GolfGTIforum.co.uk

Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: Hawaii-Five-O on 05 June 2013, 09:37

Title: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Hawaii-Five-O on 05 June 2013, 09:37
As some of you may know my order has not been progressing that smoothly.

I ordered my car on 9 April 2013 and only yesterday did it appear on the VW Track My Order website and I still don't have an estimated build week.

Well I lodged a complaint with VW UK last week about the above to try and force them to give me a build week.

Anyway, this morning a received and email from my supplying dealer which reads:


Hi Mr Xxxxxxx
 
Sorry not got back to you sooner but I have been on off for a few days
 
I understand you have been onto Volkswagen with regards to a build week on your vehicle? Before I went off I was emailed from VW that the order number I gave you 2321XXXX had errors on within their system and was advised to re-order to and a build week will be allocated to your vehicle
 
Therefore you do have a new order number which is 2328XXXX and currently has a build week of 39
 
If you need any further information and you can track your car on the new number given, please do not hesitate to contact me
 
Once again Mr Xxxxxxx I do apologise for not replying to your email sooner, but I was only back in yesterday and catching up
 
Kindest regards



Now I was given an estimate delivery time of 12-14 weeks on 9 April which I accepted. However this re-order shenanigans, through no fault on my part, will put my order at a delivery estimate of 28 weeks!!! Surely they have broken their contract with me?

Do you think this is acceptable and what can I do to bollock them for compensation?

Your advice will help BEFORE a blow my top with my dealer on the phone.

Cheers
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: matchboy on 05 June 2013, 09:47
This is the number for the VW Executive Office: 0844 375 4625.  They deal with complaints and will take things a bit more seriously than your dealer.  This is as "high up" as I've been able to get thus far, so its worth a shot.  I am at a loss to explain how their c8ck up results in you getting a re-order and therefore a later build date, that is highly unfair.  You should be allocated a stock car that is within the original estimates.

(As long as its not mine  :laugh:)
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: SF-GTD on 05 June 2013, 09:58
I totally agree with Matchboy.  They need to get you a car with a build week that corresponds to when you originally ordered.  Your dealer will probably not be able to make that happen, so taking the issue to VW would be your best bet.  I'd probably let my dealer know that I've complained to VW so not to sour relations with them.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: monkeyhanger on 05 June 2013, 10:09
I totally agree with Matchboy.  They need to get you a car with a build week that corresponds to when you originally ordered.  Your dealer will probably not be able to make that happen, so taking the issue to VW would be your best bet.  I'd probably let my dealer know that I've complained to VW so not to sour relations with them.

Soured relations might depend on whether VW UK is really at fault (as the dealer implied) or whether the dealership cocked up and are trying not to cop for the blame. Always worth a punt with the complaint, just don't get your expectations too high, VW UK are sh!te mediators when a dealer has massively cocked up (shoddy repair from an approved garage in my past experience) and seem to be even worse at copping blame themselves and compensating you as a result.

Even so, my Dad's DSG GTD order cock-up (paint colour) has resulting in him getting a new "special" wk30 slot for an entirely new order placed between mine and mcmaddy's order. It seems that is certain circumstances VW can bend the rules to right a wrong (even a dealership wrong).

How they put my dad's replacement order before mcmaddy's (unless options are more of a reason for mcmaddy's delays than allocation) when my dad was 3rd in the queue for Pulman is beyond me.

VW Germany is a completely different entity, they will bend over backwards for their customers. VW UK seems to me to be like a franchise operation with it's own overheads and profit margins (much like the dealerships) and as a result seems to be very detatched from VW Germany's ways of working.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Bill_the_Bear on 05 June 2013, 10:17
As you know I've been looking at as many orders as possible to try to determine the cause of delays and the only cause I can reliably see is the position you are at in the queue with your particular dealer.  In fact I would go so far as to say I am 99% sure that no other factor results in a significant delay (I'm still not 100% sure about the sunroof).

So, if when they ‘re-ordered’ you kept your slot and only the number changed then you are ok (apart from the problem affecting everyone which is VW appear not to have allocated enough slots to cover the number of orders they have received and thus far do not appear to be doing anything to increase the number of slots).

