Rear parking sensor

[Mischa]

Well, my GT Sport will be delivered WITHOUT sensors.

Further to my email to the salesperson last night, I just received the following response from her (complete with spelling mistakes):

"...regarding the reverse sensors locally fitted the Mirrors doe’s not dip when you go into a reverse mode..."

Not impressed, but at least I'm not going to get stung after taking delivery. I'd be paying full factory price for a half-baked aftermarket system.

FWIW, this is not the first "fib" told by the young salesperson at Barloworld Mascot. I ended up discussing some of the other gems with their Customer Relations Manager, including this pearler:

"...We can take out the GT TDI - it's the same kilowatts so you'll know what the TSI is like anyway..." (when TSI wasn't available for a test drive)

Thanks to everyone for your feedback/assistance in this thread.

Derek

congrats on the purchase. if thats the worst that came out of your dealers mouth then sounds like you had one of the best dealers in sydney. sounds like you actually got treated very well since they admitted that the aftermarket system wasnt exactly the same as the factory one (like you knew that the mirrors only dip with factory fitted ones lol). anyway enjoy your car! come on a drive/meetup sometime

[DAN682]

[QUOTE=OzDJ;159553]

In the salespersons defence, When I was new to the car industry, I made plenty of mistakes, they weren't fibs but a lack of training on the dealerships part and also with me not knowing the product. By the sounds of it she is doing her best and it is probably worth cutting her a little slack. [/QUOTE=DAN682]

True to a point. I certainly haven't berated the salesperson and I accept that everyone can - and will - make mistakes (my "day job" is consumer affairs management for a large company.. so I know what this means better than a lot of people).

But it is also a basic premise of customer service that if you don't know the answer YOU DON'T MAKE IT UP and YOU SHOULD NEVER ASSUME. A salesperson (and the company he/she works for) will earn my respect a lot faster by being upfront by stating the answer is not known and that they will find out for me.

Unfortunately, it didn't happen in this instance. However, I chose to provide constructive feedback to someone who could provide coaching and development opportunities (the Customer Relations Manager) rather than to someone who may be more willing to yell/shout/fire because their brand/reputation is under thread (the Dealer Principal).

I'm not a "car person" per se. So when I know I'm being led up the garden path it's generally a pretty crook customer service/sales interaction.




Not true. I walked into the dealership 98% sure of what I wanted. I had already driven a family members' GTI, a friend's Comfortline plus done lots of reading on the web. I just needed to talk price/availability and take a TSI for a test drive. Everything came across as being a drama for her and I was even snapped at when, after being asked for which options or accessories I wanted, I dared to mention window tinting. "THAT'S NOT A FACTORY OPTION!" Ye Gods.... sorry, ma'am.

Quite side from everything else (which I won't go into here), when we went out into the yard to look at a GT Sport interior the vehicle was locked. Her response? "Oh... well you can get a pretty good idea from out here anyway." Arrrrrrrrrrgh!

Five minutes later I was in my car. I drove 30mins to Five Dock to another VW dealship only to discover that it, too, was a Barloworld. At that point, I screamed a few expletives, went to a coffee shop and just chilled out. I figured that I won't have to deal with the salesperson again after I take delivery. I just need to weather the storm, get the car, and pray that the VW service departments around town are a little easier to deal with.

After reading that, I retract everything I said to defend this person.

I hope you enjoy your car!
When do you get it?
I pick my TSI up this wednesday night! Can't wait!

[OzDJ]

I hope you enjoy your car! When do you get it? I pick my TSI up this wednesday night! Can't wait!

On Thursday I was told (by 'guess who') that it was already en-route from Brisbane. The email from her today states that on Monday she'll know about an expected trucking date from Brisbane.

Time to pop another aspirin under my tongue.

DJ

[OzDJ]

congrats on the purchase. if thats the worst that came out of your dealers mouth then sounds like you had one of the best dealers in sydney.

sounds like you actually got treated very well since they admitted that the aftermarket system wasnt exactly the same as the factory one (like you knew that the mirrors only dip with factory fitted ones lol).

Of course, I only got the admission after asking her to clarify her previous statement in writing

anyway enjoy your car! come on a drive/meetup sometime

Excellent idea. Thanks... will do for sure.

DJ

http://phlog.net/user/OzDJ

[Mischa]

i knwo it shouldnt be like what happened to you, but trust me on this you did actually get relatively good service. try being told month after month that your car would be there next month and it ending up being 3 months late with no apology or explaination.

[DAN682]

On Thursday I was told (by 'guess who') that it was already en-route from Brisbane. The email from her today states that on Monday she'll know about an expected trucking date from Brisbane.

Time to pop another aspirin under my tongue.

DJ

How long has it been?

By law if they have not stated a delivery date on the Offer To Purchase they have 3 months to get you the car before you can tell them to jam it. Or if there is a delivery date written down there is a way of going for liquidated damages of not having the car within the specified time.

The only way around this is by them getting you to sign an amended OTP.

If I were you and you have been told one thing and then the other, I would definitely be starting to make their life a little difficult!

