'Q' are they from another planet !
Discussion
On a MY13 DB9, have asked them to price a black rather than standard grille,,,,£4995,,!! I'd like to have the side strakes black powder coated,,,"No can do",,,,"Can I have the bonnet vents black, please?",,,2 weeks later, no answer. I can only assume they don't need the work? Sorry to sound a bit grumpy but are they normally hard work, or is it just me?
As Ian says, I have some strong feeling on this (both in relation to me personally and because of my passion for the brand and it's wider implications)
My experience of Q can best be described as 'inconsistent' - in the attitude, the timescale for answers, the costings and what they will/can/can't/will not do.
I had no direct contact with Q, as it was all through the dealer, so I accept it's possible Q may have a different version of my personal experience
The biggest problems (i.e. cause) of my issues were, I think, down to a huge difference between what the marketing think dept Q can do and what Q have been instructed to do, the fact it's relatively new, added to by a big surge in demand as a result of the high percentage of customer specced cars right now (as a result of new Vanquish in particular but also new DB9 & V12VR) at a time when as I say, the department is quite new
On the plus side, the quality if the work has been excellent, it;s covered within the 3 yr warranty that comes with the car, some things were exceptional value to the point it can't have made financial sense from the angle of time costs alone, they are careful to ensure there is no mis-understanding over the exact spec of the request and some answers came very quickly indeed
But some things take a ridiculous amount of time to price, at a ridiculous price or with a 'no'
Their attitude should be to say 'yes' to absolutely everything, then in some instances come back with a 'we can do it but it will require a feasibility study and projected price is minimum of 'x' but possibly much more'.
Of course they can powder paint the strakes and if they told you it would cost say £3k (instead of the say £500-£1k it should cost) you could make a decision. If you moaned it was OTT, so be it - customisation at the factory is always going to be expensive and difficult to justify in value terms. They need to learn to adopt a very different approach......
rant over !
Incidentally, they refused to even look into the feasibility of a brake calliper colour in a 'sample to match', they also eventually at the 3rd time of asking said they could do a replica of the RS Concept gearstick in leather but it would require a feasibility study and would likely be 'very expensive'then after months & months of pushing to the point it delayed sign-off of my car they refused to embroider a small 'Hamsa' in a discreet place (on the leather bit at the front, on the inside, of the doorframe) on the basis of 'political/religious' grounds - that was after they were first murmuring about the legal dept being worried there may be a copyright issue......
My experience of Q can best be described as 'inconsistent' - in the attitude, the timescale for answers, the costings and what they will/can/can't/will not do.
I had no direct contact with Q, as it was all through the dealer, so I accept it's possible Q may have a different version of my personal experience
The biggest problems (i.e. cause) of my issues were, I think, down to a huge difference between what the marketing think dept Q can do and what Q have been instructed to do, the fact it's relatively new, added to by a big surge in demand as a result of the high percentage of customer specced cars right now (as a result of new Vanquish in particular but also new DB9 & V12VR) at a time when as I say, the department is quite new
On the plus side, the quality if the work has been excellent, it;s covered within the 3 yr warranty that comes with the car, some things were exceptional value to the point it can't have made financial sense from the angle of time costs alone, they are careful to ensure there is no mis-understanding over the exact spec of the request and some answers came very quickly indeed
But some things take a ridiculous amount of time to price, at a ridiculous price or with a 'no'
Their attitude should be to say 'yes' to absolutely everything, then in some instances come back with a 'we can do it but it will require a feasibility study and projected price is minimum of 'x' but possibly much more'.
Of course they can powder paint the strakes and if they told you it would cost say £3k (instead of the say £500-£1k it should cost) you could make a decision. If you moaned it was OTT, so be it - customisation at the factory is always going to be expensive and difficult to justify in value terms. They need to learn to adopt a very different approach......
rant over !
Incidentally, they refused to even look into the feasibility of a brake calliper colour in a 'sample to match', they also eventually at the 3rd time of asking said they could do a replica of the RS Concept gearstick in leather but it would require a feasibility study and would likely be 'very expensive'then after months & months of pushing to the point it delayed sign-off of my car they refused to embroider a small 'Hamsa' in a discreet place (on the leather bit at the front, on the inside, of the doorframe) on the basis of 'political/religious' grounds - that was after they were first murmuring about the legal dept being worried there may be a copyright issue......
Edited by jonby on Friday 22 February 18:12
jonby said:
As Ian says, I have some strong feeling on this (both in relation to me personally and because of my passion for the brand and it's wider implications)
My experience of Q can best be described as 'inconsistent' - in the attitude, the timescale for answers, the costings and what they will/can/can't/will not do.
