Jaguar Dealer Experiences
Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 6:54 pm
We all like to bash our Audi dealers on here but I thought I would share my recent Jaguar experiences...
Whilst I wait for a new car to arrive next April I thought I would have myself an F-Type R AWD Convertible. The new R8 is too expensive, the old one is too, well old. The F-Type R AWD is around £105k new and 6 months old is down at around £75k so I figured good value to run for the summer. If you buy one with extended leather etc etc the interior is much nicer than the cheaper ones.
So I call up my local Jaguar dealer; they have one in one of their other dealerships an hour away. 65 plate, 1,500 miles, £67k. They will bring it over for me to buy but only if I pay a £1,000 deposit. After much "I won't commit to buying it until I have seen it" noise this was reduced to £500 to "secure the car". This was 3 weeks ago. A week passes, the next Saturday arrives and I call up to arrange a time to go down and drive it.
"Oh sorry we sold it to someone else" they say. But what about my deposit to "secure the vehicle?". Oops we will refund you and find you another car don't worry.
I should have walked away then, but... later that day they call up; we have found a perfect car, Black, 9,000 miles, 16-plate, £73k, fully loaded. What is the provenance I say; I hope it hasn't been used on the track experiences or whatever? "No it would have been a Jaguar senior executive personal car, they change them every few months". With those assurances I grudgingly part with another £1,000 deposit (I know, I know) and they arrange for it to be delivered the next weekend.
During the week we have many calls, discussions and I always say "You are sure this is a one careful owner car?", "Absolutely sir" replies the stealer.
So it turns up. I go see it on Saturday morning, it is of course very shiny, but has new front brake pads AND DISCS. I ask why the discs after 9,000 miles, they should last 40,000 miles with one careful owner. "Because we know how fussy you are" they say and we wanted this to be perfect for you. The carpets are looking quite worn for the mileage so I get a new set of mats thrown in too.
Then we go inside and whilst I have my card in the machine to pay my £73,000 over I notice the V5 which he is also pushing across the table for me to sign. He has already filled in all my details.
I clock the previous owner "Miles and Miles Car Hire Ltd, London".
"WTF?" I enquire politely, I think that should read "Jaguar Cars GB Ltd".
"Oh, no, it would not have been a hire car, it would have been the owner of the company's personal car".
So we google the firm and of course they rent F-Type Rs.
So my one careful owner F-Type is actually a 30 psychotic owner car. "Drive it like you rented it" is an expression I know well.
Needless to say I walk away and after a few days get my £1,000 back.
Now I would not like to poison all ex- rental cars but to put one forward as a one careful management owner car is a little off, shall we say.
Sometimes you get a message in life and 2 strikes on F-types means I won't be buying any Jaguar vehicles in the foreseeable future. I won't name the dealer, they were actually nice guys underneath but really...
I have never had any such issues with my local Audi guys.
Whilst I wait for a new car to arrive next April I thought I would have myself an F-Type R AWD Convertible. The new R8 is too expensive, the old one is too, well old. The F-Type R AWD is around £105k new and 6 months old is down at around £75k so I figured good value to run for the summer. If you buy one with extended leather etc etc the interior is much nicer than the cheaper ones.
So I call up my local Jaguar dealer; they have one in one of their other dealerships an hour away. 65 plate, 1,500 miles, £67k. They will bring it over for me to buy but only if I pay a £1,000 deposit. After much "I won't commit to buying it until I have seen it" noise this was reduced to £500 to "secure the car". This was 3 weeks ago. A week passes, the next Saturday arrives and I call up to arrange a time to go down and drive it.
"Oh sorry we sold it to someone else" they say. But what about my deposit to "secure the vehicle?". Oops we will refund you and find you another car don't worry.
I should have walked away then, but... later that day they call up; we have found a perfect car, Black, 9,000 miles, 16-plate, £73k, fully loaded. What is the provenance I say; I hope it hasn't been used on the track experiences or whatever? "No it would have been a Jaguar senior executive personal car, they change them every few months". With those assurances I grudgingly part with another £1,000 deposit (I know, I know) and they arrange for it to be delivered the next weekend.
During the week we have many calls, discussions and I always say "You are sure this is a one careful owner car?", "Absolutely sir" replies the stealer.
So it turns up. I go see it on Saturday morning, it is of course very shiny, but has new front brake pads AND DISCS. I ask why the discs after 9,000 miles, they should last 40,000 miles with one careful owner. "Because we know how fussy you are" they say and we wanted this to be perfect for you. The carpets are looking quite worn for the mileage so I get a new set of mats thrown in too.
Then we go inside and whilst I have my card in the machine to pay my £73,000 over I notice the V5 which he is also pushing across the table for me to sign. He has already filled in all my details.
I clock the previous owner "Miles and Miles Car Hire Ltd, London".
"WTF?" I enquire politely, I think that should read "Jaguar Cars GB Ltd".
"Oh, no, it would not have been a hire car, it would have been the owner of the company's personal car".
So we google the firm and of course they rent F-Type Rs.
So my one careful owner F-Type is actually a 30 psychotic owner car. "Drive it like you rented it" is an expression I know well.
Needless to say I walk away and after a few days get my £1,000 back.
Now I would not like to poison all ex- rental cars but to put one forward as a one careful management owner car is a little off, shall we say.
Sometimes you get a message in life and 2 strikes on F-types means I won't be buying any Jaguar vehicles in the foreseeable future. I won't name the dealer, they were actually nice guys underneath but really...
I have never had any such issues with my local Audi guys.
