...if you buy a Monaro, what do you expect.?
Discussion
I know the rules about naming and shaming so I will try and keep names off my post...
I had a bit of a spin in the Monaro and hit some cones. Luckily no other damage than a new front bumper.
I took it to my local trusted paint shop and arranged to drop the car off this Monday. There is only one supplier of Monaro bumpers in the UK so a 'specialised' dealer of said manufacturer was contacted in the East of England. The dealer was in a town with the name that's a cross between a girl called 'Lynn' and the three 'Kings'. Mr Painter ordered the bumper in good time and arranged for my car to be booked in.
I went on the previous Wednesday and checked the bumper was going to arrive in time. While I was there they phoned the 'specialist' dealer and confirmed the bumper would indeed arrive the very next day. So I drop off my car on Monday, arrange a car, sort out insurance and all that guff.
The bumper hadn’t arrived on Monday, but no matter, I am sure it will arrive soon. Today Mr Painter phones me up and tells me they chased the parts department on a delivery date. “14th of March” was the reply. WTF? When Mr Painter asked why the date had magically slipped from 12 hours to 28 days the helpful chap at the parts department replied “well if you buy a Monaro, what do you expect”. When Mr Painter then went on to describe the grief this would cause as the part wasn’t in yet, the ‘specialised’ dealer couldn’t care less and told Mr Painter it was his problem.
From this I can only conclude that owners of Monaro & VXR8’s get flexible part delivery dates coupled with indifferent customer service and to top it off this should be expected. Perhaps the VXR tagline should be “Performance Forged on the Race Track, Supported by Muppets”.
I had a bit of a spin in the Monaro and hit some cones. Luckily no other damage than a new front bumper.
I took it to my local trusted paint shop and arranged to drop the car off this Monday. There is only one supplier of Monaro bumpers in the UK so a 'specialised' dealer of said manufacturer was contacted in the East of England. The dealer was in a town with the name that's a cross between a girl called 'Lynn' and the three 'Kings'. Mr Painter ordered the bumper in good time and arranged for my car to be booked in.
I went on the previous Wednesday and checked the bumper was going to arrive in time. While I was there they phoned the 'specialist' dealer and confirmed the bumper would indeed arrive the very next day. So I drop off my car on Monday, arrange a car, sort out insurance and all that guff.
The bumper hadn’t arrived on Monday, but no matter, I am sure it will arrive soon. Today Mr Painter phones me up and tells me they chased the parts department on a delivery date. “14th of March” was the reply. WTF? When Mr Painter asked why the date had magically slipped from 12 hours to 28 days the helpful chap at the parts department replied “well if you buy a Monaro, what do you expect”. When Mr Painter then went on to describe the grief this would cause as the part wasn’t in yet, the ‘specialised’ dealer couldn’t care less and told Mr Painter it was his problem.
From this I can only conclude that owners of Monaro & VXR8’s get flexible part delivery dates coupled with indifferent customer service and to top it off this should be expected. Perhaps the VXR tagline should be “Performance Forged on the Race Track, Supported by Muppets”.
Are we ever going to get carbon fibre replacement bumpers/wings made, and is there a market for such, as opposed to the originals? Just a thought really, one that has been going around in my head for a while - would give an opportunity for tasteful mods such as the grills seen on the wings of some Wortec cars. Comments anyone?
I needed a new front bumper too. Booked the car into a Vauxhall dealer/Monaro specialist, and stressed that for various reasons I needed the car done in a hurry - they not only obliged, getting the bumper delivered in 3 days, but also when they discovered that the lights needed replacing due to broken brackets, they turned a new set of those up very quickly too.
I wonder.....and I'm only guessing.....whether the Vauxhall dealerships who have stumped up the cash to become Monaro dealerships are (perhaps reasonably??) hanging on to the parts they are able to order? I've been told by one (non-Monaro) VX dealer that they're not able to place orders for parts themselves, so perhaps there's some "investment protection" going on amongst those who can? Purely surmise on my part, feel free to shoot me down.....
