new car + delivery charge, taking ages!

Arthur_Willcox

Got myself a new VW up!.


When I was ordering it the dealership told me that it was at the Germany docks soon to depart. The official word from Volkswagen is that it takes on average 10 days to get from build to showroom. The actual dealer I spoke with said it could be here within 7days, but we scheduled to come in 2weeks from then just to be sure.


a few days before the 2week mark I get a phone call saying it should arrive on the actual 2week mark. (this is a Friday) So when that day comes, I go in, sort out the paperwork, and they say they should have the car readied over the weekend and I can pick it up on Monday.


On the Sunday I am told that the car wasn't delivered when they told me it would be, but was only as far as the British docks (Grimbsy). I'm looking to have to wait another week, currently having to spend a fortune on train fare for my commute now that my previous car has been rid of (I had hoped for a smooth transition).


Part of the payment, (which was signed by myself on the Friday, so there's no going back now) included a £458.33 delivery charge (excl. VAT.)


I see this as a service that I have paid for, and I'm being mucked about AND i'm out of pocket because of travelling costs. AND on the Friday when I signed off everything, I also sorted out the offered free 7 days insurance, but by the time I get the car, that will probably have expired, so I will have to sort that out again.


>> Has anyone had similar experiences?


>> Perhaps do you think I could demand monetary compensation considering my payment included the delivery?

motorguy

Arthur_Willcox wrote: »

Got myself a new VW up!.


When I was ordering it the dealership told me that it was at the Germany docks soon to depart. The official word from Volkswagen is that it takes on average 10 days to get from build to showroom. The actual dealer I spoke with said it could be here within 7days, but we scheduled to come in 2weeks from then just to be sure.


a few days before the 2week mark I get a phone call saying it should arrive on the actual 2week mark. (this is a Friday) So when that day comes, I go in, sort out the paperwork, and they say they should have the car readied over the weekend and I can pick it up on Monday.


On the Sunday I am told that the car wasn't delivered when they told me it would be, but was only as far as the British docks (Grimbsy). I'm looking to have to wait another week, currently having to spend a fortune on train fare for my commute now that my previous car has been rid of (I had hoped for a smooth transition).


Part of the payment, (which was signed by myself on the Friday, so there's no going back now) included a £458.33 delivery charge (excl. VAT.)


I see this as a service that I have paid for, and I'm being mucked about AND i'm out of pocket because of travelling costs. AND on the Friday when I signed off everything, I also sorted out the offered free 7 days insurance, but by the time I get the car, that will probably have expired, so I will have to sort that out again.


>> Has anyone had similar experiences?


>> Perhaps do you think I could demand monetary compensation considering my payment included the delivery?

Why not ask the dealer if they will provide a loan car?

My dads Rover died on him last week (head gasket failure) and he ordered a new SEAT Ibiza. The dealer lent him their demonstrator until his new car arrives (due end of this week)

Under the circumstances, i'd say they should try to sort something.

Mr_Mink

I bought an Up not long after launch. Took 4 months to arrive. I also got the run around from the dealership. Seems to be a thing with VW. Hope you enjoy the car.

DUTR

Arthur_Willcox wrote: »

Got myself a new VW up!.


When I was ordering it the dealership told me that it was at the Germany docks soon to depart. The official word from Volkswagen is that it takes on average 10 days to get from build to showroom. The actual dealer I spoke with said it could be here within 7days, but we scheduled to come in 2weeks from then just to be sure.


a few days before the 2week mark I get a phone call saying it should arrive on the actual 2week mark. (this is a Friday) So when that day comes, I go in, sort out the paperwork, and they say they should have the car readied over the weekend and I can pick it up on Monday.


On the Sunday I am told that the car wasn't delivered when they told me it would be, but was only as far as the British docks (Grimbsy). I'm looking to have to wait another week, currently having to spend a fortune on train fare for my commute now that my previous car has been rid of (I had hoped for a smooth transition).


Part of the payment, (which was signed by myself on the Friday, so there's no going back now) included a £458.33 delivery charge (excl. VAT.)


I see this as a service that I have paid for, and I'm being mucked about AND i'm out of pocket because of travelling costs. AND on the Friday when I signed off everything, I also sorted out the offered free 7 days insurance, but by the time I get the car, that will probably have expired, so I will have to sort that out again.


>> Has anyone had similar experiences?


>> Perhaps do you think I could demand monetary compensation considering my payment included the delivery?

Mr_Mink wrote: »

I bought an Up not long after launch. Took 4 months to arrive. I also got the run around from the dealership. Seems to be a thing with VW. Hope you enjoy the car.

The last two cars I ordered I was informed they would take 12 weeks and 16 weeks respectively, I'm not sure why neither of you were given an order tracker number and you can see which stage your build is at?
It sounds like your dealer may have just told you both what you wanted to hear to clinch that sale. From your order for a bespoke edition, it certainly not going to be 7-10 days, remember they are building cars for Europe not just that particular dealerhsip.

Iceweasel

Forget any hard cash 'monetary' compensation. I'm sure somewhere in the small print of your order such delays will be excluded.