I had no direct contact with Q, as it was all through the dealer, so I accept it's possible Q may have a different version of my personal experience
The biggest problems (i.e. cause) of my issues were, I think, down to a huge difference between what the marketing think dept Q can do and what Q have been instructed to do, the fact it's relatively new, added to by a big surge in demand as a result of the high percentage of customer specced cars right now (as a result of new Vanquish in particular but also new DB9 & V12VR) at a time when as I say, the department is quite new
On the plus side, the quality if the work has been excellent, it;s covered within the 3 yr warranty that comes with the car, some things were exceptional value to the point it can't have made financial sense from the angle of time costs alone, they are careful to ensure there is no mis-understanding over the exact spec of the request and some answers came very quickly indeed
But some things take a ridiculous amount of time to price, at a ridiculous price or with a 'no'
Their attitude should be to say 'yes' to absolutely everything, then in some instances come back with a 'we can do it but it will require a feasibility study and projected price is minimum of 'x' but possibly much more'.
Of course they can powder paint the strakes and if they told you it would cost say £3k (instead of the say £500-£1k it should cost) you could make a decision. If you moaned it was OTT, so be it - customisation at the factory is always going to be expensive and difficult to justify in value terms. They need to learn to adopt a very different approach......
rant over !
Incidentally, they refused to even look into the feasibility of a brake calliper colour in a 'sample to match', they also eventually at the 3rd time of asking said they could do a replica of the RS Concept gearstick in leather but it would require a feasibility study and would likely be 'very expensive'then after months & months of pushing to the point it delayed sign-off of my car they refused to embroider a small 'Hamsa' in a discreet place (on the leather bit at the front, on the inside, of the doorframe) on the basis of 'political/religious' grounds - that was after they were first murmuring about the legal dept being worried there may be a copyright issue......
Errr, gulp, jonby, by comparison my problems barely scratch the surface (god forbid). Thanks very much for the other responses, bret, paddy. Maybe I'll take the advice and see what BR will quote me to black powder coat the grille, strakes and bonnet vents. Paddy I will need her detailing and v/shield, I've emailed you through your web site.My experience of Q can best be described as 'inconsistent' - in the attitude, the timescale for answers, the costings and what they will/can/can't/will not do.
I had no direct contact with Q, as it was all through the dealer, so I accept it's possible Q may have a different version of my personal experience
The biggest problems (i.e. cause) of my issues were, I think, down to a huge difference between what the marketing think dept Q can do and what Q have been instructed to do, the fact it's relatively new, added to by a big surge in demand as a result of the high percentage of customer specced cars right now (as a result of new Vanquish in particular but also new DB9 & V12VR) at a time when as I say, the department is quite new
On the plus side, the quality if the work has been excellent, it;s covered within the 3 yr warranty that comes with the car, some things were exceptional value to the point it can't have made financial sense from the angle of time costs alone, they are careful to ensure there is no mis-understanding over the exact spec of the request and some answers came very quickly indeed
But some things take a ridiculous amount of time to price, at a ridiculous price or with a 'no'
Their attitude should be to say 'yes' to absolutely everything, then in some instances come back with a 'we can do it but it will require a feasibility study and projected price is minimum of 'x' but possibly much more'.
Of course they can powder paint the strakes and if they told you it would cost say £3k (instead of the say £500-£1k it should cost) you could make a decision. If you moaned it was OTT, so be it - customisation at the factory is always going to be expensive and difficult to justify in value terms. They need to learn to adopt a very different approach......
rant over !
Incidentally, they refused to even look into the feasibility of a brake calliper colour in a 'sample to match', they also eventually at the 3rd time of asking said they could do a replica of the RS Concept gearstick in leather but it would require a feasibility study and would likely be 'very expensive'then after months & months of pushing to the point it delayed sign-off of my car they refused to embroider a small 'Hamsa' in a discreet place (on the leather bit at the front, on the inside, of the doorframe) on the basis of 'political/religious' grounds - that was after they were first murmuring about the legal dept being worried there may be a copyright issue......
Edited by jonby on Friday 22 February 18:12
Silly stuff 
Chiltern Aston did all my grilles. My main front grille was covered in grey plastic and chipped; they stripped and dipped it, then polished it. My side mesh grilles and bonnet vents they painted magnum silver (a 1000 quid upgrade from Aston) and replaced the cheap chicken wire with stainless mesh.
Can't remember the costs but very reasonable considering the labour involved.
