Semi-urgent: What would YOu do?

Okay, we went to pick up the Saab tonight. You may recall, we had a brief discussion of the BBS rims that came on this wagon (RK IIs). You may also recall that there was a question as to whether the rims were polished and we confirmed they were.

Well, in having the curb rash repaired, the wheel guy they had do the work took the fast and lazy approach and sanded the lips and painted them alloy wheel silver. They are no longer polished. They are painted silver. And I don't think they are even clearcoated. And the work was quite sloppy.

What would you do? Asking for brand new rims (@ ~$2K) is probably not going to play out in my favor. But what are my options? The car is in mint condition otherwise. But the rims look wrong.

I haven't signed for the car yet, so it's still not ours.

What would YOU do?

Was reconditioning the wheel(s) part of the agreement WRT the deal on the car? If so, you have more leverage in this matter. If not, and the wheel refinishing was a courtesy, well, it's harder to argue.

In either case, do they all match? If not, I'd definitely have the mismatched ones redone. At minimum I would want all 4 to be the same.

Originally Posted by Kaz

Was reconditioning the wheel(s) part of the agreement WRT the deal on the car? If so, you have more leverage in this matter. If not, and the wheel refinishing was a courtesy, well, it's harder to argue.

In either case, do they all match? If not, I'd definitely have the mismatched ones redone. At minimum I would want all 4 to be the same.

Yes. The car is being certified (CPO) by Saab. The refinishing is required to CPO it. The rims were rashed pretty badly and the coating that had been on the lips had started to lift in places and moisture had gotten underneath and produced a black mold. They had looked pretty bad.

As for the subject of being mismatched, all 4 were done but all 4 look less than perfect, even for painted rims. But these rims aren't *supposed* to be painted. Hence the core of the issue. At the least, I want them done better. But I would vastly prefer them to look polished not painted.

Depends on what I thought that I could get away with. If the deal was reached with the understanding that the wheels would be brought back to like new condition, and I was paying more than I would with more pedestrian wheels, I'd want a discount of some sort. What I would be willing to accept would depend on how badly I wanted the car, how badly I wanted the process to be over, etc.

If the "damage" to the wheels doesn't affect the wheels strength, usability, etc, I wouldn't be all that concerned. It's a used car, and I'd be expecting my wife and kid(s) to crap it up cosmetically in such short order that I might even prefer it to be pre-damaged in that way.

Originally Posted by ·clyde·

Depends on what I thought that I could get away with. If the deal was reached with the understanding that the wheels would be brought back to like new condition, and I was paying more than I would with more pedestrian wheels, I'd want a discount of some sort. What I would be willing to accept would depend on how badly I wanted the car, how badly I wanted the process to be over, etc.

If the "damage" to the wheels doesn't affect the wheels strength, usability, etc, I wouldn't be all that concerned. It's a used car, and I'd be expecting my wife and kid(s) to crap it up cosmetically in such short order that I might even prefer it to be pre-damaged in that way.

There was that understanding. It was explicitly stated by my salesman.

Originally Posted by TD

There was that understanding. It was explicitly stated by my salesman.

So how did you leave it with the dealership tonight?

Originally Posted by SpaceMonkey

So how did you leave it with the dealership tonight?

We took the car (w/dealer tags) to the shop that's doing the PPI in the morning. I didn't really determine just how ****ty the rims looked until I had left the dealership. I plan to call in the morning, hence why I'm looking for input now.

Originally Posted by TD

There was that understanding. It was explicitly stated by my salesman.

Because you haven't actually signed for the car, your leverage is limited; they're not obligated to give you anything. However, I would complain about the shoddy work and see whether they want to sell the car badly enough to give you a few hundred bucks off for it.

I might also stop buying used cars from VOB.

I'd ask for them to be redone again but in the long run as long as all 4 wheels are matching color I wouldn't stress over it.

The car you found is a hard find and the BBS wheels was not one of the reasons you bought this car, it just happened to have it and you got a bonus ... in other words looking at the big picture, the problem with the wheels is very minor plus if your wife is anything like mine, that car won't exactly be detailed on a regular basis so once a little brake dust covers it you won't even know the difference. Just wait until your kids spill milk and it dries up into the carpet, then you've got a REAL problem

Well, if they really are painted now, and no longer polished, not much can be done. Getting them re-done won't accomplish much, so I'd try to get some sort of compensation. But I'd most likely still get the car.

After all, it's just a station wagon.

Originally Posted by AF330i

I'd ask for them to be redone again but in the long run as long as all 4 wheels are matching color I wouldn't stress over it.

The car you found is a hard find and the BBS wheels was not one of the reasons you bought this car, it just happened to have it and you got a bonus ... in other words looking at the big picture, the problem with the wheels is very minor plus if your wife is anything like mine, that car won't exactly be detailed on a regular basis so once a little brake dust covers it you won't even know the difference. Just wait until your kids spill milk and it dries up into the carpet, then you've got a REAL problem

Proof again that you don't know me very well.

