OMG, the missing Waldo finally arrived at the Studio, but too late :(

[Max]

Hello All,


I thought I would post this for all (except one).

I'm going to go and look at it tomorrow anyways just to be at piece with my decision of having canceled the order on Dec 5th-ish having replaced it with an ABARTH (waiting again...).

"Waldo" as the nick name it earned was the 500C I had ordered back in September. It finally arrived at the studio this afternoon. My sales rep emailed me the delivery sticker. Hw was very shocked as am I.

The history is quite long...It was ordered in late August, built and passed inspection and released by the plant on Sept 6th, delivered to the Studio Dec 16th. Thats quite a long journey. It took 100 days from the pant release date to arrive at the Studio. Wow, and FIAT is wondering why sales are down...

Anyways, unless i absolutely fall 110 in love with it tomorrow I will not be going back to it and remain with my new ABARTH direction. I have made other commitments that I should not be breaking.

Regards

Max

[FiatPhil]

It would just be wrong to go ahead and pay for that car, wouldn't it?

No sense in paying for the car that was optioned like you wanted it..... not when you can put down a deposit and wait for another car.

A bird in hand v. a pig in a poke....hmmm.

[cmj912]

I'd be concerned it would just happen again.

[Have Trumpet Will Travel]

Back at my part time job where I have computer access to pass the time. Was just wondering what happened to Max and his situation (very similar to mine, ordered my 500 on Aug. 8, 2011 and as yet the Studio hasn't received it). In the meanwhile, 8 weeks ago, they located a car of the same build for me which I have been pleased with to no end. Although things worked out agreeably for me, as stated in his post it remains a shame that Fiat can't expedite special orders any better than our two experiences. I know these are just two isolated cases, but it raises concerns over their promised delivery schedules as well as what will the ownership experience be like down the road if they're all mixed-up about delivery, etc? Confusion from the onset of the buying/ordering process just dilutes consumer confidence so I am hoping that FIAT gets some of these issues sorted out before it is too late. All in all, there are hardly any words to describe the excitement generated every time I take the car out for a drive, nevertheless I sympathize with any who are patiently waiting for the "car of their dreams" to arrive. As for me, obviously, I'm glad I waited. Ciao - HTWT.

[Max]

Well, Waldo looks very nice and it makes me want a Cabrio again after finally seeing the car I ordered or a actual car in the colors I wanted. I have to say my personal opinion is that its one of the nicest color combo's available. I thought it looked great. The wheels needed to be swapped for the premium ones which the studio was going to do for me if I was to decide to take it as originally agreed but that won't happen since its staying behind...
I sorta made other arrangements and obligations which I will keep as I always keep my word (1977 FJ40).

I probably would have taken Waldo home anyway and the traded in for an ABARTH once those hit the streets but to my disappointment with FIATS "Quality" (or lack of to) control, the passenger door was completely misaligned and hanging low on the back side. On the front the pane gap was great on the top side while smaller on the bottom. The bottom front of the door also stuck out more than the front quarter panel. It was about a 1/4 of an inch off. Come on FIAT whats with that!!!!! The Studio did not want to mess with it in the weekend but said they will give it an attempt to adjust it on Monday. They are concerned that messing with it will just make it worse or make the other gap on the back quarter be off. if you placed blue tape along the door where the metal has that design ridge it really shows. Its very visible. Even the top of the window frame does not line up with the rear section of the cars rear window, the door being low by 1/4 to 1/8 of an inch.
I'll get into the quality control issues later as the car I was lent for the weekend also had some interior trim faults. Nothing but a minor trim being out of place but very noticeable.

Keep you all posted.

Max

[cmj912]

Bummer. That's a very elegant looking 500C.

[epb]

Yep - I'd totally have one of these if you could get a Lounge with manual. Personally, I have an trimmer do something about the doors and carpets so they'd match the seats better.

[Max]

Yep - I'd totally have one of these if you could get a Lounge with manual. Personally, I have an trimmer do something about the doors and carpets so they'd match the seats better.

Yes I agree. My intention was to source a set of front and rear old style coco mats in the mix brown shade to better blend with the seats...

The FIAT rep is not willing to get involved on Monday if the door is not a simple adjustment which I know it won't be as if they adjust the door it will then throw off the plastic door guard trim that runs the length of the car from rear quarter to door. I don't want a new car that has to have parts removed and changed etc....
I do have to say that I really liked the color scheme. It was the first time I saw one in person, for some reason I have yet to see another Pearl White with the factory Brown leather interior.

