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Whinging thread

MaxA

Well-known member
Joined
11 Oct 2015
Messages
2,697
I just read the "FGP thread", what a way to make a bad situation worse.

I was inspired to set out a couple of my own shitty experiences; but here's the rub. They were both from main dealers. Now they're just stories, but they're worth sharing, just for fun.

First ***** ***** Up.

On a Monday morning, as arranged, I dropped off the car for some body work. I was told that it would take three days, and they would call when ready. On the Friday morning, not having heard, I called to ask for an update. They didn't know but agreed to call back.

Someone called back mid- afternoon to say that now the car was ready, but I'd need to get round sharpish as it was nearly closing time. I whizzed round in a taxi, ran in, settled up and grabbed the keys. On heading back out to the parking, I could see the car sitting oddly.

It turned out to have a flat tyre. Not just a low pressure, bulging tyre flat, but a flat as a pancake, sitting on the ***** rim flat.

As I turned around, and headed back to the office, I could see the ***** ***** running out the back door ... and I wasn't fast enough. Not getting any joy from the miserable cow at the payments desk – she was too ***** slow – I was told there was no one else to help. She certainly couldn't.

I had no alternative but to change the wheel myself. On a Friday night, in a rainy car park.

I still remember it was a nice Bridgestone Potenza RE050a.

The following Monday, I called and they said that 'it wasn't their fault, the car had come in that way'. That wasn't true, as I would have noticed the ***** grinding noise.... and even if it was flat, they should have sorted it.

At the end of the year, I used a break clause and handed it back to the lease company with some fruity feedback. I'm still angry with the dealer, and I'm only slightly pleased to note that they went out of business, and lost their franchises. I don't wonder why...

Second ***** *****

This one is less funny, but probably more dishonest. I ordered a new car for delivery back to back with the previous lease car (we had such a generous car scheme at the time... now I just buy outright). After spending hours specifying the car properly, getting the colour right, and then getting the internal approvals sorted, I'd ordered the car and arranged the handover with the lease company.

Just days later, the dealer called to say that unfortunately the delivery was going to be pushed back, as they had a problem with the colour or some such. Three months, ish. Hmmm. They said, there's no harm done, as you can always get a comparable temporary car from your lease company.

Not being convinced, I called the lease company and they said, well, yes, we can get you a car on that delivery date from old stock, but we'll only have a four year old Nissan Primera 1.6 estate for you. I was flabbergasted: I hadn't ordered a ***** Nissan Piece Of Shitty Crap. At the full monthly rental?

No harm done? This was a bit of a double whammy. I called the salesman, who couldn't convince me that he hadn't lied through his ***** teeth, and cancelled the order on the basis that I didn't appreciate the bait-and-switch. I bought something else from a firm who could deliver.

Unfortunately, this firm is still in business, but I haven't bought anything from any of their franchises.
 
You couldn't make it up

Some years ago my car was back at the dealer for it's first service at 500 miles. When I arrived to collect it I was a little surprised to see it parked at the front of the showroom, passenger side hard against the wall. Thought no more about it, and went to the service desk to collect my keys. I was given the usual paperwork and asked to sign for the car. I asked to check the vehicle over before signing and was given all the "its only a formality " etc etc script but the positioning of my car just struck me as odd. Somewhat reluctantly the service manager walked me out to the forecourt. I asked if he would mind moving the car out, away from the wall. As soon as he had it was immediately apparent that there was a long dent in the sill with red paint faintly visible all about the damage. Cue the standard "it must have been like that when it came in" banter from the Oscar nominated service manager. Followed by a fractious response to the negative from me. Despite his protestations about "Health and Safety" I insisted on a visit to the workshop, where all the jacks and lifts were painted bright red and white.Even then when faced with the obvious he was still trying to claim the car had been like that when it came in, and not accepting the more likely version that a jack handle had clobbered the sill. Finally after insisting that the dealer principal joined us he offered to have the car repaired, loan car while the repairs were carried out, bunch of flowers for my wife and a free service in 12 months time. What a pantomime :eh!:

A couple of years later, having switched brands, I was at another dealership to collect my new car. I had waited 3 months for delivery as the black paint was a special order. While I was sitting at the salesmans desk he went off to bring the car out of the workshop an admin lady was talking me through the handover paperwork. As ever there was the part where you sign to say you have received the vehicle and everything is is as it should be and that you are content. Based on previous experience I declined to sign until I had actually seen the car. With a beaming smile the salesman marched up to the desk, handing the keys to me. There it was, my new car. Polished to perfection, gleaming in the sun, private plate, all slicked up tyres and sparkling glass. Except for one thing.... it was RED, not black. Thinking it was a simple mix up, I pointed this out. Much confusion and triple checking of documentation it turns out that it actually the garage had ordered the wrong paint code. So at no point anywhere along the line, even when putting my plate on the car had anyone realised the error. When I refused the car there was practically a meltdown from the sales floor. Sales manage, dealer principal and even a visiting manufacturers representative, who happened to be on a site visit all trying to coax me into taking the red car. However the offer of £500 cashback was never going to work and I had to leave with my trade in car and wait for 3 months before finally getting my correct vehicle and 5 years free servicing :thumb:

I think garages are not any worse or better than most other businesses, you just have to keep your wits about you and be prepared to dig in when you know you are right.
 
