Hi Folks, I just have to get this of my chest.  Some of you may have read my post made last week about getting two new cars.  One of these was my wife's new Citigo and as I have written in my review of John Mulholland Motors that all went very well.  The second car is a Dacia Sandero which I have bought for my father.  It is this second purchase I need to rant about.  I purchased this car last Tuesday from Charles Hurst Renault/Dacia on the Boucher Road in Belfast.  To give those not native to N. Ireland some background, Charles Hurst is by far the biggest Car dealer firm in N. Ireland.  It is owned by Lookers and the site on Boucher Road which has showrooms for many many different makes is the largest car sales complex in Europe.

 

Ok back to the story.  I bought the entry level model (Access) which they had in stock.  Now this car is basic in a way that basic cars were back in the 1980s.  While having modern safety kit it does not come with a stereo, only the wiring for one.  My father is not fussed about all the other things not included such as aircon and electric windows, but he like to listen to Classic FM while driving.  Now here in Belfast we are not over burdened by Car audio businesses, and I did not want to 'trust' a brand new car to the so called technicians in Halfords, and therefore paid Charles Hurst £200 to supply and fit a stereo.  I was told that the car would be ready for collection on Thursday.  Wednesday I was emailed to be told that due to the stereo it would be Friday before the car was ready.  This was no big deal and I arranged to pick it up at 12 noon.  At 9.30am on Friday I get a phone call from the salesman to say that the stereo still had not arrived, but would definitely arrive that day, so I reluctantly agreed to leave the car until Saturday morning.  He also agreed that he would keep me informed.  When coming near their closing time on Friday I still had not heard anything I contacted them again only to be told that the stereo was not with the courier as I had been told, but may not now be delivered until Thursday of the following week (Today).  Due to insurance reasons I was forced to take delivery of the car minus the stereo on Saturday (clock was running on the 7 day drive away insurance).  I was told that they would contact me when the stereo arrived.  I stayed patient all week, but when I still had not heard anything today I phoned.  As per usual I could not get the salesman but left a message and was assured that he would call me straight back.  Three hours later still no call.  I work close to the dealer, so headed over to see them in person.  I demanded to speak to the manager and did so.  He 'investigated' and has told me that the stereo 'may' arrive tomorrow (this really filled me full of confidence).  What gesture of good will did he offer you may ask - a refund of the £200 or a substantial proportion of it, or some other accessory (my father would love a spare wheel), a free first service for the car (or my Scenic).  No he offered to have the car washed when they have it to fit the stereo.

 

Now this mythical stereo which I am told has to come from outside of the UK is not a Dacia special item (as fitted to higher trim versions of the car), it is simply a Kenwood stereo, a dash converter and a pair of the correct sized speakers for the door.

 

I can honestly say that once this is fitted, I will never give Charles Hurst any more custom.  Should it mean me travelling to the mainland to buy a future car if it is one of the many makes they monopolise in N. Ireland, I will not do business with them.

 

Sorry I just had to get that off my chest.

Edited 22 August, 201312 yr by CitigoAllen

If you've got a lot on your chest, it's good to get it off.

 

I don't understand getting a Dacia Sandero anyway over a better car maybe a year or two old.  I thought the crash ratings on them were poor?

In my experience small car dealerships value customers more, may be worth using one in future if you can find one.

is it an ample sized chest :think:

Surely they could just have popped over to Halfords bought one over the counter and fitted it?!!! Sometimes you just cant understand how some folk manage to get by in life!!!

 

k:)

We first looked at used cars, but at the minute the finance deals on new cars seem to be much much better than on used.  I am paying £99 per month for the Sandero (costing £5995, with 3 years manufacturers warranty, and 3 years AA membership) while a used car of the same price using the same car as the trade in was going to cost £159 per month with 3 months dealer warranty and no break down cover.  It was also this reason why we bought the Citigo rather than a used car.

Surely they could just have popped over to Halfords bought one over the counter and fitted it?!!! Sometimes you just cant understand how some folk manage to get by in life!!!

 

k:)

I actually suggested that to them when they told me on the Friday that it still had not arrived.  There is a Halfords about 500 yards from them.

How many years are you buying the Dacia over?

HP, or PCP and what kind of deposit do they want for the £99 per month?

It is PCP for 42 months with his old car (£500) as the deposit.

Sod it, keep the £200 and go back to Randlestown, JMH will sort it for you. They are by far my favourite dealers. Out of interest I have seen the base spec Sandero (white with black bumpers?). I noted the lack of stereo bit, but I do wonder does it have all the speakers etc ready to just plug and play with an ISO connector sitting behind the blanking plate? If it is all ready to go, Halfords would be spot on to fit a single DIN stereo tbh £29.99 job! 

