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    Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experience

    Last Saturday afternoon my car was delivered to the dealership. I get to work on Monday and open my email and find out that my car is on the dealer's lot and the salesman informs me that I can get it that afternoon (Monday). I have some unusual work obligations and can't commit the hours that I think the process (car delivery) is going to take for Monday or Tuesday. So I am kind of frustrated - but my sense tells me to wait and get the car when I can take my time and enjoy the experience. I email the salesman back and tell him Monday and Tuesday is out of the question. He replies back and tells me to please come get the car by Wednesday because of end of the month sales numbers. This comment kind of ticks me off, because I have been waiting patiently 4 months for the car, - the whole time - I have been emailing him more then him emailing me about car's progress.

    So anyway, I tell him I will be around Wednesday morning to get the car. I show up Wednesday morning around 10am and he is surprised to see me; he didn't think that I would be there so early. Wife asks sales manager where the car is. He tells her that the car is in a special place.

    So we sit down in the salesman's office for a few minutes and the salesman tells us to come with him to inspect the car. The car is it's "special place"; out back where a guy is standing in front of it and another car with a hose and bucket. I am inspecting a car with filth and grime, various plastic coverings in some places. I cannot tell if there are scratches or what.

    So me and wifie study the car in this condition, but we really know that it is pointless. I lose the common sense that I had because I am lusting for the car and am ready to take it in any condition. We end the inspection and proceed to handle all of the paperwork. Mistake numero uno! I should have ended the process right there and said I would be back when the car was properly detailed.

    To make a long story short we ended up taking a hurried up wash job when I had the patience up front AND the dealer had plenty of time to make a quality delivery. My interior and trunk was also sub par.

    I have bought other high end cars and the other dealers always attempted to make it a special experience.

    I am thinking I am going to hang the guy when Porsche sends me their sales experience questionnaire.

    Should I attempt to rectify the situation or should I just hang him on the questionnaire?

    I ended up spending the majority of my day yesterday working on the exterior doing what I feel I paid for in the first place. I was starting to fume when I thought I could be driving around on a beautiful day instead of detailing a car. Oh yeah and the gas needle was between 3/4 and 7/8. It definatly was not topped off. Quality to me is in the little things.

    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experience

    agreed....I would definitely express your disatisfaction to the dealer and then depending on his attitude decide whether to 'hang him out to dry' or not......anyways enjoy the car now!

    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experience

    Good Porsche salespeople are very hard to find these days ... I doubt they have any passion for these amazing cars ... I would destroy him, with or without a questionnaie. He made his quota, but lost a customer!

    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experience

    JP, I'm sorry to hear about the useless dealer experience. I would make my feelings known to Porsche via questionaire and letter. It's not right what they did.

    In the meanwhile, congratulations on the new car! Pics please....

    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experien

    Congrats! Have fun with your present joyrides and also the joyrides in the future. Send us your pixz asap

    As for your dealer I'd contact immediately the Germans and let them know about the bad experince . They're not possibly able to make you feel better but they'll certainly raise a big issue against the dealership.

    Greetings, anyway


    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experien

    You won't be able to "hang him" by the questionaire. My recomnmendation is to move on. Given your description, your detail job was probably much better than what the dealer would have ever been able to do. Enjoy your new ride!

    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experien

    I encourage you to write PCNA and document your experience and displeasure.

    CSI questionnaires have been eliminated.

    You did not experience the "Perfect Delivery" you were entitled to.
    They need to know!!

    Porsche Cars North America
    980 Hammond Drive
    Suite 1000
    Atlanta, GA 30328


    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experien

    Quote:
    GT3RSFan said:
    You won't be able to "hang him" by the questionaire. My recomnmendation is to move on. Given your description, your detail job was probably much better than what the dealer would have ever been able to do. Enjoy your new ride!



    I think what GT3 says is the best advice. No one will detail the car as well as you...it's a law. Don't worry about the small stuff. You have finally got the car of your dreams, enjoy it, savor it, be thrilled by it. Take your sweetheart for long rides in it. Let her see this is the car you have waited for all of your life. She'll enjoy it too.

    If the dealer thing still sticks in your throat, call the sales manager and tell him that instead of tanking the dealership on the upcoming questionaire, you wanted to give him the opportunity of setting things straight. Maybe on the far side of that conversation he will comp you something. No sense burinig bridges right now. If he doesn't work with you, then later you can do what your heart says is right.

    Just one man's opinion. Congrats on your purchase, you lucky devil!

    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experien

    Sorry to hear of your miserable experience. If you wish your feelings to be known write to: Porsche Cars North America Inc. Attn: Mr. Peter Schwarzenbauer, President & CEO, 980 Hammond Drive, Suite 1000, Atlanta, Georgia 30328. I have found that a letter directly to the top does not get ignored. And as we all know things flow down from the top.

