New Car used as a Demo

[Corey_R]

I wouldn't be happy either. My CC has done just over 10000kms and still no one has sat in the back seat (except me when cleaning the inside of the rear window)

Sorry? How do you know this?
Factory workers would have definitely sat in your back seat whilst fitting various components in the factory - probably multiple times. Have a look at any of the numerous National Geographic or Discovery Channel documentaries on how cars are built....
Wharfies may have (not for their job, but just cause they can).
The compliance guys may have sat AND knelt on your back seat whilst installing the child harness anchor points... must easier to do it from the back seat with the split fold down, than by laying/crawling in the boot of a sedan.
If tinting film was applied (as opposed to factory tint), then the tint specialist probably sat there.
Then finally, the dealer guys probably would have whilst cleaning the car in preparation for you.


I believe that this is the point that Maverick was making.
It's kinda like when building a new house. When you receive it, you SHOULD expect it to be clean and the hand over experience to be nice. But you can't expect that no one else has been in it before you, because that's not realistic.

I feel the dealer handled things bad. The response should have been an apology, and we'll reclean the car for you. Maybe throwing in an umbrella or something for good will. But to expect some of the things suggested in this thread (like being provided a different car!) when every single new car has had multiple people in it before you take delivery is not reasonable.

[Spilledprawn]

I had exceptional dealings with Barloworld in Moorabbin. Signed a contract for a traded Golf GT Sport. It was detailed, parked away and locked whilst waiting for transport to Perth. That's great service, and makes buying a vehicle a positive experience.

You buy from a dealer, which costs more than privately sold vehicles, for piece of mind amongst other things. Anything which detracts from that feeling sours the event. Expecting the car never to have been sat in is rich, however a bit of diplomacy from the salesperson in the first instance ie an apology, would probably have meant this thread wasn't started!

[Maverick]

Sorry? How do you know this?
Factory workers would have definitely sat in your back seat whilst fitting various components in the factory - probably multiple times. Have a look at any of the numerous National Geographic or Discovery Channel documentaries on how cars are built....
Wharfies may have (not for their job, but just cause they can).
The compliance guys may have sat AND knelt on your back seat whilst installing the child harness anchor points... must easier to do it from the back seat with the split fold down, than by laying/crawling in the boot of a sedan.
If tinting film was applied (as opposed to factory tint), then the tint specialist probably sat there.
Then finally, the dealer guys probably would have whilst cleaning the car in preparation for you.

The sales manager may have taken the receptionist down to try out the back seat as well or a few guys from the workshop may have chilled out back there leaving a hell of a mess but it would have all been cleaned up and you'd be none the wiser.

I believe that this is the point that Maverick was making.
It's kinda like when building a new house. When you receive it, you SHOULD expect it to be clean and the hand over experience to be nice. But you can't expect that no one else has been in it before you, because that's not realistic.

And unlike some other analogies in here that's the closest one.

You look at the state of building sites and your new kitchen, or new $10,000 bathtub, or toilet within hours of being installed and it's must much worse than a few footprints on a seat. What matters however is the finished product when the house is settled and handed over. There may have been 500 workmen through the house, some prospective clients and so forth.

I feel the dealer handled things bad. The response should have been an apology, and we'll reclean the car for you. Maybe throwing in an umbrella or something for good will. But to expect some of the things suggested in this thread (like being provided a different car!) when every single new car has had multiple people in it before you take delivery is not reasonable.

x 2 and I suspect that the OP may have misread an attempt at humour unless of course the salesman was actually pissed off at delays picking the car up.

[RGFC1986]

I didn't expect this topic to create this much controversy, but it has effectively highlighted that we all have different expectations in relation to the purchase of a new car.

A few people have raised the point that potentially there could have been many people (compliance guys, wharfies, mechanics etc) who would've handled the car before it arrived on the showroom floor. In most cases, these people would have used the car for a certain purpose, and only a minor percentage would have fiddled around unnecessarily. However, this is not how all potential customers treat the car when its at the showroom, as certain people can be rough because it is NO THEIR CAR, and they feel they can handle it anyway they want. The sales guy at the dealership I dealt with informed me that they sold 70 cars in one week, which means potentially 70 different groups of people (actual customers) and many more potential customers would have most likely tried out my car. Why should I be ok with all these people trying out the car that I have ordered and paid a deposit for? As a matter of courtesy, I believe I should've been asked if it is ok to place my car in the showroom for display. If it was too expensive to keep it in the warehouse, then I would've preferred to pay a reasonable fee for storage rather than keeping it unlocked in the showroom.

