Here We Go Again

[scimberk]

After having a terrible experience buying an approved used IQ from an approved Toyota main dealer and being practically put off, what I considered to be the best city car I have ever driven, I went out to buy another. To give the dealer their due, they were very pleasant and did offer me a full refund, Im sure they could have made it more difficult for me, but to be honest they seemed a little too embarrased about the service they offered to be too hard on me.

So, off I went to see more small cars, the Fiat garages were pleasant and their cars well prsented, but the 500s power to weight didnt seem to cut it, looks nice inside and out and the cars on the forecourt were ready to go.

Ford, a combnation of pushy sales and downright depressive salesmen showing me used, presentable, but rather dull Ford Kas, shame really as its the look that put me off.

Suzuki, great sales people, nice cars, shame about the Altos Ncap and some of the best resented used cars I have seen, except fror one dealer out of 4 who was just downright rude, maybe buisness isnt good for them, not surprising.

A little trip to my local Toyota dealer, brough a fairly tatty IQ2 for quite a lot of cas really and a noncholent salesperson that must have been having a bad day, because he more than hinted that he didnt want to sell me the car because he would sell it to someone else less fussy, this left me disliking the Toyota dealer network even more, there is no excuse to be "offish" with customers, yo do not have a monopoly on cars, other dealers are available. the day after, I got an Email and several calls asking me to go back and look at the car as they failed to sell it and if I liked I could buy it, not something I would do as long as I draw breath now.

Mercedes Smart, the best of all and the only car that came lose to the IQ, not through the drive, but the fact I could buy a very nicely presented second hand car that looked new and was treated like a Mercedes buyer, up till yesterday morning I was about to buy one, until I went to Vauxhall.

At Vauxhall, I saw a Corsa, oh my it was dull, slow and to be deadly honest, I would have rather got public transport than drove that, Im sure it was a noce car, but it was too dull to waste any more heartbeats on. Just then, I noticed a NetworkQ IQ2, surprisingly enough, in Island blue like my other one.

It was well presented, unlike the Toyota approved used rubbish that was like the cheap night down Northampton auctions, some with tyres hanging off and one with so many large dents in that I lost count. The salesperson was helpful friendly and their tea was nice too. The only car I have seen in the approved used Toyota network, complete with fairly major body defects that I had to use my imagination on to see what I would hopefully get, was at eat £1500 more expensive than the network q car and it has the same 12 month intensive warranty and pre checks that in my experience Toyota dealers dont seem to do.

Deposit is now on it and will be picked up in a week or so, no panic.

[FROSTYBALLS]

OK - what happens if you get the same issue with the IQ's remote signal? Can't see that the Network Q warranty will apply, as it won't be an electrical breakdown.

[craggle]

Am I the only person that buys a car because it's the car I want?

I did my research before even looking at any cars and decided that an iQ was the car I wanted then I went out looking for suitable iQ's that fitted the bill. I was also prepared to wait for the right car to come along.

Point is I didn't bother looking at any other cars or wasting days looking at other dealers as I wanted an iQ, I wouldn't buy another car just based on how good the dealers coffee is.

Research first then find the car you want?

Craig.

[s44gtw]

There is no need to even walk into car dealerships if they are so bad.

(Unless you want the use of their services & coffee.)

Lots of Private Sellers out there with beautifully maintained vehicles that get rubbish trade in offers and just want a fair price for the car.

Anyone can cut out the middle man and the £500-£1500 mark up they want that keeps then in employment and in nice building,

suits and 'Driving Demonstrators', or soon to be sold cars.

george

[scimberk]

Craig, you are not the only person that buys a car because its what you want, I tried to do that as well, unfortunately, within the area I was prepared to look (75 mile radius) the only IQs were in Toyota dealers, for some reason, in the past few weeks, some seem to have cropped up in other, more professionally run dealerships, allowing me to buy "what I want" I dont think there is anything wrong with hedging your bets, as nothing ventured is nothng gained. The tea/coffee mentioned, was sarcasm by myself, as hat seems to be the only thing other than refunds that the Toyota dealers I have had experience with are any good at.

Mike, as for the remote issue, the car I had was an IQ, the car I have bought is an IQ2, they have completely diffrent locking systems, I have been assured that the IQ2 will not cause the same problem on 2 levels. Firstly, I have had an IQ2 as a courtesy car for many weeks and it hasnt caused problems, however, the NetworkQ dealer, allowed me to take the car home on a test drive and attempt to set off alarms both at my house and my friends, mainly due to them being more local to me than the Toyota dealer I had bought the previous car from. As for the network Q warranty not covering the alarm plipper fault, neither did the Toyota warranty,they said they could not and would not do anything about it, we had come to an agreement that the car was a problem before that and had agreed that if there was any more trouble, I could get my money back and return the car.

[scimberk]

George.

A few years ago, I used to only ever buy cars privately or from auctions, however, one rather nasty experience almost left me losing lots of money.

The crafty seller had takeon out a loan secured on the car and the loan agency had been a little slow sending off the details, the agency I used to check the car for finance etc, were not at fault in telling me that the car was clear, neither were they responsible, it was down to me to get the money from the vendor.

It all turned out well, but would not like to repeat the experience on what I consider to be large cash purchase, at least with a reputable dealer I have some recourse, however, just to be safe, I always pay the deposit, at least, by credit card so they can fight the battle for me.

You can never be TOO safe

[s44gtw]

That is the 'Services' i mentioned along with the coffee.

Just how life is,

you DIY or use professionals to do your work and pay them, and they can be good or bad and that is the lottery.

You have a car now and hopefully it is all fine.

george

[scimberk]

I generally DIY service as I have for years, but a "day to day" car, as the IQ will be for me, will get done as much as it needs to be at the main dealer, then when it needs major work at my local and trusted "back street" garage with the most up to date Modis systems, then for all the stuff I can do, Ill do it at home at my leisure. Im heavily into cars and have collected many for years, this is the forst time I have had dealings with the Toyota dealer network, but, in the past 10 or so years, as needs be, I have had increasingly more dealings with main dealers in general to replenish our "day to day" fleet. Only a few weeks before, I had bought an approved used Suzuki Grand Vitara from a not so local Suzuki dealer, only because my local one didnt have what I wanted in stock and the experience was, as I believe, hoew it should have been, value, quaity, good service and painless, with well presented used cars, not much more expensive than private sales. In this thread I was merely commenting on how the main dealers service and quality differ from marque to marque, if you are buying the top of their range or bottom.

[scimberk]

Im sure I will be over the moon with the IQ when I get it and will be looking forward to what has become the "maiden voyage to Hunstanton" for a bag of chips and some sea air.

[s44gtw]

Sorry, i did not mean 'Services' as in Servicing the car.

I meant if you need them to provide the Service of buying in the vehicle, preparing or not for re-sale, checking its Status as to Finance, preparing for sale etc and acting as 'Go between', paying Tax on their profits, then that is all to be paid for, and thats what the customer does if they use a middle mans (agents)services.

The standard of Customer service greatly differs even within any marque and around the country.

george