New Car used as a Demo

[Maverick]

I agree with the OP, that it was poor form that theres some kid running around in the backseat of the car. I dont know what the proper outcome might be, because at the end of the day, the dealer will end up delivering a clean car as specified on the contract.

But thats not the issue here is it. For me, its poor form on the dealer's part because it negatively influences the customers' experience.

It does if the customer let's it, best to move on and enjoy the new car and not worry about what is really a non event.

I’ve also seen some ridiculous analogies All of the things listed are done to build, specify and deliver the car to you. How can you throw “random child running around in the backseat making a mess of the interior” in the same boat as "fitting a compliance plate"?!?

I didn't say it was the same but realistically many worse things would have occurred to the car since it was manufactured but the car would be cleaned and delivered as a new car. You have wharfies that thrash the cars on and off the ships but there is nothing you can do about it so why worry about it?

How about the standard a reasonable person would expect! Obviously your definition of reasonable appears to be different to the OP.

How about you read what I've written throughout this thread for a start, I said I wouldn't be happy about it but if you're expecting the dealer to give you a BJ to make up for it I think you're going to be disappointed and it's best to move on as it's not worth destroying your relationship with the dealer over such a minor matter.

[Transporter]

I think that is really time to move on! Five pages about someone else than original buyer seating in the car before delivery? Unless you hear dealer's story and people who sat in the car, you can't be the judges!

Move on!

[Corey_R]

I think that is really time to move on! Five pages about someone else than original buyer seating in the car before delivery? Unless you hear dealer's story and people who sat in the car, you can't be the judges!

Move on!

Yes, this sounds like a good idea!
The most recent post from the OP was on Saturday...

Picking up the car tomorrow..I'll keep you guys posted.

Hopefully there will be no brawl when negotiations take place lol.

So we'll wait to hear what RGFC1986 reports back with...

[V6Passat]

Maverick..take a pill and relax. Yes the anology is extreme, but thats the point. When i make a significant purchase, like a new car, i expect a new car. That is, one which has not been sitting in a show room being used for who knows what. If i as a buyer accept whats on the floor, then thats different. If on the other hand i order and have to wait for a new car, then this isnt accetable.

You can put up with crappy service and being treated poorly. Me on the other hand will not.

Cheers

[Highlander]

Maverick..take a pill and relax. Yes the anology is extreme, but thats the point. When i make a significant purchase, like a new car, i expect a new car. That is, one which has not been sitting in a show room being used for who knows what. If i as a buyer accept whats on the floor, then thats different. If on the other hand i order and have to wait for a new car, then this isnt accetable.

You can put up with crappy service and being treated poorly. Me on the other hand will not.

Cheers

I wouldn't be happy either. My CC has done just over 10000kms and still no one has sat in the back seat (except me when cleaning the inside of the rear window)

Totally different experience at my local dealer. Blue R on the showroom floor with NO PLATES. Car was locked and when I asked for a good look at the car, the salesman (with whom I have a very good relationship) said "Sorry it's sold and it's policy to lock them up once sold, It's not our car any more"

Last sentence is the key. "It's not our car any more"

[Corey_R]

I wouldn't be happy either. My CC has done just over 10000kms and still no one has sat in the back seat (except me when cleaning the inside of the rear window)

Sorry? How do you know this?
Factory workers would have definitely sat in your back seat whilst fitting various components in the factory - probably multiple times. Have a look at any of the numerous National Geographic or Discovery Channel documentaries on how cars are built....
Wharfies may have (not for their job, but just cause they can).
The compliance guys may have sat AND knelt on your back seat whilst installing the child harness anchor points... must easier to do it from the back seat with the split fold down, than by laying/crawling in the boot of a sedan.
If tinting film was applied (as opposed to factory tint), then the tint specialist probably sat there.
Then finally, the dealer guys probably would have whilst cleaning the car in preparation for you.


I believe that this is the point that Maverick was making.
It's kinda like when building a new house. When you receive it, you SHOULD expect it to be clean and the hand over experience to be nice. But you can't expect that no one else has been in it before you, because that's not realistic.

I feel the dealer handled things bad. The response should have been an apology, and we'll reclean the car for you. Maybe throwing in an umbrella or something for good will. But to expect some of the things suggested in this thread (like being provided a different car!) when every single new car has had multiple people in it before you take delivery is not reasonable.

