Paul Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 What an afternoon we've had, went to pick up our Mazda 6 estate today, brand new '57 plate:) It's sitting in the showroom of a Watford main dealer and looks all clean an pristine, just about to sort out the paperwork when I said I need to look over it first. Well, different paint finish on N/S front door, traces of cutting compound being used on edge of bonnet (fine scratches) and the front of the wing was misaligned and touchint the headlight/indicator. Also fine cutting compound lines on top edge of headlight. All this clearly showed a large area of paintwork has been repaired (to a shit standard I might add) and even the wing has been replaced. All this on a BRAND NEW car Just spent hours argueing with them about how to proceed, formally rejected the car that has been registered in ou name etc. We have missed the Sept 1st 'new car' bit, they didn't have another estate to lend us (for the dog), they have promised to get another brand new/same spec in three weeks and in the meantime are lending us a crappy hatchback. No apology, no compo or price reduction, they are even suggesting it would be an idea if I inspect the next car on arrival at the dealers:blink: cause they are crap. I must have put off loads of customers, I stood in the middle of a large showroom giving them what for, they keot trying to usher me to one side or outside but I told them I felt that potential customers needed to hear this:d What a bloody disaster, Mazda UK will be getting a call on Monday morning, we've sold our other estate so are in the shit with no help from them. Anyone else had an experience like this? Sorry for the rant. Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifty Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 cant you just tell them to stick it and buy a nice range rover? PROBABLY BEEN USED BY A HIRE CAR COMPANY FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS ANYWAY RIch - sorry caps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted September 1, 2007 Author Share Posted September 1, 2007 cant you just tell them to stick it and buy a nice range rover? PROBABLY BEEN USED BY A HIRE CAR COMPANY FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS ANYWAY RIch - sorry caps Telling them to stick it would be the easy way out for them;) We need this or another car so this way they will have to provide one for the short term at least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SupraAyf Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 Anyone else had an experience like this? I haven't, but well done on holding your ground Paul. You want to make a real big fuss and see what type of compensation you can get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_blackman Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 I rejected my c2 vts when i had it new the other year for the same reasons mate! I never had a replacement for 3 months lol... I had loads of different new cars as they didnt want me clocking silly miles on them lol... from c1's to picaso's i had lol... I threatened to drive the car through a show room window if they didnt sort something out lol... as the brakes had an abs esp failure too lol You did the right thing mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayney Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 Paul, why did u buy a brand new car in the 1st place? All new cars depreciate like a rock, 40% in 1 yr 50% in yr 2 and up to 65% by year 3. My advice is to buy a 2 year old, with 20k, still under manufacturers warranty for 50% less. Forget the new reg, the novelty will wear off in 6 months!! New cars are for muppets!! Any way going back to ur initial post, if ur still set on a brand new one. I'd cancel the deal, write to Mazda UK and I am sure they will point you in the direction of another one and give you 10% off, as a good will gesture. Markups on a new car are usually 15%-20% Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havard Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 Good on you Paul! Most people would have said nothing and then moaned later. I have been really shocked at the way new cars are handled. I did a few weeks at a Vauxhall dealers a few years ago and all the "new" cars were sat out the back of the garage for months, open to the elements. Many had faults and failed the PDI.... They got a quick wash and wax, pre delivery inspection and off you go! I would never buy a brand new car now. It's only the cars that are really bad for depreciation that lose 65% most are about the 50% mark. H. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRalphMan Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 Apparently Daihatsu's policy is that a car can have up to 3 panels painted before it's not classed as new. If any panel has to be replaced, then it's not new. Most if not all cars have some 'defect' that need covering.. normally by the prats who race em on and off the boats... