JCB Medway VW

[Brocky]

Wasn't sure where to put this, so apologies if it's in the wrong forum, modmins.

I just wondered if there was anyone who lives near, or regularly passes by JCB Medway VW in Gillingham.

The situation: My car came off the production line on the 2nd of this month and is showing on the VW tracker as 'In Transit', but the only information regarding when I will be able to collect it, that I can get out of my dealer is "Should be ready in March". This is despite me knowing that he has access to all kinds of info regarding when it left Portugal, which ship it left on, when and where it is due to land in the UK and likely all sorts of other info that he refuses to share with me. I've also heard stories about the dealer liking to keep the more unique models, like GTS or R, hanging around in the showroom for a while so they can use them as demonstrators.

The issue: I live in Manchester and, apart from me being eager to get my hands on the car ASAP, I have to travel to Gillingham to pick it up, as I don't want it to be driven to me or have to wait for a transporter. This means that I have to arrange time off work and whatnot and that becomes more difficult for me to do, as time goes by.

The request: I would really appreciate it if anyone that lives near, travels past or is due to vist JCB Medway, could keep an eye out to see if my car has been delivered. It's an Indium Grey GTS, so it should be pretty easy to pick it out, even from a quick look or drive-by. Once I know that it's there, I can then keep on the dealer's case to get it ready for me to collect it ASAP and, more importantly, get me a date confirmed for collection.

Hopefully someone can help. You'd be doing me a huge favour and I'd certainly try to repay it, somehow.

[Mark V]

How do you know the car came of the production line on the 2nd if the dealer is not co-operating.

This dealer has a big throughput of cars and I would be very surprised if the stories you heard are true. Who are you dealing with there?

I am also dealing with them at the moment.

[Brocky]

Hi, Mark.

I'm dealing with James. He told me that it came off the line on the 2nd, when I called him , after I noticed on the tracker that it skipped 'build in progress' and went straight to 'In transit'.

Funily enough, I mailed him yesterday asking if he could get me a more accurate idea of when it would be ready. He mailed me back with "The car is on a boat and on it's way over from Portugal". I checked the tracker just now....and it now says that it's arrived in the UK. That's the second time I have mailed him and the traacker has all of a sudden updated within a few hours....and that's part of what makes me feel like i'm not being kept bang up-to-date with the process. This also being my first time bying a new car, doesn't help either, I guess.

[Mark V]

I am dealing with James too. When I wanted the colour changed he sorted it immediately. I think the Tracker is just a coincidence as he will not have direct control over it.

[stretts]

They should not have it on display, it should be in there holding are awaiting PDI cleanining etc. My dealer was very up front with me and told me the day it arriver & invited me over for a sneek preview.

Keep on at them mate. They have access to the same information as you so no excusies.

[Brocky]

Cheers, Stretts.

Tbh, it's not that I've had a bad experience with the dealer....I just know that he has access to more information than he is giving out.

I spoke to him a couple of days ago and he reckons that the car should be ready for me to collect by the back end of the week that I have booked off work and has told me that he will get it sorted as quickly as is possible.

I'm just getting anxious, I guess. It's my first time buying a brand-new car....and having been ready to buy since October, then changing my mind to get an R, then the R being discontinued and then having to endure the wait until now....I'm just dying to introduce my arse to the red stitched Vienna and fire the engine up.

Would be very cool if anyone is visiting or passing JCB Medway in the next week or two and was able to spot it and maybe grab a pic, though!

[Brocky]

My car is now showing on the tracker as having arrived at the dealer!

[Mark V]

Happy days! March 1st collection?

[Brocky]

Happy days! March 1st collection?

I'd like to hope so! That would give me a full week off work to play with it!

I'll speak to James on Monday and see if it's possible....but the last time I spoke to him, he said the back end of the following week.

[Mark V]

Actually I would avoid March 1st this year as it falls on a saturday and dealerships will be manic - the last day you want to be anywhere near one!

[Brocky]

Well, I have some bad news.

I am not going to be getting my GTS.

Having had my application for the finance part of the deal refused, the dealer applied for it in my Dad's name (though I would still be the registred keeper) and he was approved. This was 4 months ago.

Last week, the dealer called me and said he was going to be sending me the paperwork for my Dad to fill in with his details, including driving licence details.

