Understanding potential future dealings with dealer before putting in complaint

tommse

Morning. Looking for advice please. I've taken my first PCP out on an EV but had a series of bad experience in the buying process which I wish to complain about. However I dont know how much I'll have to deal with the dealer in the future eg any problems with the car/when the PCP comes to an end. Wanted to find out about this before putting the complaint in as it's fairly serious and will probably sour the relationship I had with the salesman. Thanks a lot

AdrianC

What sort of complaints are we talking about?

Are we talking about a new or used car?
Is there another dealer for that brand in your area, who you can use for service/warranty?
Is the PCP with the actual manufacturer's own financier, or with one arranged by the dealer?

Grumpy_chap

We would need more information to provide any meaningful comment.
What car?
What problem?
What price / PCP deal?
Have you actually ordered, or can you still go elsewhere?

tommse

Thank you both, I'll fill in the gaps. 
It was their ex-demo car. They are a main dealers, and I do have a couple of other closer branches so location isnt a problem. 
The PCP was arranged by the dealer with a 3rd party, Mann Island. 
Price was around £20k, total PCP £23k. 
I have the car now and there is no problems with the car itself. For a fortnight I had an interim car they lent me while issues on their side went on with my part ex and my new car. 

AdrianC

A used car, with the dealer's finance makes it a bit trickier to separate yourself.

I was thinking more about that brand's franchise dealers that aren't part of the same chain as this one, because if the relationship goes very south, you probably won't want to take it back to them for service etc...

What do you actually want to achieve from these complaints?

tommse

I'm not 100%. Mainly to make the dealer/brand/finance company aware of what happened. I can use another dealer for servicing. Unsure whether I will have to return the car to the same branch. Also aware I probably would have to speak to them first if I have any issues with the car, although it is covered by warranty so perhaps I could go to a different branch. Apologies for my lack of understanding. 

Grumpy_chap

I am still confused, what was the problem?

AdrianC

I think you need to decide if "making them aware" (they already know) justifies potential issues... or if you simply make a mental note to give them your business again in the future wherever possible.

tommse

I was due to pick up my car (ex demo, 3k miles on clock), booked a week in advance. The day of pick up they said they'd realised the drivers window didnt work (a known issue on the model so could be true, but unlikely to be true that they'd only just realised). They said I could use their future demo car while this got sorted. I drove down  the 2 hours in my car at the time that Ive had since new and has no problems. They handed the keys over and gave very little help with the new car, which being an EV and automatic I would have appreciated.
The next morning they sent me a video of my old car not starting and wanted to know why it wouldnt. I've never had any problems with my car, had driven it the 2 hours there, an hour the same week to webuyanycar valuation and the week before 360 miles down south. This was very, very stressful as either they thought me dishonest or there were nefarious goings on from their side, and of course they had both my new and old car. I posted asking for advice on FB in the car group. Within minutes the salesman was on the phone to me saying he had seen the post (which I was careful not to name and shame on as I have been here), was very unhappy but also saying I didnt need to worry about my part ex. 
My new car needed an update which I asked 6 times over a few weeks (have screenshot evidence of this) whether it happened before getting an answer.
I had the interim car for 2 weeks. I had to travel an hour to meet them halfway to switch to my new car, and they were 45 minutes late which caused issues with my own work. I unfortunately left bits of my dashcam in their car which they havent sent back to me. 
Thats the whole story and what im wondering to complain about, but cautious of how much the relationship will be soured if I have to deal with them again. 

Dr_Crypto

I suppose you could ask them for a tank of fuel but this doesn't work so well in your EV! 

tacpot12

Your issues seem relatively small, and as they are in business they will have had problems with traded in cars before so will be disappointed, but will not take it personally. I expect that by now they know the cause and will know that it either was something that you would have been aware of, or that it was just a fluke that it went wrong the following day.

If you think the salesman overstepped a line, you could write to the sales manager providing some feedback on your experience and how it made you feel, but I wouldn't make a formal complaint. 

It was your responsibility to remove all your belongings from the courtesy car and you had the time waiting for them to check you had everything, so if they are being a bit tardy in sending them back, this is an issue you could have avoided. Have they confirmed that they have found them and have them safe? If not, I would ask to speak to the Service Manager and ask if he can make a special effort to find them. Once found, if you offer to pay the P&P, they should get them back to you quickly as they won't want to take responsibility for them for any longer than necessary.

Can the update be done for free by a more local dealer? If so, I would start using this more local dealer as you will probably relying on them more and more as time goes on.