Watchdog last night

[col]

Hey

Did anyone see watchdog last night about Virgin cars. There was a girl call nicola ( Bit of a babe) who was complaining about waiting for her Silver CC and slagging Virgin Cars. I remember someone complaining about them on this site so thought it may be them. Anyone? :rolleyes:

col

[TheMinel]

hmmm how cute was she?

[Alex LS]

She was just a bit of a whinger, really. She didn't seem to understand that Virgin don't build the cars themselves and are subject to delays imposed by the manufacturer and supplying dealer.

It was frustrating when the delivery time kept increasing but complaining to Watchdog about it is a bit like throwing a tantrum.

One thing I would dispute with the Virgin man is getting weekly updates. That's just not true at all.

[Derek]

was there a CC there ? i just noticed her

[col]

She was just a bit of a whinger, really. She didn't seem to understand that Virgin don't build the cars themselves and are subject to delays imposed by the manufacturer and supplying dealer.

It was frustrating when the delivery time kept increasing but complaining to Watchdog about it is a bit like throwing a tantrum.

One thing I would dispute with the Virgin man is getting weekly updates. That's just not true at all.

She was probably getting fobbed off all the time by virgin and was right to go to Watchdog. After all they wouldn't have gone with the story if the rant wasn't justified. It just the same when we slag off the dealers about the crap quality of the cars. The dealers don't build them but we still have a go.

[Duncan]

I promise you Watchdog do not require justifiction

The like big targets as the are easy prey and few facts which which they can manipulate. What they are after is a good storey not justice. If the rule of evidence which apply in court where applied to TV programmes there woud be no Watchdog.

[Robbie]

At least the other side are invited onto the program to put their side of the story, and I guess if watchdog have got it so wrong, they are at risk of litigation so I doubt if they would be allowed to step too far out of line.

Without these consumer programs the public would be left unaware of scams and poor service and Watchdog must have been responsible for some companies cleaning up their acts.

Robbie.

[Duncan]

Consumer programmes good. I like the hidden camera ones. I did not see Watchdog but it is there practice to focus on one or two individules (espcially if they are old infirm young or cute and furry) We as consumers cannot tell whether the offending company has just made a few mistakes or has consitently defrauded the customer as a matter of policy. If the consumer is put of a company by the Watch dog report which has made a few mistakes but gennerally offfers a good service. this cannot be in the interest of the consummer.

Report should be based on a scientific analasys of the company and the industry as a whole not just on a few complaining individuals.

[Alex LS]

She was probably getting fobbed off all the time by virgin and was right to go to Watchdog. After all they wouldn't have gone with the story if the rant wasn't justified. It just the same when we slag off the dealers about the crap quality of the cars. The dealers don't build them but we still have a go.

Different matter entirely. The dealers are directly linked to the manufacturer. They also sell them to you.

Virgin have no links to manufacturers and don't sell the cars (when built to order) but act as your agent. You are actually buying the car from the dealer - Virgin as your agent can 'have a go' at them.

I bought mine from Virgin and I was getting "fobbed off" all the time to some extent, but I have a bit of common sense and understood what the problem was.

[col]

Yeah but if your dealer is late you hassle them, so in the same way if the agent offers you something for a certain date and its late you hassle the agent. How often do you actually go to the manufacturer?

If you've been promised something for a certain date you should expect it to be honoured. But because people just take what they're told and do nothing, the companys just keep on doing it. We're always gonna get ripped and fobb off, because of the "We're British and never compain" mentality. So its good that people are standing up and saying I'm not taking this shite so sort it.

I've heard a number of horror storys about Virgin, so the two cases on the programme are not issolated cases.

[Alex LS]

I agree completely. And when I hassled Virgin, they hassled the dealer.

At the end of the day, the net result of the Watchdog piece will be zero on Virgin, because there wasn't an awful lot more they could have done.

As they said last night, the EU directive took force in October so the manufacturers won't be able to unnecessarily delay cars any more. This means the dealers will suffer less delays which means the agent (or you directly) will get your car quicker.

Whilst Virgin have their faults, EU exemptions and legislation also hadn't helped.

[Duncan]

Think your self lucky if you are importing a car into UK.

My boss bought himself a L/H drive 4X4 not sure which though.( not important to story) He bought it in France because it is cheaper than both UK and Spain. Spain bit important. He has a holiday home on Ibiza in the middle of nowhere up a dirt track.... hence the need for 4x4. It took him three trips to france to buy it and a stay in a dodgy hotel where the hotelier mistook his teenage son for a rent boy but still gave him a room.

When he got to Ibiza and tryied to register the problems really started
He has had
To wait in a queue for almost a day
has had three sets of temporary plates
Had the vehicle surveyed twice (not at quick look over. Man had tape measure and maufacturors specification. So took several hour each time
had to employ a solicitor
to shell out sevral hundred Euros

The whole process too over six months

It would appear the Spainsh government do not want imports. They loose tax revenue.