Courtesy car for the next week...

[Guest]

So, after having a motorbike guy drive into the back of my 2017 CT I've just been told I'm not at fault according to the claims teams of my insurer and a claim management company. Therefore, they've commissioned the repairs and given me a courtesy car. I asked for an auto (like the Lexus). This is what they gave me...

A 2023 Vauxhall Grandland 'Ultimate', 1.2 turbo petrol (never a good thing) with a clunky old automatic gearbox. 

In terms of features, it has everything. Heated steering wheel, radar cruise, LED matrix lights and such. On paper, it's a superb car with a tonne of features. 

In practice, it's not nice to live with. Maybe I'm too used to the CT and Hybrids in general, prior to my CT I never really had an auto so I presumed even a 'bad auto' was better than changing gears. I think I was wrong. This thing is choppy, leans around corners, engine doesn't know what to do nor does the gearbox. In stop and go traffic, it literally stomps on the brakes to shut the engine off for 'start stop', then takes about half a second for it to come back on and get into gear. The power transfers going on can be felt through the car noticeably up until around 30mph. 

The worst bit, the cost. You'd think a high spec Vauxhall fake jeep thing would be around 20k, then close to 30k for a top spec auto, right? Wrong. It's 31k for the basic model, a whopping 37k for this one as configured!!!!!!  Who is paying for this? Other than hire companies and Motability buyers. 

I checked, you can configure a brand new Lexus UX crossover with a similarly high spec (heated steering wheel and the likes) for the price of this thing. With the smooth, electric drive. 70 more horsepower. No doubt zero or close to zero rough plastic trim pieces and ergonomically designed seats... The new car market is confusing. Choose wrong, and for the same money, you're getting a much worse experience 😕 

The MPG is also not great, turns out, a tiny little 1.2 with a big turbo struggles. Despite what it does in lab testing. 

My Lexus isn't being picked up until Monday - so it's been sitting since Friday. The engineer said the sharp edge made it not roadworthy in case someone got hurt walking by it. It'll easily be this week for it to be repaired. I miss it already. Drove the Grandland 140 miles yesterday and I was wrecked after. Even in the old and newer Fiat Panda's I've owned, my back wasn't as sore after a long drive - and those cars couldn't drive themselves like this one virtually does. 

[PaulWhitt20]

The sad thing is that someone has signed off that car for production as fit for purpose and some people buy them. Perhaps if you are not interested in cars and just look at the spec sheet and price with the thought it’s only for three years people fall for it. 
The CT will feel even more special when you get it back. 
 

[steve2006]

I was given a VW Polo once when my LS400 was accident damaged.

Once I got the LS back I put the Polo in the boot, took it to the local recycling centre and put it in the scrap metal skip.

[Guest]

38 minutes ago, steve2006 said:

I was given a VW Polo once when my LS400 was accident damaged.

Once I got the LS back I put the Polo in the boot, took it to the local recycling centre and put it in the scrap metal skip.

I presume the Polo is the same as what I'm about to say, but one of my friends mum's has one of the latest shaped Fiesta's. A 3-door, sunroof, heated seats, CarPlay and the ambient lighting etc, high spec. Shutting the door, even gently, gives a massive metal twanging sound!  Apparently, it's no mistake. Ford have consciously removed some of the unseen sound deadening and 'quality of drive' factors to cut the production cost down and try to compete with the wave of high-spec, modern looking alternatives from the South Korean's that dominated the last decade of UK car sales.  I can only guess VW have done the same to stay competitive. 

Coincidentally, the inspector guy for the claims company had a Polo GTI, latest shape. Although much more 'modern' and better spec than my CT, my eyes were drawn to all the rough plastics everywhere surrounding the little fancy inserts of the GTI. It had a similar all screen instrument cluster, very similar to this Vauxhall Grandland actually. But sitting back in the CT is an infinitely nicer place to be. It's funny because, for years, I looked at ads online for used CTs and never was fussed on the interior layout or anything, but the first time I sat in one - right after testing a modern Corolla - I was smitten with the comfort and the relaxing aspect of it. The red glow of the instrument cluster in 'Sport' mode, is as much 'sport' as I want in my car. The fake stick on plastic body mouldings, fake carbon fibre pattern and 'flappy paddles' can go to hell! lol 

