Where to begin... short version is that my QV arrived at dealership early Feb and I arranged for a 1st March pickup.
Now 24th Mar, I'm still waiting and no indication of when I'll get it.
(very) long version..
I've bought 3 cars brand new, a Honda and two BMW's and have never experienced or heard of anything like this. Ordered my car in early Dec with expectation of March delivery and heard on 1st Feb the car at the garage, fantastic so eagerly awaited 1st March.
My current car was a M3, bought new in 2010 having kept it for so long as very few cars tick all the boxes that does. After a poor trade-in offer I figure I'll sell it myself and proceed to do so on Monday 26th Feb and borrow a car from family for the next day and a half to get about.
Roll on 28th Feb (day before pickup) and I get a call at 4.30pm. Car not ready, problem spotted during pdi, might be a day or two extra. I was equally fuming and frustrated and need more good will to extend my loan of my borrowed car.
Over the next few days I get some vague messages and something about replacing some gaskets, aiming to get the car ready in a day or two.
Then I get told the engine will be swapped with new one being sent from Italy along with them flying out a tech to fit it. It'll take 20 hours to swap over. Seems extreme but at least I know it'll be in a couple of days.
Contact dries up and my calls not returned so call Alfa UK, they're baffled about the story of new engine and tech and they have experts in Slough and wouldn't fly anyone over let alone send an engine.
Finally get an email early on the 8th informing me of progress, admittedly slow and aiming for delivery on the 8th. Err thats the same day, follow up email says it was sent the day before. Yes, must be google's fault.:nono: so already know I wont get the car that day.
More calls to Alfa UK, mostly me leaving messages asking for information as I've no clue what's going on. Eventual feedback is them debating whether to fix car or find me a new one of same spec (yeah, good luck).
Feel like I've spoken to everyone in the office now, car needs a new sump, go figure. And as if you couldn't guess, there's no spares anywhere so again back on the trail of finding a replacement car.
About a week passes with little contact, little news and no clue when I might get my Alfa. Feels like I force them to realise they won't find a sump and they say they'll get one made specifically. Starting to lose faith in their story..
I've repeatedly asked for a QV as a temporary car but they keep offering me other random Alfa's or Jeep's. Several days later finally accept the Giulietta as no loan QV in sight.
Also falling into the cracks of not being covered by normal customer care as I've not been given the car. Great.
Several more days pass and into w/c 20 Mar. Garage tell me the new sump will be arriving Thursday and I might get car Friday, well Saturday and just as calls ends they say and the sump might turn up Wednesday ?!
Alfa call soon after saying garage should get sump Tuesday morning. WTF - why on earth is the garage then saying I wont get it until Saturday!
Wednesday comes and the sump is fitted, but then they say it'll be send back to Italy (err ok, do I care?). Oh and just for laughs the tech's are also sending back my oil sensor so.... yes I need a new one ordering :depressed:
Been told I have to wait until the sump is analysed back in Italy before they decide whether the car can be repaired and handed over or whether they can find a replacement (sound familiar?). Now I think they're trying my best to turn my depression into a full scale breakdown.
Friday comes (completely skipping the daily updates I've requested several times) and they've found a car heading for a dealer that's a 98% match and will get more clarity later in the day. Several hours later I get a call from Alfa UK to say no-one has returned his emails so oh well will wait and see if anyone replies on Monday. Yeah, no rush.
So that's it, awful communication, vague stories that don't match up, no QV and no QV loan car and absolutely no idea when I might get my QV I ordered.
With nothing happening over the weekend its now perilously close to the 28 day mark when I can cancel and get my deposit back. Naturally I've been looking at what else I can buy but at the same time I still really want the QV, particularly as I benefited from ordering before the price hike (with free servicing).
The biggest difficulty is the lack of information, returned calls, any firm plan and any indication when I'll get my car and what's wrong with the one at the garage. I once heard them quote the notes indicating it being over torqued - find it hard to believe that would have been at the factory.
I've delayed this post as long as possible to give Alfa every chance to sort this situation out but as I've still got no idea when I'm going to get a car and its been over 3 weeks, I've had enough.