I wonder.....and I'm only guessing.....whether the Vauxhall dealerships who have stumped up the cash to become Monaro dealerships are (perhaps reasonably??) hanging on to the parts they are able to order? I've been told by one (non-Monaro) VX dealer that they're not able to place orders for parts themselves, so perhaps there's some "investment protection" going on amongst those who can? Purely surmise on my part, feel free to shoot me down.....
I had unsatisfactory service from what sounds like the same 'specialist' dealer. After receiving the usual 'hope you are happy with our service' letter I wrote and told the General Sales Manager that I wasn't, and why. He did not have the courtesy to respond.
I have also written to Vauxhall Customer Care about how poor the dealers are, and they really don't seem to give a damn. I have been driving Vauxhalls for 27 years and do not feel inclined to buy another after the last letter I got from them, which effectively said, albeit in not so many words, "don't write and complain again".
The useless dealers and the attitude of VCC has ruined the experience of Monaro ownership completely, even though the car is behaving itself and I can have it looked after properly by Monkfish.
I have also written to Vauxhall Customer Care about how poor the dealers are, and they really don't seem to give a damn. I have been driving Vauxhalls for 27 years and do not feel inclined to buy another after the last letter I got from them, which effectively said, albeit in not so many words, "don't write and complain again".
The useless dealers and the attitude of VCC has ruined the experience of Monaro ownership completely, even though the car is behaving itself and I can have it looked after properly by Monkfish.
AM04ARO said:
Is this your first or second spin?
Second... but thats another story!delmeekc said:
Try all the other places, monkfish, rapid-gb etc then just get one from Oz, that's what I do now if I can't get stuff. And the delivery will probably be quicker too.
I tried the fish but no joy. In hindsight I should have gone straight to Aus. I certainly will next time, the less VX has to do with my supply chain the better. RB CV8 said:
VCC has ruined the experience of Monaro ownership completely, even though the car is behaving itself and I can have it looked after properly by Monkfish.
I completely understand where you are coming from. I would say I'm glad someone else knows the pain I've been going through, but I wouldn't wish that on anyone to be honest. Mine is still ongoing now and all I want to do is enjoy my car. I'm looking forward to my first 2 hour(ish) run to Monkfish for my next service and see what customer service is really supposed to be like
Interesting thread, but i think the answer is in your question....
If we expect good customer service in all areas from our car dealers, we will be disappointed, and that goes for the major players like BMW, Merc, VW etc.....I know, because I've been shocked by the shoddy levels of customer care from a lot of 'branded' dealers over the years...
What you should ask yourself is, I'm buying one of not many imported cars from the other side of the world, through the equivelent of McDonalds to the motor trade, should I expect that every part of the car will available immediately? Should I expect to be treated like a Bentley driver by the bods at the Mcdealer just because I drive one of their 'super' cars? My philosophy is, expect to be treated like Mr Nobody, expect to wait 2 months for your part to arrive from Australia, expect a thoroughly s
t service from Mcdealer....then,you may just be surprised!!!!
If we expect good customer service in all areas from our car dealers, we will be disappointed, and that goes for the major players like BMW, Merc, VW etc.....I know, because I've been shocked by the shoddy levels of customer care from a lot of 'branded' dealers over the years...
What you should ask yourself is, I'm buying one of not many imported cars from the other side of the world, through the equivelent of McDonalds to the motor trade, should I expect that every part of the car will available immediately? Should I expect to be treated like a Bentley driver by the bods at the Mcdealer just because I drive one of their 'super' cars? My philosophy is, expect to be treated like Mr Nobody, expect to wait 2 months for your part to arrive from Australia, expect a thoroughly s
t service from Mcdealer....then,you may just be surprised!!!!RoastBeef said:
My philosophy is, expect to be treated like Mr Nobody, expect to wait 2 months for your part to arrive from Australia, expect a thoroughly st service from Mcdealer....then,you may just be surprised!!!!