MaxA said:
I just read the FZP thread, what a way to make a bad situation worse.
FGP Thread.....not FZP :hand:
Back home I had a reputation which earned me the nickname "Winston Wolf". Delivering nightmares was the domain of other, sorting them out was mine. :bandit:
 
FZP said:
MaxA said:
I just read the FZP thread, what a way to make a bad situation worse.
FGP Thread.....not FZP :hand:
Back home I had a reputation which earned me the nickname "Winston Wolf". Delivering nightmares was the domain of other, sorting them out was mine. :bandit:

Ah bloody hell I just spent an hour trying to find FZP thread about making things worse and apart from a couple of horse head on the pillow comments on the FGP thread I couldnt find anything from him :floor: :floor: :floor:
 
Phil 997 said:
FZP said:
MaxA said:
I just read the FZP thread, what a way to make a bad situation worse.
FGP Thread.....not FZP :hand:
Back home I had a reputation which earned me the nickname "Winston Wolf". Delivering nightmares was the domain of other, sorting them out was mine. :bandit:

Ah bloody hell I just spent an hour trying to find FZP thread about making things worse and apart from a couple of horse head on the pillow comments on the FGP thread I couldnt find anything from him :floor: :floor: :floor:
Only proverbial horse heads left behind. :grin:
 
FZP said:
Phil 997 said:
FZP said:
MaxA said:
I just read the FZP thread, what a way to make a bad situation worse.
FGP Thread.....not FZP :hand:
Back home I had a reputation which earned me the nickname "Winston Wolf". Delivering nightmares was the domain of other, sorting them out was mine. :bandit:

Ah bloody hell I just spent an hour trying to find FZP thread about making things worse and apart from a couple of horse head on the pillow comments on the FGP thread I couldnt find anything from him :floor: :floor: :floor:
Only proverbial horse heads left behind. :grin:

:floor: :floor: do you mean only the horses ass left to sort returning the deposit :grin:
 
Its a long read but Land Rover customer service at its finest, still I made the most of it, I know some will think I'm out of order but when you spend £100k on a car you don't expect to be lied to :hand:

http://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic37970.html
 
FZP said:
MaxA said:
I just read the FZP thread, what a way to make a bad situation worse.
FGP Thread.....not FZP :hand:
Back home I had a reputation which earned me the nickname "Winston Wolf". Delivering nightmares was the domain of other, sorting them out was mine. :bandit:

Oops. Sorry. Edited.
 
Peterzoom: what a disaster. Such a simple error. And you had to wait another three months...

I am reminded of the time a car was delivered with studded winter tyres. It's pretty normal, as about 80% of the market prefers them, but we were heading to the continent on a winter holdiday where you're not allowed to run studs ... the poor dealer had to scavenge a set of rims and friction tyres from a showroom car.
 
BMW NIGHTMARE!!!

BMW X5 4.8IS - 2005

Purchased as a demo from BMW with 3k on the clock for £53K.

3 years later...18k miles (in total), no probs, FBMWSH. 2 months out of manufacturers warranty.

SWMBO driving at 20mph over a speed bump and the suspension collapsed!

BMW Recovery & out of warranty repair. - New NS shock - £1,100.00 fitted.

Collected & Next day

Suspension collapsed (suspension collapsed overnight)

BMW Recovery & out of warranty repair. - New OS shock - £1,100.00 fitted

Collected & Next Day

Suspension collapsed

BMW Recovery & out of warranty repair. - 1 week diagnostic work - New Suspension Controller - £TBC

Returned & Next Day

Suspension Collapsed

BMW Recovery & out of warranty repair. - 2 week diagnostic work - New rear shocks - £TBC

Returned & Next Day

Suspension Collapsed

BMW Recovery & out of warranty repair. -1 week diagnostic work - New compressor - £3,450.00

BMW Goodwill gesture of £895.00 for a compressor??

Returned & onwards

Intermittent suspension "inact warning" light on dash
Car used to go up and down by 10mm twice every time you powered up?

Sold the piece of ***** for 12K!!

I used to be a BMW nut!! Had loads of 3 series and a few X5. Will NEVER go back.

Sales manager actually said "Did you buy this new?". I said "no it was a demo". He said, what do you expect when you buy secondhand? WTF?

I kicked up a stink with Dealership, BMW UK and BMW DE. Linkedin is your friend when trying to find Directors!!

Glad to say, the Brand New BMW dealership lost the franchise not long after. I do hope I had a small part to play in that!!
 
Phil 997 said:
FZP said:
Phil 997 said:
FZP said:
MaxA said:
I just read the FZP thread, what a way to make a bad situation worse.
FGP Thread.....not FZP :hand:
Back home I had a reputation which earned me the nickname "Winston Wolf". Delivering nightmares was the domain of other, sorting them out was mine. :bandit:

Ah bloody hell I just spent an hour trying to find FZP thread about making things worse and apart from a couple of horse head on the pillow comments on the FGP thread I couldnt find anything from him :floor: :floor: :floor:
Only proverbial horse heads left behind. :grin:

:floor: :floor: do you mean only the horses ass left to sort returning the deposit :grin:
I should point out that I'm referring to large Corporate IT Projects and not thuggery.
 
Wow, Jota what a debacle.

One of the underlying reasons I wanted to statt this thread was serious: bad service from the dealers is bad for the brands. Clearly, you're not buying BMW.

I'm not buying certain brands from certain dealers over here (they are multi franchise, so it's not worth laying them out on a UK forum), but the message is simple:

BMW, Porsche, etc. you need to stay on top of your dealers (they're not my dealers) and absolutely ensure they do a proper job and earn their margins. It's not hard to participate, to support and sponsor forums and clubs, and to stay in touch with your end-customers (the ones who drive and own your product), but you then have to act on the information. Or people will simply walk away. :x
 

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