DB9 Headlights, RHD to LHD
Discussion
The one for my Rangie was free from Land Rover.
I must have been very lucky with AM as from my own email record my initial enquiry and their quote was in late May 2022, though I only actually paid the invoice in September. The dates that Donna has quoted look suspiciously like they might have been invented to match records of perhaps the last quotes one/s issued in 2022..
The Certificate of conformity is a single printed sheet of A4 from an generic document archive and European manufacturers have been obliged to put it in the owners documentation for a few years now. It contains mostly the data in the log book for the given model, the manufacturers declaration, the only thing specific to an individual vehicle is a space where they insert your registration and chassis number.
I argued with £199… but £1000 + VAT??? Jesus, that’s brutal. I have never seen a worse case of blatant gouging, and cynically directed at perhaps the most loyal customers.
If this is the direction they want to take going forward there are going to be far, far fewer loyal fans of the marque (sorry ‘brand’) no matter how much they hype the facelifts of the Mercedes engined cars.
I must have been very lucky with AM as from my own email record my initial enquiry and their quote was in late May 2022, though I only actually paid the invoice in September. The dates that Donna has quoted look suspiciously like they might have been invented to match records of perhaps the last quotes one/s issued in 2022..
The Certificate of conformity is a single printed sheet of A4 from an generic document archive and European manufacturers have been obliged to put it in the owners documentation for a few years now. It contains mostly the data in the log book for the given model, the manufacturers declaration, the only thing specific to an individual vehicle is a space where they insert your registration and chassis number.
I argued with £199… but £1000 + VAT??? Jesus, that’s brutal. I have never seen a worse case of blatant gouging, and cynically directed at perhaps the most loyal customers.
If this is the direction they want to take going forward there are going to be far, far fewer loyal fans of the marque (sorry ‘brand’) no matter how much they hype the facelifts of the Mercedes engined cars.
Edited by Calinours on Wednesday 7th June 18:57
Vantage747 said:
'... prior to our price review we were very much undervaluing our brand and the value of the documents.'
Fortunately I have worked in communications in the car industry for 25 years and am in touch with a great deal of motoring journalists around the world, many of whom will be rather interested to see how Aston is blatantly ripping off its loyal customers. .
Fortunately I have worked in communications in the car industry for 25 years and am in touch with a great deal of motoring journalists around the world, many of whom will be rather interested to see how Aston is blatantly ripping off its loyal customers. .
'Undervaluing our brand' - What a ridiculous and unrelated remark, trying to justify pricing to a customer. An almost insulting phrase, insinuating purposely overpricing just because of image. At least honest there I suppose.
You have got them though with mention of journalists.
Plenty of everyday examples of course, where businesses or services refuse to admit something, but then suddenly offer a full refund plus compensation, the moment a journalist becomes involved. Funny that.
Your comparison with Mercedes is telling. Not much difference in brand images.
I have just replied to Donna and included a few quotes from this thread to illustrate what other customers feel about being ripped off by the brand we love. I have also contacted a couple of my automotive journalist contacts, who would be interested in running a story about this.
Obviously I shall give them time to respond before taking things further, but in the meantime feel free to contact Donna and her department and let them know that a 5-fold price increase for a piece of paper is simply unacceptable.
Obviously I shall give them time to respond before taking things further, but in the meantime feel free to contact Donna and her department and let them know that a 5-fold price increase for a piece of paper is simply unacceptable.
Hi Everyone,
Just a quick follow up in relation to the continental conversion lights.
The AM specialist says that the O/S light is ok but they indicate « N/S seems not to have lever ».
I told them how this lever could be found but they didn’t seem to do the work.
I still don’t know as of today if the conversion has been made or not.
I might have trouble with the French contrôle technique.
Any advice please ? Thanks
Just a quick follow up in relation to the continental conversion lights.
The AM specialist says that the O/S light is ok but they indicate « N/S seems not to have lever ».
I told them how this lever could be found but they didn’t seem to do the work.
I still don’t know as of today if the conversion has been made or not.
