2017 Volvo XC40

[Newbie26]

Many thanks for sharing and useful for potential buyers

 

 

 

Interest rate loans variable and dependent on AD and their sale package, honestly difficult to take issue with that

 

For the Euro certification misrepresentation point, some SEs may genuinely not know 

 

What is the outcome of your compliant?

 

Hope all settled amicably 

  

 

They are downright sleazy. Below is a letter I wrote to Wearnes Volvo GM, which is also in another thread:

 

Dear Ms Sng,

Your dishonesty mars the Volvo brand name

 

My wife bought a Volvo S60 from Wearnes Automotive in the month of July 2017.  Allow me recount to you our buying experience.

 

On Friday 7 July 2017, I called Wearnes Auto with regard to a promotional advertisement. I spoke to your sales person, Richard Chua Keng Yak. I specifically asked if the Volvo S60 on offer was used for test drives. He said it wasn’t. He said it was a showroom unit and it was the sole unit left on offer. That same evening, my wife and I came over to your showroom at Alexandra Road. We only found out later that it was, in fact, used for test drives. Because the mileage was low, we did not make a fuss about it. One thing led to another, and my wife placed a deposit for the car. After we got home, I sent an SMS to Richard Chua to remind him to put our car away and to not use it for test drives any longer. Sensing that he was non-committal, I then spoke with him over the phone. He told me (I have a recording of  our conversation) that he needed to speak with his manager for permission not to use our car for test drives, and that he could only talk to his manager the following week. When Wearnes Auto accepted a deposit from my wife and agreed to sell her the car, the car in question belonged to her. Wearnes Auto had absolutely no right to keep using it as it saw fit without expressed permission from my wife. But Richard Chua disagreed with me, and said that the company will keep using the car for test drives.

 

The next morning, Saturday 8 July, we went to your showroom at Alexandra Road to confront Richard. He had plenty to say. That likely came from three decades of lying and and making up things as a Volvo car sales person. My wife ended up getting a new Volvo S60 instead of the test drive car. Over the course of the following week, we found out that the OCBC bank was only charging an interest rate of 2.75% for car loans. My wife called OCBC and was told that OCBC was not lending directly to individual car buyers, but depending on the duration of the loan and the car distributor, it usually was lower than 2.75%. My wife asked Richard why she was made to pay 2.8% for her car loan when other car distributors were charging not more that 2.50%, with Komoco being the lowest, at only 1.98%. Richard threatened to deny her the maintenance and warranty for the car if she wanted a lower interest for the loan. She then tried to speak to Edi Teo, the sales manager at Volvo, whose business card we asked from the receptionist during one of the visits. The mobile number on his card was NOT even in use, and the direct line to his office was perpetually put on voice recording.  

 

In your stable of car brands, Wearnes Auto provides Renault cars with 5 yrs warranty and 3 years of complimentary scheduled maintenance; Jaguar 5 years warranty and 5 years complimentary scheduled maintenance; and Range Rover 3 years warranty and 5 years complimentary scheduled maintenance. These are listed on your websites. For Volvo cars, warranty is for just 3 years. The complimentary scheduled maintenance is only given with many terms and conditions, some of which are only told when asked. Unsuspecting customers who made the mistake of putting down a deposit for a car, are then held hostage to those conditions.

 

The last straw was with the Euro VI certification. As with the test drive car and the new car, one of the first things we asked Richard Chua was if they met Euro VI specifications. Richard’s answer was, without hesitation, affirmative for both. Yesterday, my wife received a notification of registration for her car from the Land Transport Authority. On it was stated that the Volvo S60 was Euro V, and not Euro VI as Richard had lied about. Euro VI certification was important for us. My wife would not have bought this car had Richard Chua not been dishonest. She probably would have waited for an S60 with Euro VI certification. We will raise this issue with the relevant authorities. The car-buying public too, deserves to know your shameful business conduct so that they will not be fleeced.  

 

Buying a car from Wearnes Auto is akin to buying from used car dealers. It’s sleazy and underhanded right from the beginning. You cheat, insult, and lie to the very people who might have been proud owners of  Volvo cars, and treat them shabbily and with such disrespect. You levy extortionate interest rate for the compulsory car loan. Your staff hand out business cards of your sales manager whose mobile number was not in use. Your telephone number, 64731488, is never answered, except for the extension for new car sale enquiry. All these are very telling of your business practises and ethics. They leave a very sour taste in the mouth. -

 

When honesty will always carry the day, something is very wrong when Volvo has to resort to cheating and lying to sell their cars. It tarnishes the brand name in ways that you cannot immediately quantify. -

 

[roughrider]

Sorry to hear about this but as long as the car is not registered to your name it's still belong to the showroom. I have experience also regarding equiring test drive car. As long as  COE and loan not secured they will not pull the car from the test drive status, same with other brands. That's why I don't like buying test drive car except it got some serious discount literarrily like buying second hand car.

