Whinge about dealers (but NO names mentioned !!)

[d_drinks]

Has anyone tried contacting the dealers who have their 'click here' banners appear on these pages?? I'll shortly be looking for a my first TVR (a 4.0L Chimaera) and have contacted 3 of said companies by clikcing on their banner adds and using their contact us page to send them an e-mail. I have had 'read receipts 'from them all and in the 2 weeks since i sent them not one of them has bothered to come back to me in any way What is it with TVR dealers???? I have bought an Alfa, Saab and Peugeot from dealers before and all have got back to me.

As for my TVR, i'm now thinking private is the ONLY way to go, even though i want a warranty.

End of rant; soap box has now been dismantled and packed away

[gazzab]

Why r u going for a 4.0l Chimp? Go the whol hog and go 5.0 or maybe 4.5 as a compromise!!!

[d_drinks]

27, married with child (read - limited budget !!) car parked on the road (already had 1 nicked and burnt out, though not TVR, and had one broken into and the stero, speakers AND speaker cables taken !!!) first TVR i.e. first powerful RWD car, The 320i BMW I had doesn't even come close to a powerful RWD car!! Hence the reasons for the 4.0, there isn't too much cost difference on insurance between the 4.0, 4.5 and 5.0 about £400, but that's £400 i could spend on a nicer car and or running repairs

but on the plus side no points, yet.....

[tvrheart]

Jolly old e-mail, I have found a lot of business set up websites with good intentions but rarely check e-mail or up date their sites. Best bet is to give them a call.

[Green&Mean]

I find the same as TVRHEART, when you respond to any web pages for any products it usually takes around 10-days to get a response.
Always better to phone.

re car, I've got a 400HC, its fast enough for a first TVR - don't worry about that.

[TivHead]

I agree with Gazzab. Try and get a HC 4 ltr, or a 4.3 or 4.5. The petrol consumption difference is negligable and so will the insurance quote be.

You'll be surprised at how quickly you get used to the power. Then left wishing you'd got one with even more grunt! It saves having to upgrade later.....

[PetrolTed]

It's true of a lot of businesses still. I contact a lot of companies via email because it's the way I'm used to working. Many of them don't reply or see the need to reply. These are offline people who still don't see the importance of email. If it's important/urgent just ring them up (especially car salesmen!)

[d_drinks]

As per Ted's comment I use e-mails all the time; working with people in different time zones etc. I am used to conversing via e-mail and getting a response !!! If companies have web pages with contact us why bother with the e-mail part if they can’t be assed to keep tabs on it??

I have phoned one dealer, twice, and am still waiting to hear back from them !! (I know this in not unique to TVR dealers) If there are any dealers in the Southeast who can be bothered to contact a potential customer, please either post a comment in this thread or mail me from my profile…….

[Scottster]

Would have no hesitation to buy private. I dealt with two dealers (both wars I agree) and the warranty isn't worth the paper it's written on anyway. Far better to find a good enthusiast (hell, there's enough on here) rather than a car the garage has no particular interest in anyway.

[Ian V]

I agree with Scottster, I would definately buy my next TVR private. The car I bought from a TVR dealer it turns out to have been ringed (see my earlier post).
This car also had a 'TVR sprint' warranty on it but wasn't worth the paper it was written on. Anyone wishing to know who this dealer is please e-mail me direct.

Ian V

[AndrewD]

You don't need to go to a dealer to get a warranty though. Dealers only buy them from people like Warranty Holdings.

[TivHead]

I agree with everybody. Its all a load of bollox

[nmlowe]

Maybe their computers are only as reliable as their cars!.

Sorry, That was uncalled for. I'll shut up now.

[gemini]

they do themselves no favours. My experience is you have to chse the dealer. I know that you hgave the 15K to spend or more? but they seem to do naff all to satisfiy you! You have to ring them and ring them and ring them. it is a waste. Yeh we all know tvr sells itself but one dealer is clould make a killing by providing what we know as customer satisfaction! WOW! wouldnt that be a change. COME ON TVR dealers. You can be our friends and we can have such a thing as repeat customers?
It isnt about givng those that buy a Tuscan S a track day and a free nosh. Its about answering peoples phone calls and finding them a car. Why do you think people like find a sports car are now doing so well?
Arse into gear seems to be the phrase Im thinking of.

[Imelda]

The reason I no longer drive a TVR is basically all down to my local dealer.