[Gary H]

Unfortunately I wouldn't touch a Stellantis-based Vauxhall and now it's a brand I purposefully avoid for that reason. It pains me to say that because they're a brand which I spent quite some time growing up with (with the factory nearby) and of course, friends and family who worked there for decades. My late grandfather was in the first batch of employees at the Ellesmere Port factory. I've owned a few, my father has owned several and both of us together have driven countless Vauxhalls and enjoyed them over the years. A Stellantis Vauxhall though? No. Sorry. They're poorer products after the takeover (obviously being little more than a mildly re-styled Peugeot/Citroen) and those 1.2 Puretech engines are showing themselves in their earlier French stablemates to not age very well at all. 

I don't understand car-pricing these days. We're seeing Fords, Vauxhalls, Kias, Hyundais e.t.c all trying to sell cars for premium prices. It's ludicrous. 

Speaking of hire cars, about six years ago I owned an Audi Q5. A fabulous car which unfortunately the nearside rear door ended up with a stone flicking up onto it whilst the grass was being cut in the unit next to ours (I was at work). It ended up putting what resembled an air-rifle like pellet dent right in the middle of the panel. So, I popped along to Audi for the repair only to be told all their cars which need repairs like that go to Volkswagen. Fair enough - the parent company. So, I drove along to the VW dealer where indeed repair the door flawlessly. Full credit to them. The problem? I was given a base model VW Up! as a hire car. 

Now, I'm generally not a snob. A hire car is a hire car at the end of the day, but surely if you take a mid-size SUV in for three/four days, surely someone there must have some sort of common sense to assume the smallest city car wouldn't be a suitable replacement? I would have been perfectly happy with a Golf or a Passat. But no - a dinky city car. A car which was fine pottering around town in, but back and forth to work (involving two motorway journeys a day) was a real chore. When I first started dealing with Audi on a personal basis in 2008 - you were basically given a courtesy car of similar size/spec to what you took in. For instance, when I had an Audi A4, they always given me an A4 at servicing time. On one occasion they given me an A6 Avant. I even managed to get an A3 Cabriolet and a TT coupe (with the Golf GTi 2.0TFSI engine) on other occasions. It was only in that final 18 months or so during my time with Audi they seemed to care much less and it was one of the main reasons why I moved. 

[DavidCM]

It isn't just polos, astras and granddad's or whatever they call them, are courtesy cars...2 years ago some dope drove into the back of my RC and I got a BMW 430d convertible.What a pile of do do !

It rattled ,the cheap plastics squeaked and looked awful.Its one and only saving grace was the 3 ltr diesel engine.. pretty fast ..no wonder the Police use them.

[dutchie01]

17 hours ago, Gary H said:

Unfortunately I wouldn't touch a Stellantis-based Vauxhall and now it's a brand I purposefully avoid for that reason. It pains me to say that because they're a brand which I spent quite some time growing up with (with the factory nearby) and of course, friends and family who worked there for decades. My late grandfather was in the first batch of employees at the Ellesmere Port factory. I've owned a few, my father has owned several and both of us together have driven countless Vauxhalls and enjoyed them over the years. A Stellantis Vauxhall though? No. Sorry. They're poorer products after the takeover (obviously being little more than a mildly re-styled Peugeot/Citroen) and those 1.2 Puretech engines are showing themselves in their earlier French stablemates to not age very well at all. 

I don't understand car-pricing these days. We're seeing Fords, Vauxhalls, Kias, Hyundais e.t.c all trying to sell cars for premium prices. It's ludicrous. 

Speaking of hire cars, about six years ago I owned an Audi Q5. A fabulous car which unfortunately the nearside rear door ended up with a stone flicking up onto it whilst the grass was being cut in the unit next to ours (I was at work). It ended up putting what resembled an air-rifle like pellet dent right in the middle of the panel. So, I popped along to Audi for the repair only to be told all their cars which need repairs like that go to Volkswagen. Fair enough - the parent company. So, I drove along to the VW dealer where indeed repair the door flawlessly. Full credit to them. The problem? I was given a base model VW Up! as a hire car. 

