New car- Help what should I do?????

jenpoptab

Hi, I went to my local vauxhall garage to buy a new car with delivery miles only, since then things have gone from bad to worse.

We were supposed to collect car on 10.06.05 then was told could collect today but now looks like it will be tomorrow at earliest.

This was because car was transferred from Bristol to here and they didn't bring paperwork. Car has been here since Mon and was assured paperwork would be sorted by now. I've sent e-mail to manager complaing but not heard anything.

We are not getting any freebies and now I'm wondering whether we should pull out or try and hassle for extras.

Help please.

GreenB_2

As this is a money saving forum.... advice is pull out and buy a secondhand car instead.
By buying a new car you are simply wasting money. As soon as you drive it out of the garage say goodbye to about a grand or so. Leave the buying of new cars to companies.

jenpoptab

It's got £1200 because it's pre-registered so seemed like good deal, also checked parkers and was still cheaper to buy this way than second hand.

We've only put £100 down but will lose this if we pull out now which isn't huge amount compared to cost of car, but it leaves us stuck as we've jsut sold old car on e-bay and this is being collected Fri. We were getting rid of that as it's seen better days and is starting to cost us too much money.

Lucie_2

Yes, I would jump up & down & make a fuss in their showroom until they offered some kind of recompense. At the very least I would expect a courtesy car for you to use in the mean time until you can take your car away. Tell them your car is being picked by it's new owner this afternoon & it is entirely their fault you are car-less.
They should offer you something in return for their mess up - a free service, a free valet, free mats something like that.
Is the garage part of a chain? (ie Arnold Clark, Reg Vardy etc) If so it will have a central customer service dept, get in touch with them as well. If it's a Vauxhall franchise you may be able to complain to them as well.
If you did want to pull out then they should refund your £100 deposit as they have not kept to their side of the contract. Does it say 10/6 delivery on the order form?
They are in the wrong, not you. Get in there & fight for your rights!

I have to say GreenB is right & new cars are not very moneysaving. Afterall, it's only new for a day...........

jenpoptab

thanks, i agree it is only new for a day, it just seemed such a good deal in the paper when it was advertised, now it's just getting me stressed, i've two young kids and the last thing i want to do is have them unsettled with all the problems.
it did say 10.06.05 on paperwork, problem is i feel able to put complaints down in writing but find if i try to do it in person i just get so cross, i really feel put out and they are obviously in the wrong and it shows that there customer service is crap as i don't even feel confident that the sale would even go through tomorrow .

jockettuk

get cross just dont shout as shouting doesnt get you anywere.. tell them you have had nothing but hassles and feel stressed out and therefore your confidence in there company is ziltch.. ask them what they going to offer you in way of compensation.. they will probably ask what you want so tell them you want a full tank of petrol and extra warranty on it, lay it on thick and add a few more like mats car tax etc.. chances are they not going to give you everything but you got a few there for them to sort out.. just make sure you go down with things that you want dont let them choose for you as they will pick the cheapest.. .if they dont offer you anything tell them you will have to go away and get legal advice as they have broken the contract, this normally scares them into doing something.. Just stand your ground and look like you know what your talking abt even if you dont..

Woby_Tide

GreenB wrote:

As this is a money saving forum.... advice is pull out and buy a secondhand car instead.
By buying a new car you are simply wasting money. As soon as you drive it out of the garage say goodbye to about a grand or so. Leave the buying of new cars to companies.

thats a grand or so off the list price, not the price you have just paid. If you have a decent deal on a new car, even with the immediate depreciation of cars it can still be worthwhile.

Lucie_2

Stick to your guns. Complaining gets easier the more you do it Don't forget that garages still take advantage of the fact you're a mere woman & therefore know nothing - about cars or otherwise. I've had garages talk to me like I'm a total fool, but once my husband gets involved it's a completely different story.

Don't feel you have to justify the new car thing to us either - if it was a good deal, then it's a good deal. I bought a brand new car 2 yrs ago, because there were no second hand versions of the model I wanted around at the time. My husband bought a 6 month old car with 8K miles on it for about £6K less than brand new book price. I know which I'd prefer to do again next time........

Sheel

Woby_Tide wrote:

thats a grand or so off the list price, not the price you have just paid. If you have a decent deal on a new car, even with the immediate depreciation of cars it can still be worthwhile.

I agree

This site is a money saving site , but as Martin says "Money Saving is about cutting bills not cutting back" and "It's about saving money on anything and everything – finding the best deals and beating the system", which I understand to mean getting the best price possible for whatever it is you wish to buy , whether it's new or second hand.

All of our cars except the first one have been brand new and we haggled each time. Yes , we may have saved money by buying nearly new , but we wanted brand new and that is our prerogative.

deadcert4u

I can't understand why the Vauxhall garage has not given you a courtesy car.
Don't they have a sales offer on at the moment where they are giving just about anybody who is over 23 (I think that's correct) any model they want to try for three days. They have to be week days but I'm sure in the circumstances they could work something out for you. It's their new sales idea, try before you buy.

I have brought several brand new cars over the last decade and when this happened to me a few years ago I jumped up and down, made myself clear in a firm voice and was given a demo car until I got my own car three days later. Once you are in possesion of one of their cars they genrally want to sort the problem out asap. If they don't it's wear and tear on their car not yours!

wheeze

Sheel and Woby Tide - I have thanked you for this bit of common sense. I am looking around for my first car and noticed that Citroen have VAT free offers on new cars til the end of the month ( a 2 grand reduction on the car I fancy)

But I then starting having second thoughts about buying brand new after reading this and other threads!

You are right, if it's bargain, it's a bargain and buying new can be worthwhile!