Taking delivery of my first new car - What to look out for?

[Hasbeen]

You have the right idea.

Definitely give it a wash, chamois dry, & a glaze on the day of purchase. It is only while doing this you will find any/all the minor scratches, dents & chips that seem to disappear in the glow of purchase.

My son found a number of problems in his ladies new car, & was back at the dealer in hours. He still had to complain to the manufacturer to get them fixed. He would have had no chance a day or two later.

[Swanny87]

Check all the lights are working? Check tyre pressures?
Spare key? Handbook?

Dealer may have missed something...

[750turbo]

Roo said:

iva cosworth said:

datum77 said:

It is quite possible that your "brand new" car has been damaged and repaired in the plant during assembly. It is also very likely that 1, 2 or more of the 30 or so people that have have driven it, before you've taken delivery, have swiped a post or wall, and, again, the car has been repaired.
But carry on and continue to pay top money for something that YOU think is unblemished and perfect, but is actually not going to give you the peace of mind that you THINK you are getting by buying brand new.
Also be prepared to be shocked in 1, 2, or 3 years time when you come to sell it/part exchange it, and you then realise that buying brand new is the practise of fools.

There's always one .

And it's always the same one.

Yep - And he always gets the same responses, it is becoming tiring to be honest.

[over_the_hill]

AlexIT said:

anothernameitist said:

Check the number plate is correct.

My wife once got a new 56 plate car.

It came with as a 55 plate.

Talking about number plates, check that the front matches the rear one.

A few years ago a friend of mine was delivered a car with different number plates front and rear (dealer mixed up with ones from another car while fitting them)

And the VIN number

I have known plates going on the wrong car. 2 x Ford Focus - same spec. and colour etc. Plates got crossed over and ended up on the other car so the Reg. Plate and VIN didn't match.

[33q]

March 1 2014 my colleagues mother goes to collects her new A class.

Salesman proudly shows her round her new car and after she sits in the driving seat she asks a question......

Why has it got 3 pedals.......?


She drove home in the salesman's auto..........

[V8LM]

EnthusiastOwned said:

V8LM said:

Depending on how fussy you are, make sure the dealers haven't washed it:

Is that a brand spanking new car!!!?

I was planning on giving it a good once over, wash, glaze and wax.. Was hoping it didn't need a polish from the word go!?

Too right it is. £120k and 18 months in the making.


ETA: And this was the dealer's solution to the problem:



Crappy Autoglym or similar resin polish!!!!!

Not happy.

Edited by V8LM on Friday 29th May 20:57

[Sheepshanks]

markmullen said:

datum77 said:

It is quite possible that your "brand new" car has been damaged and repaired in the plant during assembly. It is also very likely that 1, 2 or more of the 30 or so people that have have driven it, before you've taken delivery, have swiped a post or wall, and, again, the car has been repaired.
But carry on and continue to pay top money for something that YOU think is unblemished and perfect, but is actually not going to give you the peace of mind that you THINK you are getting by buying brand new.
Also be prepared to be shocked in 1, 2, or 3 years time when you come to sell it/part exchange it, and you then realise that buying brand new is the practise of fools.

Very likely?

I sold new cars for many years and can count on the fingers of one hand the number of cars which sustained any damage before going to their new owners, not the "very likely" you make out.

I used to work for a car manufacturer. LOADS of cars get damaged before they even leave the factory, never mind en-route to, or at, the dealer. Some manufacturers have body-shops at their import or PDI centres.


OP: Check both keys work - both as remotes and to start the car. The rear number plate will usually be at a jaunty angle - if it's too much, get it adjusted.

Expect the paint to be horribly swirled - if it's a dark colour and a sunny day then you'll want to cry.

Look down the length of each side for door dents, and at the edges of the doors for damage. Check the screen for chips. Check the alloys, especially the bolt holes as locking nuts are often fitted at the dealer. The tyre pressures will be far too high.

[Sheepshanks]

over_the_hill said:

I have known plates going on the wrong car. 2 x Ford Focus - same spec. and colour etc. Plates got crossed over and ended up on the other car so the Reg. Plate and VIN didn't match.

That happened to our neighbours - they didn't know the plates were wrong until a parking ticket arrived in the post from somewhere they'd never been.

[Zato]

A good few years ago I ordered a very rare car from a main dealer. The day I went to pick it up I could not believe I saw another on the road. Cheeky gifts were using it for test drives. Got a nice discount when I went nuts.

If you are unhappy do not under any circumstances drive it away. Let them rectify any issues before you take delivery. If you drive away you will be in a world of pain resolving the issues.

Enjoy

[Liquid Tuna]

V8LM said:

EnthusiastOwned said:

V8LM said:

Depending on how fussy you are, make sure the dealers haven't washed it:

Is that a brand spanking new car!!!?

I was planning on giving it a good once over, wash, glaze and wax.. Was hoping it didn't need a polish from the word go!?