Chiltern Aston did all my grilles. My main front grille was covered in grey plastic and chipped; they stripped and dipped it, then polished it. My side mesh grilles and bonnet vents they painted magnum silver (a 1000 quid upgrade from Aston) and replaced the cheap chicken wire with stainless mesh.
Can't remember the costs but very reasonable considering the labour involved.
yeti said:
Silly stuff
Chiltern Aston did all my grilles. My main front grille was covered in grey plastic and chipped; they stripped and dipped it, then polished it. My side mesh grilles and bonnet vents they painted magnum silver (a 1000 quid upgrade from Aston) and replaced the cheap chicken wire with stainless mesh.
Can't remember the costs but very reasonable considering the labour involved.
Thanks Yeti, I'll check Chiltern Aston out too. I'm hoping to be able to have the paint job, the detailing and v/shield carried out pretty much at a one stop shop, BR and Francis are close to Gaydon, which leaves just a recommended local v/shield fitter. The dealership are at Harston, Cambridge, so not too far from Chiltern Aston and there is a Ventureshield approved fitter at Waterbeach?? Chiltern Aston did all my grilles. My main front grille was covered in grey plastic and chipped; they stripped and dipped it, then polished it. My side mesh grilles and bonnet vents they painted magnum silver (a 1000 quid upgrade from Aston) and replaced the cheap chicken wire with stainless mesh.
Can't remember the costs but very reasonable considering the labour involved.
Astondb9man said:
Thanks Yeti, I'll check Chiltern Aston out too. I'm hoping to be able to have the paint job, the detailing and v/shield carried out pretty much at a one stop shop, BR and Francis are close to Gaydon, which leaves just a recommended local v/shield fitter. The dealership are at Harston, Cambridge, so not too far from Chiltern Aston and there is a Ventureshield approved fitter at Waterbeach??
I think someone on here recently had BR arrange a venture shield install while the car was with them...marceltay said:
I think someone on here recently had BR arrange a venture shield install while the car was with them...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=1248624http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=...
I am in the process of ordering a new V8V and have been frustrated dealing with the "Q" department also. I wanted to put semi-aniline leather in it and it is normally not available as an option on the Vantage, just the other lines. Well, it took a month for them to get back to my dealer and they said they could do it for $1500 which was reasonable enough. I then requested V12 sills instead of the the N400 sills that now come standard on it and after 2-3 wks they said they would do it for $1020 which again I thought was reasonable. I do not like the updated front and rear fascia and prefer the pre '12.25 ones and they said they could do that for $12,000 which I thought was outlandish. I then asked to have a light colored stitching to match the interior color (winter wheat) on the black binnacle cover only (there will be black stitching on the winter wheat) and after another 2-3 weeks they said they would in fine stitching only (interior will have course) for $1020! For 2 twelve inch lines of contrast stitching! So I as well have experienced long waits for answers and wildly swinging quoted prices ranging from reasonable to absurd. I can't wait to get my car in and I'm sure it will be worth the hassle but gee whiz they need to make the process a little easier!
Little Donkey said:
Yep
An almost surreal experience,,,,Before this morning I have never met or spoken to BR Mike in my life. I have just put the phone down from talking to him for the first time,,,,,all I said was "I'm calling you as advised by contributors on the Piston Heads site", before I spoke another word, he knew exactly who I was and why I was calling,,,,every detail on my DB9 wish list ,,,more than that he came back with affirmatives to every item on that list,,,surreal,,,please tell me I'm not dreaming! Pricing details agreed, for its paint work mods, detailing and v/shield, my DB9 will be making its first trip from the factory direct to BR, A big thank you to all that offered advise, brilliant guys, totally brilliant.
PS: "Q", its time you got your dots joined up, then take a long hard look at the picture, you might just realise whats happening in the non-fictional world.
Glad to hear that Bob, this is why I suggested you go to BR.
With any luck, the folk at the factory will be looking at this thread (we know they sometimes pop along) and take on board the comments.
Shame they aren't like Bentley. They of are the mindset of "yes we can, now what would you like"
With any luck, the folk at the factory will be looking at this thread (we know they sometimes pop along) and take on board the comments.
Shame they aren't like Bentley. They of are the mindset of "yes we can, now what would you like"
Astondb9man said:
Pricing details agreed, for its paint work mods, detailing and v/shield, my DB9 will be making its first trip from the factory direct to BR, A big thank you to all that offered advise, brilliant guys, totally brilliant.
They do that sort of thing all the time. There are now an awful lot of us and more every day who would not dream of taking our cars anywhere else And while you're there... Just have a quick look at the catalyst and manifold package
I think there is close to 600bhp in a DB9.2 ready to be liberated
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