    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experien

    If you feel the dealer has treated you badly I would approach them before taking it to PCNA.

    As GT3 suggests though, many people pray that the dealer doesn't go near their new cars paintwork so it may have been a lucky escape, even if it was for the wrong reasons.

    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experien

    Crush the sales guy AND the dealership on the questionaire.

    Delivery day is tough (as I already stated), but no reason to get fked over while you're at it.

    On the bright side. You'd think the dealer will detail the car with lots of care and quality products, right? I don't care who the dealer is, they detail all their cars the same; a Ford or a Porsche same "quality" detailing.

    SO: doing it yourself is a good thing. There are a few guys who insist the car be delivered with all the coverings intact. They take it home and detail it themselves.

    That guy washing it? Does he know that you can easily "wet sand" a car by washing it improperly? NO! He washes the dirty rockerpanels, then the roof then the dirty bumpers then the trunk panel without rinsing the brush or sponge!

    My car came with some sh*t tire-black compound which I had to keep cleaning off the wheels and fenders for a months after delivery.

    "Destroy" them on the questionaire: period.

    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experien

    Quote:
    jplanaux said:
    Oh yeah and the gas needle was between 3/4 and 7/8. It definatly was not topped off.



    Oh my God! Please tell us there were 10 or fewer miles on the Odometer! If more, they "test drove" your car. Mofos.

    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experien

    odometer = 23 miles - so yeah I figure maybe top off and dog the car for about 10 miles. It would probably figure. A friend even recommended to me to have the car delivered with all coverings and take everything off yourself. I regret not listening to him.

    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experien

    Quote:
    jplanaux said:
    odometer = 23 miles - so yeah I figure maybe top off and dog the car for about 10 miles. It would probably figure. A friend even recommended to me to have the car delivered with all coverings and take everything off yourself. I regret not listening to him.



    That's good. If there were more than 20 (like 40 or 50) I'd fantasize about burning the place down ! (just kidding).

    Again, I'm sorry to hear of your bad experience. My experience with dealer on delivery wasn't THAT great either (too much to do, too many details, too much BS). I didn't start enjoying the car until 25 miles AWAY from dealer on the drive home!

    In a few days you'll "compartmentalize" the experience and put it out of your mind. Eventually makes a good story to tell... .


    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experien

    Take it up with the GM. Point him to this thread. Tell him that you are still dissatisfied and see how he handles it. Losing customers is a huge loss these days because of the big effort to get them in the first place. If the guy is any type of business person then he'll want to hear it anyway. Besides if he isn't and blows you off this will speak volumes of the dealership because as you know sh!t rolls down hill.

    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experien

    Congrats on new 911.

    Yes, the salesperson deserves to be hanged. It is his job to make sure that your car is delivered properly and you have given him 2 days to do it. He basically did not do his job and should not receive his commission.

    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experien

    jplanaux, I am not surprised by your experience at all. Just be glad your relationship did not last as long as a Euro delivery(9months). My sales rep and sales manager turned out to be real tools! I worked with 5 dealerships in purchasing my car, ended up with the best of the worst scenario!

    I told my sales rep not to touch the car. He talked me into just washing it, he is "real picky about his cars", well they washed and put on a nice wax too and ignored the factory paint blemish.

    You just have to accept that you may be buying a high end car but the dealerships do not follow suit.

    Make a stink about it but don't ruin your relationship so much with the dealership that you don't have a service department to go to!

    Try to let it go, which I have had a hard time doing and enjoy that great car!

    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experience

    Wrote about my friend who bought a black GT3 last week. The car was on empty 1 mile off the lot.

    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experience

    jplanaux, many congratulations on your new car. I've been reading your posts in the months leading up to your delivery so I know how much this meant to you, how much you were counting the days and just how much of an emotional event it must have been. To some people, it's just a car. To you, it was much, much more than that. So, naturally, you wanted everything to be just right.

    The dealership collection experience fell far short of what you were expecting and what it should have been. Sure, you should complain in whatever questionnaires/surveys you can. Write a letter to PCNA and send a copy to the dealership. Let them know how you feel.

    At least, your car was undamaged. They weren't hiding some scratch that someone made on it etc. They shouldn't have driven your car a few extra miles. Yes, they shouldn have detailed your car properly in the time they had.

    But, now that it's over, you have your car, please, for your sake, try to put it behind you. I know it isn't easy. You had expectations of a perfect day after all. But, you really do have a wonderful car so they can go f*ck themselves, you just enjoy your car to the maximum.

    In my own case last year, I bought a new car from a dealer in a foreign country and collected it from the factory. I must say, although I really enjoyed the whole experience, there was still some stress on the day since there was so much to do and anxiety about whether everything would go smoothly and whether any mistakes would be made despite all my pre-planning. Sometimes, it can feel like it's hard to relax and just enjoy it.