Neither of our cars is ever detailed but both are always clean. I ahte brake dust and I could go take a picture of both cars right now and show you neither has any. And there are no food/drink stains anywhere in either car. And there's no curb rash on either either.

And the rims weren't a bonus. They were one of the non-optional options for me. I dislike the Saab 3-spokers.

Originally Posted by TD

Proof again that you don't know me very well.

Neither of our cars is ever detailed but both are always clean. I ahte brake dust and I could go take a picture of both cars right now and show you neither has any. And there are no food/drink stains anywhere in either car. And there's no curb rash on either either.

And the rims weren't a bonus. They were one of the non-optional options for me. I dislike the Saab 3-spokers.

uuhhh ... I was just trying to help ease your mind a little in what sounds like a stressful situation . . . man sometimes you are such a pr*ck

Originally Posted by AF330i

uuhhh ... I was just trying to help ease your mind a little in what sounds like a stressful situation . . . man sometimes you are such a pr*ck

Sorry man.

I thought you were trying to lump my wife in with the can't drive, curb-rash all over the minivan wheels type.

I'll admit to being a bit touchy on that front.

Again, sorry.

Originally Posted by TD

Proof again that you don't know me very well.

Neither of our cars is ever detailed but both are always clean. I ahte brake dust and I could go take a picture of both cars right now and show you neither has any. And there are no food/drink stains anywhere in either car. And there's no curb rash on either either.

And the rims weren't a bonus. They were one of the non-optional options for me. I dislike the Saab 3-spokers.

Well, it seems as if you go ahead and get the car as-is, at some point you'll get fed up with the wheels, and eventually try and get them refinished or replaced yourself.

Already I'm sure you'll express your dissatisfaction to the dealership in the morning. What's the best they can offer at this point? Either to attempt to fix them to your satisfaction or $$ off the deal. The latter may be unlikely. Depending on how well they deal with this may sway me. If they act like total pricks, I'd most likely walk away. But barring that, my previous comments hold. I'd still buy it.

Tell them to replace the frickin' wheels or you're gonna walk.

Originally Posted by Jon Shafer

Tell them to replace the frickin' wheels or you're gonna walk.

Is that what was done with all those "stolen" wheels from Cutter?

Are you serious?

Considering their costs to date (I know what they paid at auction for the car), they are at ~$1500-1600 profit right now. New rims and they are at zero. I'm sure they'd rather wait until someone comes along who doesn't give a **** about the rims (or just plain doesn't notice) than do that.

Come on Jon. You're the insider.

We have all of the paperwork half signed (I've signed, my wife hasn't - pending PPI outcome) so they really think this car is sold - but they don't have a legally binding sale.

Originally Posted by JST

I might also stop buying used cars from VOB.

Did you read all of my posts?

We dropped it off tonight at an independent Saab shop for a full PPI.

However, we saw and drove the car before they did any work on it (curbed rims, a couple of paint chips, front chin spoiler rash, etc). I honestly doubt they find anything during the PPI. The dealership was just doing a full recondition for CPO certification and did the rims as part of that as they were badly rashed.

The rim guy is outsourced. He is a local and I've had him repair alloys for me before. He has a good reputation. But he boned this round.

Originally Posted by clyde

(VOB sucks)

Yeah, yeah, yeah...

Originally Posted by TD

Are you serious?

Considering their costs to date (I know what they paid at auction for the car), they are at ~$1500-1600 profit right now. New rims and they are at zero. I'm sure they'd rather wait until someone comes along who doesn't give a **** about the rims (or just plain doesn't notice) than do that.

Come on Jon. You're the insider.

We have all of the paperwork half signed (I've signed, my wife hasn't - pending PPI outcome) so they really think this car is sold - but they don't have a legally binding sale.

Tom,

You got screwed on your CPO M3.

What do you have to lose??

Originally Posted by Jon Shafer

Tom,

You got screwed on your CPO M3.

What do you have to lose??

The two dealerships, while both VOB, are a couple miles apart and are managed separately.

Past experience is, unfortunately, not a point of leverage.

Originally Posted by TD

The two dealerships, while both VOB, are a couple miles apart and are managed separately.

Past experience is, unfortunately, not a point of leverage.

Every response is interpretable according to the projective hypothesis.


It meant enough for you to post about it here. I don't think that you are
going to be totally satisfied unless there is a concession of some sort
on their part...

You have nothing to lose, and you can bring up the previous transaction
for leverage. I'm sure that they know at least that you are a repeat
client.

Originally Posted by Jon Shafer

Tell them to replace the frickin' wheels or you're gonna walk.

That's what I would do as well. Use that as a starting point and negotiate down from there.

All that I can say is that they are probably in the car for alot
less than they told you that they are. Dealers love to sell used cars.
That's where the money is...