[The_Tok'Ra]

Bought a m340i over the phone on Monday. The dealership is 440 miles away from me, so viewing the car was out of the question. Car was described as being very clean inside and out, and nothing noticeable in the video clip they sent to me, but that's hardly surprising.

I wrote to the dealer yesterday asking for a progress update, and got this back.

"All is in hand this end but on closer inspection there was a nasty little parking ding on the rear off side door which we are getting rectified at our bodyshop."

I asked for a picture of the damage, and just a few mins ago got this back

"Sorry but the car has already gone to the bodyshop. It Was a nasty parking ding on the ROS door. Our dent guy had a go but it wasn’t as good as we like to have it so better done it to be done properly. I can assure you the work done will be faultless."

I'm not impressed! How was this not noticed before now!! At least they are telling me about it I suppose.

Prior to the Skoda Octavia I have now, I had bought another Octavia, but I ended up rejecting that car as the main dealer made a complete pigs ear of a respray on one of the rear doors after I noticed some bad scratches that had been cleverly hidden with some detailing product.

I only started to see the damage after about a week of ownership when we'd had some really heavy rain. They did such a poor job and made the car SO much worse I rejected the car and they didn't have a leg to stand on. But that experience was not a pleasant one.


Your thoughts please?

[Herr Gross Byte]

Is it a BMW dealer?

They are being honest with you as they could have said nothing and you wouldn't have known. Most of us can't spot a good respray and even then you wouldn't know when it had been done.

I'd inspect the work when you collect it. Can you tell its been sprayed or not? If not I wouldn't worry. It's a cosmetic thing.

You've paid a deposit? Don't pay the rest until you are happy. If you're not happy, don't buy it.

[The_Tok'Ra]

Originally Posted by Herr Gross Byte

Is it a BMW dealer?

They are being honest with you as they could have said nothing and you wouldn't have known. Most of us can't spot a good respray and even then you wouldn't know when it had been done.

I'd inspect the work when you collect it. Can you tell its been sprayed or not? If not I wouldn't worry. It's a cosmetic thing.

You've paid a deposit? Don't pay the rest until you are happy. If you're not happy, don't buy it.

It is a main dealer, Yes. Now Vertu BMW, Previously know as Westerly BMW in Dorchester.

The thing is... The car being that far way from me, the plan is that they will send a driver up with the car, and then take my trade in back down with them, and of course they are expecting me to pay the full ballance on the vehicle before they drive it up to me. Making this a bit more complicated.....

[paulockenden]

Tell them you’re withholding £500 until you’ve inspected the vehicle.

[The_Tok'Ra]

Originally Posted by paulockenden

Tell them you’re withholding £500 until you’ve inspected the vehicle.

That's certainly and option, but I was thinking more like £1500. Too much?

[Rhino at Work]

Originally Posted by The_Tok'Ra

It is a main dealer, Yes. Now Vertu BMW, Previously know as Westerly BMW in Dorchester.

The thing is... The car being that far way from me, the plan is that they will send a driver up with the car, and then take my trade in back down with them, and of course they are expecting me to pay the full ballance on the vehicle before they drive it up to me. Making this a bit more complicated.....

Perhaps withhold an amount which you then send by Faster Payment at the handover when you are happy? They should be able to see that come in pretty instantly.

[The_Tok'Ra]

Originally Posted by Rhino at Work

Perhaps withhold an amount which you then send by Faster Payment at the handover when you are happy? They should be able to see that come in pretty instantly.

That's certainly and option, I was thinking about around £1500. Too much?

[Rhino at Work]

Originally Posted by The_Tok'Ra

That's certainly and option, I was thinking about around £1500. Too much?

Obviously a matter of negotiation but I guess £1500 isn't more than 5% of the price so seems reasonable to me.

It also struck me that you'll be able to show the person doing the delivery that you've paid at the handover if they give you any BS about not being able to check at their end.

Good luck.

[The_Tok'Ra]

Originally Posted by Rhino at Work

Obviously a matter of negotiation but I guess £1500 isn't more than 5% of the price so seems reasonable to me.

