FP relay fail...

[drover]

I must say I have thought it's been that way for decades and like Pete don't get me started on banking its always been about profits........ but I can't really whinge about dealers as I may go to one every 6 or so years when I get a new horse never to return even if something goes wrong.... My Colorado had been signed off for the pre sale check, a few days later I was hunting down a bit of brake grab and found a loose wheel bearing, "Take it back says" the bride, why says I "They missed it the first time"... its easy to blot my copy book no second chance with me, besides I had it all fixed 30 mins later along with new pads as I didn't like what was fitted, all done quicker than it would take me to drive to their yard............. Bringing a Landy back to base from a dealership, it was missing so I got the s*ts and pulled over and gave the old carbie a bit of a tickle, got sprung by head base mechanic who ranted at me but when he drove it asked what I had done as it had always had a miss that none could fix, anyone with a SU carby would know I would have thought....

[LeCheese]

Originally Posted by SouthernComfort

Ha, sorry guys, I don't mean to keep hijacking (my own?) thread, but have just been catching up with how disgruntled people are with Skoda dealers in UK/Europe, fair dinkum it reads like a page out of the FCA/dealers playbook - IDENTICAL issues! Lack of communication, care factor zero, etc. etc. I think all brands are probably heading the same way, dealers in particular seem intent on digging their own graves, and it's a worldwide issue. Read a piece about some dealerships closing in the UK in a 'push' towards online sales. Not sure how you get a car serviced or a warranty fix done online, but it sounds like the same direction banking is heading to me...anyhow, imagine trying to get sense from an online entity, at least at the dealers you can go in thump the desk and feel better for it Sorry again fella's, I'll leave it alone now and let you get back to your Jeeps.

Same story across most dealers and all brands - not helped but the stock shortages and seemingly endless supply of cashed-up buyers.

A number of brands are already adopting the direct-to-customer model, with 'dealers' now being more like shopfronts than middle-men. Fixed prices, fixed margins, etc., and as you said, the capacity for online sales. Pretty big shakeup for the industry.

Merc's dealers took MB to court over the change from memory.

[SouthernComfort]

That may explain the indifference being shown by dealers, possibly. The biggest annoyance for customers is the lack of clarity and communication. With stock shortages still a key issue, buyers are getting the mushroom treatment which is leading to doubt and order cancellations. It's a very true maxim in business that customers can be very forgiving of delays and problems if they're kept in the loop, rather than feeling they've been left for dead once their deposit is paid.

[LeCheese]

I also shouldn't have said cashed-up buyers - what I meant was people willing to put themselves in massive debt. The number of $150k+ rigs running around now is madness. A tax write-off through the business for many, but regardless, could be a few people in trouble in the near future.

[drover]

Well there you go, Baby Boomers 1946 to 1964, well that changes things now I know this important fact, why don't I have a shitload of money........ thats right I was too busy working my arse off to feed the tribe and taxman to save any...........

Okay past beer oclock, rant over......................... Time out Drover, Time out....

[Jeeper6]

orders being delivered and a majority (yep...not an exaggeration...actual proven facts) are being delivered 'sub par

I have read a number of Facebook blogs where buyers are receiving their van after waiting months without some of the accessories ordered actually fitted.

I imagine there will also be a number of the new upstart Van & Hybrid Camper manufacturers unfortunately going to the wall in coming months.
The demand is tapering off, and I am seeing quite a few 12 month old vans hitting the market with no further use cited as the reason for selling...and that coupled with supply chain issues will see more deliveries stalled where smaller manufacturers cannot deliver their product and be starved of the cash they need to keep operating.
There have been a couple already go under...

[LeCheese]

Originally Posted by FARWEST

The same 'pre-paid/ordered' situation is/has been rampant in the Caravan Industry for the past 3-6 years as well....the BOOM (Baby boomers reaching retirement) and COVID lockdowns (nobody tells me I cant go where I want to and I'll show em) has created huge backlogs in orders being delivered and a majority (yep...not an exaggeration...actual proven facts) are being delivered 'sub par'....manufacturers /brand philosophy being....deliver it, they can bring it back for the repairs...which wont happen because there arent any of the item that was left out/bodged up during the initial biuld.....greed is greed...once any large entity has your cash you are nothing more than a Warranty Claim or Lawsuit number that they themselves pay HUGE amounts of money to ensure doesnt involve, or is hushed, their day to day rorts.....not a conspiracy theory...true life

Yep, vans are a shit show - and don't have the quality control and standardisation of big auto manufacturers to at least get it mostly right.

So many cowboys purely in it to make a quick buck before they move onto the next big thing. All started when Market Direct / MDC started having success by undercutting the market with imported jobs that look decent enough on appearances. MDC aren't too bad though really, especially now that they're an enormous operation, but others have really taken that model and run with it. Couldn't imagine the devastation of paying 50k for an imported hybrid camper that starts to fall apart within 2mo of use