On the other hand, if when they ‘re-ordered’ they basically cancelled your order and placed a new one at the back of the queue then I would consider it appropriate for them to assign you an equivalent slot to the one you lost.  Experience with others on here suggests they don’t do that, and you’d probably have to (politely) write to someone high up to even get a discussion going.  Part of the problem is since the estimated wait is so unclear it’s not like we can easily work out what you “should” have had and therefore if they just say you have not been penalised we have no way to verify that.  As an example, I’m on BW37.  Does that mean your BW39 is actually not bad, or did I order from a dealer who already taken more order than yours had and you should really be less than BW39?

There is a third possibility.  Your original order could have been so screwed that it didn’t even have a slot assigned.  If that is the case then even if it was possible to show somehow what you “should” have been at it won’t work because there will be no original order to benchmark against.  If you had access to the orders immediately before and after yours at your dealer you could narrow it down to a range, but they’re not going to tell you that due to data protection blah blah….
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: CraigW on 05 June 2013, 10:33
I think your sales manager response is very poor. They have effectively messed up your order, they have cancelled the original order and then re-ordered which has bumped you to the back of the queue. So you can basically forget your original order date because that no longer applies.

That response offers no sympathy for your situation. If he had stated in the response that they would do their utmost to bring your order forward or that they would offer you compensation ast least that would be something. He has basically just fobbed you off with a response he has taken all of 5mins to think about.

I would take the letter and go into the dealership and speak to him face to face to let him know the situation is completely unacceptable  :angry: :angry:
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Sootchucker on 05 June 2013, 10:43
Mike, I know this won't make you feel any better at all, but at least it's not just me they are screwing over. Mines even a week later then yours at Week 40 !!! And like yours, this was because of a configuration error at VW (not my fault), although I (and now you) seem to be paying the price for their incompetence.

This really is getting well beyond a joke now.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Bill_the_Bear on 05 June 2013, 10:45
They have effectively messed up your order, they have cancelled the original order and then re-ordered which has bumped you to the back of the queue. So you can basically forget your original order date because that no longer applies.

I'm not sure we can conclude that with 100% certainty.  I was originally quoted a delivery of end July/early August (lets call it delivery wk30 for arguments sake), that is about 2 weeks after 5-0's originally estimated delivery.  I've now got a BW of 37, he is on 39... we're both looking at 2-3 months on top of what our dealers said when we ordered.  To me it is hard to say from that alone if 5-0 would have had a better BW than he currently has if his order had not been messed up.

What I'm saying is, none of the original dates apply any more, so we can't know (i.e. can't prove) what 5-0 "should" have had.  Having said all that I think you are probably right, they have caused a further delay by re-ordering.  But without proof of this its hard to complain.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Jules Winfield on 05 June 2013, 11:39
Whether they have broken their contract depends on when they told you the delivery estimate.  If it was before you signed and you signed on the basis that you were expecting delivery within the time given, then it might be a misrepresentation (false statement of fact that induces you to enter into the contract).

The problem is that it's only an estimate, so is liable to some slippage (but not as much as you're seeing).  IANAL, but I don't think there is a breach of contract here.  The only thing you can do is lean on your dealer and/or VW UK and try and wheedle something out of them - compensation, freebies, etc.

I wouldn't phone them.  I would go in and talk to the sales manager face to face.  Take a printout of the email with you so you can wave it in their face.

That's a very bad message (generally, and from a spelling/grammar/punctuation point of view).  Is the huge blue font from the original?  He apologizes for being late in getting back to you but doesn't say sorry for the order being messed up or provide any reason why it happened in the first place.  He also says he heard "before" he went off.  How long before?  The same day?  A week?  If it's anything other than the last day he was in, then it's pretty poor on his part.

Re-ordering puts you to the back of the queue.  My Mark 6 order was placed in mid-March, a couple of weeks after I visited the dealer.  Delivery was slated for July.  It went missing in June.  The dealership re-ordered the car around that time and I finally took delivery at the end of October.  My total wait was twice the original estimate.  When they re-order it's as if you'd gone into the dealer on that day and placed the order yourself.  They just do it without you being there.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Lagerlout on 05 June 2013, 13:02
Why not ask them if they have any spec ammendable cancelled orders in the system. You might be able to queue jump?
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Ginge 35Edition on 05 June 2013, 16:46
Total balls up! Tell them ya want the 19" wheel upgrade as compensation!
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: ajmoir36 on 05 June 2013, 17:10
They probably never ordered your car when you expected it to be ordered as they didn't have allocations, and so VW UK will have not idea. And literally they ordered it when your slot came up in the allocations list.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Mr_F on 05 June 2013, 17:26
They probably never ordered your car when you expected it to be ordered as they didn't have allocations, and so VW UK will have not idea. And literally they ordered it when your slot came up in the allocations list.