It also struck me that you'll be able to show the person doing the delivery that you've paid at the handover if they give you any BS about not being able to check at their end.

Good luck.

I'll speak to them and see what they say. Cheers!

[The_Tok'Ra]

I had another look at the "on-line viewing" video they sent me of the car. As the salesman walks around the car the sunlight does shine across all the panels and I see nothing in the clip that I can see that looks like a parking ding.

I can't help but wonder if something has happen when they have been moving other cars round after I bought it. I suppose it doesn't matter either way really.

[Herr Gross Byte]

Originally Posted by The_Tok'Ra

I can't help but wonder if something has happen when they have been moving other cars round after I bought it. I suppose it doesn't matter either way really.

I thought that too. You'll never know. They have been straight with you on it being painted, which says to me they are probably honest. They could have come up with an excuse for the delay and said nothing.

[The_Tok'Ra]

Originally Posted by Herr Gross Byte

I thought that too. You'll never know. They have been straight with you on it being painted, which says to me they are probably honest. They could have come up with an excuse for the delay and said nothing.

Yup! at least they are telling me about it. I will talk to then over the phone on Monday about it. I know it's a busy dealership and they are closed on Sundays, so I should be able to have a more engaging converstation then.

[Surge_Joebot]

Originally Posted by The_Tok'Ra

I had another look at the "on-line viewing" video they sent me of the car. As the salesman walks around the car the sunlight does shine across all the panels and I see nothing in the clip that I can see that looks like a parking ding.

I can't help but wonder if something has happen when they have been moving other cars round after I bought it. I suppose it doesn't matter either way really.

I think this is 100% exactly what has happened tbh

Sorry to hear about this mate as I know you were looking forward to getting this car on another thread. Must have took the shine off it a little.

To be honest I think they will accept your offer of holding money back and I'm honestly surprised that they haven't even offered something similar themselves! Cheeky that!

If it's just a ding on the door you're normally looking at around 3-500 I guess so maybe £1500 is a little steep. But for the inconvenience your end I think they should honour it. So frustrating.

[The_Tok'Ra]

Originally Posted by Surge_Joebot

I think this is 100% exactly what has happened tbh

Sorry to hear about this mate as I know you were looking forward to getting this car on another thread. Must have took the shine off it a little.

To be honest I think they will accept your offer of holding money back and I'm honestly surprised that they haven't even offered something similar themselves! Cheeky that!

If it's just a ding on the door you're normally looking at around 3-500 I guess so maybe £1500 is a little steep. But for the inconvenience your end I think they should honour it. So frustrating.

Yeah, It has unfortunately taken the shine off a bit, and having found what I had considered to be a good quote for car insurance, I thought it best to update the quote to show a new policy start date.

I only made it 4 days later, but car insurance quotes being so up and down with the weather these days, the quote was around the same price give or take a pound or two (more) , but the compulsory excess went from £150 to £550 !! And that's with the same voluntary excess I'd set at £150

I cannot phathom how car insurance quotes can vary so much! Same insurance company, same car, only 4 days later...

Maybe they (Compare the Market) have an algorithm set up that makes prices higher over the weekends as that's when most people have more time on their hands to look at things like that, but IDK. Grr!!

I've applied on-line for a quote from Adrian Flux, but I doubt they will be able to compete in toidays market TBH, I hope I'm wrong about that.

[225]

As its a distance purchase doesn't that mean if you are not happy with it you can reject it? Does sound like something happened at the garage but as a main dealer hopefully they will be good at blending the paint.

That insurance quote is bllx !

[The_Tok'Ra]

Originally Posted by 225

As its a distance purchase doesn't that mean if you are not happy with it you can reject it? Does sound like something happened at the garage but as a main dealer hopefully they will be good at blending the paint.

That insurance quote is bllx !

I'm going to phone the dealer tomorrow and speak to the salesman I delt with, see if I can get the actual story out of him and what's actually being done.

