This can't be normal?

[Baldy]

I'm expecting my car at the end of the month and so I went to Allen Ford Northampton yesterday to finalise some details. Generally all seemed ok, until they told me that the car will be driven to the dealership from their compound, 35 miles away. I really don't want those first 35miles to be driven by someone other than me who has no real interest in looking after it. The thought of it being potentially thrashed and stone chipped before I even see the thing is really not making me happy. They very 'kindly' offered to lorry it to the dealership instead, at a cost of £200!! I recently purchased a new Octavia, it had 4miles on it at collection so the thought of 40+ miles on a much more expensive car is not sitting well with me. Maybe I'm being unreasonable/unrealistic, what do you think?

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[slowhand99]

I'm expecting my car at the end of the month and so I went to Allen Ford Northampton yesterday to finalise some details. Generally all seemed ok, until they told me that the car will be driven to the dealership from their compound, 35 miles away. I really don't want those first 35miles to be driven by someone other than me who has no real interest in looking after it. The thought of it being potentially thrashed and stone chipped before I even see the thing is really not making me happy. They very 'kindly' offered to lorry it to the dealership instead, at a cost of £200!! I recently purchased a new Octavia, it had 4miles on it at collection so the thought of 40+ miles on a much more expensive car is not sitting well with me. Maybe I'm being unreasonable/unrealistic, what do you think?

I agree with you, it should arrive at the dealers on a transporter. It will have 20 to 30 miles on it already because of all the fannying around at the various docks and rail yards, I wouldn't want another 35 on it.

 

[Centurion07]

I wouldn't be happy with that either.

Not sure what you can do about it though.

 

[Heretian]

The only option you have is to walk away as they are not delivering as expected. Tell them that you will reject the car after delivery within you first 30 days so they will be stuck with a 2nd hand car they have to sell. They should then waive the charge.

There is a thread on here showing delivery miles somewhere and I think the average was about 17.

 

[Baldy]

I wouldn't be happy with that either.

Not sure what you can do about it though.

Exactly, not sure what I can do. Apart from the fact that at the time of order I wasn't made aware of the situation, or the possible need to spend £200 to get it to the dealership in the way that I naturally assumed it would.
Thing is, how much of a drive would be considered acceptable by Ford/the dealer? Would they think it's ok to drive it 100miles? To me, it's a new car and shouldn't be driven anymore than it has to be. Obviously the running around on and off trains and boats is unavoidable, but this 35mile journey certainly is
.

 

[Baldy]

The only option you have is to walk away as they are not delivering as expected. Tell them that you will reject the car after delivery within you first 30 days (no reason needed) so they will be stuck with a 2nd hand car they have to sell. They should then waive the charge.

There is a thread on here showing delivery miles somewhere and I think the average was about 17.

You can reject it within 30days without reason? Didn't know that, where do I find details of that? I'd need to let them register it to me for that plan to work, which is fine.
Yes I saw the delivery mileage thread, looks like mine would be well at the top end of the range. As someone said in that thread, it's not so much the number of miles on the clock that bothers me, more how it was treated/driven during those miles.

 

[Wobs]

I got my car from Northampton and that had 50 odd miles on it, and I wasn't particularly happy, but they don't employ young thugs to drive their cars and mine didn't have a mark on it.

All cars are transported to their holding compound and driven to their destination, unless there are more than one car.

You could pay for the car to be delivered on a low loader, but then you would have to trust the delivery driver to load it properly and not damage the rear valance as it's being loaded for example,, the wheels might get damaged as they are being tied down etc.

Yes, it's not what I expected, but the rewards far outweigh the few "extra" miles on the car.

 

[Lone Survivor]

i wouldn't be too fussed, it'll probably be the salesman or the usual elderly gent that they employ for these tasks. It'll be fine, you've still got to inspect it before handover anyway, but like the majority of us, the car will appear and you'll be like a moth to a light bulb

Just enjoy the handover.

 

[Baldy]

Well that's comforting, and good points regarding transporter damage. They did say that the drivers are all retired chaps. Annoyingly, one of the most terrifying passenger rides I've had in a car was with one of TCH Peterboroughs 'mature' drivers who took me home when I dropped my van in for service. It was an experience I'll not forget in a hurry!

 

[Baldy]

i wouldn't be too fussed, it'll probably be the salesman or the usual elderly gent that they employ for these tasks. It'll be fine, you've still got to inspect it before handover anyway, but like the majority of us, the car will appear and you'll be like a moth to a light bulb

Just enjoy the handover.

You're probably right, it's just hard to not be overly worried/emotional. It's by far the most exciting car I've ever bought and I really want it to be perfect. It doesn't feel like too much to ask for the best part of £40k!

 

[christianUK]

By the time it gets to you it's been driven half way around Baltimore docks and they've done things like open the door over a post and scratched the underside (like mine) and by the time you open the door for the first time and sit in you won't care one bit. Any small things can be fixed and any mileage is just a bit more run in. Yours won't be the first Mustang they've ever driven.

 

[Centurion07]

You can't just reject it in the first 30 days for no reason.

It has to be either:

A. Not fit for purpose

B. Not as described

C. Not of reasonable quality


An "extra" 35 miles on the clock doesn't meet any of those criteria.

 

[Drewbo]

usual elderly gent that they employ for these tasks.

I'd be more concerned about correctly fitted incontinence pads than rock chips.

 

[666mac]

Mm car guys will say its not acceptable it's just not and a true car Guy would agree, so the car has to get here we know that so you can live with short shunts up the dock round the boat etc but 35 Miles of open UK roads I'd tell them to transport it no question.

 

[slowhand99]

..............or find out when they are doing it and go with them. Their insurance is for any driver.

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