Dock to Dealer

[macdub]

Hi guys..

can you please tell me the usual time it takes the car to reach the dealership once it has arrived in the country?

thanks

[wai]

It will vary as it all depends on when vehicles are being delivered to the dealers.

The vehicle has to make it to the distributor where things like the compliance plates have to be attached. They have to do an inspection to ensure there has been no transport damage, and that the vehicle is as on the manifest.

The biggest variable is getting from the distributor to the dealer as they do not like hiring a transporter for just one vehicle, so it can take a week or more depending on how many vehicles are being sold by the dealer. In my case, the vehicle was ordered on the 5th, the dealer advised me that the vehicle had been reserved on the 6th, but it was only on the 15th that the vehicle reached the dealer. Then it depends on how "big" a customer you are. If there is someone (or business) ordering multiple vehicles, they can get priority over you just buying one. If the transporter is full with the other vehicles, you will have to wait for the next delivery.

It can be frustrating, but I know what it is like when a client keeps calling every morning at 9 am asking "Is the work ready?". The dealer will generally give you an idea as to when it will be ready, so wait until then and only then ask once. If you pester them too much, they will just move you down the list.

The squeaky wheel might get the oil, but it is the quiet one that gets the work done

[macdub]

thanks wai..3 weeks ago when I first made the call, the salesguy told me that he has the car and car is in melbourne..I put a deposit straight away and he told me that I can have car on Saturday the following week I put the deposit.. after that saturday, another week has gone by..the car hasn't reached at the dealership..last week I was told it was at patrick's..I am getting really impatient but dont want to push and keep calling now..

[Hail22]

From what my dealer said in the days of the dinosaur the car needs to go through a variety of checks for ADR compliance.

1. The plastic covering the wheels will be removed, tyre pressures checked.

2. Engine turned on and inspected to make sure vehicle is satisfactory and running as per factory instruction.

3. Removal of interior plastics covering seats.

4. Goes into Patricks terminal to get tyres balanced, wheels will be alligned etc

5. Customs inspection and ADR check to make sure the car is to standard like all other VW's

6. Final approval, car gets detailed and placed onto truck (This whole process can take up to as little as a fortnight to 24 days depending on how many vehicles have arrived at Melbourne's Port.)

So don't stress your car is here and most likely in a line waiting to be checked etc.

[wai]

12 years ago (today's my last day with the Hiace) the Toyota dealer told me that there was the Hiace I wanted in the holding yard and he supposedly reserved it while I was there. It was some 8 weeks later that I eventually got it. So it comes down to the individuals involved.

The dealer I am getting the Caddy from won the order because of the attitude of the sales guy. He was not interested in just maximising his commission, rather he went out of his way to find out if I was entitled to a discount as a member of a professional/trade association, group or company. The discount was not going to cost the dealership one cent as they would be fully reimbursed by VW. He was then able to apply the standard discount the dealership would offer to sweeten the deal. Basically he got his full commission and still wasable to find me a further discount.

The three other dealerships I went to were more interested in their commission and nothing else. They played the game of pushing up any accessories. For example, I wanted a theft alarm fitted. The sales guy called out to someone who worked there who happened walk by asking him what the price was. I could not keep an eye on both and your natural reaction is to turn your attention to the person giving the answer. I am 100% certain that the sales guy was giving hand signals as to how much the other guy should say it is. I knew the standard cost is $490, but was told that it would be "at least $600"!

You can generally get an idea as to how to take the sales guy by the way they come across. There is that classic TV commercial selling retirement products where the sales guy is asked "what about retirement", and he responds telling the customer how he sees his (the sales guy's) retirement only to be reminded that he is supposed to be taking care of the customer.

You can thank these motivational speakers for such attitudes.

[macdub]

dont know waht to do..its ok to wait but i hate when they promise and then dont deliver..he should have told me in the first place that it will be few weeks..neways, cant win..will have to wait anyways..

[pologti18t]

.

4. Goes into Patricks terminal to get tyres balanced, wheels will be alligned etc

5. Customs inspection and ADR check to make sure the car is to standard like all other VW's

They don't balance wheels or do alignments on the cars.
They don't check "adr" compliance.

[Hail22]

Well when my car was sitting in Wollongong i was told that patricks sends it to get that done as at delivery my wheels were not aligned to which VW blamed it on them.

And i never said patricks does the checks, it's a completely different body.

[macdub]

all right..just got a VIN from dealer..tracked the car and its showing in top line of the tracking page - status "DELIVERED FROM", status location "MELBOURNE", date "13-07-2011 14:30:00"..does this mean its at Patrick's?

[Corey_R]

Yes..........