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Class One Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 You are well within your rights to reject the car. I would also be looking for some compensation, make a fuss with Mazda UK. Have you bought the car on finance? If so you have your 14day cool off period so you could cancel and walk away and take your buisness elsewhere. Be as difficult as you can. Should be no problem for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted September 1, 2007 Author Share Posted September 1, 2007 Cheers for comments, second hand these hold their price fairly well, we also want one in a specific colour too:) Was gonna buy outright but they do 50% down and the rest on 0% over 3yrs so this was what we went for. They had the cheque for the 50% over a week ago so it could clear:( Today they offered us a full refund, they will still give us a full refund if attempt number two is a pile of shite too. If we walk away we will be without an estate for the dog, our old Carina has been sold for a good price to a mate of mine so can't back out of that one out of principal. If we go elswhere then they have no history with us, they don't owe us anything and no help with an interim car. Mazda UK are the next step Monday morning, to my mind is this not a trading standards issue? They knowingly tried to sell it as 'new' with big damage repair being undertaken by them (replacement wing) and 'new' in mine and most other peoples views is mint, with the exception of a few minor marks I agree. It was funny looking back at it, I'm in the middle of their showroom on a Saturday afternoon, loads of people/customers in and out and I'm blasting this guy telling him they have tried to palm off shite and how disgusted we are with the lot of them, I even tried dragging in other salesmen to ask for their opinions on what we were being offered but they stayed well out of it:d I spoke to the sales director on the phone (what an arse) and one of the Directors (an even bigger arse). They were all so matter of fact, oh well sort out another one in three or so weeks so what's the problem? Doug, thanks for the compliment;) I'm expecting at least £500 off the car or in cash for all this. As far as the 15-20% mark up, I took most of that anyway when striking the deal:D Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DannoSupra Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 It was probably dropped off the transporter. was it an order for you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted September 1, 2007 Author Share Posted September 1, 2007 was it an order for you? Yes, ordered about 2 months ago! Even had reverse sensors fitted, chose the registration and colour:( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted September 1, 2007 Author Share Posted September 1, 2007 BTW, bit suspicious that they can get another in 3 weeks so told the guy this and insisted on taking the chassis number of the one we've rejected as I could see them taking it and having another go at the repair and trying to give it back to us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DannoSupra Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 We'd never let a car go out if there was any colour change / paint damage to the new cars! Some main dealers are appauling!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted September 1, 2007 Author Share Posted September 1, 2007 Who do you work for then and what is considered acceptable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DannoSupra Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 I work for a Jaguar Dealership in north wales. in my 5years of working there. we've never had anything like that... BUT it shouldnt be, obviously! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobEvans Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 I worked for BMW in blackpool. I repaired cars myself that had been damaged and sold as brand new. I was shocked! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edge Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 Its terrible. happens alot at with new cars. Like mentioned before they normaly get dinged when leaving factory/boat etc. Friend of mine ran the mini engine assembly line at oxford for a few months and told me about all the cars they bashed, scrapped, dinged etc. Even the way the engines were assembled was quite bad. pay peanuts and get monkeys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted September 2, 2007 Author Share Posted September 2, 2007 The more I think about it the more I am leaning towards the fact they damaged it. It arrived with them almost a month before, we waited for the '57 prefix. If it was that badly damaged before it arrived then they'd have rejected it back to Mazda. I appreciate that motors are damaged on the production line but then they are put right to a reasonable standard, this work was shocking imo. There was no suprise or any comments like 'we hadn't noticed that' but instead the sales guy admitted he knew 10 days prior to it being damaged (he had been on holiday before) and that they had it repaired. He wouldn't comment on the obvious extent of repair:blink: I stood there and called them all a bunch of cheating lying bastards and their must have been 15 plus sales staff etc. yet they all kept their heads down and let this guy take it all. OK, I'm not small but I wouldn't have stood by and let me give out a barrage of abuse for 3 hrs in a showroom in front of customers and staff unless I knew that I was part of the guilty party. If this don't get sorted out in a decent way than I'm gonna be handing out leaflets to potential customers sharing my experience every Saturday for months:) Calmed down a bit now but just so gutted, hope a call to Mazda UK in the morning will restore our faith again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted September 7, 2007 Author Share Posted September 7, 2007 Bit of an update on this. Spent best part of the week on the phone to Mazda UK, total tossers who are coming down on the side of the cheating dealer:( We managed to get a hatchback loan car improved to an estate after having a go at Mazda uk. Guess what, it's the car we rejected:D Funny though as we didn't get it till Weds as it was in the bodyshop having the