Aware of Vauxhall dealer's handling charge.

Hi all.

I would just like to make members aware of Vauxhall dealers handling charge,as we found this out,when our local Vauxhall dealer got a clutch kit for our Frontera. They quoted us £245.00 + vat but never told us the full amount and they needed an advance payment over the phone and when we went to pick up the clutch kit,the total price was £294.00 and when we looked at the clutch plate,it was not the same as the one that came out of our Frontera,so we did not take it and we asked for a full refund but we were told that there was a "25% handling charge" for returned item. The guy in our local Vauxhall dealer made myself & my missus feel small,so I wrote a letter to Vauxhall's head office with our complaint.

Just be aware that if you order any parts from Vauxhall and you pay an advance payment over the phone,then you find out that the part is not the right one,remember there is a 25% handling charge.

One simple point to start with, £245 + VAT comes out at £294, so no shenanigans on that score.

As for the part and handling fee, how exactly did you go about ordering? If you've rung up and quoted a part number and said 'get me this' then there probably isn't much to do.
If on the other hand you've spoken to them, had their advice on what you need and ordered in good faith based on that I'd be a bit miffed. If it's obviously the wrong part, special order or no, I'd be inclined to try waving the distance selling regs under their nose and see what happens.

We had their advice on what we needed and they said they would have to order the parts in,as they did not stock the parts and they could say what the clutch plate looked like on their EPC,so I would say we bought it in good faith. We also asked what the handling charge would be,while we were at the counter,the guy said:- £50 or £60 but he went through to the back of the parts department,then sent a guy out to tell us that the handling charge would be £74.00. He never said it would be roughly £50 or £60 handling fee but I think he should have said:- "Wait here and I will go and work how much the handling fee will be." But he didn't. His attitude was very unpleasant,when we said:- "Sorry but the clutch plate is not the right one." It was more like he wanted us to take the part away with us but we did not. We were not complaining about the price,it was his attitude towards myself & the missus.

I know nothing about selling regs.

I would think, being the main dealers, they should be able to tell you exactly what part is required from the chassis number...... after all they fitted it in the first place.
As for the vat, a lot of places fail to mention +vat until it comes to shelling out time......i think it deliberate @ times, but proving it is a different matter. :thumbdown:

Good luck with the head office Dave.

Thanks not heard from the head office yet and I doubt I will hear anything. The guy at the vauxhall dealer,was basicly trying to tell me that the clutch they got was the same as the one that came out but I know it wasn't,as I saw the old clutch at the garage and it was totally different to the ones we got.

Trying to get the exact clutch that came out of our fronty is stressing me out,as all of the other work has been done for its mot and the clutch is holding us back for getting our fronty back from the garage and getting it mot'd.

Have you considered taking the old clutch into either Vx or a motor factors to get a match done visually?

As above. Take the old one in and tell them you want one like this. As for a handling fee? Especially at 25%! Sounds very much like a bid at trying to make up some sales figures to me. Get the old one, drop it on the desk and get them to order the right part minus the £74 that they still have of yours and if they don't have the authority to do that then ask to speak to the branch manager (who definitely does have the authority). Explain that you ordered it over the phone and gave them your reg etc and that your positively discussed with how you've been treated because of a error on their part.

Companies there's days are more customer feedback focused than ever before so they'll want to keep as many customers happy as possible as (according to my halfords area manager) just 1 upset customer could cost the company 8 potential future customers. (you tell your friends and family and forum buddies about it and they then avoid using that company) so I'd be very surprised if they don't agree to it at worst and preferably give you it at trade price to say sorry in an attempt to win you back

Basically kick up as bigger fuss as you can without getting arrested lol or threatening people's kids because at the end of the day the guy behind the desk is probably just doing his job even if he is being a doosh about it.

Update:-

We took the old clutch plate and clutch cover plate to our local Euro Car Parts yesterday and they are going to try to match up the old one to one they have ordered,hopefully we will know at about 9am today and if it is correct or will fit they are going to deliver it straight to the garage that is doing the clutch.

They were very helpfully and polite,so in future we will be using Euro Car Parts.