That is not even the main point. The main point is the way the dealer just shrugged it off like it's no problem. Although I had paid my deposit and had submitted my finance contract soon after, he even told me that it is not my car until I have signed all of the papers. Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't the payment of deposit establish a contract?

Anyway, I picked up my car yesterday evening and I can assure you there was no brawl. I simply restated to the dealer that I would've been happier if my car had been kept locked the whole time. But the response was "We get lots of buyers who are quite happy to let us use their car for display". To me this is irrelevant, because different buyers have different expectations. It is upto the sales team to identify those needs and assist with the satisfying of those needs. Surely, expecting your new car to be not put on display is not an unrealistic expectation. Customer service is equally important as the product or service being sold. Like somebody mentioned before, certain dealerships actually wrap the new car is a ribbon when delivering it to the customer, and these little things really do count. Basically, there was not any big fuss over this issue because I was over it and I just wanted my first new car experience to be something positive. I can surely let it slide, but every customer is entitled to a positive experience.

[RGFC1986]

*not their car

[Corey_R]

Yeah - your dealer sounds like a bit of a tool in his responses to you.

When you finally picked up your car, was it clean and do your satisfaction?

[Guest1306]

If it was too expensive to keep it in the warehouse, then I would've preferred to pay a reasonable fee for storage rather than keeping it unlocked in the showroom.

I would love to see how many pages of threads that one would go to. There would be outrage at the thought that a dealer could charge you to hold YOUR car which you HAVE NOT PAID FOR.

We get deposits all day everyday, but until you sign on the dotted line and there are no subject to's then it is not really your car.

Do you have any idea how many people put deposits down on 3 or 4 cars at once without signing contracts and then wait until they get the best deal to see which one they sign with?

[Highlander]

And I thought God built Volkswagens

Sorry? How do you know this?
Factory workers would have definitely sat in your back seat whilst fitting various components in the factory - probably multiple times. Have a look at any of the numerous National Geographic or Discovery Channel documentaries on how cars are built....
Wharfies may have (not for their job, but just cause they can).
The compliance guys may have sat AND knelt on your back seat whilst installing the child harness anchor points... must easier to do it from the back seat with the split fold down, than by laying/crawling in the boot of a sedan.
If tinting film was applied (as opposed to factory tint), then the tint specialist probably sat there.
Then finally, the dealer guys probably would have whilst cleaning the car in preparation for you.

Perhaps I should have been more precise for you and said "after predelivery". I thought God built Volkswagens but I have had my faith shattered to find out from Discovery Channel that this is not the case.

Back seat in the CC is not split and doesn't fold down except for "cubbyhole".

Rear windows are tinted by God

Wharfies may have fanged it but most drive from the front seat.

It had 18km on the clock. Maybe tested by God but I suspect some Australian human intervention

And I haven't SAT in the back seat even when cleaning the car.

I believe that this is the point that Maverick was making.
It's kinda like when building a new house. When you receive it, you SHOULD expect it to be clean and the hand over experience to be nice. But you can't expect that no one else has been in it before you, because that's not realistic.

Pretty poor analogy. Find me someone who would not be annoyed (very) to find that someone had LIVED in their brand new house before they took possession. Ever noticed you don't even get to use the toilet in Display Homes? Not relevant to a NEW home purchaser but I just like this point anyway.

I feel the dealer handled things bad. The response should have been an apology, and we'll reclean the car for you. Maybe throwing in an umbrella or something for good will. But to expect some of the things suggested in this thread (like being provided a different car!) when every single new car has had multiple people in it before you take delivery is not reasonable.

It is quite reasonable to expect that people who DO NOT NEED to be in your specially ordered car have not been in it.

I agree that a simple "Sorry" , an offer to give the seats a quick wipe over and the umbrella, rather than a poor attempt at humour, would have probably sated the OP.

When I took the wheel alignment report (and invoice) back to the dealer day after purchase showing that two adjustments were required, I was met with a shrug of the shoulders and "these things happen". So it looked like one less guy than should have crawled over my new car.

I shrugged too but won't be going there for service with either my CC or my Mk VI.

This thread shows two things.