What he said only the complaint triggered you to rise up the dealers own slot waiting list.

From what I can understand you never can trust a salesman when he says they have a slot available.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Bill_the_Bear on 05 June 2013, 17:41
They probably never ordered your car when you expected it to be ordered as they didn't have allocations, and so VW UK will have not idea. And literally they ordered it when your slot came up in the allocations list.

What he said only the complaint triggered you to rise up the dealers own slot waiting list.

From what I can understand you never can trust a salesman when he says they have a slot available.

5-O, did the dealer send you a screenshot or anything of your order to show it had actually been placed?
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: ROO1 on 05 June 2013, 17:50
Lol not surprised
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: dippy_x on 05 June 2013, 19:52
They probably never ordered your car when you expected it to be ordered as they didn't have allocations, and so VW UK will have not idea. And literally they ordered it when your slot came up in the allocations list.

What he said only the complaint triggered you to rise up the dealers own slot waiting list.

From what I can understand you never can trust a salesman when he says they have a slot available.

I think there could be a lot of truth to this.

I ordered early May,  a week later I emailed requesting my tracking number, which wasn't recognised by the tracker till a day later.  This left me thinking has the order only just now been placed because I requested the tracking number?

All conjecture of course.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: p3asa on 05 June 2013, 19:52
Call me a cynic but I'm always very dubious when I read things like this.
You order the car and get X amount of discount. Deal done, just wait on the car.
Joe Suit comes in a few weeks later, wants to add every extra under the sun but wants it ASAP so is prepared to forego any discount and is willing to add GAP, tyre insurance etc.
What is to stop the salesman just altering another customers order to suit someone else? Especially since the orders can still be amended at this stage?
If it is given a new order number would the original customer be able to track it down?

Can orders just go a miss? If its all computer automated, I presume the dealer submits the order and then gets confirmation or some input from VW themselves. Would it not be highlighted at this point if there was a problem?
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Hawaii-Five-O on 05 June 2013, 20:12
Thanks for your support folks. It's helping me write my letter of complaint this evening.

It's going to be addressed to my sales manager and the MD of the dealership (did some detective work to find their name today)

I'm asking for three things:

A thorough explanation of how they've cocked up
Admit fault
Compensation or bring the build week forward

I've told them that if they don't respond satisfactorily to any if the above I'm threatening to cancel my order. Period!

I'll let you know how this depression saga pans out.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: domrees on 05 June 2013, 21:11
Thanks for your support folks. It's helping me write my letter of complaint this evening.

It's going to be addressed to my sales manager and the MD of the dealership (did some detective work to find their name today)

I'm asking for three things:

A thorough explanation of how they've cocked up
Admit fault
Compensation or bring the build week forward

I've told them that if they don't respond satisfactorily to any if the above I'm threatening to cancel my order. Period!

I'll let you know how this depression saga pans out.

Sounds to me like they have cocked up. Poorly written response too.

Speak to the MD and raise your concerns. It is in his interest to he things right.

Pretty shoddy and you have every right to grab them by the short and curlies.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Mr_F on 06 June 2013, 08:12
I always struggle with those types of letters, you want to be both polite and judge dredd all at the same time.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Hawaii-Five-O on 06 June 2013, 09:20
I always struggle with those types of letters, you want to be both polite and judge dredd all at the same time.

Totally agree. I wrote the complaint letter last night and read it and re-read it before pressing send. It was both polite but firm.

We'll see what the outcome is soon enough. I'm not hopeful at all.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Bill_the_Bear on 06 June 2013, 11:34
I always struggle with those types of letters, you want to be both polite and judge dredd all at the same time.

Totally agree. I wrote the complaint letter last night and read it and re-read it before pressing send. It was both polite but firm.