I might have trouble with the French contrôle technique.
Any advice please ? Thanks
Yes.
Don’t make stuff into a problem before it actually is.
1. try again with another specialist to adjust the beam
2. Research online lists of ‘RHD friendly’ CT stations complied by clubs etc. Submit anyway for CT.
3. All else fails, use the stickers. Many CT stations (including those in the ‘friendly’ list) will then pass it:
Don’t make stuff into a problem before it actually is.
1. try again with another specialist to adjust the beam
2. Research online lists of ‘RHD friendly’ CT stations complied by clubs etc. Submit anyway for CT.
3. All else fails, use the stickers. Many CT stations (including those in the ‘friendly’ list) will then pass it:
Well, I’ve sent a couple of mails to Donna and she is ignoring them, obviously being petulant if someone has the audacity to question a 5-fold price increase.
I did, however, speak to the DVLA and it may in fact be possible to register my Aston without the COC, thus saving £1200.
Given my recent experience with Aston I will not be buying another. Shame, as I love mine and was a huge fan of the brand, but their petulance and arrogance has really infuriated me.
I did, however, speak to the DVLA and it may in fact be possible to register my Aston without the COC, thus saving £1200.
Given my recent experience with Aston I will not be buying another. Shame, as I love mine and was a huge fan of the brand, but their petulance and arrogance has really infuriated me.
A suggestion for getting round the CoC problem:
The document is just a sheet of A4 with generic type approval information on it. The only thing specific to the car is the chassis number.
Ask someone on here to send a copy of theirs, then scan the document and convert to make it editable. Insert your own chassis number and hey presto.
There is no individual document number so no risk to anyone. You just need any example of a CoC for the same car from roughly the same year (to ensure the data is correct), edit the year if you have to.
b
ks to a grand for a sheet of A4.
The document is just a sheet of A4 with generic type approval information on it. The only thing specific to the car is the chassis number.
Ask someone on here to send a copy of theirs, then scan the document and convert to make it editable. Insert your own chassis number and hey presto.
There is no individual document number so no risk to anyone. You just need any example of a CoC for the same car from roughly the same year (to ensure the data is correct), edit the year if you have to.
b
ks to a grand for a sheet of A4.Update:
My Vantage is finally registered!
I spoke to the DVLA and, although I was told I needed a COC, one guy said I didn’t. Fortunately I had most of the info from the German registration document and that sufficed.
Thank goodness I didn’t have to let Aston Martin rip me off by charging me £1000 plus VAT to print out a piece of paper.
My Vantage is finally registered!
I spoke to the DVLA and, although I was told I needed a COC, one guy said I didn’t. Fortunately I had most of the info from the German registration document and that sufficed.
Thank goodness I didn’t have to let Aston Martin rip me off by charging me £1000 plus VAT to print out a piece of paper.
Hi guys,
I have imported a UK AM db9 to France.
Even with the European reception number, the French Administration demands the COC just because the Type version variant line (D2) is not completely mentioned on the V5.
Does the AM coc still cost 1200 pounds ? Can’t imagine I will have to pay this price just for a useless piece of paper.
Regards
I have imported a UK AM db9 to France.
Even with the European reception number, the French Administration demands the COC just because the Type version variant line (D2) is not completely mentioned on the V5.
Does the AM coc still cost 1200 pounds ? Can’t imagine I will have to pay this price just for a useless piece of paper.
Regards
HarveyS75 said:
Hi guys,
I have imported a UK AM db9 to France.
Even with the European reception number, the French Administration demands the COC just because the Type version variant line (D2) is not completely mentioned on the V5.
Does the AM coc still cost 1200 pounds ? Can’t imagine I will have to pay this price just for a useless piece of paper.
Regards
Yes, they are still insisting on ripping off loyal customers.I have imported a UK AM db9 to France.
Even with the European reception number, the French Administration demands the COC just because the Type version variant line (D2) is not completely mentioned on the V5.
Does the AM coc still cost 1200 pounds ? Can’t imagine I will have to pay this price just for a useless piece of paper.
Regards
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