Go Drive.

shayser

I posted this in Consumer Affairs but thought I would post here too. Thought the good citizens of boards.ie\motors might be interested. Hope this is ok.

In May this year I paid my local Opel dealer a €5000 deposit on a new Astra Sport Hatch SRI 1.9 CTDi. With all the extras it came to €36,000+. My dream car!. I signed a contract that included an estimated delivery date of 8 weeks form the date of signing.

Towards the end of this period the dealer rang me to say that delivery would now not be 8 weeks, but 12. Towards the end of this period I got another phone call to say the delivery date had been put back again, this time till Sept 12.

I rang him on Sept 6 just to make sure there was no more surprises. No such luck. He told on this date that, in fact, he now had no delivery date at all. He said he would ring me back today, Sept 16 with a definite date for delivery.

Well he did ring today, to tell me that they haven't got any SRI models left at all and will not have any till February 2006 at the earliest.

He also said that the contract will now be cancelled and that I should call into to him to get my deposit back.

That was it. No explanation, no apologies. Hard luck, and goodbye.

It's too late in the year now to order a new car, so I will have to wait till next year when my current car will have lost nearly €2000 of it's trade in value, the prices of new cars will have gone up and I will already repaid 8 months of the car loan with nothing to show for it.

Thanks a million Opel for 5 months of messing around and wasting my time.

Opel Astra. Go Drive. Go fcuk, if your a customer.

Dilbert75

That's very bad form alright. That would have been a nice car too, not to rub salt in the wounds.

I have to say that the Opel dealer I dealt with when I had my Vectra was always straight as a die. Pity yours wasn't so good.

unkel

It's incredible how they've messed about a most valuable customer like yourself. Do they not want to sell cars or something?

shayser wrote:

I will already repaid 8 months of the car loan with nothing to show for it

I don't understand that. If you haven't activated your car loan yet by buying the car, you shouldn't be paying anything on it, repayment, interest or otherwise

shayser

unkel wrote:

I don't understand that. If you haven't activated your car loan yet by buying the car, you shouldn't be paying anything on it, repayment, interest or otherwise

Took out personal loan from my bank...

Ann Elk

You need to take it to a solicitor - you've taken out a loan on the strength of a representation made to you by the dealer, you could be entitled to damages/an order of specific performance - I wouln't let them away with it :mad:

DubTony

Have you gotten your money back already? I'm not sure he can cancel the order without your permission, and considering you're going to buy a new car in Jan / Feb anyway, if you haven't got your cash back it might be worth hanging on.

Is there a time limit clause on the contract? If not he'll have to stand by the original deal ... the order form should have all the details. And if you do get the car, you'll already have, as you say, 8 months paid off the loan (I'm just trying to pull something positive from this but I do feel your pain).

Having said all that I'm inclined to think that the order has been cancelled already and that it's too late for you. In which case you should name and shame the bastard... right here on this thread, and then hire a solicitor and see what you can get out of this mess.

bazz26

That is terrible treatment of a customer parting with the bones of €36k.

My experience of Opel:

I bought a brand new Opel Vectra back in 1999 and had a lot of issues with it from new. Then about 2 months outside of the miserable 12 month warranty the climate control stopped working. Went back to the dealer (whom I was on a first name basis with at this stage) and he told me that it would cost me €700 to have it fixed. Even though it was only 2 months out of warranty the dealer would not even split the bill with me. Got on to Opel Ireland and they were having none of it either.

I found them to be a terrible bunch of people to deal with, arrogent beyond measure as if the products they were selling were the best products in the world. Well the one I bought wasn't and I haven't bought another one from them.

I really hope you get some satisfaction from these cowboys.

P.S. If you are pursuing legal advice it may be best not to name and shame as this may harm your case.

Best of luck either way.

30-6shooter

This happens a lot with cars that wont be the best selling model of the range, or what not. Especially if its the first year of a new car or so.

My uncle was buying a new Hyundai Touson there last January, well he was trying to get it for January, went about ordering it in Oct/Nov. This jeep is in the E35,000 too, a lot of uncertainess for the amount of money. Anyway, the dealer said he`d get him in 1, he wanted the top of the range turbo diesel model. Then, dealer said he couldnt gurantee the colour he wanted,, as they could only supply what they`re given.