We'll see what the outcome is soon enough. I'm not hopeful at all.

I've had some success with the following approach when complaining to big companies (vodafone, BT, npower, amazon have all been on the receiving end):


I think when you contact the CEO you want to be as polite as possible and use little or preferably no complaining.  They need to see you as 100% reasonable customer who has been mistreated by their company.  They are going (their PA) to call up someone and ask what the hell is going on that they have received this letter so your letter should be as factual as possible, no emotion, no complainants.  That way whoever is asked to "explain" cannot throw any accusation at you i.e. if they do it will just make the CEO agree with you because he has a reasonable letter in his hand with pure indisputable facts and nothing else.

My opinion anyway.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: casablanca3 on 06 June 2013, 12:36
one drastic but sure way to prevent all this misadventure regarding the ordering/delivery process is to stipulate on your order form that delivery must be made within a specified timescale or the order is cancelled with a full refund.

It would certainly concentrate the dealers mind a bit more , might prevent queue jumping and as long as your timescale was reasonable,i do not see a problem.
Although i'm sure a dealer might have a different perspective. 
 
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Bill_the_Bear on 06 June 2013, 12:55
one drastic but sure way to prevent all this misadventure regarding the ordering/delivery process is to stipulate on your order form that delivery must be made within a specified timescale or the order is cancelled with a full refund.

Depends if they agree to such a stipulation I suppose.  Good point though.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Hawaii-Five-O on 06 June 2013, 16:00
Cock-up update:

Seems my complaint letter has caused more harm than good. Didn't expect that...

Further to receiving the complaint email my supplying dealer has now said they no longer want my business :shocked: They've washed their hands of me. Talk about throwing their toys out of the pram!

I'm now left in a precarious position. Basically I'm now left with my broker (Broadspeed) having to find a new dealer to supply my vehicle. The newly re-issued order number still stands as does my build week (39). The new order number even shows up on the 'Track My Order' website. But, I'm still nervous, and suspicious, that something else will go wrong further down the line. Bare in mind I've already waited 2 months to get to this shocking position.

I am really fed up and will be facing a 28 week delivery. They won't move my bw forward or offer compensation. However they (Broadspeed) have admitted my original order didn't properly go through because of a glitch in the system. They said it only effects 1 in a 10,000 customers - small comfort.

Question is, should I cancel the whole thing or cool off and sit tight.

I'm in a weird place to be honest. I've gone beyond anger and I'm now wandering around in a dull stupor :sick:

Need to sleep on this before making a hasty decision.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Jules Winfield on 06 June 2013, 16:15
Did they give a reason why they no longer wanted your business?  Do they really want to lose out on all that commission?  Seems a bit of an overreaction.  I'd be having a careful look at the terms and conditions of your contract - do they allow cancelling under such circumstances?

Just to confirm: they haven't cancelled the order and it can be transferred to another dealer?
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: casablanca3 on 06 June 2013, 16:17
I didn't realise that this was via broadspeed.

i wonder if the dealer has used up his allocation and no longer needs to incentivise broadspeed by offering discounts to attract business.

Or has the relationship between broadspeed and the dealer deteriorated.

all guess work really

Try drive the deal and see what happens.It would be very interesting to see if you were directed to the same dealer.



 
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Exonian on 06 June 2013, 16:21
Broadspeed orders probably come into the dealer via the fleet department so I guess the sales manager (knowing he can fulfil his quota of GTI/D's easily) has just shrugged his/her shoulders and decided not to give a rats arse.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Sootchucker on 06 June 2013, 16:55
I'd probably speak to VW again and politely explain that the supply dealer has unexpectedly decided not to honour the order and leave you in this precarious position. Ask them to investigate and ascertain where you stand legally and if now a contract has been signed, the dealer has the right to pull out.

Be polite and firm and state you are shocked and amazed that a company like VW is allowed to treat it's customers this way.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Gung-Ho on 06 June 2013, 16:57
Broadspeed orders probably come into the dealer via the fleet department so I guess the sales manager (knowing he can fulfil his quota of GTI/D's easily) has just shrugged his/her shoulders and decided not to give a rats arse.


