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    My dealer - GRRR

    Don't know if any of you remember, but when I collected my car, I noticed a small scratch on the roof. Stupidly, in the excitement of driving it away, I forgot to tell the dealer until I got home - about 1 hour later.

    The dealer was apologetic and asked me to bring it back in whilst they tried to fix it. However, it wouldn't polish out, and the dealer told me that he would ask his dealer principal to call me back with a solution.

    I waited two weeks for a call, and then chased them up yesterday. To my amazement, the dealer told me that they were waiting for me to call them back, and then went on to say that because I had signed off the car without pointing out the scratch, it was not their problem.

    I then asked to speak to his boss, who has now said he will look into it.

    I cannot believe that I have just given these guys Pounds71k and they treat me like this. Especially considering I had to go back to the dealer again because the reverse gear didn't work. Very unimpressed.

    Re: My dealer - GRRR

    Ed,

    I understand your frustration but can't say I am surprised. Good customer service seems to have been thrown out the window in the UK and it doesn't matter how much you are spending. Depending upon the depth of the scratch any competent bodyshop should be able to either remove it or at least make it less visible by buffing it out. It is never easy to pick up flaws on a new car upon collection because you are usually excited and just want to drive it away.

    I've made this mistake myself in the past but for the last 7 years have been a lot more vigilant following my worst ever experience when collecting a brand new Alfa GTV which was metallic red. It had a large oval area of much darker paint the day I went to collect it. The salesman tried to fob me off by saying it was just a reflection from the ground! That excuse soon disappeared when I made him move the car and the patch remained on the door. At that point I should have refused to accept the car but foolishly didn't. Lots of arguing then ensued between myself, the dealer and Alfa GB. I suspect the car was damage in transit with the door most likely being opened whilst on the transporter truck and hit against one of the vertical deck support columns. After 3 attempts to paint the defect - which only resulted in the dark circle getting larger until it covered the whole door - Alfa GB finally agreed to give me a replacement car. You live and learn.

    Re: My dealer - GRRR

    Ed

    Sorry to hear of the problem - customer service is exactly the reason why I went to Porsche Cambridge for my 997 order and not my local dealer in Hertfordshire - I'm sure you don't want to mention the dealer, but is it London based ?

    You should seek some form of compensation from Porsche UK and look at a specialist firm such as Chipsaway who should be able to peform a professional job for less than Pounds100 in getting the scratch removed. Probably caused by stone chip when the car was on the transporter.

    Rgds
    Prashan

    Re: My dealer - GRRR

    Edj, which dealer was this please ?just so i can make sure i avoid them in future It seems most Porsche centres in the uk are pretty useless at basic customer service.This is my first Porsche car and although the car is awesome,i have been well suprised at how inept the salesman /dealership are.I have previously owned Ford cars and Bmws and found both to be far better at customer service

    Re: My dealer - GRRR

    Thanks for the comments guys. To be fair to the dealer, I won't mention their name until I hear back from the manager. They could retrieve the situation but I'm not holding my breath.

    What makes things worse is that when I took my Audi in for part-exchange, the dealer picked out a TINY scratch on the alloys (I look after my alloys and had never noticed it myself - you had to virtually lie on the ground to see it!) and deducted Pounds100 from the trade in price. So they really have set themselves up for this one...

    I have actually just been discussing it with a lawyer friend, and because the dealer initially acknowledged the scratch was their fault (and tried to remedy it) they really have no case to answer. A strongly worded letter will follow.

    Re: My dealer - GRRR

    Pounds100 !!!

    They alleged Pounds3,000 of defects on my Boxster when I took it for trade in against my 997!!!

    Re: My dealer - GRRR

    Pounds3,000!!!! What did you do.. valet it with a sledgehammer? Your dealer must have been taking the p**s. What figure did you end up agreeing on out of interest or did you sell privately?

    Re: My dealer - GRRR

    Wow thats ott, 3000, no way is that possible. But I agree with the general thread in that this is a lot of money and if they want to sell you another one, they should be more service and customer orientated. Fortunately I have not had the same issues as yet in the South West.