(1) Most of us have too much time on our hands. (I'm retired)

(2) Most of us have an inbuilt idea of what is the "right thing to do" with the exception of some parents of small children and the occasional salesmen.

[Corey_R]

Well, we'll agree to disagree Highlander. But as has come up in the past page of conversation, the OP hadn't even signed the contract yet, so it really wasn't even his car....

[Maverick]

A few people have raised the point that potentially there could have been many people (compliance guys, wharfies, mechanics etc) who would've handled the car before it arrived on the showroom floor. In most cases, these people would have used the car for a certain purpose, and only a minor percentage would have fiddled around unnecessarily.

If you think the car would get dirtier from a few people looking at in a showroom you should take a look at the condition of cars when they arrive into port and throughout the process.

The sales guy at the dealership I dealt with informed me that they sold 70 cars in one week, which means potentially 70 different groups of people (actual customers) and many more potential customers would have most likely tried out my car.

LOL. Sure every one of them would have jumped in your car and ran around.

Why should I be ok with all these people trying out the car that I have ordered and paid a deposit for?

You hadn't organised finance for the car and hadn't picked it up when it was ready to be collected.

As a matter of courtesy, I believe I should've been asked if it is ok to place my car in the showroom for display. If it was too expensive to keep it in the warehouse, then I would've preferred to pay a reasonable fee for storage rather than keeping it unlocked in the showroom.

The salesman admitted that the car should have locked in the showroom which is normal practice. A mistake was made and someone must have unlocked it.

When I spoke to my salesperson earlier today, he acknowledged that the car should have been locked.

That is not even the main point. The main point is the way the dealer just shrugged it off like it's no problem.

He had a point, the car should have been locked and it may have only been unlocked that morning or even just before you arrived but it really doesn't matter. What would you like the salesman to do? Sure he could have handled it better but so could you and told the dealer what your concerns were so he could resolve them on the spot or get someone who could.

Although I had paid my deposit and had submitted my finance contract soon after, he even told me that it is not my car until I have signed all of the papers. Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't the payment of deposit establish a contract?

You didn't have finance approved so you still could have walked away, it would be a different story if you had organised finance at the time you singed the contract as the dealer knows you'll be taking the car but organising finance after it arrives means it could be knocked back and the dealer is stuck with the car.

[Maverick]

It had 18km on the clock. Maybe tested by God but I suspect some Australian human intervention

The ODO can be reset twice before delivery. It could have five times that amount on there.

Pretty poor analogy. Find me someone who would not be annoyed (very) to find that someone had LIVED in their brand new house before they took possession.

That analogy would be relevant if someone was test driving the car.

The analogy as it stands is correct for a car that has just been sat in, just like the builders using the toilets, the sink and other facilities before they hand over the home.

Ever noticed you don't even get to use the toilet in Display Homes?

You can't use the toilet? <cough>

It is quite reasonable to expect that people who DO NOT NEED to be in your specially ordered car have not been in it.

The dealer did say the car should have been locked but the OP hadn't even organised finance and the car had been sitting there waiting to be delivered so there's that to take into account (we don't know how long the car had been there as the OP hasn't mentioned it). But the car should have been locked, but it wasn't and that's life. It could have been a lot worse.

[Brian]

Thanks Maverick, you seem to be able to say what the majority thinks without getting censured by the Mods " Reason: Antagonising / Unnecessarily argumentative / Provoking Unrest" and that was against you LOL
May the force be with you
Brian

[hooba]

I thought maybe a picture might settle the argument....

[Guest1306]

The ODO can be reset twice before delivery. It could have five times that amount on there.



That analogy would be relevant if someone was test driving the car.

The analogy as it stands is correct for a car that has just been sat in, just like the builders using the toilets, the sink and other facilities before they hand over the home.



You can't use the toilet?



The dealer did say the car should have been locked but the OP hadn't even organised finance and the car had been sitting there waiting to be delivered so there's that to take into account (we don't know how long the car had been there as the OP hasn't mentioned it). But the car should have been locked, but it wasn't and that's life. It could have been a lot worse.

I don't think you can reset the ODO anymore? I don't think we have been able to do it for a couple of years now.

[Maverick]

I don't think you can reset the ODO anymore? I don't think we have been able to do it for a couple of years now.

You could on the Mark V until at least the MY08. Haven't checked on anything newer though. Ooops this will start another thread "The dealer reset my ODO!"