I suspect that's exactly it! Sorry to hear about your predicament Hawaii anyway. Just stick with it mate.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Bill_the_Bear on 06 June 2013, 17:20
Its really shocking that so many of us are having problems.

This is the third cancelled order I think we've had, after MH's dad and Pauliem!  Going off the 51 posted specs that is a 6% failure rate, not including all the balls ups over spec and lead time.  Hmm.

I'm all in favour of approaching these things politely, and my next suggestion is not going to be polite, but here goes anyway.  I wonder if VW are aware of the reputation damage they are doing to themselves.  Has anyone pointed out to their customer service or to the CEO office that these problems are well publicised on the key GTI forum for the UK where (case in point from today with Marcus's thread) there are potential VW customers reading everything while deciding if you buy VW or BMW or whatever else?  And if VW don't care about this then perhaps the consumer watchdogs and/or motoring mags might!

This is the catch-22 of modern industry.  Without large companies there is no way to manufacture high tech goods this cheaply, yet with large companies the customer can be treated badly without any real repercussions.  I'm sure the GTI is so popular that VW could cancel the order of everyone on this forum and then announce it on the front page of every newspaper and still see no impact on their bottom line, their reputation just wouldn't be hit badly enough to hurt them.

/rant
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: monkeyhanger on 06 June 2013, 17:21
Hawaii: If you've been binned by the supplying dealer, does that mean you have to renegotiate part-ex, or were you only hiring the current car?
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: monkeyhanger on 06 June 2013, 17:24
Its really shocking that so many of us are having problems.

This is the third cancelled order I think we've had, after MH's dad and Pauliem!  Going off the 51 posted specs that is a 6% failure rate, not including all the balls ups over spec and lead time.  Hmm.

I'm all in favour of approaching these things politely, and my next suggestion is not going to be polite, but here goes anyway.  I wonder if VW are aware of the reputation damage they are doing to themselves.  Has anyone pointed out to their customer service or to the CEO office that these problems are well publicised on the key GTI forum for the UK where (case in point from today with Marcus's thread) there are potential VW customers reading everything while deciding if you buy VW or BMW or whatever else?  And if VW don't care about this then perhaps the consumer watchdogs and/or motoring mags might!

This is the catch-22 of modern industry.  Without large companies there is no way to manufacture high tech goods this cheaply, yet with large companies the customer can be treated badly without any real repercussions.  I'm sure the GTI is so popular that VW could cancel the order of everyone on this forum and then announce it on the front page of every newspaper and still see no impact on their bottom line, their reputation just wouldn't be hit badly enough to hurt them.

/rant

Exactly that - they don't give a sh!te! If this was VW customers in Germany they would give a sh!te, but unfortunately VW UK couldn't care either way. At this early stage for every person that cancels, there are 5 others to take their place.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Gung-Ho on 06 June 2013, 17:32
But I'm sure its just early "teething" problems as with any new launch.  I wouldn't have thought VW are the only main culprits in the motoring trade.  I'm almost certain ordering will return to normal once all the 'furore' has subsided.

Chin up folks!!!! "Keep CALM & Carry On!" As they say :grin:
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Jimble on 06 June 2013, 17:45
But I'm sure its just early "teething" problems as with any new launch.  I wouldn't have thought VW are the only main culprits in the motoring trade.  I'm almost certain ordering will return to normal once all the 'furore' has subsided.

Chin up folks!!!! "Keep CALM & Carry On!" As they say ;D


I'd agree it's unlikely that VW are the only brand to be so farcical but lets be honest, this isn't the first launch they've done so shouldn't they have an idea of how to do it by now??
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Lagerlout on 06 June 2013, 20:00
I'd probably speak to VW again and politely explain that the supply dealer has unexpectedly decided not to honour the order and leave you in this precarious position. Ask them to investigate and ascertain where you stand legally and if now a contract has been signed, the dealer has the right to pull out.

Be polite and firm and state you are shocked and amazed that a company like VW is allowed to treat it's customers this way.

Tweet the hell out of them, cannot believe they said they don't want your business. Unbelievable.

I'm not sure if you guys realise, but there is not much commission being made by most salespeople. Most Mercedes sales people get £50 a car sold.. Have a think about that, especially considering how low their base pay usually is..
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Bill_the_Bear on 06 June 2013, 20:17
I'm not sure if you guys realise, but there is not much commission being made by most salespeople. Most Mercedes sales people get £50 a car sold.. Have a think about that, especially considering how low their base pay usually is..