    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experience

    am not shocked, what a fantastic product porsche have, what a disappointment there after sales service is, Maybe we should all do a thread of our disaffection and post it off to stuggart. if enough people contribute something might be done.
    iam so upset with my dealership im prepared to go else where even if its miles away.

    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experience

    You're right, the salesperson was a schmuck, and the car should've been ready and inside...

    BUT... I've never bought a new car, regardless of price or exclusivity, that I didn't go back-over all of the dealer's so-called "detail".

    There's no substitute for detailing the car yourself, at home, for accomplishing a full inventory and assessment of every last square-millimeter of the car, while at the same time giving it a true and thorough 1st-cleaning. Call me low-expectations-larry, but I never EXPECT anything but shoddy detail-work from the dealer. 90% of their clients don't know the difference, and do worse work of it themselves, if and when they ever do it themselves. They only perform up to the level of the majority of their schlepp customers.

    So, I would've been a bit irritated too, but I'm always irritated dealing with dealers. I think I'd probably be rolling my eyes in disgust if I was picking up a Bugatti..

    Be happy that your car, once properly gone-over by you, which you would have to do anyhow, turned out to be flaw-free and nicely assembled.

    When you're buying a new car, maybe you're paying for a detail-job, but you've always got to go back over it anyhow, so it's kind of like being upset that your take-out food is handed to you a bit cold... You're going to have to heat it up by the time you get it home ANYHOW, so move on...

    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experience

    I've learned over time the best way to pick up a Porsche or Ferrari is to tell the salesperson way in advance and remind him again just before delivery not to touch the vehicle. They either damage the car, drill holes in the bumpers or whatever...Some dealers are really fantastic and I've had excellent experiences w/ the sales & service process but detailing/ prep is one area I've yet to see any dealer do well, they're just not set-up for it. I pick up my cars w/ factory film in place etc. No way I'd trust the same guy responsible for cleaning the toilets at the dealership w/ my cars first detail. I'd never bring my car to the dealer for a detail so why would I trust them to wash my car in the first place. Taking the car untouched by the dealer, inspecting it as is from the factory is a whole lot less risky then allowing the dealer to prep the car, they almost always cause some type of issue. The last few times I let the the dealer prep my car I'm sure they scratched the windsheild by removing a decal w/ a razor blade and the time before that I had hard water marks on the car from some dope using a hose and leaving water drops on the rear wing of a black 996 turbo and leaving it outside to bake on a 100 degree sunny day. So the last few car's I've picked up without letting the dealer prep and they've been perfect. I pick up the car, drive directly to my own professional detailer where he preps the car and installs 3M. After that initial detail I usually do all the detail work myself. Much better process this way,,,,for me anyway. Sorry you had a bad experience, hopefully it wont feel as bad once you have some time to get out and drive. Congrats!!

    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experience

    Been there; done that. This time, I scooped it off the shop floor with 6 miles on the odometer, covered in plastic, and detailed it at home.

    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experience

    I voiced my true and honest opinion on the questionnaire. This resulted in a letter from the OPC (official porsche centre) saying that they "took issue with my comments". Well that made me feel a lot better!

    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experience

    Quote:
    STRADALE said:
    I've learned over time the best way to pick up a Porsche or Ferrari is to tell the salesperson way in advance and remind him again just before delivery not to touch the vehicle. They either damage the car, drill holes in the bumpers or whatever...Some dealers are really fantastic and I've had excellent experiences w/ the sales & service process but detailing/ prep is one area I've yet to see any dealer do well, they're just not set-up for it. I pick up my cars w/ factory film in place etc. No way I'd trust the same guy responsible for cleaning the toilets at the dealership w/ my cars first detail. I'd never bring my car to the dealer for a detail so why would I trust them to wash my car in the first place. Taking the car untouched by the dealer, inspecting it as is from the factory is a whole lot less risky then allowing the dealer to prep the car, they almost always cause some type of issue. The last few times I let the the dealer prep my car I'm sure they scratched the windsheild by removing a decal w/ a razor blade and the time before that I had hard water marks on the car from some dope using a hose and leaving water drops on the rear wing of a black 996 turbo and leaving it outside to bake on a 100 degree sunny day. So the last few car's I've picked up without letting the dealer prep and they've been perfect. I pick up the car, drive directly to my own professional detailer where he preps the car and installs 3M. After that initial detail I usually do all the detail work myself. Much better process this way,,,,for me anyway. Sorry you had a bad experience, hopefully it wont feel as bad once you have some time to get out and drive. Congrats!!



    I agree wholeheartedly, although I don't take mine to the detailer, I AM MYSELF THE FINEST DETAILER ON EARTH BAR NONE...