Now, I'm generally not a snob. A hire car is a hire car at the end of the day, but surely if you take a mid-size SUV in for three/four days, surely someone there must have some sort of common sense to assume the smallest city car wouldn't be a suitable replacement? I would have been perfectly happy with a Golf or a Passat. But no - a dinky city car. A car which was fine pottering around town in, but back and forth to work (involving two motorway journeys a day) was a real chore. When I first started dealing with Audi on a personal basis in 2008 - you were basically given a courtesy car of similar size/spec to what you took in. For instance, when I had an Audi A4, they always given me an A4 at servicing time. On one occasion they given me an A6 Avant. I even managed to get an A3 Cabriolet and a TT coupe (with the Golf GTi 2.0TFSI engine) on other occasions. It was only in that final 18 months or so during my time with Audi they seemed to care much less and it was one of the main reasons why I moved. 

So many lost opportunities in sales it is frightening. A courtesy car is a once in a ownership lifetime opportunity to sell a car. Come in with a Q4, give a Q5 etc. prepare an offer and when the customer returns the car go for it. It just seems not recognized or is too much trouble. I received dirty cars with personal belongings ( Jenna from admin normally drives this sir) or empty tanks, so i had to fill up, car parked in between others so i had to wrestle my way out. In all cases the sales department was not envolved they did not even know i was there. Only with Lexus this was different got a nice RX when bringing my IS in for service

[Mincey]

2 hours ago, dutchie01 said:

So many lost opportunities in sales it is frightening. A courtesy car is a once in a ownership lifetime opportunity to sell a car. Come in with a Q4, give a Q5 etc. prepare an offer and when the customer returns the car go for it. It just seems not recognized or is too much trouble. I received dirty cars with personal belongings ( Jenna from admin normally drives this sir) or empty tanks, so i had to fill up, car parked in between others so i had to wrestle my way out. In all cases the sales department was not envolved they did not even know i was there. Only with Lexus this was different got a nice RX when bringing my IS in for service

Just like Lexus Leicester did with me. Took my IS in for a recall, was given Betsy for the day and the paperwork was all ready for me to sign when I took her back.

[GMB]

Many yrs ago I was given a courtesy car by the local VW agent. While out in it a drunken driver drove off the pavement and hit the side door putting a dent in it while I was stopped at a roundabout.  I explained what had happened to the garage and they said It and me were only insured third party and I had to pay for the door repair.  I have been very careful with courtesy cars ever since.  BTW - the drunk begged me not to call the police in return for a signed statement that it was all his fault for the insurance company's evidence. The insurance companies said it was not applicable even though it was clear, signed and dated.  Hence I had to pay!  A lesson learned methinks.😮

[dutchie01]

2 hours ago, Mincey said:

Just like Lexus Leicester did with me. Took my IS in for a recall, was given Betsy for the day and the paperwork was all ready for me to sign when I took her back.

true professionals and that should be the standard

[Bezzer]

I loved the Vauxhall Grandland advert that showed all parents refusing to let their soaked and muddied to the hilt football kids get straight in their cars in the state they were in apart from the Grandland owner who welcomed theirs with open arms. Just about sums it up, a shed.

[Gary H]

On 5/9/2024 at 9:45 AM, dutchie01 said:

So many lost opportunities in sales it is frightening. A courtesy car is a once in a ownership lifetime opportunity to sell a car. Come in with a Q4, give a Q5 etc. prepare an offer and when the customer returns the car go for it. It just seems not recognized or is too much trouble. I received dirty cars with personal belongings ( Jenna from admin normally drives this sir) or empty tanks, so i had to fill up, car parked in between others so i had to wrestle my way out. In all cases the sales department was not envolved they did not even know i was there. Only with Lexus this was different got a nice RX when bringing my IS in for service

Indeed, I couldn't agree more. It all appears to be about the accounts 'counting the coppers' for dealers these days. They want to sell new cars, but don't want to give existing owners the opportunity to have a decent courtesy car for the day when theirs is in for servicing e.t.c... It used to be a nice perk to have and I don't think they appreciate that's how future sales can also be generated. Giving owners a 'bobby basic' courtesy car really doesn't do them any favours and in my case as I said in my previous post on this, that was one of a few reasons why I decided to move away from Audi. They weren't interested in keeping you 'part of the family' any more. A completely different experience to how they were during the 2000s.