General My Pandas have landed today...

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General My Pandas have landed today...

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So I only have to wait another ten days...:bang:

However, my original dealer has terminated their FIAT franchise / had their FIAT franchise terminated so a completely different dealer will be doing the handover...:eek:

Of course the first I heard of it was when this new dealer rang me about half an hour ago...so I have to make yet another trip in with all my documents and ID (as it is a scrappage deal)...the old motors are already scrapped...hope they still have the paperwork...fortunately, no money has yet changed hands so all I have to lose is my original motor.

I suppose it explains the complete lack of interest from the original dealer...:(

The good news is, the new dealer is Forward Autos of St Helens, about whom I have only read good things, so far :)

Got to say this has been a pain in the jacksie from start to finish, the wait, the switch to series two mid order, and now this latest twist...I never though spending nearly 11k would be made so difficult.
 
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So I only have to wait another ten days...:bang:

However, my original dealer has terminated their FIAT franchise / had their FIAT franchise terminated so a completely different dealer will be doing the handover...:eek:

Of course the first I heard of it was when this new dealer rang me about half an hour ago...so I have to make yet another trip in with all my documents and ID (as it is a scrappage deal)...the old motors are already scrapped...hope they still have the paperwork...fortunately, no money has yet changed hands so all I have to lose is my original motor.

I suppose it explains the complete lack of interest from the original dealer...:(

The good news is, the new dealer is Forward Autos of St Helens, about whom I have only read good things, so far :)

Got to say this has been a pain in the jacksie from start to finish, the wait, the switch to series two mid order, and now this latest twist...I never though spending nearly 11k would be made so difficult.
Best of luck :)
 
Best of luck :)

Thanks :) I'm still really excited about my new Panda! lol...

The thing has just been too much stress though...and potentially it could still all fall through and I've had my car scrapped :eek:

I wouldn't mind but I'm organising the other Panda for relatives so that is two lots of paperwork and pain [sigh]

The new dealer seems to want to get a shift on, so potentially I could get my hands on it in under ten days :) Might try to tap FIAT customer service up for some free mats to soothe my nerves :)
 
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Thanks :) I'm still really excited about my new Panda! lol...

The thing has just been too much stress though...and potentially it could still all fall through and I've had my car scrapped :eek:

I wouldn't mind but I'm organising the other Panda for relatives so that is two lots of paperwork and pain [sigh]

The new dealer seems to want to get a shift on, so potentially I could get my hands on it in under ten days :) Might try to tap FIAT customer service up for some free mats to soothe my nerves :)
I wouldn't worry tbh. There's no way it'll go down like that. If there are any complications they'd be sorted I'm sure :)

What are the specs of the two cars again?
 
The good news is, the new dealer is Forward Autos of St Helens, about whom I have only read good things, so far :)

Well that dealership isnt without fault :(
Make sure they fit your rear number plate correctly using 4 screws. They are known to drill through the metal (n) They've been mentioned on here a few times. Just something for you to be aware of so you can request it be done properly.

Hope all goes well (y)
 
I wouldn't worry tbh. There's no way it'll go down like that. If there are any complications they'd be sorted I'm sure :)

What are the specs of the two cars again?

Two identical 1.2 dynamic ecos 306maxi... - series two in black/sand interior (yuk!) :) - no options specified...

Good call on the numberplates Eleganza...I'm wondering if I should mention it but I don't want to sound like an awkward bugger...to be honest I'm not THAT fussed as long as they are level and firmly attached! :)

It has been such a royal pain though, I would like everything to be 'right'.

What are our thoughts on servicing? Mine will do 36000 miles in 3 years then I'll be looking to sell on...is it worth me paying to have it serviced properly, will this make that much difference to the value when I come to sell...do the numbers make sense?

I'm handy with a toolkit and could do the service myself but I won't get the dealer stamp in the book...how do servicing costs stack up against resale value with and without history?
 
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or in other words...

what premium would you be willing to pay for a 36,000 mile 3 year old Panda with full service history versus a similar no history example...:)
 
Good call on the numberplates Eleganza...I'm wondering if I should mention it but I don't want to sound like an awkward bugger...to be honest I'm not THAT fussed as long as they are level and firmly attached! :)

Concidering how much your paying, I think that'll be the last thing they'll think ;)

Don't want a rusting boot lid in several years time.
 
Good call on the numberplates Eleganza...I'm wondering if I should mention it but I don't want to sound like an awkward bugger...to be honest I'm not THAT fussed as long as they are level and firmly attached! :)

Nobody should feel awkward for requesting that something be fixed properly. But if your not at all bothered don't mention it. I certainly wouldn't be impressed and couldn't care less what they think :devil:. It shows you like things done properly so they should take extra care...you really shouldn't have to ask anyway, it should be done right for all :(
 
Hi,

Is Kevin dealing with you at 'Forwards' he's been there years, I have mine on order with him so hopefully we'll get ours at the same time.

I'm fed up waiting now and getting a little excited.