Hi Lager.  Not sure what you mean here.  If car sales "executives" really are low paid then as an entirely separate issue I feel sorry for them.  On the different issue of how I feel about the level of service offered on a £27-32k purchase I would expect that service to be pretty damn good.  Sky high in fact!  Sadly for 5-O it has not been in his case.  I'd be livid if I were him.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Lagerlout on 07 June 2013, 09:01
There was a comment about them being incentivised by commission, I was pointing out how little they actualy make from one sale which would explain some of the arrogance being shown (in light of the deal), especially if the vehicles are over subscribed anyway.

I hate to say it, but on a £30k car, or a £130k car (from a volume manufacturer) you're not going to be treated like royality by anyone, most dealers are incentivised the same way. Fact of life. It's not a how much the vehicle is worth, it's how many units they shift, in combination with moving used car units as well. The franchise owner will be rewarded based on hitting these targets. That's how the salesman and the dealer make their true money and bonuses. I know because I have family in the trade and I employ ex-salesmen at my firm. The incentives are true for the majority of the volume manufacturers just the schemes vary slightly.

No matter what, this does not excuse how the OP has been treated, I totally agree it's just disgusting.  However it may give reason to explain the actions of the individuals involved at the dealership, as distasteful as it might be.

This can only be addressed with VW UK you won't get anywhere with the local dealer now. Social Media is the best way of causing a stir if you don't get anywhere with them direct, but I would certainly pursue the proper route first.

I might also suggest that dealing with a Broadspeed or a DriveTheDeal removes any semblance of margin for the dealer on the car, so the only interest from the dealer here (from a business perspective) is on target/number of units sold and the miserly commission for a one off sale of a car for the exec. All of these items will combine to make the dealer less interested in your deal. Again, untenable from a CS point of view and this is why VW UK are your only route, that, or sit back and leave it to Broadspeed to sort out for you.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: DougL on 07 June 2013, 09:50
I ordered through drivethedeal and the fleet manager couldn't be more helpful. Quick response to email, order number supplied immediately, screenshots of his pc etc. I don't think it has anything at all to do with how you order, but who you are dealing with. Some dealers seem incapable of offering adequate customer service, individual salesmen seem to be the problem here, but that also seems to come from the culture at a particular dealers. Looking at Which?, Volkswagen dealers seem to have a lowly two star rating for the sales experience, which would back up the feelings here.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Hawaii-Five-O on 07 June 2013, 10:33
Having slept on my predicament I'm very, very close to cancelling my order.

Three things spring to mind:

1) I feel I've been made a fool of and treated appallingly (waited 2 months in good faith only to learn my order never was)
2) They, my supplying dealer & online broker, have never apologised for this f*ck up
3) I still enjoy driving my lovely Scirocco so do I really, really need and new GTD?

I'm going to think it through over the weekend and make my decision on Monday morning.

Thanks for your support folks - it helps :)
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: domrees on 07 June 2013, 10:55
Having slept on my predicament I'm very, very close to cancelling my order.

Three things spring to mind:

1) I feel I've been made a fool of and treated appallingly (waited 2 months in good faith only to learn my order never was)
2) They, my supplying dealer & online broker, have never apologised for this f*ck up
3) I still enjoy driving my lovely Scirocco so do I really, really need and new GTD?

I'm going to think it through over the weekend and make my decision on Monday morning.

Thanks for your support folks - it helps :)
I bet you won't be using an online broker any time soon. Personally I would steer well clear. Negotiate hard with your local dealer is the only way to go.

Dealers live on profit, and when you enter into an arrangement where the profit is eroded considerably, it is not surprising that they are not too worried when things go wrong.

It is the same in every trade/business.  Push a builder hard on his prices, and when something goes wrong, what happens?  He pays lip service to the problem.

I'm not suggesting that we should all pay through the nose for our cars, but there has to be enough skin in the game to cover the bases when/if things go wrong.