A free car wash for your troubles? Seriously? How generous!

 

I can't say I'll be going back to Lookers either, I got a good purchase price on my Rapid but the rest of the experience left a bit to be desired and the 'business manager' for the Renault/Skoda part of the site who I spoke to a few times came across to me as being a cartoon character version of the dodgy-wheeler-dealer-salesman. 

 

They even tried the "we have to keep your V5C for three months as it's a pre-reg" trick, until I pointed out that it's illegal and they agreed to release it early "as a gesture of good will".

 

Never again!

If you've got a lot on your chest, it's good to get it off.

 

 I thought the crash ratings on them were poor?

 

 

I think its NCAP rating was spot on in the individual areas but its overall score was lowered due to the base spec model not having things like traction control and it's based off the lowest one in range. I think it was the sandero I saw that for in a vid review some time ago. 

It got 4 stars (to put that into context, 4 stars was what the very popular Mk3 Mondeo had).  It is actually quite a nice car to drive.  It is the same HP as my wife's Citigo but being the Clio 1.2 engine is actually rather more refined than the VAG 1L 3 pot.  Gear box is not as slick however.  My Dad is 79 and the car is cheaper insure and cheaper to fuel than the 9 year old Hyundai he was driving.  I wanted to ge him one but £100 per month was my limit and the only other car would have been an Alto and that is too small for his dogs.

Edited 22 August, 201312 yr by CitigoAllen

Sod it, keep the £200 and go back to Randlestown, JMH will sort it for you. They are by far my favourite dealers. Out of interest I have seen the base spec Sandero (white with black bumpers?). I noted the lack of stereo bit, but I do wonder does it have all the speakers etc ready to just plug and play with an ISO connector sitting behind the blanking plate? If it is all ready to go, Halfords would be spot on to fit a single DIN stereo tbh £29.99 job! 

No it does not have speakers.  There is wiring from the stereo connectors in the dash but nothing at either end.  To fit a stereo you have to remove the centre console and the door cards.  Just do not trust Halfords to do that.  If the stereo does not show up by the weekend I will stand and yell in the showroom until they give me the £200 back and then I will take it to Mulhollands.

Edited 22 August, 201312 yr by CitigoAllen

I thought the Citigo was yours?

 

Not too bad then, 3.5 years and you pay about £4,650 then hand the car back.

Obviously a 2nd hand car would have been cheaper but at least you get the warranty.

I thought the Citigo was yours?

That was when I was CitigoAli (a long story as told in the Introductions section).  I am actually a man and my own car is a Scenic :(. 

That was when I was CitigoAli (a long story as told in the Introductions section).  I am actually a man and my own car is a Scenic :(. 

 

Ah right, so you were effectively pretending to be your wife.

 

It's all clear now.

 

Bummer to find out you have a Scenic though.

 

Ah right, so you were effectively pretending to be your wife.

 

It's all clear now.

 

Bummer to find out you have a Scenic though.

Yes, although she is not a swinger.  Scenic is my punishment for having 3 kids, two of which are still in kiddy seats.

Edited 22 August, 201312 yr by CitigoAllen

So are you the husband that was away at sea.

when you were the wife waiting at home for you.?

 

Or am i up the wrong alley?

 

george

So are you the husband that was away at sea.

when you were the wife waiting at home for you.?

 

Or am i up the wrong alley?

 

george

Kind of, but my days at sea are over.  Ended in a flash in December 2007.

I thought the Citigo was yours?

Not too bad then, 3.5 years and you pay about £4,650 then hand the car back.

Obviously a 2nd hand car would have been cheaper but at least you get the warranty.

Wouldn't a citigo be similar and a better option over a lower term?

We thought of the Citigo.  However the 0% offer is not available on the S and we could not get an SE without it being a factory order (min of 12 weeks, which would have required MOTing and taxing his old car again).  Overall I think the Sandero is probably a better car for him, as he regularly carries two labradors and its boot is several times the size of that in the Citigo.

Not being rude, but do I read this finance thing right.

Sandero is £5,995.00 on the road.

Pay £500.00 deposit then 42 x £99.00 and hand it back at the end of the 42 months?

What would be the final payment be to own it at the end?

Not being snobbish just curious.

I have friends in Spain that swear by Dacia, very reliable and basic which is what you need over there. They are Renault's striped back, something like a a VW that ended up a Skoda...lol

Can't remember of the top of my head but it is something like £2000.