[OzDJ]

How long has it been?

Only four days.

The "popping an aspirin" comment was about salesperson 'information' rather than any notion of extensive delivery delays. The contract reflects my need to have the vehicle delivered no later than 13 June 2008 (when I have to hand in my company car). This need was explained in the first 2mins of my discussion with the salesperson. Indeed, delivery date was more important than available options, colour etc.

At this stage, I have no reason to believe this drop-dead delivery date is at risk. It was just that, on Thursday, I was told that it was on a truck coming down from Brisbane. Today it's in Brisbane and they'll organise transport on Monday.

DJ

[adrian112]

Were you quoted that these were the same as the factory ones?

Which dealer? (seems that they all do this).

I got charged $790 which seems like the price of the factory fitted sensors. I picked up the car from denlo in parramatta.

[OzDJ]

I got charged $790 which seems like the price of the factory fitted sensors. I picked up the car from denlo in parramatta.

Well, here is how they quoted mine:



Had I not asked the right questions and CANCELLED the item from the order, I would have ended up with a non-factory system including drilled bumper and non-dipping passenger mirror. Not saying they're anything necessarily wrong with such a system, but it's not right to charge people as though it's the factory option (moulded bumper, full integration etc).

DJ

[DAN682]

Well, here is how they quoted mine:



Had I not asked the right questions and CANCELLED the item from the order, I would have ended up with a non-factory system including drilled bumper and non-dipping passenger mirror. Not saying they're anything necessarily wrong with such a system, but it's not right to charge people as though it's the factory option (moulded bumper, full integration etc).

DJ

Holy crap dude, Did you really pay $590 for tint or was it included? If so get that taken off, it only costs them $220 to have it done!

[Maverick]

Holy crap dude, Did you really pay $590 for tint or was it included? If so get that taken off, it only costs them $220 to have it done!

Yes but you do get the benefit that if there are any problems with the doors down the track that you have one place to return the car to and you know that it will be repaired properly.

There was someone on there or the golfmkv forum who had a stereo installed and they put new speakers in the doors and he ended up with his loom to the door stuffed because they didn't put the grommets back in. The dealer charged him to fix the problem and the installer wouldn't pay and said they would have fixed it.

The issue here is how would they have fixed it, properly or some dodgy solder in some new wires or worse use scotchlocks and result in more trouble later on.

For this reason I'm happy to pay the dealer to tint the car. You can get the price down when you negotiate your discount.

[adrian112]

yeah mate lucky you asked the right questions. This is my first car that i have bought off my own back and I admit I was a little naive with the questions I asked the dealer! but at the end of the day I am happy with what I have as a whole I guess.

But these little things do leave a bitter taste in the mouth and I made sure I included it in my post purchase survey (like that would stop this happening to other people )

Well, here is how they quoted mine:



Had I not asked the right questions and CANCELLED the item from the order, I would have ended up with a non-factory system including drilled bumper and non-dipping passenger mirror. Not saying they're anything necessarily wrong with such a system, but it's not right to charge people as though it's the factory option (moulded bumper, full integration etc).

DJ

[Mischa]

Yes but you do get the benefit that if there are any problems with the doors down the track that you have one place to return the car to and you know that it will be repaired properly.

There was someone on there or the golfmkv forum who had a stereo installed and they put new speakers in the doors and he ended up with his loom to the door stuffed because they didn't put the grommets back in. The dealer charged him to fix the problem and the installer wouldn't pay and said they would have fixed it.

The issue here is how would they have fixed it, properly or some dodgy solder in some new wires or worse use scotchlocks and result in more trouble later on.

For this reason I'm happy to pay the dealer to tint the car. You can get the price down when you negotiate your discount.

on the whole you're right and i agree with you. however if you find a tinter who knows what hes doing then you dont really have to worry about it. but i guess some people still feel more comfortable going to the dealer.

[benough]

good luck mate, hope you dont get the ones i got...so bloody loud!, blue flashing lights and the colour coding is a little off as well. so whatever you do actually see what the setup looks like before hand if you can.

Hey there.

I had the guy from the carkitcompany out on friday, replacing my Climatronic Control Unit (after he scratched it) and I asked him to have a look at my RPS, same denlo **** as yours.

Turns out there is a switch on the right hand side to turn the sound off! It made my day

We pulled it apart and found that horrible speaker and put electrical tape on it. It is still loud but the pitch is a lot less, so it is ok now.

Also, on the LED colouring, the perspex is blue, that's why the blue ones are super bright but the others are not. Thinking of cutting the plastic out where the LED's are, might look **** though.

Thought you might wanna know.

Cheers

[velly_16v_cab]

i work withing the automotive design section...a few years ago i was helping designing a parking sensor which sits inside the bumper skin. it is totally hidden!
it full wraps around the bumper (even the sides)
it is still in development with 3M's but shouldnt be too long till its on the market.
this will sell like wildfire as it will not change the styling of a car on bit!




just thought i would share that with you lol

also i did designs for the ford focus and seat ibiza, sadly no vw's as of yet