[FiestaRed]

I originally placed my order for a replacement vehicle in early August of last year. I was told the order had been cancelled twice by Vauxhall updating the Astra Sports Tourer.

Last week I was informed the car was finally arriving but the order had again been cancelled yet again and my dealership had obtained a car with the same spec from a different dealership. At the handover, the car was there but covered with a big red Vauxhall sheet while all the paperwork was done. The first thing I noticed when the cover came off was a chip of paint missing from a door handle and the car was not fitted with parking sensors. These I was told would be fitted at a later date.

Had I seen the car and known about this before doing all the paperwork I would not have accepted it. No one at Vauxhall or my dealership seems to have the slightest clue as to why the orders were cancelled. I just feel badly let down by the dealership and Vauxhall in particular.

Topic

[joss]

I would contact Motability and log a complaint with them. Customer service – : 0300 456 4566 open until 5 pm today.

I always say, never enter you PIN until you have viewed the car and made sure it is what you asked for. That way you can just walk away.

Joss
Current car: BMW X2 sDrive 20i M Sport 5dr Step Auto In metallic Portimão Blue. 04:10:2025
Previous car:Peugeot 308 GT Premium 1.2 Pure tech Petrol.

[Richy]

I was lucky with my current car that I entered my pin, and then they brought the car round to me, it was fine thankfully, it’s only cause I’ve seen the advice on this forum that I won’t be excepting or entering the pin for my grandland unless it comes with the exact spec they have told me, and was advertised.
<p style=”text-align: left;”>It’s such a shame they have done that to you fiestared</p>

[FiestaRed]

Thanks Joss, I wish I’d had that information with me before I visited the dealership.

In the past the Motability lady I had always dealt with was nothing short of excellent and was as genuine as anyone I have ever met. The dealership was taken over by one of the “big” ones and I should have realised that the service had changed too and not for the better.

Is there any point in contacting Motability now, if only to pass on the experience?

[Richy]

I would contact motability, they’ve always been fantastic with help, and looking on this forum many have said the same thing, I would call and let them know if it were me ?

[Tim]

Technically you don’t have to accept the vehicle…

You purchased with parking sensors in the specification I assume. The dealer messed you around a couple of times and sourced a vehicle from stock at another dealership. That vehicle was not the spec you ordered so they are retrofitting sensors. That’s not what you ordered and the entering of the pin happens way to often before seeing the vehicle, motability are quite understanding in this area.

I’m sure if you explain the experience to motability, and with the car not even being the correct spec they will understand. Have a think about your preferred option as I’m sure you have at least a couple to choose from. Sorry to hear of your bad experience.

[NewYork1]

@FiestaRed I think you’ve had the patience of a saint to be messed around and wait this long for your new car, even with covid restriction.

I picked up our new car on Monday and the dealer was great. Gave us the keys and said have a look around make sure everything is all right with it and to go back to him once we were satisfied to complete paperwork and pin.

Current Car
KIA Sportage GT Line Mhev
Previous Cars
Peugeot 5008 Allure Premium
VW Touran SEL
Citreon C4 Picasso

[FiestaRed]

Thanks everyone for all the help and great advice. Really appreciated.

 

[Richie]

contact them as motabilty will probably be fuming that the dealership has basically had you and them over, they have paid for a new car specced with sensors, these missing from the spec sheet affect the resale value of the car even at auction and motability have not got what they have basically paid for. Call them asap tbh.

and name and shame the dealers, this is so underhanded its unreal, keeping it all under cover to hide the defect as well as no parking sensors until after you entered the pin… some Dealers really get on my nerves with how they think they can get something over on disabled drivers…

[joss]

@FiestaRed

I suggested reporting this to motability because, A: You did not get the car you specified. B: If we do not let motability know of poor dealership experiences, How are we going to change things in the future for our self’s and other motability customers.

Once again I am sorry you have been treated in such a shoddy way.

Joss
Current car: BMW X2 sDrive 20i M Sport 5dr Step Auto In metallic Portimão Blue. 04:10:2025
Previous car:Peugeot 308 GT Premium 1.2 Pure tech Petrol.

[FiestaRed]

Thanks again for all the help.