    Re: My dealer - GRRR

    Use common sense in pursuing a remedy to the scratch. So often, I see people take a little problem, and turn it into a disaster by insisting it be remedied somehow. It's very common for a new car to have at least ONE, if not more, imperfection somewhere. Obviously, the damage rate is lower with a car like a Porsche because they use more care. But, commonly the solution/repair results in a FAR WORSE scenario than just leaving well enough alone. If the scratch is small, and barely noticeable, do not under any circumstance demand a solution that requires a partial or total re-paint of your roof. You're much better off with the little scratch, trust me. Make the scratch disappear as much as possible, using the most benign prodedures available or known. Of course, if the scratch is severe, then it needs to be fixed, whatever that requires. And that just stinks, even if the dealer pays for it, but you can't undo what's already done, and I doubt you want to demand another car. Just don't have any paintwork done if it's a tiny scratch, that's all I really can say.

    Re: My dealer - GRRR

    69bossnine - I hear you. To be honest, it's not so much the repair to the scratch that I'm thinking about, it's just the principal. These guys have messed up, tried to resolve it and have then decided to hope it goes away. Heck, just an apology would probably do me, but Pounds100 of my first service would be nice.

    It's such basic customer service, I really don't see the problem.

    Re: My dealer - GRRR

    I agree. Sometimes, there's nothing "practical" that can be done to totally erase the scratch, short of cutting of the nose despite the face. So in those instances, the dealer should at least offer a gesture in lieu of the combined responsibility of Porsche and the Dealer to deliver you an unharmed car. If I were the dealer, I'd toss you an official Tequipment fitted car cover with the crest on the front.....to help protect your car from getting any more scratches than the one it came with!! LOL!

    Re: My dealer - GRRR

    Ed J, I'm very sorry to hear your news, I fear we are both using the same dealer and will watch your outcome very closely, lets all hope they do the right thing and sort out your car. You paid new car money for a new car so what are they playing at. Your problem has also got me thinking as I have agreed to a possible midnight pickup on the 1st March, my concerns about insufficient light to check the car have now been compounded by your problem.

    Re: My dealer - GRRR

    Well I still haven't heard from the dealer, despite the dealer principal saying he would look into it urgently - that was two days ago now.

    The dealer is Porsche West London so forewarned is forearmed those of you who are collecting cars from them in the near future. Med - is this your dealer?

    Re: My dealer - GRRR

    Quote:
    Ed J said:



    I waited two weeks for a call, and then chased them up yesterday. To my amazement, the dealer told me that they were waiting for me to call them back, and then went on to say that because I had signed off the car without pointing out the scratch, it was not their problem.

    .



    Sleazy dealer tactic. Useful sleazy tactic in any business enterprise.

    At first they are so gentlemanly and respectable that they make you feel almost embarassed for complaining about a small problem. From the start their strategy is to make as much time pass as possible, using various tactics (like, "YOU should have called US back, "etc.); astime passes it gets easier and easier for them to blow you off.

    When you take delivery check that car out like your life depends on it. Matter of fact BE DETERMINED TO check your car out BEFORE any papers are signed and money changes hands.


    Re: My dealer - GRRR

    How sad that this particular dealer is now thought of in this way.
    I remember them when they were called AFN and were in Isleworth. My 924 Carrera GT had a small scratch on the bottom of a door and they offered to repair it f.o.c. when the car was in for repair, assuming that it had happened whilst the car was in their custody.
    However, the scratch was already there so I declined their offer.

    Re: My dealer - GRRR

    Quote:
    Ed J said:
    Well I still haven't heard from the dealer, despite the dealer principal saying he would look into it urgently - that was two days ago now.

    The dealer is Porsche West London so forewarned is forearmed those of you who are collecting cars from them in the near future. Med - is this your dealer?