This came as somewhat of a surprise, as my Dad doesn't have and has never had a driving licence. I was never made aware that this was a condition for getting finance on a car and the deal would never had gone ahead, if I had been informed of this at the point the deal was made.

So, after waiting 4 months for the car to be built, I am unable to proceed with the deal, as getting a personal loan to pay for a £30k car outright is not a viable option, in the circumstances.

I'm also now being told that I can't have my deposit back, despite the fact that neither my Dad or I have ever signed anything or have never even received anything resembling terms & conditions from the dealer. VW Financial Services have also stated that, had they known that the dealer had made an application for finance in my Dad's name on a car for myself, they would have refused it outright at the time.

So now I have spoken to Trading Standards and Citizen's Advice and will have to take things down the legal route. Oh joy...

On a side note: I have a set of LED sidelights, from the groupbuy, that I will be selling. If you're interested, please don't contact me directly, but keep your eye on the 'For Sale' section and I will put a post up soon. I just have quite a lot going on that I need to sort out first.

[robb]

if thats VW finance's position on the matter then i would of thought the dealer would just give you it back to cover their arse ? surely they're gonna get a fair bit of stick for applying in your dads name anyway..

[uklee]

Brocky - i'm really sorry to hear that mate - what an absolute bummer

[Brocky]

Brocky - i'm really sorry to hear that mate - what an absolute bummer

Cheers, Lee.

To say that I'm gutted doesn't even come close to covering it. The fact that it took four months of waiting for the car, only to be told this a few days before I was due to collect is unreal....not to mention that I now have to fight to get my deposit back too.

if thats VW finance's position on the matter then i would of thought the dealer would just give you it back to cover their arse ? surely they're gonna get a fair bit of stick for applying in your dads name anyway..

You'd think so, but the dealer is still unwilling to give me a refund, despite me advising him that I am prepared to take the matter further.

As the finance has not been executed, I am entitled to withdraw from the agreement under section 57 of The Consumer Credit Act and be returned to my pre-contractual position.

There is also The Supply Of Goods & Services act. This states that "Any service must be carried out with reasonable care and skill" - I'm pretty certain that failing to inform my Dad that having a driving licence is a requirement by the finance company breaches this.

And then there's the fact that they have attempted to finance a car, via VW Financial Services, that was to be sold to someone else, who had previously been refused finance. VW Financial Services have told me directly that, had they known that this was the case, they would have refused it at that point.

The dealer advised me, once the application in my Dad's name had been approved, that VWFS may still pick up on that fact and may pull the plug....so he has clearly attempted to circumvent the system, in order to get a deal done.

Y'know, I could expect this from a small independant dealer....but not from one of the biggest VW approved dealers in the UK. It's unreal!

[Brocky]

Oh and if anyone is in the market for an Indium Grey, manual GTS TSi, with added xenons, powerfolding mirrors and smoking pack, with a list price of £30,500, then there is a brand-new one at JCB Medway that they're willing to sell for just over £26,500.

[JohnsonAsco]

That's a piss take really, they should of told you before hand. It just shows all they really care about is money money money, so if your dad had a driving licence everything would be going ahead as normal?

[Brocky]

so if your dad had a driving licence everything would be going ahead as normal?

Yep.

Although, that is ironically turning out to be a blessing in disguise....as, now that I know that they shouldn't have even applied for finance on the car from VWFS in my Dad's name, after I had failed an application, then who knows what could have happened further down the line, had it been picked up on after paperwork had been signed.

[whiteDevil_170]

Really sorry to hear this mate. I know how much you was looking forward to getting it. What you going to be doing with all that detailing gear now

[Brocky]

Cheers, mate.

Well, I will still need to get a new car of some kind, as my Astra is on it's last legs....although, whether I'll have the heart to care for it as I wanted to with the brand-new Roc....I'm not sure....so I may well throw some of it up for sale at some point.

Why? Got your eye on anything?

[JohnsonAsco]

When I went to order mine I didn't think I would of got accepted for the finance
Which I did, they asked me for my driving licence when I applied for it that day, surly they should of asked for your dad's licence if applying for it in his name, surly it's one of the most important things to ask for on the day if applying for it in his name. Why will they not give you back your deposit either? I don't get it. What was the forms that they was sending you to fill in mate?