Recessions aren't always a bad thing. It puts the power back in the hands of the customer. I am frequently astounded at the pathetic level of customer service in the UK, not just cars either.
Best time to buy will be in 12 months if you can hang on a bit longer.
|
|
|
"The large multiple chain no longer exists - it went bellyup.com "
Or maybe bought by a much larger dealer group and merged with another of their brand name? I can think of one you might mean and it was bought.
|
There is no way I would put a deposit on anything at the moment, especially a car. Dealers are going bust by the day, and if your one does your deposit goes with them. If they didn't accept the px as the deposit I would walk.
|
|
OK if you pay by credit card.
|
|
|
|
It's a bit like the Honda Jazz thread again.
The dealer made a mistake on the 2WD/4WD. But if he hadn't made that mistake and told OP he just couldn't get the car OP wants in the colour he wants, there wouldn't be a problem. That's just life. I'm sure OP will get the deposit back and not sure what he expects the dealer to do if the car isn't available before the offer runs out. I imagine they'd rather sell a car than not.
|
|
When I'm spending 20K, I don't think its unreasonable to get a acceptable level of service. I'm pretty sure the dealer is expecting me to roll over and just accept one of the colours offered, however giving me 5 minutes to make up my mind and then not even bothering to call back is not what I call acceptable.
|
Agreed. Do as you'd have done if he's just told you he couldn't get you the car you want: go elsewhere. He'll have to return your depo because he can't fulfill the contract. Alternatively push him on the price if you take one of the colours he's got. Cayman Blue is a good colour, though.
|
Bearing in mind these are built in Sunderland (I believe) you should not have to wait too long. Except for Xmas factory shutdowns etc.
If you want one in a particular colour and spec then you should get what you want. And in today's climate you can still probably get a good deal.
|
|
That is the other strange thing, dealer claimed it wasn't possible to get one from Nissan, as the factory is not producing at the moment due to the economic climate. I'd not heard of a production shutdown. Makes me think the dealer is only interested in reducing thier unsold stock.
|
As I understand it they're not producing Micras and Notes in any volume but Qashqais roll on.
I'd have thought what the dealer is offering you is in his group stock as of now. See what's on the Nissan website.
|
I would have thought if Nissan had stopped making these (and I have no knowledge of them doing this at all), then ordering one to your spec is exactly what they need. An order book for what they will make when they restart.
If there is any shutdown it is temporary. Like Optimist says check the website and maybe phone some other dealers. Don't ask for a discount (yet) but establish facts.
Edited by rtj70 on 15/11/2008 at 22:53
|
|
I just make it clear to the salesman very early in the discussion that at £20000 or more, I expect to get exactly what I ordered and will not accept anything else. I've never had any problems, although delivery times are longer.
|
"I agreed, signed and paid a deposit."
I would suggest that you have entered into a binding contract with the dealer. If they are unable to fulfill the contract not only should you get your deposit refunded but also maybe damages for breach of contract.
|
|
I gave up on trying to buy a new car ages ago. My experience in France was just as in the UK - if you don't want what they've got in stock they can't be bothered with you. Their loss, not mine.
|
Spoke to the sales manager and he is still trying to get the right car sourced, but I'm not confident he'll succeed. They agreed that my deposit would be refunded if they failed to find one. I queried that I was told that a factory order wasn't possible within the finance offer time (end of December). He reckon that although the Qashqai production line was working normally, all production is currently being exported.
I spoke to another dealer and he was unable to source the car I want either.
So the cash is staying in my pocket by the look of things.
|
I've said this elsewhere, but the whole car retail sales model is screwed.
You see a £20K+ deal, the dealer makes a couple of hundred pounds (if they're lucky, and customers are still not happy at even that level) and the salesguy gets about £20 unless you're mug enough to buy GAP, paint protection etc.
It's hardly worth anyone bothering so it's not surprising that they don't. Most other things you walk in and buy - it's a lot of effort to sell a car.
|
He reckon that although the Qashqai production line was working normally, all production is currently being exported
That makes a lot of financial sense for Nissan with the £ having lost value at a record rate [exceeding even the Norman Lamont ERM disaster]. Nissan makes a better margin by exporting these cars to be sold in markets where the currency is stronger.Ties in with what Honestjohn said above regarding making cars to sell in the UK: "At present currency exchange rates that would mean the manufacturer would be accepting an order to build a car at a substantial loss."
|
<< - if you don't want what they've got in stock they can't be bothered with you. >>
I agree with mike hannon. I don't think it has much to do with the credit crunch, and I also doubt whether the manufacturers themselves want it that way. About two years ago I decided to buy a brand new car out of my own money for the first time, provided I could be satisfied that it really was brand new and that the specification was exactly what I wanted. I mean, I want to know the build date, and follow its progress to the UK, OK? I finally won through (thanks only to the internet), and am delighted with the result, but it was a pretty ghastly experience. All the dealers with glass palaces also had acres of second-hand cars, and after the first minute or so we seemed inevitably to be heading in the direction of the used car lot, with strange colours, rusty discs and prices that beggared belief compared with a new car at a decent discount. They didn't exactly refuse to take an order, but seemed to sort of look at the ceiling.
What is the point of the manufacturers saying that they can supply a car in any one of a million permutations, when you can't actually buy one at all? I think that at least in London etc they would be well advised to set up display centres, like one major TV manufacturer, where you can view a decent range of specifications, decide what you want and then go about obtaining it as economically as possible.
|
Agree with OC - seems it was always this way.
In September 2000 I visited the local Citroen dealer where I was a well known service and previous s/h customer. Looked to pay cash for a Xantia HDi 90 estate (Xantia was on run out deals at the time) at a price close to that on Drive the Deal. After some discussion with the sales guy I got my deal a delivery date in October, and left a deposit.