    With the 997 however, they come so damn wrapped-up, that I didn't feel inclined to sign all the papers without seeing what was UNDERNEATH all the shelf-paper. So with it, I told them to not lay a finger on it, when I got there, I had them unwrap it. I inspected, and then while I was doing paperwork I allowed them to wash and dry it, nothing more, as it was a holy mess.

    When I got home, I had tons of latent adhesive from the coverings to remove, then a full detail and polish.

    In the 80's and 90's, when cars just showed up fairly naked (and often with scratches and industrial fall-out damage), I would have instructions IN WRITING with the dealer telling them to not lay a finger on my car, not to remove a sticker. Installation of a front license plate bracket was a deal-breaker, I'd walk away, and I made that plainly known..

    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experience

    How many of us are getting a questionaire these days? I never got one.

    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experience

    Detailing is one thing....but how many of you are going to trust the dealer to do proper maintenance check ups vs. doing them yourself?

    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experience

    Quote:
    911Fanatic said:
    Detailing is one thing....but how many of you are going to trust the dealer to do proper maintenance check ups vs. doing them yourself?



    Valid point. However, I think they know more about doing routine maintenance correctly and appropriately than they do about detailing.... The mechanics have a measure of training and experience behind them typically. The detail dudes are typically barely-employed lot grunts. Of course, I'm brushing in broad strokes, and I'm sure there's some dealers out there, somewhere, investing in decently-paid, properly trained, courteous and talented detail employees... My dealership does not appear to be one of them!! LOL!! But that's o.k., I enjoy doing the "1st detail", it's personal bonding-with-car and making-it-mine thing. (high risk of inappropriate insinuation... )

    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experience

    If I had the tools and the time, I'd do it all myself!!!

    Re: Took delivery - but dealer ruined the experience

    Quote:
    69bossnine said:
    Quote:
    STRADALE said:
    I've learned over time the best way to pick up a Porsche or Ferrari is to tell the salesperson way in advance and remind him again just before delivery not to touch the vehicle. They either damage the car, drill holes in the bumpers or whatever...Some dealers are really fantastic and I've had excellent experiences w/ the sales & service process but detailing/ prep is one area I've yet to see any dealer do well, they're just not set-up for it. I pick up my cars w/ factory film in place etc. No way I'd trust the same guy responsible for cleaning the toilets at the dealership w/ my cars first detail. I'd never bring my car to the dealer for a detail so why would I trust them to wash my car in the first place. Taking the car untouched by the dealer, inspecting it as is from the factory is a whole lot less risky then allowing the dealer to prep the car, they almost always cause some type of issue. The last few times I let the the dealer prep my car I'm sure they scratched the windsheild by removing a decal w/ a razor blade and the time before that I had hard water marks on the car from some dope using a hose and leaving water drops on the rear wing of a black 996 turbo and leaving it outside to bake on a 100 degree sunny day. So the last few car's I've picked up without letting the dealer prep and they've been perfect. I pick up the car, drive directly to my own professional detailer where he preps the car and installs 3M. After that initial detail I usually do all the detail work myself. Much better process this way,,,,for me anyway. Sorry you had a bad experience, hopefully it wont feel as bad once you have some time to get out and drive. Congrats!!



    I agree wholeheartedly, although I don't take mine to the detailer, I AM MYSELF THE FINEST DETAILER ON EARTH BAR NONE...

    With the 997 however, they come so damn wrapped-up, that I didn't feel inclined to sign all the papers without seeing what was UNDERNEATH all the shelf-paper. So with it, I told them to not lay a finger on it, when I got there, I had them unwrap it. I inspected, and then while I was doing paperwork I allowed them to wash and dry it, nothing more, as it was a holy mess.

    When I got home, I had tons of latent adhesive from the coverings to remove, then a full detail and polish.

    In the 80's and 90's, when cars just showed up fairly naked (and often with scratches and industrial fall-out damage), I would have instructions IN WRITING with the dealer telling them to not lay a finger on my car, not to remove a sticker. Installation of a front license plate bracket was a deal-breaker, I'd walk away, and I made that plainly known..



    There's reasons why I have my detailer do the first detail when I bring the car to them directly from the dealer so they can do the 3M install. Some of it has to do w/ how the surface should be prepped for 3M...But there's only one detailer in the country I trust. After the first detail I enjoy doing all the detailing myself though and I agree I'm the FINEST DETAILER ON EARTH BAR NONE, too. I've done it both ways.

    But you're brave allowing the dealer to wash & dry your car, I've seen more damage done from what should be simple car washing then I care to admit. Just one dirty towel or what appears to be 100% cotten towel but actually contains polyester thread stronger than steel pound for pound. Fahget about it.

     
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