Hey guys,
My car has been delivered!!
So I'm in a position to give my buying experience.....
Ok as I said previously I bought the Cactus from a online dealer as the discount was such I couldn't do it any other way.
The initial dealings were pretty standard, the order and deposit were taken with good efficiency so nothing to report. The wait commenced, as we all know it's a long one! The dealer responded to my requests for updates without problem and kept me in the loop though I initiated contact each time. When the car came into the country the dealer let me know and gave me an expected delivery date, the actual date (today) was sooner so happy days!
So the delievery day arrived and I was promised a phone call to let me know a rough time the car would be delivered, I didn't get one but no bother as I was off work and home all day. Then about 10am a yellow Cactus pulls up on the drive, I thought "that's strange", I'd assumed all along that the car would be delivered on a trailer or wagon, I was wrong.
I head out and ask the driver where he had come from, the midlands he replied 120 miles....My heart sank and I'll be honest I nearly shed a tear. My new car now had 125 miles on the clock and the associated grime of a journey on a mucky day, the driver had a bit of a dandruff problem so the first job was get the hoover out and wipe away sticky paw prints. Not a new car hand over experience by any means. This is my brand new car which I've waited a long time for and should have been such a happy occasion :-(
I phone the dealer to convey my dismay and get some cock and bull story about delivery options being in the FAQ on the website. I was never once offered any options on delivery, am I being unreasonable to expect details as important as this to be made crystal clear. I has numerous telephone conversations and numerous emails with the dealer and nothing was ever mentioned. I've since gone back through the T&C's of the contract of sale and delivery method isn't mentioned.
But again I feel it is so important as part of the buying experinece that it should be made clear from day one. I just feel deflated, my car has been driven its fist big journey by some greasy arsed delivery driver and that makes me rather sad.
Please feel free to give your opinions on this and possibly if you all think I'm being silly then I'll get over it quicker! Or should I take this further?
But that isn't the end.......so I do all the checks of the car and everything seems in order, spare wheel as ordered, white mirrors and white Cactus decal check....everything associated with the flair spec seems to be there, rev cam, sat nav etc. Ok at least it's the right car! So pop in the house to get a pen and as I walk back out I notice a glaring error! The car has black alloys, I order the diamond cut, oh golly this day is getting worse....back on to the dealer, tells me to sign for car and it'll be sorted, he'll phone Citroen right away. Good to his word he calls back and lets me know Citroen have taken the blame and will arrange new alloys to my local Citroen dealer asap.
The wheels are just one of those things and a genuinely expect this to be recified soon enough so I'm not too worried about this although it's annoying because it makes you feel like your order hasn't been treated properly.
My main gripe and to me it's a big thing is the delivery of the car, I don't feel like I've had a new car experience, had I known then I would have been prepared for it. But mores the point I would not have taken this delivery option, I'd have either paid for delivery by transporter or I'd have driven to the midlands Citroen dealer the car came from ( they even put their dealer plates on!).
So there you go, my Citroen Cactus buying experience.
I've only taken the car for a short drive as I'm genuinely upset and kind of not in love with my Cactus but I hope that changes, I've been dreaming of this day for 4 months and it wasn't supposed to be like this.
