[Zoe]

I have been in the scheme for many years, in May it was time for my next car. So I went through the list and decided on the DS 7 cross back performance line with added packs comfort pack and electronic tailgate.i was assessed for adaptions left accelerator, hoist and steering ball. In June I got the go ahead to order.

3 months went by and I hadn’t heard much I eventually rang to be told the car was in being checked and it would be sent for adaptations, several times I’d emailed checking all was ok and that the order included the packs etc etc. You know where this is going??!? My Motability specialist was off sick so another guy did the handover, took the deposit, and pin, said he’d bring the car round to show me once this was done, drives it round, NO ELECTRONIC BOOT!! Hoist fitted but I can’t reach (4ft 7) so I can’t use the car or my electric wheelchair. I can’t pull down the boot due to my condition, it’s been 3 weeks of back and forth Motability DS trying to get me a suitable car, they suggest a car as a one off  on the scheme that has what I need, DS decide I can’t have it, even though it will leave me without a suitable car, ( due to my condition changing I needed this newly adapted car) it turns out my specialist wrote the right codes but some idiot in the office decided to change the code to a black pack! No one checked, it went through allegedly so many checks and no one noticed the missing electric boot! Even when I paid £1800 extra it still wasn’t in the car! So I’m left after months having to re order a new car. I won’t go with DS! Their procedures just arnt robust enough to avoid errors when made. I haven’t received an official apology or anything, I’ll now be getting a new car in February, 9 months after I received my renewal letter! Not sure if anyone else has had issues with DS or any other dealers but I would be interesting to know how Motability dealt with it , they’ve been quite unhelpful tbh. They did try to get me a hire car it’s adaptions but none have electric seats which I need. It’s been a farce from start to finish and has hugely put me off!!

Topic

[Paul]

<p style=”text-align: center;”>The car was only shown to you after you gave deposit and entered pin?</p>

[Philjb]

A few times now I’ve heard members enter the PIN number before  checking over the car or making sure it had all the correct adaptations you needed.

Ive not been in the scheme that long but have always been asked to inspect the car before signing or entering my pin.

What car have or are you thinking of ordering.

[Zoe]

Hi yes was asked to pay the deposit put the pin first, it’s not the first time I’ve been asked that so thought nothing of it, in hindsight I’ll never do it again! They then drove the car to the front for me to see and get in, it’s only then I realised the boot wasn’t electric, they’d also left the back seats down all the taken apart boot adaption pieces and shelf left over in the back and it was filthy! Not great! As I’m unsure how they’d think I would be able to clear that up and put the seats back. Just really thoughtless. I’ve never had a handover where the car interior is a tip lol!

I have ordered the Volvo xc40, the ds has increased by £1000 and the Volvo are offering the inscription pro with electric boot and seats as standard for £2100 upfront payment, so it’s a no brainier. I’ve been hugely put off by DS mistake but mostly by their behaviour and lack of help following their mistake.

[joss]

I know it has already be said, however, I can not empathsis enough that you should not enter code until you are fully satisfied that the car is what you ordered. I do hope everything goes well for you with the volvo Zoe.

 

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.

[BionicRusty]

Zoe, what a horror of a story. I so feel for you. All that wait to be so disappointed.

Thank you for sharing though. To be honest, it really has put me off DS.

? I will be remembered for nothing but had great fun doing it ?

[vinalspin]

I looked at the DS and decided against for 2 reasons, 1st being the fact we can only get the 2 lower spec models and have to spend thousands to get a decent spec and 2nd the guys in the “salon” didn’t have a clue about even the basics of how a lease works through Motability and were telling me things that I’m sure they just made up on the spot to try to get a sale and when called on a few of the things they had told me and I had the evidence from the website on my phone the reps both picked up their phones and looked at them, then made the excuse they had to see their manager and just got up and walked away into the back offices, after 10 minutes I just left, I didn’t have the energy to be mad but I did manage to leave with a pen and a nice mug. ?

[Philjb]

Zoe

Ive always had it explained to me by the dealer, They let me inspect the car before anything is signed or pin entered, as they have to tick off a check list to say they have showed you everything and the car is suitable and then PIN number any outstanding payment etc.

None of that matters now and with such a big mistake you wouldn’t be expected to except the car anyway as it’s obviously not suitable.

Good choice on the Volvo have they given you an expected delivery date? I know when we looked last year the wait was about 9 months min.

definitely don’t enter your PIN number until you’ve checked out everything next time.

 

 

 

[ChrisK]

Your not the only one to be caught out by devious dealers Zoe and I too was let down by my current dealer.

It was a quick order of a KIA after the non delivery of a cancelled VW Touran because of 9 month delivery times so I was already pee’d off going around dealers again trying to get a suitable replacement car.

When I enquired about the car 3 weeks before delivery I said to the dealer the car must have an electronic hand brake and although I can get by without it, it makes my life one hell of a lot easier with one but the one I was viewing in the showroom was a MY18 model with no EHB and not the MY19 model with EHB and was assured by the dealer it would be a MY19.

Anyway like you having had 3 cars previous to this one and having no problems what-so ever I put the PIN in without checking the car and while I waited for the adaption fitter to install my scooter on to the hoist I asked the dealer if the EHB and auto-hold worked the same as the VW version and he gave me all sorts of bull’s muck because unknown to me at that minute the car had a standard handbrake but it was too late, the PIN was in but right there and then I knew something was a miss.

One thing to remember looking at collecting a new car from the view of a disabled driver with a carer/wife who does not know a thing about cars other than its colour its not a joy to collect a new car, in fact it’s a nightmare and getting in and out of the showroom is my main concern at that moment and not asking what this knob does or what that one does.

I can get by with the car I’ve got for 2 years more to go but lesson learned and won’t get caught again but in future I will view all dealers with so say Motability experience as I view my MP, with utter contempt and take them as lying, double crossing low-down bums, but of course I will speak with a civil tongue and all nice and polite, just like they do.

[Philjb]

I thought it’s  because we are disabled that dealers show us around cars before we put a pin number in, for our protection against mistakes.

Even if we know nothing about cars we can check the options and the adaptions are correct at least, it’s up to the dealer to show how things work and then ask if we have any other questions.

Also the dealer check list is something that motability insist on as far as I’m aware?

my wife or daughters no nothing about cars at all other then the little I’ve told them. But I definitely wouldn’t be driving home in a car that wasn’t suitable.

Just last week I went with my daughter to collect her brand new mini, she took me along in my chair as she knows nothing about cars, but the salesman was great, showed her every function, explained all the breakdown  over, service plan and only when she was happy completed everything, I wasn’t needed at all.

I totally agree about there being plenty of terrible sales staff at dealers. Lots of them need retraining or training in how to help disabled customers.

[Noel]

Philjb, we have just ordered a MINI, did you/daughter have any way of tracking the build the way VW lets you? Looked online but cant find any trackers

[Philjb]

Noel they told her the car would be built in 4-6 weeks as she wanted a panoramic sunroof and special paint job. ( not on scheme ) and they emailed her every 2 weeks updating her.
They had  asked if she wanted more frequent updates then every two weeks, so great service.

The car turned up in 6 weeks to the day.

I don’t think she did anything else.

I was really impressed much better then Vw and Audi from my experience.

[Noel]

cheers, was only ordered thursday so will wait for updates, cant have it til january anyway so should be built by then

 

[Author]

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