    No, I'm with Hatfield. I spoke to them today re the midnight pick up. I needed some assurances that I'll have sufficient light to check the car over. They understand my concerns and promised the car will be in showroom or garage area with plenty of light and that I shouldn't have anything to worry about. The problem is they require cleared funds prior to collection, can't imagine how complicated things will get if there something wrong with the car.
    I suggest you fax in all your communication with the dealer make it clear your recording everything, list all the promises and time scales.....you must lean on them, otherwise it will drag on. I'm hoping it gets sorted for you, very soon.

    Re: My dealer - GRRR

    OK guys, I take it back. My dealer phoned me this morning to arrange to take the car in and fix the scratch. They will keep the car for a week and loan me a car in the meantime. I initially hesitated about the possibility of making the scratch worse, but I figure I should take them up on their offer.

    The dealer wasn't exactly apologetic for taking so long to come back to me with this offer, but at least they have finally done so.

    Maybe they read the Forum...

    Re: My dealer - GRRR

    Edj i would still be very angry if i was you, unlesss the loan car they give you is a Carrera GT

    Re: My dealer - GRRR

    Ed J, who was your stealer at West London...

    Ordered my 987 Box S through them and at first they were great a bit pushy though but generally ok. But now they have my cash, getting info out of them is all one way! I have to call them for updates!! Always the same line as well when you call, "Oh I was just about to call u!" yeah right

    This is my first Porker and I'd really hoped the whole trip was going to be first class!!! Oh well I'm sure the motor will make up for it

    Re: My dealer - GRRR

    Quote:
    Ed J said:
    Maybe they read the Forum...



    More likely someone at Porsche reads this Forum

    Re: My dealer - GRRR

    Agree as not sure my salesman could read that well ,he certainly couldnt send or read emails
    Dont worry Richj fortunately the quality of the car is way ahead of the quality of the salesmen/dealerships

    Re: My dealer - GRRR

    Quote:
    robbo said:
    Agree as not sure my salesman could read that well ,he certainly couldnt send or read emails
    Dont worry Richj fortunately the quality of the car is way ahead of the quality of the salesmen/dealerships



    Don't understand it. There are people out there that would give up some serious parts of their anatomy to be a Porsche salesman. Me included. I must admit that Porsche Centre Bournemouth have been first class so far - but I haven't got my car yet.

    Re: My dealer - GRRR

    Quote:
    Edj i would still be very angry if i was you,

    Nah, what more can you do?? Stomp around, complain, complain some more, make yourself miserable, and everybody else around you as well?? Sh** happens, and you deal with it as best you can (which you did), and you pound a beer and move on. Hopefully they solve your problem rather than escalate it, as I find repairs of this type can often cause other problems that are worse than the original problem. Best of luck!!!!

    Re: My dealer - GRRR

    Hey 69bossnine,

    Can you change your avatar to a different link please? Everytime I view a page with a post from you, I get a "Welcome to MSN Communities! Please sign-in with your Passport account" dialog box because your avatar is linked to your MSN account. You can download your avatar to your computer and then upload it to Rennteam. Only people who have a Passport account can view it so for the vast majority of us, its just an empty avatar. Its starting to get annoying.

    Thanks.

    Re: My dealer - GRRR

    I had no idea. I had tried to upload it initially, but it didn't work. I'll work on it.

    Re: My dealer - GRRR

    O.K., I went in and clicked on the "upload" window, and browsed my files and inserted it into the little window, and then clicked on continue. I'm hoping/assuming that did the trick. However, I tried this originally when I first registered and it did not work (hence my link), so please feedback to me as to whether my avatar is viewable, and whether you're still getting hounded by an MSN login. My apologies, as yes, that would be plenty irritating.

    Re: My dealer - GRRR

    69bossnine,

    Works like a champ, and now I can see it.

    I was just about to PM you about this last night.

    Thanks for fixing it.

    Re: My dealer - GRRR

    Eur-friggin-reka!! Well that was embarrassing, like walking out of a restaurant restroom with toilet paper on your shoe.

     
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