[h8ten]

Very pleased with the car but the PDI seems to have left room for improvement.
I was invited to collect the car at midnight on Saturday 31st August and drive away immediately after midnight. The dealership is over 60 miles away and I am unfamiliar with the roads in that area, even worse at night in a new car.
Headlights - I was constantly being flashed at despite me being on dipped beam and in the car myself, so I have had to adjust the level to 3 (full load with a driver) so if I have to use it with a full load and only a driver I will be back dazzling other drivers.
Paint defect in front of the front passenger door handle, looks like a stonechip but is actually proud of the surface, how it was missed during polishing I do not know.
Scuff mark on the headlining next to driver's sun visor
Both sunvisors will pop out the inner catch when trying to return them after use, driver's side being the worst.
Adhesive reside on cover for vanity mirror on driver's side (If anyone could tell me if they have a sticker there that would be appreciated, I don't know if one has been stuck there in error or just not applicable to the UK).
Pieces of protective film left on bodywork where it has not been removed carefully ( I saw the car covered in this film when I went to pay for it prior to collection).
Tyre pressures at between 30 & 32 all round instead of the minimum 35 (Comfort) or 39 (ECO).
Handbook not completed at all with any details of the car or PDI details.
As I mentioned in another post the now standard fit carpet mats do not appear to be quality items, thin with a simple foam backing that looks like it will crumble away after it has got wet a few times during the winter, and no binding or edging to the mats. Quite a difference to the mats that came with my 2005 Corsa (wonder if they will fit?). I did ask the parts guy when ordering my rear seat close out panel (this was originally ordered as a dealer fit option but sales could not find details for it although parts dept found it, ordered it and it was delivered there within two days for me to collect the next day) about the carpet mats but he did not know if the accessory version would be the same as the ones I had and being a special order would need to be paid for upfront. Again if anyone has the accessory mats I would appreciate their thoughts on the quality of them.

Finally, not a moan, there seems to be a change to Driver's Information Centre with a new display 'Power Gauge' which I do not recall seeing on my 3 day demo, though it is in the June 2012 owner's manual maybe a recent software upgrade?
All in all pleased with the car, just a pity about the PDI.
I don't see myself as managing high mpg as I commute over 100 miles for 3/4 days per week and the workplace have not got around to installing charging points yet but I live in hope.

 

[hopbackguy]

The PDI was rubbish! And delivery at midnight? Whats that all about! You dont take delivery of a car in the dark. This almost smacks of them being desperate to get the car delivered before sept 1st for their own financial reasons. Whatever the reason, it's not good enough and should go straight back to them as soon as poss.

 

[proddick]

Sorry to hear about your awful PDI. Mine was OK but my headlights were also out of allignment and had to be sorted

 

[h8ten]

The PDI was rubbish! And delivery at midnight? Whats that all about! You dont take delivery of a car in the dark. This almost smacks of them being desperate to get the car delivered before sept 1st for their own financial reasons. Whatever the reason, it's not good enough and should go straight back to them as soon as poss.

The delivery at midnight was entirely optional. The dealership does not open on a Sunday at all so they had a bit of a celebration with buffet, refreshments and a piper to see off all the new owners on the stroke of midnight. Having had the 3 day demo I thought I was familiar enough with the car to not have any problems and, if the headlights had been adjusted correctly, would have managed fine.

 

[h8ten]

Sorry to hear about your awful PDI. Mine was OK but my headlights were also out of alignment and had to be sorted

Went back to the dealership today, they adjusted the headlights and agreed with all the points raised. They will be in touch when they can take it back in to sort the issues and give it a proper valet preparation.
Also just remembered I picked up the rear seat close out panel accessory, a bit late to try it now but will get it fitted tomorrow evening.

 

[Brian Matthews]

h8ten, with a thorough PDI the customer is blissfully unaware of a new cars issues and that is the way it should be.

On my 2012 Electron Ampera I have a label on the passenger sun visor regarding warning using child seats in several languages and the same label is on the vanity mirror cover.
Did query the one on the outside of the visor, apparently it should be there as probably the vanity mirror one should also be there.

Why do you need a closure panel between the rear seats? Do you have the rear central armrest? If so, is the gap above the arm rest as standard and the infill panel you mention supplied as an accessory? :?