Then they said they couldnt get the turbo diesel, because the non turbo petrol was the best seller, and thats all Hyundai were giving them.

Anyway, they got him the one he wanted in February, which was brought down from a dublin dealership for him.

Funxy

30-6shooter wrote:

Then, dealer said he couldnt gurantee the colour he wanted,, as they could only supply what they`re given.

That is so unbelieveable. If a dealer ever said that to me i would walk straight out and go to one which would get me the color i want. Especially for that money. How can they get away with that kinda crap??

shayser

DubTony wrote:

Have you gotten your money back already? I'm not sure he can cancel the order without your permission, and considering you're going to buy a new car in Jan / Feb anyway, if you haven't got your cash back it might be worth hanging on.

Is there a time limit clause on the contract? If not he'll have to stand by the original deal ... the order form should have all the details. And if you do get the car, you'll already have, as you say, 8 months paid off the loan (I'm just trying to pull something positive from this but I do feel your pain).

Having said all that I'm inclined to think that the order has been cancelled already and that it's too late for you. In which case you should name and shame the bastard... right here on this thread, and then hire a solicitor and see what you can get out of this mess.

Haven't got the money back yet.

The contract states - the dealer will attempt to ensure that the estimated delivery date is adhered to but does not guarantee the time of delivery and therefore will not be liable for any damages or claim of any kind resulting from a delay in delivery. The dealer is not obliged to fulfil orders in the sequence in which they are placed.

If the dealer is unable to deliver the vehicle for reasons beyond his control within three months of the estimated delivery date, the dealer is free to inform the customer of the cancelation of the contract in writing and return the deposit to the customer leaving the dealer no longer liable.

So it looks like they can do what they like.

shayser

Ann Elk wrote:

You need to take it to a solicitor - you've taken out a loan on the strength of a representation made to you by the dealer, you could be entitled to damages/an order of specific performance - I wouln't let them away with it :mad:

Hope that this is the case. It looks like my only angle of approach now.

shayser

bazz26 wrote:

That is terrible treatment of a customer parting with the bones of €36k.

My experience of Opel:

I bought a brand new Opel Vectra back in 1999 and had a lot of issues with it from new. Then about 2 months outside of the miserable 12 month warranty the climate control stopped working. Went back to the dealer (whom I was on a first name basis with at this stage) and he told me that it would cost me €700 to have it fixed. Even though it was only 2 months out of warranty the dealer would not even split the bill with me. Got on to Opel Ireland and they were having none of it either.

I found them to be a terrible bunch of people to deal with, arrogent beyond measure as if the products they were selling were the best products in the world. Well the one I bought wasn't and I haven't bought another one from them.

I really hope you get some satisfaction from these cowboys.

P.S. If you are pursuing legal advice it may be best not to name and shame as this may harm your case.

Best of luck either way.

I know what you mean bazz.

I went to two dealers. Right from the start I got the impression that
they weren't bothered if I bought or not.

They advertised the body kit as an €1100 option. When I went to order
this the first dealer said that this would cost me "over €2000". I
only went to the second dealer becasue he said he would do it for
€1500.

Both dealers also quoted me the options at the wrong price, that of
the lower engine size models. The first dealer insisted on changing
the quote and that I would have to pay the extra. The second dealer
stood by the quote, fair play.

In both cases, I went in knowing more about the car than either of
them. When I enquired a feature/option/detail etc I was often met
with a blank stare and a mumbled "i'll have to check that" response.

Guess this is just of the way of things now.

shayser

Deposit came back in the post today.

Ann Elk

shayser wrote:

Hope that this is the case. It looks like my only angle of approach now.

If you can show that you only entered into the contract because of the reliance you placed on the dealer saying that you would have the car by such a date it would strengthen your position. Go to a solicitor and see what he says - good luck.

thatkindofgirl

shayser wrote:

I know what you mean bazz.

I went to two dealers. Right from the start I got the impression that
they weren't bothered if I bought or not..

Absolutely. I posted before about our experience going to a Nissan dealer, pretty much chomping at the bit to buy 2 brand-new cars with one 03 Almera in perfect nick to trade in.

We left because the guy didn't try and sell us anything. We were really disappointed!!!

RedorDead

With the huge surge in car sales this year i think they have just reverted back to their year 2000 mode as order takers as opposed the car salesmen they are meant to be.

Dades

You could buy this one and save 6+ grand.