Ask for a loan car and a full tank of fuel in the new car when it eventually turns up.

motorguy

DUTR wrote: »

The last two cars I ordered I was informed they would take 12 weeks and 16 weeks respectively, I'm not sure why neither of you were given an order tracker number and you can see which stage your build is at?
It sounds like your dealer may have just told you both what you wanted to hear to clinch that sale. From your order for a bespoke edition, it certainly not going to be 7-10 days, remember they are building cars for Europe not just that particular dealerhsip.

My reading was that the car was already built and that it takes approx 10 days to get from the factory after its built, to the dealers, which sounds about right.

DUTR

Iceweasel wrote: »

Forget any hard cash 'monetary' compensation. I'm sure somewhere in the small print of your order such delays will be excluded.

Ask for a loan car and a full tank of fuel in the new car when it eventually turns up.

Something doesn't add up with the OP's post as the delivery charge is part of the on the road cost.

Once the order is placed you can go onto the VW track my order site and it will show you what point to delivery the vehicle is from the order is with the factory to a build date etc

motorguy

DUTR wrote: »

Something doesn't add up with the OP's post as the delivery charge is part of the on the road cost.

Once the order is placed you can go onto the VW track my order site and it will show you what point to delivery the vehicle is from the order is with the factory to a build date etc

The O/P never said the car was "being built" for them. The car was prebuilt and it has been being shipped here subsequently.

Arthur_Willcox wrote: »

When I was ordering it the dealership told me that it was at the Germany docks soon to depart.

The official word from Volkswagen is that it takes on average 10 days to get from build to showroom.

DUTR

motorguy wrote: »

The O/P never said the car was "being built" for them. The car was prebuilt and it has been being shipped here subsequently.

The OP included "When I was ordering it the dealership told me that it was at the Germany docks soon to depart. The official word from Volkswagen is that it takes on average 10 days to get from build to showroom. The actual dealer I spoke with said it could be here within 7days, but we scheduled to come in 2weeks from then just to be sure."

Which is where things don't make sense, if the car was as a demonstrator and happens to be in the colour spec etc, then all is good, if the car was already at the docks, then it is there due to a firm order months prior by a retailer somewhere, the cars won't be sitting at a dock waiting to be shipped and stocked, cars are often built to the just in time formula. The retailers have to join a queue for their order to be accepted at the factory, the OP would have just paid a deposit and then a few weeks later dates can be estimated. I think the dealer has spun him a line.

motorguy

DUTR wrote: »

Which is where things don't make sense, if the car was as a demonstrator and happens to be in the colour spec etc, then all is good, if the car was already at the docks, then it is there due to a firm order months prior by a retailer somewhere, the cars won't be sitting at a dock waiting to be shipped and stocked, cars are often built to the just in time formula.

The retailers have to join a queue for their order to be accepted at the factory, the OP would have just paid a deposit and then a few weeks later dates can be estimated. I think the dealer has spun him a line.

No.

On a popular car like the Up!, and "free" slots in the build process they will make "standard" cars, or cars up in popular specs, and also the dealers will be financially encouraged to order say a batch of 20 or 30 at a time at a better price, rather than buy one, build one, ship one.

OR the dealer has pre ordered say, 20 Up!s in common specs and they are now being shipped.

They dont build every single car to order.

Two examples - my dads new Seat Ibiza - was a standard car, just had to be shipped from a compound somewhere in Europe - the dealer had a batch order coming, of which it turned out my dads was one.

Second example - wifies z4 - came from a compound in england. Had been pre-built to a popular spec, BMW UK had it moved over to England as part of a batch, which pretty much turned out to be what my wife wanted, so they just moved the car to the relevant dealers.

Third example now that i think about it - was looking at a new Golf last year - the dealer was able to tell me there was a batch of 15 1.6 TDI S Golfs sitting in germany due to be delivered to them in the next two weeks, in various colours.

DUTR

motorguy wrote: »

No.

On a popular car like the Up!, and "free" slots in the build process they will make "standard" cars, or cars up in popular specs, and also the dealers will be financially encouraged to order say a batch of 20 or 30 at a time at a better price, rather than buy one, build one, ship one.

OR the dealer has pre ordered say, 20 Up!s in common specs and they are now being shipped.

They dont build every single car to order.

Two examples - my dads new Seat Ibiza - was a standard car, just had to be shipped from a compound somewhere in Europe - the dealer had a batch order coming, of which it turned out my dads was one.

Second example - wifies z4 - came from a compound in england. Had been pre-built to a popular spec, BMW UK had it moved over to England as part of a batch, which pretty much turned out to be what my wife wanted, so they just moved the car to the relevant dealers.

Third example now that i think about it - was looking at a new Golf last year - the dealer was able to tell me there was a batch of 15 1.6 TDI S Golfs sitting in germany due to be delivered to them in the next two weeks, in various colours.

I can see in the case of the Golfs there may be fleet orders, the UP, I have not seen many about, I frequent a VW forum, and guys there who were ordering regular spec Golfs were still having to wait 16-20 weeks.
Perhaps the OP should request his deposit back if the dealership are failing to deliver in a reasonable time.