(G) Help...our pops not coming

My days just been ruined as my dealer has just rang to say that my for some unknow reason my spec changes to our 1.2 pop have not been done. So its on the way with no chrome kit, alloys, air con etc etc .
So if I want the same spec then its going to have to be a fresh order with june/july delivery
Totally peed off, was all excited about the car being only a month away to being totally fed right up. The dealer is pointing the finger at Fiat so I'm going to go in this afternoon to try to get to the bottom of this total mess.
Might be worth checking with your dealers that your spec you've ordered is correct as I would'nt think this is a isolated case.
Has any one got a pop of similar spec (see below) they want to sell

arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh

This would be Vospers right?
First looie see what Vospers branches hve got in stock - he will want U to have one of those 1st. .No shortage of unsold pops at dealers but not neccessarily near you,in red and with the bits U want. look on autotrader.co.uk and ebay for pops in white,orange,red.
(most colours avail immeidately but nec the pop or engine you wanted.)
could U live with a diff colour and stick the chrome and flag odds and sods on later.

ebay seller south wales trying to sell the deposit for his Red 500 Pop.Trying to £500 for his £500 deposit.he ordered 2 cars selling one on and has tried to sell his deposit a few times,now looks happy to get his money back and his phone number is in the ad for more info on spec and whether its near towhat you want.

sorry to hear that yoshi....Did you insist on getting the paperwork posted through to you when you changed your order?

In my experience, when I changed mine I had to double check about 4 days later that my changes had gone through, and they hadn't so I insisted on the paperwork. See this thread:

http://www.fiatforum.com/500/132091-...my-dealer.html

for details.

Also, from my experience it's better to wait to get exactly what you want than to rush and get something slightly different as, for me, I would always suffer from the 'what if' question... But I totally understand your disappointment and so good luck looking for your spec on auto trader.

PS this might be a good opportunity to change to a 1.3 if you can spare the extra cash as the servicing plans look WAY better than 1.2 £700 for the 1.2 service package

Given the current issues with the multijet not recommended unless Yoshi is a masochist.

When you say changes I presume you placed an order and subsequently changed it with the dealer. Now you are getting the original order?

It may not be the dealer's fault but some admin issue with Fiat with the update being received, confirmed to the delear and not making its way to production.

My experience with Alfas is that the administrative side of the organisation isn't that great. Some of the appeal is the emotional side of the organisation rather than eurobox producing efficiency, however, this extends to the organisation in general in my view, where the focus is on producing cars rather than administration. This is why we love them and this is why we don't at times!

We spent ages sorting out the spec as the thought of trying to get a change through from dealer to factory worried me. Of course we remain to see if it turns up to the right spec (fingers crossed).

My new Alfa 156 was of a spec that didn't exist in the UK (missing rear central headrest and diagonal belt). I had to show the salesman the brochure to prove it wasn't possible as I was being told that was standard. The dealer agreed to sort it but it took 9 months for the parts to arrive and when they did it was missing the mountings. The salesman took them off a car in the showroom (I must have been looking a bit grumpy!). No great problem but an example of Alfa/Fiat organisational capability.

I have had 4 Alfas and my daughter has Punto Grande and we have ordered a 500 so I have not been put off by the cars but I tend to accept the organisation isn't the best.

Hope yours gets sorted!

Cheers
baldrick

the only issue is that Fiat have suspended production until a suspect part is either replaced or tested... hardly a problem. Its very common to get the rong spec on any car, I knew someone who ordered a 5 door Golf with light interior, he got a 3 door with black interior

Back on topic, I really feel for you, but what can you do? I changed the spec on mine, I only hope it arrives with the changes, at least I do have it in writing.
If mine arrived like yours then Id be really annoyed... I wouldnt accept it though

Right been into vospers earlier to try to find out what the hells going on. So the story goes, Vospers had a bog std500 pop unsold back in Jan that they had on order, which was status 13 (build not fixed).

So I placed my order with them giving them my spec which included alloys air con etc which they would add to the std pop which was available. The idea being that I would then see the car before the end of March (no patience me!). Paperwork was all made out giving me confirmation of the deal and I printed off my exact spec (which I gave the dealer a copy of) from the fiat website to insure the right spec was ordered.

So all the way along, I have been in constant contact with my Vospers to find out the current status etc and all was fine until someone checked the spec that is now on the way, showing status 35 (on a ship bound for the UK).

Vospers had emailed the spec changes to fiat the day after my order (24/1/08) (I've seen all the doc's etc to prove that they had actually done this) BUT no one had checked to ensure that the spec changes had been excepted by the factory and low & behold a standard pop is on the way.
Vospers have been apolagetic but can't really offer me much as they don't have anything similar on order or in stock. They've promised to see what they can do but I 'll have to wait until Monday to try & get some answers.
If we go for the spec we ordered then it looks like June/July delivery or do we say sod it and forget it. Both me & the wife love the pasadobla red 1.2 pop & the red n black interior with the 15" sport alloys and are not to keen on the checked seat cloth in the lounge (which we might upgrade to if offered swiftish delivery) .

So do we wait ANOTHER 4 months or go for something which does not perhaps tick all our boxes..........really really don't know sooooooooo fed up right now

Thanks for all your reply's & kind words, its much appreciated

Yoshi

At the end of the day its up to you and your wife, personally I would go for a Lounge model, its well worth the extra... but you might never be happy not having exactly what you wanted.
If it was me, Id ask for the car you ordered and see if Fiat can maybe compensate with some extras for free? In the meantime, get yourself a really cheap car and have some fun with bargain banger motoring... an old Panda is loads of fun

Thats exactly what I'd say.
Except I'd proberly suggest a Cinq instead. More about and it is part of the 500 bloodline.

I would also recommend going for the lounge but it all depends on how much you dislike the standard check cloth interior...

We are looking into a few ideas where the lounge spec may be our best option. Hoping to have sorted by monday one way or another. Am of the mind at present where I don't want to wait until june/july so perhaps we might have to look else where and might have to travel .
Problem is that me n the wife both love the pop's red n black interior so anything else is a compramise.

Need to sleep on it

Yoshi

sweet dreams Yoshi, I had all these thoughts when trying to decide between various specs.
I hope you sort something out soon, dont compramise though... youll always regret it.

I'm pooping myself as I speak! I just hope mine comes with the right spec, I made 2 amendments to my original order which was brake callipers which I saw him add to the computer order form and he said it was done way in time.

Then the next day I cancelled the leather gear knob cos it looks odd! I'm gonna give 'em a ring this week, make sure everything's on schedule...the guy from the St. Helens dealership said it will be ready for 24th march so fingers crossed!!

Phew, sounds like it's not too much of a change if the worst comes to the worst would you be able to live with the black(?) leather gearknob?

If you saw him enter the red brake calipers then that should have gone through...

try and get hold of the paperwork though... Sounds like this is happening quite alot...