Is this taking the michael?

[Butter Face]

CYMR0 said:

Butter Face said:

I'm also a sad act, Swift Sport mats (specific to the sport, with sport embroidered on them) are listed @ £65.23+ VAT so you actually got offered a good deal

This does rather assume that the mats aren't £15 eBay specials.

Assuming anything makes you an idiot

'£99 for a full tank and mats? Are they the genuine specific sport mats? They are? Brilliant, We'll have that'

or

'£99 for a full tank and mats? Are they the genuine specific sport mats? They're not? Ok thanks, we'll leave that'

[bobfett]

SV8Predator said:

But the salesman should put £5 of fuel into it for you to get the fuel light off as part of his pre delivery prep. It is their job to make the handover experience as pleasant as possible for you. It won't be very pleasant if you are getting stressed that your new car will run out of fuel before you can get to a filling station.

Suzuki dealer we dealt with recently mentioned the fuel light on the swift is ridiculously generous- they reckoned about 2 gallons/100 miles left with the fuel light on and the range computer saying "000". That was the 1.2 but even the sport should still be around 80 left, especially with taking it easy, so it shouldn't conk out for a good few miles- especially if the trip is showing some range left.

This, again, assumes that there has been some put in for the PDI drive.

However, buying a new car (without discount- pretty sure the Sport isn't discounted (not "VAT-free" and suzuki generally don't above and beyond the Suzuki UK "VAT-Free" deals) and then refusing to buy the £99 mats/full tank on the basis the dealer might turn £20 on it is rather incongruous.

Edited by bobfett on Friday 29th August 11:50

Edited by bobfett on Friday 29th August 11:51

[surveyor]

freenote said:

Thanks for the replies chaps.

I think it's poor service and leaves a bad taste personally but clearly I'm expecting too much!!

I agree with you. I've never picked up a car on the fuel light, and nor really would I expect to. I have had unexpectedly full tanks.

Hopefully you will get your chance to make the point on a customer service form. I know with some manufacturers the sales guys are desperate for good feedback.

• I'm not being overly harsh to the sales person and really it's the dealers policy that sours their last moments of a transaction with the customer.

[JakeT]

Honestly even if it costs you a few quid it's nice to get into the car all set up and be able to just drive it away. They may make some money but not a whole load off of you from it. But I am a sucker for nice floormats. The ones that came with my generation fiesta had the logo colour coded to the colour of the body... So I have 3 sets.

[Greg_D]

freenote said:

Thanks for the replies chaps.

I think it's poor service and leaves a bad taste personally but clearly I'm expecting too much!!

Not wishing to come across argumentative, but the service was offered and you declined it, what exactly were you expecting, a quarter tank anyway!!! as already demonstrated, they would be making a couple of quid on the option (and that would be spent sending a member of staff to a petrol station to physically fill it up) I honestly do think that you are expecting too much. And as for the poster that advocated taking a jerry can and kicking up a stink, get a life!

[freenote]

Greg_D said:

Not wishing to come across argumentative, but the service was offered and you declined it, what exactly were you expecting, a quarter tank anyway!!! as already demonstrated, they would be making a couple of quid on the option (and that would be spent sending a member of staff to a petrol station to physically fill it up) I honestly do think that you are expecting too much. And as for the poster that advocated taking a jerry can and kicking up a stink, get a life!

Actually I would have expected a quarter tank included in the price of purchasing the car.

[V8forweekends]

Greg_D said:

... And as for the poster that advocated taking a jerry can and kicking up a stink, get a life!

I love PH, and the Web in general. The way I read that post was "take a can so as not to run out" - I can't see the bit where the poster suggested making a stink. In fact, I decided to check -

Chicane-UK said:

Turn up with one of those 5 litre green petrol cannisters and at least it gives you some range to find a petrol station.

It does seem 'cheap' but every car I've ever bought from a dealer has been on fumes. They're a business, out to make money.. and I'm sure 20 quid of fuel on every car they sell would soon add up.

No entreaty there to "make a stink", but never mind, still an opportunity to trot out that pathetic "get a life" line.

[Greg_D]

freenote said:

Greg_D said:

Not wishing to come across argumentative, but the service was offered and you declined it, what exactly were you expecting, a quarter tank anyway!!! as already demonstrated, they would be making a couple of quid on the option (and that would be spent sending a member of staff to a petrol station to physically fill it up) I honestly do think that you are expecting too much. And as for the poster that advocated taking a jerry can and kicking up a stink, get a life!

Actually I would have expected a quarter tank included in the price of purchasing the car.

Maybe, if there had been no 'mats and fuel' option. But when you say no to fuel, why be surprised/disappointed when there is no fuel?

I'm presuming you hadn't given it any deep thought, but on reflection, can you see where i'm coming from?

[Greg_D]

V8forweekends said:

Greg_D said:

... And as for the poster that advocated taking a jerry can and kicking up a stink, get a life!