Whilst that may be beneficial to your blood pressure, it's hardly an acceptable situation or the right approach by the dealer network, is it?t service from Mcdealer....then,you may just be surprised!!!!To be fair in my recent problem the dealer was fantastic and the guy that does work on my car is top.
My view is the support from VX has gone down because the cars are 'old' and not important compared to the VXR8.
All my opinion but VX missed / are missing a huge PR trick with what the Monaro offers compared to some really powerful cars. The last Santa Pod outing showed Vauxhall's beating Ferrari's.....
My view is the support from VX has gone down because the cars are 'old' and not important compared to the VXR8.
All my opinion but VX missed / are missing a huge PR trick with what the Monaro offers compared to some really powerful cars. The last Santa Pod outing showed Vauxhall's beating Ferrari's.....
C8PPO said:
RoastBeef said:
My philosophy is, expect to be treated like Mr Nobody, expect to wait 2 months for your part to arrive from Australia, expect a thoroughly st service from Mcdealer....then,you may just be surprised!!!!
Whilst that may be beneficial to your blood pressure, it's hardly an acceptable situation or the right approach by the dealer network, is it?t service from Mcdealer....then,you may just be surprised!!!!Edited by RoastBeef on Thursday 21st February 23:00
Tempy said:
I completely understand where you are coming from. I would say I'm glad someone else knows the pain I've been going through, but I wouldn't wish that on anyone to be honest. Mine is still ongoing now and all I want to do is enjoy my car. I'm looking forward to my first 2 hour(ish) run to Monkfish for my next service and see what customer service is really supposed to be like
I totally agree, you won't be disappointed - I'm taking my 'ro to Monkfish in Apr for it's MOT, a round trip of 300-ish miles from N.Wales. Says a lot for my local dealer doesn't it?
I love that term - says it all I think it is a bit of an insult - at least McD deliver what they say do...
That is the problem with VX (Vast majority in my experience)they disappoint big time which is made worse as the perception on the whole is if you spend 25 - 40k on a car you expect a certain level of service to go with it..
I used to make hundreds of miles round trips to the the usual well known dealers and mr big fish...and the common theme is they just actually care about what they do.
Personally I think no matter what you spend it does not take a huge amount of effort to treat customers as sensible, rational and reasonably intelligent beings (which the vast majority are) who can tell when they are being fobbed off with a load of B*****ks.
It is not restricted to mainstream 'value' brands either...BMW can be just as bad in my experience...
That is the problem with VX (Vast majority in my experience)they disappoint big time which is made worse as the perception on the whole is if you spend 25 - 40k on a car you expect a certain level of service to go with it..
I used to make hundreds of miles round trips to the the usual well known dealers and mr big fish...and the common theme is they just actually care about what they do.
Personally I think no matter what you spend it does not take a huge amount of effort to treat customers as sensible, rational and reasonably intelligent beings (which the vast majority are) who can tell when they are being fobbed off with a load of B*****ks.
It is not restricted to mainstream 'value' brands either...BMW can be just as bad in my experience...
In retrospect I was obviously naive to expect the service from a dealer that had to be 'approved' by Vauxhall to service/repair the Monaro to be of a half-decent standard.
I have formed the opinion that the company should not have marketed the Monaro - nor the VXR8 - if neither it, nor its' appointed dealers, are capable of providing proper support.
The arrogance of Customer Care was just salt in the wound, though I might of upset them by telling them just how much more knowledgable, friendly and efficient Monkfish are compared with Vauxhall main dealers....
I have formed the opinion that the company should not have marketed the Monaro - nor the VXR8 - if neither it, nor its' appointed dealers, are capable of providing proper support.
The arrogance of Customer Care was just salt in the wound, though I might of upset them by telling them just how much more knowledgable, friendly and efficient Monkfish are compared with Vauxhall main dealers....
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