[toms]

It's semi-official... Mrs HKP is soon to become an EV owner via an Ampera. Still need to thrash out the details of the deal with the dealer, but we should be signing on the line for an Electron next week... Exciting times...!

The only issues are: a) She'll have a better EV than me b) Colour choice is limited with the current supply... The two premium finishes are available but too much wonga really. Leaving Silver or Topaz Silver, neither of which we're over enamoured with.

We'll hopefully be paying £24,595 with metallic which I don't think is too bad. We are getting £9000 for her dirty diesel Skoda Monte Carlo.

 

[Paul_Moxhay]

As someone who fully appreciates the pleasures of getting a new car (having taken delivery of 2 today!!!) I understand if you reject this suggestion completely out of hand but I just sold a superb, 2 year old, Ampera Electron, 22K miles, in perfect condition for just £15K

Is that kind of deal an option for you because there should be loads of them around and you would lose very little (relatively speaking) by way of depreciation over the next couple of years?

Just because it isn't something I would consider (liking new cars) but it still makes sense for most people I would have thought.

 

[toms]

I think the new car appeal is doing it for her Paul... The skoda is a 13 plate and she wouldn't want older... You also get a lifetime(ish) warranty with the new one rather than a year....

 

[Russ]

@toms
You may think twice about @Paul_Churchley's offer when your wife's car arrives and get one yourself for a bargain price.
Mine was under £18,000 with 11,000 miles from Vauxhall's fleet. It is absolutely in mint condition and only covered 1000 miles in its second year. Very high spec and fully loaded.
Yours is a nice one for a Yorkshireman.

 

[Paul_Moxhay]

I think the new car appeal is doing it for her Paul... The skoda is a 13 plate and she wouldn't want older... You also get a lifetime(ish) warranty with the new one rather than a year....

Yup... I totally understand

 

[AndyG]

Yup... I totally understand

Two new cars on the drive in one day, I think we all realise that "you totally understand"

 

[Derekosb]

It's semi-official... Mrs HKP is soon to become an EV owner via an Ampera. Still need to thrash out the details of the deal with the dealer, but we should be signing on the line for an Electron next week... Exciting times...!

The only issues are: a) She'll have a better EV than me b) Colour choice is limited with the current supply... The two premium finishes are available but too much wonga really. Leaving Silver or Topaz Silver, neither of which we're over enamoured with.

We'll hopefully be paying £24,595 with metallic which I don't think is too bad. We are getting £9000 for her dirty diesel Skoda Monte Carlo.

Excellent news and that's a pretty good price for an Electron, although personally I (and many others on here) don't think the extra for the Electron over the Positiv is value for money.

Of the two colour choices I would definitely recommend the Topaz Silver as being much more distinctive than the normal silver.

@Brooktop has the Topaz and I think its a lovely colour

In fact, had I realised it was as "blue" as it is I may have gone for that over my Summit White (maybe).

Good luck and enjoy when the car arrives.

Derek

 

[Derekosb]

I popped in to my local Ampera dealer in Glasgow today to organise a replacement tail light (one always has condensation in it) and there was a Silver Topaz sitting outside.

I thought a quick photo was in order to show a contrast between Summit White and Silver Topaz.

Derek

 

[toms]

Excellent news and that's a pretty good price for an Electron, although personally I (and many others on here) don't think the extra for the Electron over the Positiv is value for money.

Of the two colour choices I would definitely recommend the Topaz Silver as being much more distinctive than the normal silver.

@Brooktop has the Topaz and I think its a lovely colour

In fact, had I realised it was as "blue" as it is I may have gone for that over my Summit White (maybe).

Good luck and enjoy when the car arrives.

Derek

oooh! nice! more pics please @Brooktop

 

[Brooktop]

Not actually taken that many; something I need to remedy!

 

[toms]

Was very close to buying, but after having my time wasted today at the East Anglian Ampera dealer (can I name and shame?!) I walked out with no deal done... And I got pee'd on showing them round our (absolutely mint) Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo which we wanted to P/X in!! I'd already said it was utterly spotless, and I then had to show the inept salesman around it in the rain (you can't really get a good idea of the condition of a used car in the wet anyway!) I obviously don't look like a trustworthy gentleman...

