was obviously hiding it when we collected it. I was gutted at first but I've kept it and hope it is it's only ding!
 
I know I've got far to stressed about the situation so I'm now just looking forward to our first trip away.

Oh and putting the bigger wheels on ;)
 
I was really annoyed at my first and only ding, but chances are that sooner or later it will probably happen.
My wife calmed me down and put the experience into context, she reminded me how lucky we were to have the vehicle (we are a privileged few) and that ultimately it's the experience of the vehicle and the great memories that remains enduring. She's right of course and ultimately it's only a vehicle that takes us on a journey... Focus more on the journey and less on the lump of steel that takes you there... (Easy for her to say...)
Enjoy the vehicle.. And hope it gets sorted soon...
 
Don't buy a Cali, this is fate telling you to run. Take this opportunity. They are like bad girlfriends. Simply trouble from the word go, you get all this before you spend the 50 grand- so you can imagine how bad it gets after you have spent it.
 
I think that I would go to pick it up from the dealers, but instead of handing over the bundle of used notes, torch the van and dance around the flaming wreck wearing nothing but an oily loin cloth.

Waving a pitchfork may add gravity to the situation as well. It's important that the dealer learns from this experience.

Luckily you're not me. Enjoy the van when you get it, may it bring you many adventures.
dan
 
TwentyOneThirtyFive said:
I think that I would go to pick it up from the dealers, but instead of handing over the bundle of used notes, torch the van and dance around the flaming wreck wearing nothing but an oily loin cloth.

Waving a pitchfork may add gravity to the situation as well. It's important that the dealer learns from this experience.

Luckily you're not me. Enjoy the van when you get it, may it bring you many adventures.
dan

:thanks you have made me smile
 
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