Curious as to whether you would have accepted your Roadster knowing some damage had happened during transport?

I placed my order on May 6, was told 8 to 10 weeks until delivery. All was on track as of last week when I was told the car had arrived on US shores and was slated to be transported to the dealer over the weekend. Come Monday I'm told there's no further info and it had not left the VDC. Now I've been told the hold up is damage to a tire that happened while at sea, which will delay the car another week. A tire is no problem but I am suspect that one tire being damaged could keep a car at the VDC for nearly two weeks (and the back and forth info doesn't help, coupled with the fact that my sales person is no longer at the dealership so I no longer have a sales person to speak with).

So my question is, would you take the word of the dealer that the damage was limited to one tire being replaced or pass on the car? They have given me the option.

 

I would ask for a copy of the documented work done at the port.

 

Well, someone at the dealership will need to be assigned as your new Service Advisor in order to properly deliver the car to you, go over the features, etc. I'd start by speaking with the General Manager at the dealership and asking him to assign you to another Service Advisor immediately. That SA should be able to handle your questions about the VDC delays, expected delivery date, etc.


As to your original question, I would take my time to go over the car with a fine tooth comb with the SA (in the daylight) to be certain that there is no damage and everything is as it should be. It's not that unusual for a car to received some minor damage after it leaves the factory in transport, while being loaded or unloaded, etc. and there is every expectation that it will be fully repaired at the VDC.


If there is any problem noticed when you're taking delivery at your dealership, you should have it fixed to your satisfaction before you sign the final papers and hand over your $. The dealer doesn't make any $ until you take delivery, so has every incentive to be sure you're satisfied. After delivery, not so much.

 

damage en route is very common and is repaired at the VDC


the dealer is not required to disclose this damage unless it exceeds a certain percentage of the value of the vehicle ... something like 20%

 

I think it's 3%, or at least the manufacturer has to disclose damage to the dealer in excess of 3%.

Appreciate all of you responding, gives me some more to mull over.

 

Inspect the damage...negotiate it (how much can they take off)...

 

Good idea.

 

An other way to look at this is that you've been waiting so long . . . do you really want to wait some more . . . so I would ask to get more details on the repairs and inspect it quite meticulously. But before being so willing I would also try to have them do something special for you. By the time you are about to pick up the car they're going to be anxious if your start to think twice about it, so it is only normal they make up for not only the delays but the fact you're soon to be new car isn't quite as new as it should be. But really it all depends on the nature of the damage.
A tire being damage... I'd say that sounds fishy since tires are overall pretty rugged. I wouldn't be surprise it the wheel had been damaged and they needed to get their hands on a new wheel... or something like that.

 

Agree with you Greg, a tire can't cause a 12-day stay at the VDC. I spoke with the dealer and they are getting me the documentation from the port. A tire, a wheel - all fine because they are so easy to replace, once we start getting into the body or mechanical "stuff" - I get a little nervous.

 

Yep, I know what you mean. Body work is actually alright as long as it is done properly. Mechanical or chassis integrity I would put a stop or ask for a good discount. And if they say well we'll keep this one and order you a new one than I would still ask a discount on the new one.

My guess is that it won't go anywhere to that point. Likely they have a very small bandwidth to fix cars that arrives with problems and they probably priorities the ones that are ready to be delivered in order to retain a maximum of customer satisfaction... Think of the postal services, it's not all that different. Most mail go through quickly but when something happens it takes sometime weeks to get your piece of mail. It's too often the case. When things are going smoothly they make you feel like a king. When they are not they start leveraging your satisfaction vs. their overall business cost structure and in bad cases making you feel like you don't count. Shame really... Hopefully you'll get yours soon because I know the wait is excruciating AND you are owed a big smile on your face

 

True, and as far as the quality of repairs go, I pretty much consider the VDC to be an extension of the factory. I found out several years after taking delivery of my car that it had a scratch on the rear bumper that had been repaired at the VDC. I don't know what they did to fix it, but I couldn't have found any evidence of repair work if you'd put a gun to my head.