Now 24th Mar, I'm still waiting and no indication of when I'll get it.
(very) long version..
I've bought 3 cars brand new, a Honda and two BMW's and have never experienced or heard of anything like this. Ordered my car in early Dec with expectation of March delivery and heard on 1st Feb the car at the garage, fantastic so eagerly awaited 1st March.
My current car was a M3, bought new in 2010 having kept it for so long as very few cars tick all the boxes that does. After a poor trade-in offer I figure I'll sell it myself and proceed to do so on Monday 26th Feb and borrow a car from family for the next day and a half to get about.
Roll on 28th Feb (day before pickup) and I get a call at 4.30pm. Car not ready, problem spotted during pdi, might be a day or two extra. I was equally fuming and frustrated and need more good will to extend my loan of my borrowed car.
Over the next few days I get some vague messages and something about replacing some gaskets, aiming to get the car ready in a day or two.
Then I get told the engine will be swapped with new one being sent from Italy along with them flying out a tech to fit it. It'll take 20 hours to swap over. Seems extreme but at least I know it'll be in a couple of days.
Contact dries up and my calls not returned so call Alfa UK, they're baffled about the story of new engine and tech and they have experts in Slough and wouldn't fly anyone over let alone send an engine.
Finally get an email early on the 8th informing me of progress, admittedly slow and aiming for delivery on the 8th. Err thats the same day, follow up email says it was sent the day before. Yes, must be google's fault.:nono: so already know I wont get the car that day.
More calls to Alfa UK, mostly me leaving messages asking for information as I've no clue what's going on. Eventual feedback is them debating whether to fix car or find me a new one of same spec (yeah, good luck).
Feel like I've spoken to everyone in the office now, car needs a new sump, go figure. And as if you couldn't guess, there's no spares anywhere so again back on the trail of finding a replacement car.
About a week passes with little contact, little news and no clue when I might get my Alfa. Feels like I force them to realise they won't find a sump and they say they'll get one made specifically. Starting to lose faith in their story..
I've repeatedly asked for a QV as a temporary car but they keep offering me other random Alfa's or Jeep's. Several days later finally accept the Giulietta as no loan QV in sight.
Also falling into the cracks of not being covered by normal customer care as I've not been given the car. Great.
Several more days pass and into w/c 20 Mar. Garage tell me the new sump will be arriving Thursday and I might get car Friday, well Saturday and just as calls ends they say and the sump might turn up Wednesday ?!
Alfa call soon after saying garage should get sump Tuesday morning. WTF - why on earth is the garage then saying I wont get it until Saturday!
Wednesday comes and the sump is fitted, but then they say it'll be send back to Italy (err ok, do I care?). Oh and just for laughs the tech's are also sending back my oil sensor so.... yes I need a new one ordering :depressed:
Been told I have to wait until the sump is analysed back in Italy before they decide whether the car can be repaired and handed over or whether they can find a replacement (sound familiar?). Now I think they're trying my best to turn my depression into a full scale breakdown.
Friday comes (completely skipping the daily updates I've requested several times) and they've found a car heading for a dealer that's a 98% match and will get more clarity later in the day. Several hours later I get a call from Alfa UK to say no-one has returned his emails so oh well will wait and see if anyone replies on Monday. Yeah, no rush.
So that's it, awful communication, vague stories that don't match up, no QV and no QV loan car and absolutely no idea when I might get my QV I ordered.
With nothing happening over the weekend its now perilously close to the 28 day mark when I can cancel and get my deposit back. Naturally I've been looking at what else I can buy but at the same time I still really want the QV, particularly as I benefited from ordering before the price hike (with free servicing).
The biggest difficulty is the lack of information, returned calls, any firm plan and any indication when I'll get my car and what's wrong with the one at the garage. I once heard them quote the notes indicating it being over torqued - find it hard to believe that would have been at the factory.
I've delayed this post as long as possible to give Alfa every chance to sort this situation out but as I've still got no idea when I'm going to get a car and its been over 3 weeks, I've had enough.