Well even they same group, I also had experience infinity SE said something not nice about Volvo. At the end of they SE need to sell car for them to earn $$$.

I think you cannot be more wrong. If you have made a commitment to buy it and the seller has agreed to sell it to you, technically, it belongs to you until such time that the registration of the car, or the application of the loan or the bidding for the COE are unsuccessful.  

[roughrider]

Many thanks for sharing and useful for potential buyers

 

 

 

Interest rate loans variable and dependent on AD and their sale package, honestly difficult to take issue with that

 

For the Euro certification misrepresentation point, some SEs may genuinely not know 

 

What is the outcome of your compliant?

 

Hope all settled amicably 

Of course the SEs know exactly the certification of the cars. The Euro VI certification was a big thing. Either they would have been kept informed, or they themselves should have taken the responsibility to keep themselves informed. 

 

Unfortunately, we have not come to an amicable settlement. 

[Soho]

just curious, why is Euro V or Euro VI so important to your wife?

[Tiger1]

I think you cannot be more wrong. If you have made a commitment to buy it and the seller has agreed to sell it to you, technically, it belongs to you until such time that the registration of the car, or the application of the loan or the bidding for the COE are unsuccessful.

I am with you on this point. Once a deposit is paid, that car should be "blocked" pending all necessary paperwork.

 

Otherwise, why bother placing a deposit, might as well say, do paperwork first and if all goes well, then pay deposit.

 

As for interest rate, I guess every AD tie up with certain banks and therefore, this point is a little borderline.

[Knighthunter]

I am with you on this point. Once a deposit is paid, that car should be "blocked" pending all necessary paperwork.

 

Otherwise, why bother placing a deposit, might as well say, do paperwork first and if all goes well, then pay deposit.

 

As for interest rate, I guess every AD tie up with certain banks and therefore, this point is a little borderline.

When you buy test drive car it will come with additional T&C, at the end of the day what is black and white matters. I learnt hard way too, before sign anything read it and deal agreed for extras write on the agreement. If they refuse walk away, you are the king bring your money to other showroom. There are lots options there. Volvo is not must have car even I owned less than 1 year old older model XC60, sometime I still miss my C180 for the driving enjoyment but I got more comfort in XC60, it’s liife can’t have it all.

 

 

I just remember I ever got explanation that test drive car need certain amount of km to justify discount given to customer.

Edited January 20, 2018 by Knighthunter

[jjandyy]

since divorce with Ford, now no more using Ford's PowerShift

I am just pointing out that your statement that ‘it is not a trend for Volvo to fit DCT on smaller engines’ is not true. Volvo has been fitting DCT on smaller engines before 2010.

Even after ‘divorce’ from Ford in 2010, Volvo continues to fit Powershift DCT on some of its cars until 2016. Only when it refreshes the models, it started to phase out Powershift in favour of Geartronic. I guess they had enough with DCT problems and probably will hesitate to adopt any DCT soon.

It will be great if Volvo will continue using Aisin or ZF gearboxes only, and don’t go near other guys like Ford’s Powershit and GM’s crappy boxes fitted on older XC90 T6.

[jjandyy]

I think you cannot be more wrong. If you have made a commitment to buy it and the seller has agreed to sell it to you, technically, it belongs to you until such time that the registration of the car, or the application of the loan or the bidding for the COE are unsuccessful.

I still don’t understand why would you think it belongs to you when you placed deposit (only). Technically, after placing deposit, both parties can still walk away from the deal with certain penalties so it is still not a full commitment. And the deposit paid in this case could be just be around 10% of the full price. It will be a different story if you paid in full.

 

However I do agree with you that Volvo could have been more ‘accommodating’ with your ‘requests’. But then again, what they do with their inventory is really up to them. You chose to buy a used inventory so they will give you one when the paperwork is done.

[Spring]

Anymore feedback on this car? Price seems steep for a Vezel size car. Wonder what the OMV is?

[roughrider]

I still don’t understand why would you think it belongs to you when you placed deposit (only). Technically, after placing deposit, both parties can still walk away from the deal with certain penalties so it is still not a full commitment. And the deposit paid in this case could be just be around 10% of the full price. It will be a different story if you paid in full.

 

However I do agree with you that Volvo could have been more ‘accommodating’ with your ‘requests’. But then again, what they do with their inventory is really up to them. You chose to buy a used inventory so they will give you one when the paperwork is done.

Having accepted a deposit, the seller has made a commitment to sell it to you, and you have made a commitment to buy it. Until such time that other conditions are not fulfilled, both parties are legally bound to honor this commitment, used inventory or otherwise. What's the point then, of having a contract and making a deposit?

[Eyke]

I am just pointing out that your statement that âit is not a trend for Volvo to fit DCT on smaller enginesâ is not true. Volvo has been fitting DCT on smaller engines before 2010.