Next working day it turned out they were having trouble sourcing the car but could not explain why. Daily calls were not returned and there was no enthusiasm at all to finish the deal. In the end after speaking to the sales manager I got my deposit three weeks after leaving it.
A few calls to a "Citroen Superdeals" ad in the Telegraph secured the same price for a HDi110 supplied through a dealer in Surrey. Cost the train fare for son and I to go down and collect it, but still a great price.
Two weeks after taking delivery the local guy 'phoned to breathlessly explain they could now do me a fantastice deal on an HDi 110...............
And come to think of it I remember my Dad coming home circa 1971 complaining about having spent the day in futile Telexes with Rootes Group about a fleet order for 10+ Hillman Hunters.
Edited by Bromptonaut on 16/11/2008 at 20:09
|
...What is the point of the manufacturers saying that they can supply a car in any one of a million permutations....
Must have been a MINI.
|
the direction of the used car lot with strange colours rusty discs and prices that beggared belief compared with a new car at a decent discount.
Our experience was the exact opposite, we didn't want a new motor, but we couldn't buy a used version anywhere near as cheap as we got new, no brainer really.
Having said that we were lucky as 2 weeks after we ordered it all changed and no discounts anywhere.
I suppose it depends on which vehicles they are desperate to get the registration figures up, maybe OC and the OP were buying current favourites.
|
>>Having said that we were lucky as 2 weeks after we ordered it all changed and no discounts anywhere.
Some people really piddle you off. I always seem to buy at the peak, and sell at the bottom. I've still got loads of BT and bank shares. :>(
|
|
I leave all that to Mrs P - had enough get poor quick schemes to last a lifetime.
|
|
I have 2 of those schemes at the moment. One is 5 years into an 18 year (minimum) contract, the other is 3 months into the 18 year contract. But I have heard that these contracts can quite often get extended to 21 years or even further!!!! And there is nothing we can do about it!!!
|
|
|
>The large multiple chain no longer exists - it went bellyup.com 2 years ago.
A bit off topic - but if this is true, why not name and shame? shouldn't disaffect anyone?
|
If the OP is still interested in this particular Nissan why not phone Nissan? They should know if there's a car to the spec he wants currently with a dealer.
|
My wife and I had no such problems buying her Qashqai this time last year, they checked for us to see if there was any in group stock in the spec & colour we wanted (1.6 Visia 2WD in Fired Iron), found one but as it was after-hours they couldn't ring the dealer to confirm, but promised someone would the next day and then contact us.
Next day, phone call from dealer, "Yes, it hasn't been sold and is available for immediate delivery, subject to PDI" and a week or so later it was on our driveway.
The whole task was most civilised, good p/ex offer as well.
The Nissan dealer chain concerned isn't national and solely confined to the North West.
So, in our case, it was a pleasure.
Does that help ?? (or does it make it worse ??)
It has its' first service tomorrow so I'll see what they say, though I am expecting nothing to require replacing etc etc.
cheers
Stu
|
Well things haven't got any better in my quest for a Qashqai. The first dealer (lets call them dealer A) still haven't refunded me, although they claim they've processed it.
I then called another dealer (lets call them dealer B) to see if they could supply the required car. Due to a mix up the guy I was dealing with thought I was after a second-hand one and came back with a 6 month model with only 2500 on the clock, at a reasonable £17995. They claimed they were selling it to me at "cost price". I hadn't thought about pre-owned but it made sense, So I went in, and did the deal. Next day I get a call saying the garage that actually had the car had decided not to release it to dealer B, for reasons unknown. However they had found a black one with 3500 on the clock for the same price. I agreed this was OK and left it at that. I then did a bit of searching and managed to find the very car they were talking about, problem was it was priced at £16995!
So I contact dealer B and say I'd found the car they wanted to supply me but could they explain how it was costing me £1000 more than apparently the "cost price". They said they would get back to me. They did and this is where they lost the sale. They tried to justify the £1000 by:
Train ticket £130 (£60 is more like it)
Fuel driving it back £100 (200 miles and so I;d doubt it would cost £30)
Extra £400 allowance for p/x (nonsense since the value I asked for was spot on what their bid system came back with.
First service £200 (again nonsense since the car is nowhere near needing a service)
So a total of £830, when in fact I make it less then a £100 in reality. He said he'd get back to me but even if they dropped the price to close to £16995, I really don't feel I could work with these people. If they'd come back with a realistic new figure iat the start nstead of a pathetic attempt to justify their costs, they might have done a deal. So now I'm going to have to get a second refund and start all over again.
The irony is, the car they'd found is sitting at a different branch of dealer A, who would happily ship it to my local dealer for £95.
Edited by Steve Pearce on 24/11/2008 at 23:16
|
This any good? Not cheap but ball park...
preview.tinyurl.com/caymanqashqai
|
Sunwin (Derby area) are advertising brand new (old model) Murano for £18K
Lot of car for the money but it will have a drink problem.
Maybe they have qashquai deals as well!
|
|
|
|
The £1000 is easy to explain.
The dealer selling it has put a trade margin across the car he is selling to the other dealer so when they put their margin across the car it starts to get expensive.
Can you not just buy it from the dealer that has the car now ? you may have to travel if they wont do a distance sale (distance selling law)
|
Finally got a result. After another "discussion" with the sales guy, where he again tried to justify the costs, I told him to cancel the whole thing.
A few hours later I got a call back from a senior manager at the dealer and the tone was completely different. He apologised for the treatment I'd received, agreed that the charges were mostly stupid and would ensure that I recieved a fair deal if I agreed to continue with the sale. Subsequently the price of the car was dropped to point where I'm happy with the deal and I'm now awaiting a call to say I can pick it up.
Edited by Steve Pearce on 27/11/2008 at 14:38
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