I’ve had at least five Motability cars from the same dealership but it was taken over by one of the “big” ones after I collected my precious car. The lady I dealt with then was absolutely brilliant, really went out of her way to make the whole experience a good one.

I will contact Motability on Monday as I now understand they are not getting what they’ve paid for.

[Paul]

Also if they have been sly enough to cover car in sheet and supply a car not fully spec to your  order.Surely that is a warning to how you will be treated going forward throughout your lease. Such as future issues,mot service etc..As above contact motorbility with whats gone on ,personally i would cancel and avoid that dealer,doubt you will lose any money as motorbility will be aware of points you raise..Also i agree ,name and shame them.

[John Newton]

When I picked my Mercedes up on Tuesday my dealer was telling me about how often he has heard of dealers doing it, it would seem to me that if they broke the rules Motability should do something it can’t be that hard surely.

From April 2024 Toyota BZ4X now From april 2025 Skoda Enyaq 85 Edition due to BZ4x being written off

[Waltersoprano1]

You could contact them tomorrow. If they haven’t provided the spec motabilty ordered then it could cause issues with insurance etc

[Richard]

I’d be very wary of them retro fitting parking sensors, are they fitting the proper vauxhall factory sensors or an aftermarket kit? Will the car warranty cover them or a year down the line will you end up caught between vauxhall & motability if they stop working.

I’d be really kicking off over that treatment tbh, it’s not good enough to hide a car under a sheet, it’s underhanded & sneaky.

[fwippers]

The golden rule. Don’t enter your PIN u til you have seen the car and are happy. I had a lousy handover by a BMW dealer that really didn’t  care, was lacking in product knowledge and when I  got home there was an issue on wether the car had park assist or not. Motability were Crystal clear that if I was in anyway unhappy I should have not signed the contract as once I had then I had accepted the car. It did have park assist but unfortunately had an early termination due to a faulty gearbox.

[Glos Guy]

Sorry to hear about your poor experience. To add to what Richard has said, parking sensors fitted by dealers are never terribly good. You get the ‘beeping’ noise but in order to get the visual ‘radar’ graphics on the dash or Multimedia display they usually need to be the proper factory fitted ones. Might be worth checking what you are going to end up with.

[FiestaRed]

I contacted Motability first thing this morning and, as usual, they were most helpful. I explained about the car being under a cover and the problems I later found. They are in contact with the dealership and will sort things out with them.

For me, another lesson well and truly learned, even if your new car has a cover over it, ALWAYS check it over BEFORE adding you pin number.

Thanks everyone for all the help and advice, really appreciated.

 

[Dave W]

Great news – hope you get a positive outcome.

[joss]

@FiestaRed

I am pleased that you contacted Motability Customer services. I hope they offer you a suitable solution. One that you are happy with. So please keep us updated.

 

Joss
Current car: BMW X2 sDrive 20i M Sport 5dr Step Auto In metallic Portimão Blue. 04:10:2025
Previous car:Peugeot 308 GT Premium 1.2 Pure tech Petrol.

[mitch]

regarding the rear sensors etc i seem to think that vauxhall motability cars are fitted with them even on models that are not specced with them but i am fairly sure in the small print it does say dealer fitted.

 

[FiestaRed]

When I spoke with Motability this morning the lady did say that ALL Vauxhalls for Motability customers should come with the parking sensors pre fitted.

[Richard]

I can’t imagine that fitting after market would be particularly cist effective, these things are so cheap & on almost every model these days.

I’d hope they’re adding them as in its the proper vauxhall/psa part that just needs plugging in & software updating & it’ll work as per the factory but if not then that’d be a huge no from me.

That sheet business is exactly like the stunt of sign this contract whilst the rest of the contract is covered by another piece of paper, had that pulled on me at 17 to hide the awful terms they had you agreeing to

[Noel]

Looking at the vauxhall website all sports tourers come with front and rear sensors, so where have they found one with them missing?

 

[FiestaRed]

Thanks for that Noel, that’s what I’ve been thinking too.

[FiestaRed]

Just looked at the latest build brochure and it shows the Front & Rear Parking Sensors are offered as an option at £480.

 

[Author]

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