I love PH, and the Web in general. The way I read that post was "take a can so as not to run out" - I can't see the bit where the poster suggested making a stink. In fact, I decided to check -

Chicane-UK said:

Turn up with one of those 5 litre green petrol cannisters and at least it gives you some range to find a petrol station.

It does seem 'cheap' but every car I've ever bought from a dealer has been on fumes. They're a business, out to make money.. and I'm sure 20 quid of fuel on every car they sell would soon add up.

No entreaty there to "make a stink", but never mind, still an opportunity to trot out that pathetic "get a life" line.

My error, the post above Chicanes advocated the stink creation, i obviously mentally rolled the 2 together. 'Get a life' is indeed apt for someone willing to 'stick it to the man' over such a trivial issue

sv8predator said:

Or refuse to accept the car with the fuel light on, and be very vocal and loud about when you're in the showroom. Stand up and go to walk out, etc.

over a fiver!!!!!!!! i reiterate, (to that poster, or anyone similarly inclined) get a life...

[Matt UK]

paranoid airbag said:

Matt UK said:

If you didn't negotiate this as part of the agreement, you won't get it.

Why should you?

+1. Normally a standard thing to negotiate. If you don't like the minimum deal they'd make, go elsewhere.

And if you find that the salesperson is willing to walk to away from the deal over fuel/mats, you've probably got as good a deal as you are going to get so should be pleased!

[TonyRPH]

Cost of fuel + mats + someones time to take it to the petrol station and fit the mats

£99 doesn't seem that bad to me TBH.

I guess it depends how far away the nearest petrol station is too.

[jodypress]

The fuel part I can kind of understand, although I' be expectiing it low but no on the light.

RE: mats, since when has this been an optional extra. Surely fllor mats are part of the car, no? Very odd business practice indeed.

They'll be charging next for it to be delivered clean and with tyres....lol.

[daemon]

freenote said:

Thanks for the replies chaps.

I think it's poor service and leaves a bad taste personally but clearly I'm expecting too much!!

In an environment these days whereby the phone doesnt ring unless you're the cheapest and even then people knock the life out of the price by expecting a big discount, net profit on a new car might not even make it into triple figures.

They make their money these days on finance commission, paint insurance, service plans, RTI insurance, tyre insurance, polishes, mats and flaps, etc, etc.

Hardly a surprise that you dont get a full tank of fuel, flowers for the wife, etc.

[Butter Face]

jodypress said:

RE: mats, since when has this been an optional extra. Surely fllor mats are part of the car, no?

No. They have always been extra in pretty much every car made.

Some manufacturers include them, some don't.

[HereBeMonsters]

If they're the proper Sport mats I would have gone for it.

[Mercury00]

IanCress said:

Full tank £50, set of half decent mats £30. I'd say you were right to decline their offer. Just head to the nearest petrol station as soon as you're done.

It would be nice for them to stick £10 in, but it's money down the drain to them if they do.

A full tank is £55. Official mats are £78.

OP, put some pics up when you get it. What colour did you go for? I bought a new Swift Sport myself two months ago in beautiful Boost Blue

Edited by Mercury00 on Friday 29th August 13:22

[Nezquick]

I hate to say it but I'm on the dealers side here (and no, i'm not a car dealer). Why should they offer you a 1/4, 1/2 or full tank for nothing as well as some mats?

Did you even try to negotiate on these issues before you signed on the dotted line?

I bought a new car last year and negotiated a decent chunk of money off as well as a full tank and 6 months road tax (they categorically wouldn't do 12 months although I did ask). I was prepared to walk away as well if they didn't agree to these requests.

[andrewparker]

Christ, even my leased Golf GTD came with 3/4s of a tank. Sure they're not obliged to do it but it doesn't bode well for the standard of their service going forwards.

[Fast Bug]

Chicane-UK said:

They're a business, out to make money.. and I'm sure 20 quid of fuel on every car they sell would soon add up.

Yup very much this.

Last year as a department we sold 1800 vehicles. £20 worth of fuel in each one is £36k straight off the bottom line. As stated by someone else, if people want to pay the cheapest price out there, somethings got to give. You can't expect to pay next to diddly squat for something and get a full tank of fuel, floor mats, flowers for the wife and a night out with the pretty girl on reception...

[HTP99]

We charge £24 fuel on every car that we sell, new or used, even if fuel is negotiated within the deal there is always a cost shown on the invoice for it, we just discount the car accordingly.

New cars arrive with literally half a litre in, we've had them run out of fuel as they are coming off the transporter and contrary to popular belief OTR doesn't include fuel also, however I have come across old adverts from decades ago where a full tank was mentioned as being part of the OTR price.

A few years ago we always put £10-£15 in each car and not show a cost however the recession hit, things got tough and dealers had to cut down on things, in our case flowers stopped as did "free" fuel.