Painting any metalic paint and tryng to blend it is a difficult job for anybody, and though it make look fine in good daylight, that door may look a different shade.

Needless to say I'm not happy about it, I doubt if they would have said anything at all had I not asked for a progress update as I was expecting to get the car at the start of this week.

But then, they could have made up any old excuse and I would have just had to take their word for it, but instead they have at least told me about the damage, so I suppose that has to count for something, but I think a little discount at the very least is in order, even if it is a very good repair. I bought the car under the inpression that car was in excellent condition inside and out after all.

I'll look for another insurance quote again in a few days, I've never seen such crazy excess variations in 30 years of driving. What the actual F.

As far as the painting goes, I mentioned previously that I'd bought an Octavia from a Skoda Main dealer prior to the car I have now. They did,, without a shodow of doubt, the worst paint job I've ever seen in my life. The paint was all orange peel, it was the wrong colour, the blending was atrocious. A child could have done a better job with a spray can, with their eyes shut! When I saw it my jaw litterally dropped open. I went ape, and the bloke at the dealership said, yeah, it's not that great is it. You can imagine my response!

Anyway... This is not helping my blood pressure!! LOL!! Fingers crossed this will be a better experience. The car is 3 times the price FFS!!

[The_Tok'Ra]

Spoke to the salesman who sold me the car this morning. He assures me that the damage was there when he sent me the "on-line viewing" video clip, but that you can only see the ding at a certain angle and you need to kneel right down to be at that angle. They did not offer any sort of discount, but I woosed out and didn't ask to be fair. He appologised for the delay, and assured me that they will ensure that it's as good as new, or it will go back to the bodywork shop, again.

[vadimo]

Originally Posted by The_Tok'Ra

Spoke to the salesman who sold me the car this morning. He assures me that the damage was there when he sent me the "on-line viewing" video clip, but that you can only see the ding at a certain angle and you need to kneel right down to be at that angle. They did not offer any sort of discount, but I woosed out and didn't ask to be fair. He appologised for the delay, and assured me that they will ensure that it's as good as new, or it will go back to the bodywork shop, again.

Glad its being handled.

It sounds like an honest mistake on their part and they resolving this, some dealers would try to hand car over and hope you don't notice and blame you later if you come back on this.

Most comments are speculative and create a different version of events.

[The_Tok'Ra]

Originally Posted by vadimo

Glad its being handled.

It sounds like an honest mistake on their part and they resolving this, some dealers would try to hand car over and hope you don't notice and blame you later if you come back on this.

Most comments are speculative and create a different version of events.

Yeah, I think it has been an honest mistake. They seem to be doing their best to make it right.

Given the price, even for a used car, it sure ain't cheap by any stretch of the imagination. I really hope they are true to their word.

It does now look like I won't see the car till around the middle of next week though.

[The_Tok'Ra]

Originally Posted by 225

As its a distance purchase doesn't that mean if you are not happy with it you can reject it? Does sound like something happened at the garage but as a main dealer hopefully they will be good at blending the paint.

That insurance quote is bllx !

I looked for another quote this evening. Moved the start date till the middle of next week, and now the premium is about £25 cheaper and the compulsory excess is back down to £150. Weird!, but I'm not complaining! I've heard nothing at all back from Adrian Flux.

[vadimo]

Originally Posted by The_Tok'Ra

Yeah, I think it has been an honest mistake. They seem to be doing their best to make it right.

Given the price, even for a used car, it sure ain't cheap by any stretch of the imagination. I really hope they are true to their word.

It does now look like I won't see the car till around the middle of next week though.

You know its a risk with buying a used car, you don't really know what's been done and painted over, at lest here you know.

I would say to the dealer don't rush, make sure its done properly, sometimes it's worth the wait 😉

[The_Tok'Ra]

Originally Posted by vadimo

You know its a risk with buying a used car, you don't really know what's been done and painted over, at lest here you know.

I would say to the dealer don't rush, make sure its done properly, sometimes it's worth the wait 😉

Worth the wait... I sure hope so.... LOL!!