Dealer care of new car inventory

[Rjscharer]

I received delivery of my new ‘25 Vantage today. The car was shipped in an enclosed trailer from New York to Florida. The car had been detailed by the dealership but there were distinct signs of water spots on the glass, paint that had been etched by bird poop and other
critters. in 2020 my new Vantage was delivered by a different dealership out west with the same issues. These new cars were left outside
for months. Any protective wrapping that was installed at the factory for exposure during shipping had been removed. Most dealerships
here have indoor display room for 5-7 vehicles while the rest of new units are on the outside looking in.


I’m not sure how it is in European markets but when you shell out quite a bit of money you are entitled to expect as near to perfect an example as possible.

Is there no way that Aston can enforce some kind of storage of unsold units to prevent these permanent weather related damage issues?
Acid rain spots are not pretty. It turns out my unit was delivered to the dealer last September 29 and sat outside until purchase by me on
July 27 of this year.

[Stark999]

That’s not good to hear. What are the dealer doing about it? My DB12 was in storage in an underground garage for 4 months

[Dewi 2]

Oh how disappointing.

I doubt dealership detailing is good enough.
If you were in the UK, an expert man known as Paddy, should be able to make your new car look perfect.
The go to Aston Martin man.
It would be 3 days work, but that reveals the amount of effort required.

In the UK, many customers specify their own cars, so they collect as soon as delivered to the dealer.

A brand new car parked outside waiting for a buyer, is of course inviting deterioration.
Are you thinking of rejecting the vehicle?

Edited by Dewi 2 on Saturday 2nd August 06:23

[Simpo Two]

That's annoying I agree.

Roughly what percentage of Astons are built for stock? I assumed they were all made to order. I expect that in the time yours was sitting outside for 10 months you could have had a properly new one.

[Jon39]

Simpo Two said:

That's annoying I agree.

Roughly what percentage of Astons are built for stock? I assumed they were all made to order. I expect that in the time yours was sitting outside for 10 months you could have had a properly new one.

I understand that car buying in America is different from UK.

We usually like to choose an exact specification, then wait for that car to be built.
It seems that USA buyers go to their dealer, choose a car in stock, then take delivery promptly.
That explains the considerable amount of new stock, always being advertised by AM dealers in the USA.
Presumably the US dealers decide the specification of their cars.

[Rjscharer]

Most people in the states haven’t the patience to spec a car and wait. There most be an algorithm of the most popular colors and optional equipment that the dealers use to place orders.


My dealer takes the new cars when they arrive and rushes them in for a photography session before putting them on the outside lot.
Here’s mine…


Here are in stock new ones outside. McLarens are also left in the snow and rain…

[Rjscharer]

Sad state of affairs….

[Stark999]

A very good Detailer can produce amazing results on any of these cars, you’d be surprised. Yes maybe at a cost of £500/$700 - but it can be done

[Jay_Davis]

Jon39 said:

It seems that USA buyers go to their dealer, choose a car in stock, then take delivery promptly.
That explains the considerable amount of new stock, always being advertised by AM dealers in the USA.
Presumably the US dealers decide the specification of their cars.

Apparently not, I understand that a big number of the stock cars are just given to the dealers and they have to take the spec they are given. That does explain why I see 4 or 5 dealers with the exact same car in an odd spec.

Also, perhaps the UK people can verify, isn't there some policy with Aston in the UK that dealers can't advertise new cars that are in stock? I believe I saw that somewhere. There's definitely no such policy here in the US.

[quench]

Stark999 said:

A very good Detailer can produce amazing results on any of these cars, you d be surprised. Yes maybe at a cost of £500/$700 - but it can be done

Yes, they can. But they cannot work miracles, either. Bird droppings are awful; they might etch the clearcoat very badly if left on for long enough, in the sun/heat etc. All polishing does is remove a tiny fraction of the clearcoat, which eliminates most defects because they are so superficial. If the clearcoat is etched to near full depth or full depth, you are out of luck.

[Rjscharer]

I spent much of yesterday and today detailing it myself. It’s always been a hobby of mine so I didn’t care. Water spots and some bird poop were the hardest to remove. I’m a sucker for buying every new car care product that comes on the market. Ceramic coatings,detail sprays, miracle scratch removers (they never work),water purification gizmos,leather cleaners,tire shine, rim cleaners (take your pick for painted,chromes or satin rims)trim restorer,15 kinds of microfiber cloths,blowers to remove water,window cleaners,etc.,etc. I probably need an intervention.

[Dewi 2]

Jay_Davis said:

Also, perhaps the UK people can verify, isn't there some policy with Aston in the UK that dealers can't advertise new cars that are in stock? I believe I saw that somewhere. There's definitely no such policy here in the US.

Yes, that does seem to be an AML rule, imposed upon UK dealers.
Dealer stock cars sometimes have some price flexibility, so if those cars were to be advertised, the published retail list price would probably not correspond.

I looked around a showroom recently and those new cars I saw on display, don't appear in any adverts.
One of them had the description, '2024 Model Year', suggesting manufacture between September 2023 and August 2024.
Unregistered, but fortunately being displayed in a dry, temperature controlled showroom.
Pre-registered 'dealer demonstrators' are advertised. On rare occasions, surprisingly soon after a new model has appeared.

Mercedes-Benz in the UK now operate their dealers on what is known as an Agency basis. The ownership of all the new stock remains with M-B. Vehicles are sold at fixed retail prices and the dealer receives a commission. Therefore dealers cannot undercut each other. Before knowing anything about that way of working, when standing beside a new car in a dealer showroom, I asked the salesman, "Did you choose the specification for this car?" The reply was, "Oh no, these cars just arrive".

Edited by Dewi 2 on Saturday 2nd August 19:26

[Rjscharer]

Pick out a new DB-12 from Aston Martin, Washington DC. bird droppings look especially nice on Volantes.

[Aml21s]

its not great for the interior too, i will be more concerned at the interior, mine doenst sat outside even 30 mn, its a 2013 licence plate and if one car sat outside 10 months even if its a 2020 or 2025 it may already have more time spent outside than mine. the paint is a matter of paying somebody but polishing etc is not great either i will say. i will buy a car that sat the less time possible yes, sorry to add up, maybe newer vehicules can take it but then watch out for this car and care for it. it may end up to be very reliable and loyal.