[Spilledprawn]

I had exceptional dealings with Barloworld in Moorabbin. Signed a contract for a traded Golf GT Sport. It was detailed, parked away and locked whilst waiting for transport to Perth. That's great service, and makes buying a vehicle a positive experience.

You buy from a dealer, which costs more than privately sold vehicles, for piece of mind amongst other things. Anything which detracts from that feeling sours the event. Expecting the car never to have been sat in is rich, however a bit of diplomacy from the salesperson in the first instance ie an apology, would probably have meant this thread wasn't started!

[Maverick]

Sorry? How do you know this?
Factory workers would have definitely sat in your back seat whilst fitting various components in the factory - probably multiple times. Have a look at any of the numerous National Geographic or Discovery Channel documentaries on how cars are built....
Wharfies may have (not for their job, but just cause they can).
The compliance guys may have sat AND knelt on your back seat whilst installing the child harness anchor points... must easier to do it from the back seat with the split fold down, than by laying/crawling in the boot of a sedan.
If tinting film was applied (as opposed to factory tint), then the tint specialist probably sat there.
Then finally, the dealer guys probably would have whilst cleaning the car in preparation for you.

The sales manager may have taken the receptionist down to try out the back seat as well or a few guys from the workshop may have chilled out back there leaving a hell of a mess but it would have all been cleaned up and you'd be none the wiser.

I believe that this is the point that Maverick was making.
It's kinda like when building a new house. When you receive it, you SHOULD expect it to be clean and the hand over experience to be nice. But you can't expect that no one else has been in it before you, because that's not realistic.

And unlike some other analogies in here that's the closest one.

You look at the state of building sites and your new kitchen, or new $10,000 bathtub, or toilet within hours of being installed and it's must much worse than a few footprints on a seat. What matters however is the finished product when the house is settled and handed over. There may have been 500 workmen through the house, some prospective clients and so forth.

I feel the dealer handled things bad. The response should have been an apology, and we'll reclean the car for you. Maybe throwing in an umbrella or something for good will. But to expect some of the things suggested in this thread (like being provided a different car!) when every single new car has had multiple people in it before you take delivery is not reasonable.

x 2 and I suspect that the OP may have misread an attempt at humour unless of course the salesman was actually pissed off at delays picking the car up.

[RGFC1986]

I didn't expect this topic to create this much controversy, but it has effectively highlighted that we all have different expectations in relation to the purchase of a new car.

A few people have raised the point that potentially there could have been many people (compliance guys, wharfies, mechanics etc) who would've handled the car before it arrived on the showroom floor. In most cases, these people would have used the car for a certain purpose, and only a minor percentage would have fiddled around unnecessarily. However, this is not how all potential customers treat the car when its at the showroom, as certain people can be rough because it is NO THEIR CAR, and they feel they can handle it anyway they want. The sales guy at the dealership I dealt with informed me that they sold 70 cars in one week, which means potentially 70 different groups of people (actual customers) and many more potential customers would have most likely tried out my car. Why should I be ok with all these people trying out the car that I have ordered and paid a deposit for? As a matter of courtesy, I believe I should've been asked if it is ok to place my car in the showroom for display. If it was too expensive to keep it in the warehouse, then I would've preferred to pay a reasonable fee for storage rather than keeping it unlocked in the showroom.

That is not even the main point. The main point is the way the dealer just shrugged it off like it's no problem. Although I had paid my deposit and had submitted my finance contract soon after, he even told me that it is not my car until I have signed all of the papers. Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't the payment of deposit establish a contract?

Anyway, I picked up my car yesterday evening and I can assure you there was no brawl. I simply restated to the dealer that I would've been happier if my car had been kept locked the whole time. But the response was "We get lots of buyers who are quite happy to let us use their car for display". To me this is irrelevant, because different buyers have different expectations. It is upto the sales team to identify those needs and assist with the satisfying of those needs. Surely, expecting your new car to be not put on display is not an unrealistic expectation. Customer service is equally important as the product or service being sold. Like somebody mentioned before, certain dealerships actually wrap the new car is a ribbon when delivering it to the customer, and these little things really do count. Basically, there was not any big fuss over this issue because I was over it and I just wanted my first new car experience to be something positive. I can surely let it slide, but every customer is entitled to a positive experience.

[RGFC1986]

*not their car