Good luck with it all, if I were in your position I would withdraw my order, tell them all to get stuffed and enjoy my scirocco.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Jimble on 07 June 2013, 11:16
I know some people have had good service from online brokers but if you have a read through some of the early mk6 threads it seems it's nothing new for people to get screwed over by them, I seem to remember a lot of false promises when it came to allocation?! :angry:

I've never used one myself as I don't really like middle men!
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: joet on 07 June 2013, 11:21
I know some people have had good service from online brokers but if you have a read through some of the early mk6 threads it seems it's nothing new for people to get screwed over by them, I seem to remember a lot of false promises when it came to allocation?! :angry:

I've never used one myself as I don't really like middle men!

But they are only middle men for a matter of a couple of days. I used Drive the Deal and within two days a dealer had contacted me and all my contact since then has been with the dealer. He's kept me informed all along and I've got a confirmed build week of 25. So using a broker isn't all that bad.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: DougL on 07 June 2013, 11:23
I've never used one myself as I don't really like middle men!

I'm sure my order could go pear-shaped too, but it never felt like there was a middle man. Within a  day of placing the order, drivethedeal basically said goodbye and all further dealings have been with the dealer.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Jimble on 07 June 2013, 16:44
I know some people have had good service from online brokers but if you have a read through some of the early mk6 threads it seems it's nothing new for people to get screwed over by them, I seem to remember a lot of false promises when it came to allocation?! >:(

I've never used one myself as I don't really like middle men!

But they are only middle men for a matter of a couple of days. I used Drive the Deal and within two days a dealer had contacted me and all my contact since then has been with the dealer. He's kept me informed all along and I've got a confirmed build week of 25. So using a broker isn't all that bad.


I refer you to my previous comment!  ;)
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: GolfTi on 07 June 2013, 19:48
I too remember the mk6 GTI problems.
Brokers were offering massive discounts when they didn't have any allocation and no hope of getting any.

Many disappointed potential customers back then. It works for some pretty well but seems to be a big gamble.
Why would VW sell GTIs via brokers when they have a 6 month waiting list already?
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: DougL on 07 June 2013, 19:56
Why would VW sell GTIs via brokers when they have a 6 month waiting list already?

Because they are fleet sales and not retail sales. Who knows whether they have a retail sales allocation and a fleet allocation. I doubt whether retail are even bothered about what fleet do and vice-versa. And to be honest, I couldn't care wheteher my car arrives on Wk 37 or in January next year.  :rolleyes:
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Bill_the_Bear on 07 June 2013, 21:04
I thought fleet sold to companies, retail to us normal people.  Why would sales via brokers be fleet?  I know nothing, can anyone explain! :sad:
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: GolfTi on 07 June 2013, 21:07
No, I don't quite understand it either.
Someone will be along soon to clarify I hope.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: DougL on 07 June 2013, 21:44
Brokers buy cars from dealers with whom they have a contract in huge numbers. They get a fleet discount, hence the discount to the buyer. The sales are handled by the fleet arm of the dealership and not the sales team who deal with the public.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Bill_the_Bear on 07 June 2013, 22:58
Brokers buy cars from dealers with whom they have a contract in huge numbers. They get a fleet discount, hence the discount to the buyer. The sales are handled by the fleet arm of the dealership and not the sales team who deal with the public.

Cheers Doug, you learn something everyday! :cool:
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: master_hayabusa on 08 June 2013, 00:05
Cock-up update:

However they (Broadspeed) have admitted my original order didn't properly go through because of a glitch in the system. They said it only effects 1 in a 10,000 customers - small comfort.

What a load of bull! It's such a bad excuse that there's no point in even contesting it because you're clearly dealing with clowns.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Hawaii-Five-O on 08 June 2013, 08:11
Cock-up update:

However they (Broadspeed) have admitted my original order didn't properly go through because of a glitch in the system. They said it only effects 1 in a 10,000 customers - small comfort.

What a load of bull! It's such a bad excuse that there's no point in even contesting it because you're clearly dealing with clowns.

I know it's BS, you know it's BS, but I can't prove a thing  :cry:

I'm still left in limbo as I have no supplying dealer. The new order is showing processing on the TMO website and I've been given a BW 39 estimate.

My gut feeling is still to cancel the order with Broadspeed. It's a matter of principle now because I feel I've been made a fool of, treated appallingly, offered no apology for their cock-up and I must make a stand by not giving them my business.