I bought an S3 from this dealer and paid top money for it. It was the most expensive example we looked at, but was in A1 condition so we felt it was worth the money. Kept the car for 6 years and all servicing was carried out by this dealer. Not cheap, but the service and quality of work was excellent. No complaints. I even took a friend down there to convince him he needed a Griff, and he bought one the same day. Well you would, wouldn't you.

Then came the fateful day when I enquired about a trade in against a Griff, and he tried to rip me off. A derisory sum was offered for the S and he wanted top money for the Griff. This despite 6 years of loyalty and introducing a new customer to the delights of his forecourt.

So I buggered off and never went back.

[d_drinks]

This thread appears to be going off what I originally meant just a tad, it wasn't meant as a general less bash dealers cos there cr@p.

A while back when I went to see the TVR-Centre in Barnet they were very good face to face - my whinge is with dealers who say contact us by e-mail then never bother to reply to you, this includes sales enquires, test drives and hire. Step forward dealers with only 3 letters in their name or references to medieval buildings !!! oh bu**ger I've gone and got my soap box back out !!

[blondie]

I'm being put off by my dealer, I bought the car 7 months ago, took it in for the 30k service monday, got a call monday night with the following list of faults, below is the mail I sent to them asking what they'll do for me. I'm awaiting response
1.Oil leak from differential area (possible back plate) = £282 inc vat
2. oil leak from power steering pump/pipes = £141 inc vat
3. oil leak from engine sump gasket = £282 inc vat
4. oil leak from rear of gearbox - £188 inc vat
5. right bank exhaust manifold blowing = labour=£240+vat, parts = £6.40 +vat total £289 inc vat
6. Exhaust flexi pipe dented = £94 inc vat
7. Offside steering rack gaiter starting to split = labour=£140+vat parts £25+vat total £193.87 inc vat
8. rear brake pads low = labour £64 Parts £42.97 total £125.68 inc vat
9. dash walnut facia chipped requires sending away to match. labour to replace £160 + vat
10. driver door button not working intermittantly = £188 inc vat
11. rear tyres low at 3mm = £175 inc vat and fitting
12. cooling temp fan switch required, labour £80+vat, parts £8.15 +vat total=103.57 inc vat
13. "engine running rough" £94 inc vat

As far as I'm concerned 13 should be part of a service, exactly what does "engine running rough" constitute? 8 & 11 are wear and tear and should be paid for by myself. The fact that every major gasket in the car is gone is highly unlikely to have been acheived in the short time that I have owned the car. And is not normal wear and tear. So I'm left with the assumption that you sold me a car with these faults or that all of this should be covered by the wonderful warranty you sold me with the car.

So, I asked the obvious next question, which was how much of this is covered by the warranty you provided with my verhicle? To which the answer is none, since my warranty is only valid if the car actually stops moving.

Therefore, I'd like to know what XXXXXX position is on this as I'm looking at £2500 worth of "mechanical work" outside of normal maintenance of a vehicle that should be "under warranty". I look forward to your response.

[bennno]

blondie,

gulp, that is a major list of repairs and from the look of it the dealer is perhaps taking the p.

did it come from a main dealer ??? perhaps worth checking the warranty over...some do cover oil leaks, the water temp switch should be covered (80 labour is ridiculous as well!), rough running is surely part of an engine tune up (service??). I would have thought the steering rack gaitor and door lock mechanism would also both have been covered under a TVR warranty (assuming it came from a dealer.)

The other stuff like the the dash, the blowing manifold and the various oil leaks might be worth putting off or prioritising perhaps?

Why not try Simon at Offord Motor co, they are very good from what i hear and in your neck of the woods

Bennno

>> Edited by bennno on Thursday 25th April 15:21

[craigw]

My reccomendation is to try Adrian Blyth. I sold my car through him with great success.

Last night I met a chap who bought a Griff 500 from him, after about 2 weeks he had some major problem with the cylinder head & it had to go back to TVR, Adrian told him that if the warranty wouldn't cover it that he would. How many dealers would do this!!?

[bennno]

quote:
Last night I met a chap who bought a Griff 500 from him, after about 2 weeks he had some major problem with the cylinder head & it had to go back to TVR, Adrian told him that if the warranty wouldn't cover it that he would. How many dealers would do this!!?

....pretty much any dealer whom wanted to avoid legal action, under the terms 'not fit for the purpose intended'. You have rights when you purchase from a dealer, and unlike a private purchase the car has to be of a certain quality....warranty actually serves to protect both purchasor and vendor in this situation.

Still its nice to see reassurance being offered up front.

Bennno