Max

[Have Trumpet Will Travel]

Man alive, this is really getting out of hand. O.K., here's mine . . . I go to pick-up my car 10/21/11 and sorta (like Max) go all over it - checking doors, rear hatch, tire pressures, on and on. To my dismay, on the right rear roof of my "new" car there is a four-inch long scratch (gouge for the last inch, down to the primer) about an eighth of an inch wide through its length. Being the proponent of Meguire's Mirror Glaze paste wax that I've always been and figuring the paint isn't even "dry" yet I go ahead and buy, drive home the 95 miles and proceed to "wax-out" this imperfection before my wife sees it. Hey, if SHE sees it . . . anyway Meguire's to the rescue for the umpteenth time. I went so far as to walk the "lead" sales rep. out to the car and show him. Bear in mind that they had washed my car, yet were going to send it out with this flaw from the get-go. The rep. offered to let the monkeys in the detail booth have a go at it and I REFUSED to let them even touch it. When we bought our Suzuki SX-4 Crossover two years ago and I got home (and the rain let-up) I realized it had been buffed and around the washer-fluid sprayer on the hood the clown running the buffer lingered too long and marred the clearcoat. Mirror Glaze to the rescue once again - it took three separate hand wax jobs to reverse the damage someone did to a brand-new vehicle in a few seconds with a buffer. By the way, the horrible scratch on the top of our FIAT is barely discernable, however; I believe most would agree that when something is touted as NEW . . . so it goes with our grown-up toys, now let the ridicule begin as usual, guys. Ciao - HTWT.

[cmj912]

Man alive, this is really getting out of hand. O.K., here's mine . . . I go to pick-up my car 10/21/11 and sorta (like Max) go all over it - checking doors, rear hatch, tire pressures, on and on. To my dismay, on the right rear roof of my "new" car there is a four-inch long scratch (gouge for the last inch, down to the primer) about an eighth of an inch wide through its length. Being the proponent of Meguire's Mirror Glaze paste wax that I've always been and figuring the paint isn't even "dry" yet I go ahead and buy, drive home the 95 miles and proceed to "wax-out" this imperfection before my wife sees it. Hey, if SHE sees it . . . anyway Meguire's to the rescue for the umpteenth time. I went so far as to walk the "lead" sales rep. out to the car and show him. Bear in mind that they had washed my car, yet were going to send it out with this flaw from the get-go. The rep. offered to let the monkeys in the detail booth have a go at it and I REFUSED to let them even touch it. When we bought our Suzuki SX-4 Crossover two years ago and I got home (and the rain let-up) I realized it had been buffed and around the washer-fluid sprayer on the hood the clown running the buffer lingered too long and marred the clearcoat. Mirror Glaze to the rescue once again - it took three separate hand wax jobs to reverse the damage someone did to a brand-new vehicle in a few seconds with a buffer. By the way, the horrible scratch on the top of our FIAT is barely discernable, however; I believe most would agree that when something is touted as NEW . . . so it goes with our grown-up toys, now let the ridicule begin as usual, guys. Ciao - HTWT.

I can't leave a detailing-gone-wrong comment alone to save my life.

Both of my Hondas were delivered with scratches that looked like the detailer had left the rotary buffer on the car and gone for a smoke break. On the black car, it took an insurance claim and a body shop to correct what had been done.

Bones was delivered with holograms even though I told them not to touch it. Since he is white they didn't show up until I was outdoors on the way home - the car was delivered indoors. Luckily I was able to correct this myself.

My advice to each and every one of you is to tell the dealership not to touch the car cosmetically at all after you have decided on a vehicle and inspected it for purchase. If they would like to wash it for you, fine, but I'd still ask them if I can watch. If your car is coming off of a truck, do not let them unwrap it. Make them hold it til you get there.

I remember someone telling me that a pretty harsh bath removes the travel wax residue and any wrap adhesive and that's why they wash and wax the cars for final detail. But there's a gentle way to do this and I've never come across a dealer that does it gently. They are all about gussy-up-and-go. Tell them they can keep their "dealer prep" fee and call a high end mobile detailing service to do the car at the dealer or at your home as soon as you get it there.

I should do this for a living...