Welcome to owning an Ampera, enjoy.

 

[h8ten]

Hi Brian
I was warned about buying a new car when the registrations first came out as there would be a rush to PDI the cars and things could get missed. I did think that a month was enough notice for it to be prepared. I chatted with a pal who used to do PDIs on another brand and they just checked that all lights were working as the headlamp level should be factory set.
The sticker on the sunvisor, I was told, was because all the sunvisors are supplied with the stickers and they remove the one that is not relevant to that market, i.e. RHD they remove the right hand one LHD they remove the left hand one although I would have thought it would be better to keep it for the driver and remove the passenger side.
I do have the rear central armrest but there is still a gap above it that allows a view through into the boot. I picked up the close out panel but due to the higher armrest it will not fit, well not without part of it sticking above the seat line and with it in place the armrest can't be opened. Still very pleased with the car and now that I have pumped up the tyre pressures from the delivered 30 - 32 psi to the ECO 39 psi setting I will see if it makes much difference to the comfort and economy.

 

[Brian Matthews]

Thanks h8ten for your reply with clarification regarding the warning labels and rear centre arm rest.
I wanted the arm rest fitted to my 2012 Ampera, unfortunately it cannot be fitted

 

[h8ten]

Well car is back from the dealership after the niggles being sorted. I had to bring to their attention the mark in the headlining which was still there, this was sorted there and then. Sticky residue on the driver's sun visor remains (only noticed it on the way home, I should have checked when I noticed the mark not cleaned). Handbook still not completed with any details. Still no public charging cable in. As for the defect in the paintwork they have tried to flatten it out but have now told me that to keep the Vauxhall paint warranty it has to go elsewhere to be corrected. I need to chase up the paintwork protection documentation as well.

 

[Paul_Moxhay]

That is simply appauling!

Any new car can have teething troubles and so that is not the issue really... what I find appauling is that when you raise the issues that they are not fixed and that they simply return the car to you with the defects still remaining.

What dealer was it?

 

[Colin Mclean]

I would complain to the dealer principal and copy it to the directors of the business chain. Totally unacceptable that the car was not right upon delivery and compounded by your treatment when they were supposed to correct their failings.

 

[h8ten]

Called the salesman (family friend but deals only with used cars at the dealership). He is going to take it up with the manager in charge of new car preparation and also going to chase up the order of the public charging cable. I also called the MyAmpera helpline to enquire if there was any delay with these cables as I can't take advantage of relatively fast charging when out and about, during the conversation she asked how I was liking the car and I told her that while I like the car a great deal I told her about my experience with the pre-delivery inspection she took all the details, gave me a reference number and will check with the dealership about the situation. Having a closer look at the car today I can still see protective tape left during the pdi, which was also reported so I am beginning to wonder if all that they did was an external valet and attempt to flatten the paint defect. The car is less than two weeks old, has a paint protection coating so should not need much by way of valeting. As a final point it would have been nice to collect the car with a fully charged battery as they had it in for 3 full days and obviously could not work on it overnight when it could have been on charge.
The dealership is Peter Vardy in Edinburgh, not much way of choice up here with only 3 dealers appointed for the Ampera, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inveness and there was a silver Ampera in next to the workshop entrance private plate with 4 numbers and MC so one for the spotted too

 

[MickH]

Just shows you the difference in dealers, picked my Chevy Volt up from the dealership in Edinburgh, only dealer selling Volts in Scotland, car was sparkling inside and out, fully charged and full of petrol for my 265 mile journey north. Only thing I didn't check was the Manuals. Owners manual was in the glove box with a pdf copy on a flash drive in the wallet but the Infotainment manual and Warranty service guide was missing. Quick call and they ordered a new Infotainment manual and posted that with the service guide. They've also been in touch to see how I'm liking the car.
****

 

[h8ten]

Well one month on and I now have my Public Charging Cable, the salesman (family friend but only deals with used cars), arranged for it to be delivered it to my work. Regarding the other issues I now have the names of the people, Sales Manager & After Sales Manager, to chase up the remaining items and I will be in touch with the MyAmpera helpline regarding the case number I was given when querying the delay in the cable.