crap work rectified.....wtf ! I remind you that this is on a brand new car and it needs two days having the N/S tarted up. Thankfully they were as shite the second time as the first and all the evidence is still fairly clear. To add to that, when we got it I spent half hour going over it again and I've now found a masking/paint line (colour difference too) on the inside rear door shut where it curves over the wheel arch. This and the paint difference and cutting compound dust all point towards the fact that the entire N/S of this 'new' car have been re-painted, top to bottom with it fading out towards the back of the rear wing:blink: We've been pushing harder than ever for Mazda uk to check this car themselves as we want to ensure the next one is legit and we are also seeking some form of compo for all the aggro and stress involved. Up to tonight they have ignored this request until we got through to a national Sales Director who was a bit more reasonable. Within 15 mins some stroppy cow we had spoken to earlier phoned up to confirm that a Technician/Engineer will inspect the car next week:D Our concerns are that it will be inspected at the dealer and that the guy checking it is also employed by Mazda. Has anyone had experience of this and how independent will it be? Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGav Posted September 7, 2007 Share Posted September 7, 2007 How far is Mazda UK's head office... me being me, I'd drive it up to them, and wait at security till someone with authority came out and had a look at the car.. I did this with Sky a few years back after waiting 12 weeks to get my new installation fixed.... needless to say after my conversation with some head blokey, I arrived home to find an engineer waiting... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted September 7, 2007 Author Share Posted September 7, 2007 How far is Mazda UK's head office... me being me, I'd drive it up to them, and wait at security till someone with authority came out and had a look at the car.. I did this with Sky a few years back after waiting 12 weeks to get my new installation fixed.... needless to say after my conversation with some head blokey, I arrived home to find an engineer waiting... I offered this two days ago The head office is in Dartford and I said I'd drive it there! They said it needed to be inspected on the dealers premises and they won't entertain it being done anywhere else:( I'm thinking of running it along to a local top end paint shop and see if they can inspect and report on it to me so I've got something in writing that is truely independent? The fear is that the car in question will disappear once this 'inspection' has been done, gets rid of the evidence;) Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGav Posted September 7, 2007 Share Posted September 7, 2007 I offered this two days ago The head office is in Dartford and I said I'd drive it there! They said it needed to be inspected on the dealers premises and they won't entertain it being done anywhere else:( I'm thinking of running it along to a local top end paint shop and see if they can inspect and report on it to me so I've got something in writing that is truely independent? The fear is that the car in question will disappear once this 'inspection' has been done, gets rid of the evidence;) Paul Involve the media as well, get all the evidence together as well as independant report. If it was me, I would have told them to poke the sale and gone elsewhere, I know Mazda wouldn't bat an eyelid, but I'd feel better knowing they wouldn't get my money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted September 7, 2007 Author Share Posted September 7, 2007 Involve the media as well, get all the evidence together as well as independant report. If it was me, I would have told them to poke the sale and gone elsewhere, I know Mazda wouldn't bat an eyelid, but I'd feel better knowing they wouldn't get my money. The problem with going elswhere other than Mazda is that it's a bloody good car IMO The issues here have been caused by a shoddy main dealer not Mazda and we still want the car we searched over 6mths for and finally settled on. It's a bloody nightmare, we've sold the old estate now so if we tell them to shove it we're in the shit through no fault of our own and they get away with the minimum of grief I'm not going to let this go so easily and will keep the pressure on. Wrote an e-mail to that 'Honest John', he's got a website and I think writes a column in the Telegraph (bit posh for me:)) Don't know if he'll print it though? Also been in touch with Herts Trading Standards, been allocated a case number and they are sitting on the sidelines at the moment watching what goes on:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted September 9, 2007 Author Share Posted September 9, 2007 Took it to a respected local bodyshop yesterday abd they said 'it looks like they've painted it with Hammerite'. They would be appalled with that work on a ten/fifteen year old car..........I'll remind you that this is a repair on a brand new car and the dealer wasn't going to tell us that the whole N/S has been repaired:blink: A few pics: One shows the finish, one shows the obvious mask/paint line on the inside of the rear door shut (they now say they repaired 'slight damage' to front door only!) The one of the underside of the bonnet shows just some of the cutting compound dust left on the car. It's in seams and around lights and joins all along the N/S, gives away the areas worked on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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