Cheers.
 
Nobody should feel awkward for requesting that something be fixed properly. But if your not at all bothered don't mention it. I certainly wouldn't be impressed and couldn't care less what they think :devil:. It shows you like things done properly so they should take extra care...you really shouldn't have to ask anyway, it should be done right for all :(

You're absolutely right and I agree that customer is king Eleganza, but the vibes you get off the sales people over the whole deal, particularly if you're getting the discounts I am, are palpable. When they "aren't making anything" on the cars, you get the 1 star treatment. [sigh]

Apparently they use the grommets/holes on the car recommended by the plate manufacturer...of course I have learned not to believe ANYTHING car salespeople tell me, they are universally 'full of it'

Hi,

Is Kevin dealing with you at 'Forwards' he's been there years, I have mine on order with him so hopefully we'll get ours at the same time.

I'm fed up waiting now and getting a little excited.

Cheers.

Yes that's him, he seems a lot more switched on than the original dealer and has been very good so far.

I found out today that I have an interior that isn't the colour I ordered because the muppets at Foxfield wrote it down wrong. (y)

I also found out today that the price has increased still further, I ordered the cars in August but they were only processed on 1st October. (y)

The staff prices changed on 1st October and the small print says the cars have to be registered by the date on the pricelist to qualify...the glut of orders has obviously slowed the process massively and now I get to pay £350 more than I was expecting plus my metallic paint discount is also reduced so it's nearer £400 more. The prices aren't fixed!?!?...something that my original dealer conveniently neglected to mention...I fully expect it to leap up to £20,000 when I collect in the next 2 weeks. :mad:

I also had an agreement with the original dealer for a couple of free locking fuel caps which the new dealer can't honour.

I'm going to ring FIAT on Monday to complain, this dealer switch has broken my continuity of service (not that it was much in evidence at Foxfield), it also means I have to travel a lot further to collect my cars, which is very difficult when most of the family vehicles have been scrapped, and this creeping price increase thing is a complete nightmare.

Based on my original choice of Panda back in August...the interim switch to series two (+250) and the October staff price increase (+350) with loss of metallic paint discount means I'm going to end up paying about £600 more per vehicle...:eek: Talk about bad timing...or a combination of bad timing and a slack assed dealer who knew their franchise was in the toilet.

Strangely i'm STILL looking forward to getting my new car...but if the experience I've had is what buying a new car is all about, you can keep it! :confused:

I rang FIAT customer care today and spoke to one of their chief sympathisers...he told me to call back Monday. (y)
 
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2000? crikey! all panda's; mine had better be amongst them' Kevin said he expected me to get mine mid Dec: if not before.

Where is the distribution centre? do you know? I'd loved to have seen that lot being landed.

Are they built in Italy or another european country...anyone know?

Cheers for now. Penny.
 
2000? crikey! all panda's; mine had better be amongst them' Kevin said he expected me to get mine mid Dec: if not before.

Where is the distribution centre? do you know? I'd loved to have seen that lot being landed.

Are they built in Italy or another european country...anyone know?

Cheers for now. Penny.

He did mention the name of the place, somewhere in the south I think...begins with a P I think...I was in shock at my new total so wasn't really paying attention :)

They are actually built in Tychy, Poland...not sure if they are produced anywhere else.
 
If as someone else said there's 27 Pandas to a boat, 2000 divided by 27 is 74, my understanding is that the new series 2 was being started up in November now there's only 31 days thats a hell of a lot of boats arriving in England (would it be Dover?) do you think were being hoodwinked?

I suppose as there no Panda's to be had in England at present (certainly not on Merseyside) and then there's Ireland both N'th and South a refill is badley needed...but 2000 the mind boggles!

I did wonder if they were built in Poland given the fairly low price dispite the good build quality.

Cheers.
 
Who said that there is only 27 Panda's to a boat :confused:

306 maxi said this in jest I believe :)...and the figure was 27.3 Pandas per ship...although you could probably get 1 on a dinghy and row it across...:)


I've set my FIAT customer complaint in motion today! Nothing will come of it of course as mine is one of those 'complicated cases' apparently :)
 
306 maxi said this in jest I believe :)...and the figure was 27.3 Pandas per ship...although you could probably get 1 on a dinghy and row it across...:)


I've set my FIAT customer complaint in motion today! Nothing will come of it of course as mine is one of those 'complicated cases' apparently :)
LOL :D Just shows that some people weren't fitted with sarcasm detectors during manufacture :D How someone could see 27.3 and not see the sarcasm is funny :D
 
LOL :D Just shows that some people weren't fitted with sarcasm detectors during manufacture :D How someone could see 27.3 and not see the sarcasm is funny :D

often happens with the written word! I guess people are just skim reading posts most of the time :) I wouldn't be surprised if two thirds of my car are missing when it arrives based on current performance :)

Never did find out how many actually fit on a ship...the 2000 figure is plausable...but all on one ship!?!?!
 
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