Doesn't excuse the treatment of course.

stevenmu

You could consider getting on to Opel themselves aswell, and not just the customer service drones, try and find someone big like the head of Opel in Ireland. Write him (or her) a nice letter emphasising how much you were looking forward to being an Opel customer, if you currently or previously had one that'd help too (they love repeat customers with brand loyalty). Then let them know how dissapointed you were not to get the car, how you feel you were treated, and how you'll never go near one again. You might be able to get a few strings pulled.

shayser

The Atheist wrote:

You could buy this one and save 6+ grand.

Cheers Atheist, talkin' to 'em now. Not the one I wanted though. Spend most of my working day on road so had ordered the built in phone and cruise control and a couple other extras to make the miles less of a pain.

shayser

stevenmu wrote:

You could consider getting on to Opel themselves aswell, and not just the customer service drones, try and find someone big like the head of Opel in Ireland. Write him (or her) a nice letter emphasising how much you were looking forward to being an Opel customer, if you currently or previously had one that'd help too (they love repeat customers with brand loyalty). Then let them know how dissapointed you were not to get the car, how you feel you were treated, and how you'll never go near one again. You might be able to get a few strings pulled.

Sent off letter on Wednesday to MD of Opel Ireland. Was nice enough in parts of the letter but fully expressed my annoyance in other parts.

I contacted Opel Ireland via their webform. They said that delays were no more than a few weeks and certainly not months. So looks like the dealer was talking bull, for whatever reason.

I got in contact with an employee of Vauxhall UK E,port plant where all the Opels for the Irish market are made. He said there's a very high demand bu that they are meeting this, that there's plenty available and that a dealer returning a depost like that is practically unheard of.

I'll wait to see if they reply (satisfactorily) to my letter, but I'm not sure about buying a new car in October. Initial delivery date was July.

bazz26

I have heard of stories where a specific car is ordered for a customer but then someone else comes into the showroom waving straight cash in their hand. The dealer sells them someone else's car as it is a straight cash deal (bigger commission for the salesman, no agro of taking a trade-in, etc). They then ring up the customer the original car was ordered for and give them some bull**** story about delays at the factory.

Regarding the used Astra you were looking at, cruise control and phone kit can be fitted by the dealer these days and should be covered by the dealer warranty. Might be worth looking into a bit further. You could get a good deal on that car as the end of year approaches quickly.

RedorDead

Also recently heard a story of a girl that ordered a new Astra Sports hatch, paid her deposit for it and when the car arrived it was a new Astra CC instead of the hatch. She kicked up a fuss and they gave her the CC for the price of the Sports hatch.

Not sure why she bothered to be honest as the CC looks quite dated.

Maybe they have ordering problems?

blahblah06

bump just wanna read it

blahblah06

mate have u ever heard back from the letter u sent. i am in the same boat as you

shayser

Sent Opel two letters. They didn't bother replying. I gave up and bought a Golf GTI instead.

Whole thing left me with a bad taste, to be honest. Neither the two dealers I went to nor Opel gave a damn... so I won't be buying another Opel.

blahblah06

shay just so you know i rang opel ireland and got a phone call back in minutes to say they rang the opel manager and will do something for me. will keep u updated. Id never cancel the car because its the one i want. just like waiting on a house. have to wait for something u really want

shayser

After originally quoting me 6-8 weeks, they expected me to continue waiting for over a year, while they held my 5k deposit for a 35k car. The dealers lied and misled me while Opel lied and ignored me. The car was to be my third Opel. Anyway, it's behind me now, an Opel will never darken my driveway again and I'm happy with the car I got instead.

Glad to see they're talking to you. Hope you get sorted asap... nice car. What spec did you go for?

blahblah06

i understand that but you did say it was your perfect car. you may want to look http://astra-sri.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=5554

everyone is in the same boat and are chuffed they waited. just thought id let ya know

just got the 1.4. most extras. climate control cruise prerrty much the same as you. cant wait. although watch ill be pming u in feb to say i stil havent got it LOL

CrowdedHouse

Shay - how are you getting on with the GTI ?
I'm expecting mine next week/week after

shayser

CrowdedHouse wrote:

Shay - how are you getting on with the GTI ?
I'm expecting mine next week/week after

Getting on grand. You will not be disappointed. Best of luck with it and have fun