Some decisions in life are difficult to make, and this is one. I won't be made a mug of anymore.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: monkeyhanger on 08 June 2013, 11:05
Hawaii: Broadspeed need to get their arses into gear to source you another supplier. They can't promise any delivery time without an active order in place (they probably can't WITH an order in place, judging by the rate at which mine keeps getting nudged back. If they can't get you an order placed with another dealer within the week then you migt need to kick them into touch.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: monkeyhanger on 08 June 2013, 11:13
In terms of my dad's order cock-up, he's trying to negotiate getting the DBP one that will be built within 2 weeks rather than wait for the reordered red one. The dealer initially offered to give him the Pearl paint gratis, which doesn't seem that generous considering he's ordered a car without it. A £500 "freebie" that wasn't even ordered for their mistake? I think they're getting off lightly. Now my dad wants to take them up on it they're asking all sorts of questions about the p/x and it's condition as they say they were slightly generous with what they're offering (07 reg 5 door DSG 170TDI GT in Tornado Red with 110k miles). They're on about further depreciation, but they can minimise that by giving him the black one now rather than the red one in September - it's in their interest to give him the black one sooner. Just trying to make out they're doing him a favour by letting him have free pearl paint he didn't ask for, for their cock-up. I do think they're takiing a few liberties considering I have got them 2 car orders, not one.

Biggest victim of the cock-up is me - if they changed that black back to red before "build week confirmed" kicked in, i'd probably have been back 1st in the Pulman queue for an imminent build.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: domrees on 08 June 2013, 16:05
Sounds like they have realised they don't have enough money in the deal to do the free paint.

Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: monkeyhanger on 08 June 2013, 17:37
Sounds like they have realised they don't have enough money in the deal to do the free paint.

It's a done deal, the Black GTD is officially my dad's order, expected delivery right at the end of the month or first week in July. The salesman really went on as if my dad was laying claim to his firstborn but eventually accepted my dad's wishes to take it at no further cost for the metallic paint, considering the cock-up made. Started scrutinising the details of my dad's p/x, but as I pointed out, getting my dad's p/x sooner minimises any depreciation losses on it (and extra accrued mileage) vs waiting for the Red one at the start/middle of Sept.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: mcmaddy on 08 June 2013, 18:02
Be very interesting to see if it actually turns up then even though it has build confirmed.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: monkeyhanger on 08 June 2013, 18:10
Be very interesting to see if it actually turns up then even though it has build confirmed.

It should, but Mick's kids might not eat for a week as my dad got his free paint that he didn't order.

Mick said it should be getting built next week or the week after. Will that be the first mainland GB GTD (not including Eire as it seems clear they got their first orders fulfilled before UK) we'll see for someone off this forum?
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: mcmaddy on 08 June 2013, 23:06
sounds like it may be one of the first if not the first. still don't understand how its been built so quick and I've been on VW 34 from day 1. I'm even thinking about going to carbon grey now!
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: Bill_the_Bear on 08 June 2013, 23:08
I have a feeling I is the first we know about.  There was one other early GTD but I forget who's it was.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: monkeyhanger on 09 June 2013, 08:25
sounds like it may be one of the first if not the first. still don't understand how its been built so quick and I've been on VW 34 from day 1. I'm even thinking about going to carbon grey now!

That colour really tempts me away from Tornado Red. If it had been on the configurator at time of ordering then i'd have probably picked it over DPB.
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: mcmaddy on 09 June 2013, 09:52
keep looking at pictures and videos of white and carbon grey and I'm really torn. white is far easier to keep clean and would be less annoying for me where I live at the moment but the grey looks fantastic but would annoy the life out of me with swirls and marks. not having a garage and parking on a busy road really puts me off a great looking color  :cry:
Title: Re: VW Cock-up (advice needed please)
Post by: CraigW on 09 June 2013, 12:12
keep looking at pictures and videos of white and carbon grey and I'm really torn. white is far easier to keep clean and would be less annoying for me where I live at the moment but the grey looks fantastic but would annoy the life out of me with swirls and marks. not having a garage and parking on a busy road really puts me off a great looking color  :cry:

It was the same with me between black and white. Really difficult decision. First choice is usually the right choice. Trust me it looks fantastic in white.