Car Salesmen....

So, last week I popped into Arnold Clark to look at used cars. I knew what I wanted and had done some research. Immediately a salesman came over to me and showed me a couple of cars of the type I wanted, he then mentioned an older version and I immediately said that I knew that a certain feature had been improved since that one. SO he knew that I was not playing at buying the car.
I decided on one of the ones he showed me, and played at moving the seats around (a 7 seater, and I just had to try the back seats to check that even I could manage to get in).

Then to the nitty gritty. What would I get for my car as trade in, how to transfer the number plate, (private reg) need a towbar etc etc. I got a reasonable trade in, and if I signed that day the manager would throw in a towbar (not literally!). Looked at the finance offered which was better than quotes I got elsewhere. So, handed over my pink credit card for the deposit - ouch! He gave me the documentation and said he would need certain documents so they could transfer the number plates over. Now, we live an hour from civilization, so it isnt as if we can just pop round. Well, I was playing golf the following day (wed) and my pal said she could get the docs in by 9am on thurs - great. Done.
Friday, got a text message asking for a cover note. Phoned in and asked what it was about. Apparantly a cover note is needed for them to get the plates transferred. Asked if a fax would be ok - yes came the answer. On to insurance company, increased my insurance and put the new car on from this tuesday just gone. Received the fax copy and emailed it to the garage. Phone call came - wont accept a fax! But the docs would take up to 5 days to come thru the post! My salesman said I would have to wait then. Hrmmphhhh

Another salesman phoned. He gave me a work round for getting a free 7 day insurance from the manufacturer which would be printed at the garage - problem sorted. Tow bar to be fitted Tuesday afternoon, so told that it could be then when I pick it up.

Monday. Phoned up to see how it was going. Saleman phoned back and said "what are you phoning me for?" in a very terse way. Well, err I would like to know when I get my car? Dont know, could be friday. What is happening, why the delay. "if you didnt want your personalised plate you could have had the car by now" (big lie as the car didnt get the tow bar fitted until this morning (wed)!

Tuesday. Insurance docs arrive. Help!!!!! my insurance is now for my new car (the one I havent got yet) so the car I am driving around in is uninsured! Phone call to insurers - beg, plead etc etc and they cover me until Friday but tell me to find out when I get the new car and that a further change will cost me! Go for coffee before my head explodes. Phone the garage before 12. Can the salesman return my call? No reply. Got on to the head office via email and lodge a complaint. Oh boy, what a quick turn round of emails.

Wed. Wait for phone call. None. Phoned and asked to speak to the salesman - day off!! Can I speak to the other one who helped with insurance? On the phone, will phone back! I explain that I am still waiting for a call back. Takes number again. Phone rings! He explains what is happening with the number plates, no, they dont post them as I was led to believe, the drivers go to the dvla for 15:30 in the afternoon, but he wouldnt expect mine to be back before Friday (Poo - going to be in Inverness then!). At least I understand what the process is now - that's what I wanted.

Got home. Ansafone message from manager. Phoned him back. Wow - he hates receiving complaints and was really pleased when I explained what I had expected, the treatment I had received by my salesman and the information from the second salesman. He said when they take the docs to the dvla they get given a chitty to say when to come back - mine said 26th! So WHY didnt they tell me that? Anyway, he had tried to phone the dvla to find out if they are open on Monday as it is a bank holiday for some (not me!). So he said that he would phone me on Monday to let me know which day. He was very apologetic about his salesman and he will reimburse me for any extra insurance costs plus he will make sure I have plenty of fuel. If I have any queries just call him. What a difference.

Phoned the insurance and they have given me a free change to cover both cars Mon/Tue depending on which I am driving!

I shall be so glad when I get my car - I just hope that the troubles have not taken the edge off the excitement.

Anyway, off to Inverness tomorrow to see the Scottish Community Drama Association's Festival of One Act Plays Scottish Final. 9 plays over 3 nights.

Bye for now.
Wx

LIPS update

I just realised today that I had not updated my blog since February when I was off to Portugal golfing with the girls.
the holiday was fantastic. It was unseasonably windy, but still warm - much better than the cold, wet and windy weather we left behind.
Our hotel was very nice. There was a lovely outdoor pool, but unheated - brrrrrrr. NO - even the brave Wizzard did not venture in (well I did pop in my toe!). There was also a very chlorinated indoor pool - very tiny!

The day we got there was a "free" day - no golf. So my pal Olive and I wandered around the town of Villamoura and spent a lot of time around the harbour. We ended up in a very nice par overlooking the marina just as the sun went down.

The next day was our first golfing day on Pinhal and also my birthday. When I entered the breakfast room the rest of my party burst into song! HOW EMBARRASING! I had to wear the birthday hat all day long. this was very difficult cos I have a big head! The girls bought me a frog head cover and a dozen balls with my face on them!

We went out for an indian meal in the evening (well Portugal did have close links with Goa in the past!) which was my choice - wonderful.

Next day we had another "free day" so Olive and I had booked a massage at the sister hotel. Well, what a laugh. First of all you can tell from the picture that I am not a small woman! Well, we got given toweling robes, paper slippers and a paper thong! O-K-A-Y! The toweling robe was probably a size 12 - no way was it going to do up. We had to walk through the pool area to the massage rooms - there was me hugging towels to my very exposed front. Olive and I nearly wet ourselves laughing. We shared a massage room which was very different. We had these very tiny portugese girls doing the massaging, but boy did they have some strength in them! After the massage we sat on beanbags (still in the gaping robe) and had a cup of tea/glass of water.
That evening we found a Portugese restaurant just at the back of our hotel -that is where we ate from then on. We had the most delicious sardines with a lovely salad - delicious.
Two of the "old birds" as we affectionately called them introduced Olive and me to white port. Chilled. Fabby.
On our next day off - another golf course in between. Olive and I went to see her friends who were in the process of building a house - we got the tour of the house, huge pool, outside kitchen/bar and a garage for 40 cars underneath the house.

In all we played 3 golf courses - Pinhal, Laguna and Millenium.

We all agreed that it was a great holiday especially as we did not have to drive anywhere as we had airport transfers and transfers to the golf courses.

where to next year......