The sales experience I received (they have an outside toilet!?) paled in comparison with the Nissan dealer who were trying to sell us a Leaf - lovely bloke, amazing deal, nice showroom, 7 day test drive etc...

Just not sure we want two pure EVs. The missus isn't convinced either.

Hmmmmm....

 

[AndyG]

Was very close to buying, but after having my time wasted today at the East Anglian Ampera dealer (can I name and shame?!) I walked out with no deal done... And I got pee'd on showing them round our (absolutely mint) Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo which we wanted to P/X in!! I'd already said it was utterly spotless, and I then had to show the inept salesman around it in the rain (you can't really get a good idea of the condition of a used car in the wet anyway!) I obviously don't look like a trustworthy gentleman...

The sales experience I received (they have an outside toilet!?) paled in comparison with the Nissan dealer who were trying to sell us a Leaf - lovely bloke, amazing deal, nice showroom, 7 day test drive etc...

Just not sure we want two pure EVs. The missus isn't convinced really.

Hmmmmm....

Name and shame

 

[toms]

Underwoods of Colchester - 1st visit - 'Ampera' Salesman busy so we looked around the car but got bored waiting (at least 45 minutes in the showroom) so went home. 2nd visit - We turned up and the showroom car was sold so we attempted to lay out a deal on paper, at this stage my missus was getting a bit frustrated with the slow salesman and being thought of a not serious about buying. I then thrashed the deal out on email (1st post in this thread). Was told I needed to come back for a third visit to look at my P/X so, 3rd visit - I have wallet in hand, happy to pay deposit. End up waiting for ages while the P/X is inspected and re-inspected (they also sell Skoda), then wait around for what seemed an eternity whilst the the salesman OKs the deal with the sales manager and sales director, the deal comes back £200 more expensive and apparently there is no more discount! (so why did he bring me in in the peeing rain?!! I then ask about colours, but apparently the system is down so he doesn't know what colours are now available.

So I can have a car in pot luck colour and it's £200 more than we agreed?! No thank you!

 

[AndyG]

Underwoods of Colchester - 1st visit - 'Ampera' Salesman busy so we looked around the car but got bored waiting (at least 45 minutes in the showroom) so went home. 2nd visit - We turned up and the showroom car was sold so we attempted to lay out a deal on paper, at this stage my missus was getting a bit frustrated with the slow salesman and being thought of a not serious about buying. I then thrashed the deal out on email (1st post in this thread). Was told I needed to come back for a third visit to look at my P/X so, 3rd visit - I have wallet in hand, happy to pay deposit. End up waiting for ages while the P/X is inspected and re-inspected (they also sell Skoda), then wait around for what seemed an eternity whilst the the salesman OKs the deal with the sales manager and sales director, the deal comes back £200 more expensive and apparently there is no more discount! (so why did he bring me in in the peeing rain?!! I then ask about colours, but apparently the system is down so he doesn't know what colours are now available.

So I can have a car in pot luck colour and it's £200 more than we agreed?! No thank you!

I have to say I gave up with Vauxhall and got a Chevy Volt instead, I knew more than the sale team and they just could not be bothered.
On the up side if you can fight your way through the purchace the car is fantastic, there is not a single car on the market (alright I admit the Tesla is my dream) that I would rather own than the Volt/Ampera.

 

[toms]

I felt like they couldn't be bothered to sell it... I guess they're happier shifting lots of 9 grand Corsas!

 

[Robwiz]

I felt like they couldn't be bothered to sell it... I guess they're happier shifting lots of 9 grand Corsas!

You were lucky - at least the dealer responded to your enquiry! I didn't get a call back.

 

[AndyG]

It such a puzzle as to why the Ampera was not a success

 

[Paul_Moxhay]

IMO that is simple... too expensive for what you got at launch. It is much more realistically priced now of course but that particular boat has sailed already.

 

[AndyG]

IMO that is simple... too expensive for what you got at launch. It is much more realistically priced now of course but that particular boat has sailed already.

Agreed, plus a dealer network that is completely inept/uninterested where the Ampera is concerned

 

[Paul_Moxhay]

True... but I guess the fact that it was so pricey lead to low sales. There is nothing more guaranteed to turn off sales staff than a car that no one wants to buy... hence no profit, no commission, no interest.