Too right it is. £120k and 18 months in the making.


ETA: And this was the dealer's solution to the problem:



Crappy Autoglym or similar resin polish!!!!!

Not happy.

Edited by V8LM on Friday 29th May 20:57

Autoglym? I thought that was good stuff? Maybe not good enough for your £120k car, but hardly crappy??

[robsco]

V8LM said:

EnthusiastOwned said:

V8LM said:

Depending on how fussy you are, make sure the dealers haven't washed it:

Is that a brand spanking new car!!!?

I was planning on giving it a good once over, wash, glaze and wax.. Was hoping it didn't need a polish from the word go!?

Too right it is. £120k and 18 months in the making.


ETA: And this was the dealer's solution to the problem:



Crappy Autoglym or similar resin polish!!!!!

Not happy.

Edited by V8LM on Friday 29th May 20:57

Call me dumb, but I have no idea as to the purpose of the second photo.

[aw51 121565]

anothernameitist said:

... and because she requested a full sized spare the tyre for that was also put on correctly, it was a directional tyre put on the wrong way.

Suppose $h1T happens ...

Like playing Russian Roulette with a gun with just two chambers and one bullet...

(Or four chambers and two bullets, to make the example clear - there is a 50% chance the unidirectional spare tyre will be fitted the wrong way [ie on the wrong side of the car for its intended direction of rotation] no matter which way it is fitted .)

D'oh! (And .)

[iamed]

Make sure the spare tyre has been placed on the rim the right way round.

[V8LM]

Liquid Tuna said:

Autoglym? I thought that was good stuff? Maybe not good enough for your £120k car, but hardly crappy??

Badly worded on my part - Autoglym or similar crappy resin polish would have been better.

robsco said:

Call me dumb, but I have no idea as to the purpose of the second photo.

Resin polish contains fillers to hide swirls and light scratches, and these leave white marks and with the sealer present discolour rubber and plastic.

[vikingaero]

I always turn up early to collect the car so that I can give it the once over without the salesman present. Sometimes I'll ask for the keys. Best solution is to take someone with you who can critique the car as they have no financial/emotional interest in it.

[Drawweight]

Check that there isn't a lamppost 20 feet behind you that you hadn't noticed when you reverse out the parking space.

Don't ask me how I know that one.

[Leptons]

robsco said:

V8LM said:

EnthusiastOwned said:

V8LM said:

Depending on how fussy you are, make sure the dealers haven't washed it:

Is that a brand spanking new car!!!?

I was planning on giving it a good once over, wash, glaze and wax.. Was hoping it didn't need a polish from the word go!?

Too right it is. £120k and 18 months in the making.


ETA: And this was the dealer's solution to the problem:



Crappy Autoglym or similar resin polish!!!!!

Not happy.

Edited by V8LM on Friday 29th May 20:57

Call me dumb, but I have no idea as to the purpose of the second photo.

Me neither.

Anyway, new cars are more than likely polished with a silicone rich Glaze to fill any scratches/swirls e.t.c and it will wash out the first time it rains!

Good advice to take it home and give it a carefull wash.

[JimmyConwayNW]

Take a torque wrench and personally check all the wheel bolts are to the manufacturers spec. This works well for 2 reasons. It ensures your safety and that of the general public on the way home. Secondly it sends out a clear message to the dealership that you are not someone to be messing with and you are someone in the know.

Also run the palm of your hand over all the windows where they are closest to panels. You should be able to feel any overspray that way.

I usually jump into the rear seats and rock back and forth to make sure they are in.

I once bought a brand new seat Ibiza and the rear seats fell out under heavy braking and bashed my passenger on the head. Seat were not interested and blamed the spaniards.

[V8LM]

Leptons said:

Me neither.

Anyway, new cars are more than likely polished with a silicone rich Glaze to fill any scratches/swirls e.t.c and it will wash out the first time it rains!

Good advice to take it home and give it a carefull wash.

Exactly. I watched the car being built. Watched the gloss black bits being wrapped in protective film Watched it being delivered with the film on. Have photos of the car being washed before delivery. Have swirl marks on the paint and gloss parts. Dealer agreed to fix, which as can be seen was a covering of resin-based polish. Not a fix in my view.

[PorkInsider]

Leptons said:

robsco said:

V8LM said:

EnthusiastOwned said:

V8LM said:

Depending on how fussy you are, make sure the dealers haven't washed it:

Is that a brand spanking new car!!!?

I was planning on giving it a good once over, wash, glaze and wax.. Was hoping it didn't need a polish from the word go!?

Too right it is. £120k and 18 months in the making.


ETA: And this was the dealer's solution to the problem:



Crappy Autoglym or similar resin polish!!!!!

Not happy.

Edited by V8LM on Friday 29th May 20:57

Call me dumb, but I have no idea as to the purpose of the second photo.

Me neither.

Nor me. No idea what it shows.