Even after âdivorceâ from Ford in 2010, Volvo continues to fit Powershift DCT on some of its cars until 2016. Only when it refreshes the models, it started to phase out Powershift in favour of Geartronic. I guess they had enough with DCT problems and probably will hesitate to adopt any DCT soon.

It will be great if Volvo will continue using Aisin or ZF gearboxes only, and donât go near other guys like Fordâs Powershit and GMâs crappy boxes fitted on older XC90 T6.

"trend" usually refers to the ongoing and what appears will continue to be, and not the past.

 

eg. there's a trend for fake news: a lot of fake news NOW and unlikely to stop soon.

[Knighthunter]

Having accepted a deposit, the seller has made a commitment to sell it to you, and you have made a commitment to buy it. Until such time that other conditions are not fulfilled, both parties are legally bound to honor this commitment, used inventory or otherwise. What's the point then, of having a contract and making a deposit?

 

 

You paid 10% share of the price of the item and ask people who own 90% of the share to listen to you and it's to be aware is test drive car that comes with discount. Sorry no logic on this, if you not agree with them walk away which you did decided for new car. Why complaint for something you know you can't agree? 

Edited January 21, 2018 by Knighthunter

[jjandyy]

"trend" usually refers to the ongoing and what appears will continue to be, and not the past.

 

eg. there's a trend for fake news: a lot of fake news NOW and unlikely to stop soon.

It has been a TREND for Volvo to fit DCT with smaller displacement engines and they have stopped doing that since 2017. That’s the fact lah. You were late by more than 8years.

[meeper]

Rough rider,

 

Sorry to hear of your experience - the institutional/systemic issues with Wearnes was compounded by the attitude of the salespersons involved.

 

And I guess this is why it’s important to have everything in writing as far as possible, though not always possible and practical. Everything not clearly stated is always open to debate, and we almost always are at a disadvantage.

 

My purchase experience was a lot less horrible, and the SE I worked with was great, but certainly, things could have been a lot more clear and transparent!

 

On the upside though, did the price you paid justify the trouble you went through? The recent drops in COE and prices would not have helped you psychologically either!

[jjandyy]

Having accepted a deposit, the seller has made a commitment to sell it to you, and you have made a commitment to buy it. Until such time that other conditions are not fulfilled, both parties are legally bound to honor this commitment, used inventory or otherwise. What's the point then, of having a contract and making a deposit?

Did Volvo said they did not want to honor the commitment of selling to you?

Your issue seems to be that you cannot accept the fact ‘your car’ will be touched by other people after you had expressed commitment to buy it as used inventory. If that is the case, you should have opted for new, which comes with additional premium.

 

I see that the commitment from Volvo is to give you a used inventory when you have fully paid (loan approval, downpayment), they have the prerogative to fulfill it with a used inventory or even a new one if they like, to meet any black and white written in sales contract (model, color, specs). Sorry that’s how I see it.

[t0y0ta]

I still don’t understand why would you think it belongs to you when you placed deposit (only). Technically, after placing deposit, both parties can still walk away from the deal with certain penalties so it is still not a full commitment. And the deposit paid in this case could be just be around 10% of the full price. It will be a different story if you paid in full.

 

However I do agree with you that Volvo could have been more ‘accommodating’ with your ‘requests’. But then again, what they do with their inventory is really up to them. You chose to buy a used inventory so they will give you one when the paperwork is done.

 

It is a case of sincerity rather than technical ownership... many times I see when a display unit is purchased, the AD will put a paper stating "sold" on the dashboard and also lock up the car to prevent any more "dirtying" of the interior. That is the right thing to do even though they could potentially still let others get in and out as usage for display unit.

 

But I am surprised at this type of story because usually only PI will need to have such pattern because they have limited resource.

 

BTW I think the poster has related the same story a few times in MCF (I recall I read it before) - so probably anger not appeased yet.

Anymore feedback on this car? Price seems steep for a Vezel size car. Wonder what the OMV is?

 

Volvos in SG esp their SUV line, have scary profit margins of 60-80k.

 

Buying XC40 will be if you super love the car design and buy into their safety message.

[Eyke]

It has been a TREND for Volvo to fit DCT with smaller displacement engines and they have stopped doing that since 2017. That’s the fact lah. You were late by more than 8years.

HAD not HAS

 

i said: it IS NOT the trend for Volvo.

 

u r the one giving the impression that it's the opposite.

 

so who is "late"?

 

or u simply can't comprehend past/present/future tense?

 

watever...

Edited January 21, 2018 by Eyke

[jjandyy]

HAD not HAS

 

i said: it IS NOT the trend for Volvo.

 

u r the one giving the impression that it's the opposite.

 

so who is "late"?

 

or u simply can't comprehend past/present/future tense?

 

watever...

The argument is lost when it switched to English language discussion. Well... whatever...