It's a first for me but I have bought a brand new car! My good lady and I have invested (invested in a practical sense, rather than a financial) a Peugeot 5008 Sport 120VTi.
Usually I am far to shrewd (read tight!) to buy new, much preferring to buy used and let someone else suffer the depreciation. In this case though because we decided to go for a petrol version with certain options, there were none on the used market and we had to go new.
I started with the local Peugeot dealers, as you do, only to be left totally disillusioned. Spec'd up the car came to about £21500 list but there was no way I was paying that. After a bit of banter I managed to get them to just under £20k but I still wasn't happy.
Next had to be the internet. After a quick e-mail chat with Autocar's James Ruppert, who pointed me in the right sort of direction, I came across Autoebid, the reverse auction site. Now some of you on here will have seen their hopeless postings in the forum (the one's that are clearly ad's described as a post) but ignoring their questionable advertising techniques for a moment, they are quite good.
After keying in the model, spec and options, they put the requirements out to various dealers who then come back with their best price. I got seven bids, the best being just under the £17,000 mark.
On accepting the bid, Autoebid then charged me a flat rate of around £350, at which point they leave the process, putting me in contact directly with the dealer (or in my case broker).
My order was being dealt with by Happy New Car. They took a deposit, checked the spec and placed the order all by e-mail. All I had to do was wait, then when the car turned up I paid the balance before delivery. As it was a factory build, delivery was supposed to be due at the beginning of December but then I had also been told that by my local dealer.
Last week, I got a surprise e-mail from Simon at Happy New Car informing me it was ready! Money transfered, the delivery was organised and it arrived to my home address yesterday as promised.
The whole process was slightly bizarre as at no point during the transaction did I speak to anyone, everything was done by e-mail. I realise this is not for everyone but it was such a refreshing way of buying a new car (lack of dealing with a slimy showroom bod), that I would highly recommend it to anyone!
No, this isn't a plug for any of the companies I've used. In a world where all you read are complaints, when a company does a job well and above expectation then I believe credit should be given. This is one of those cases.
4 March 2008
Initially then, all seems to be good and above expectation. It is early days but once run in and everything is loosened up, I will let you know a little more.
I need to go to Specsavers, when I read your first post I pictured a 508! Now I've read the post again and the subsequent 3rd row seat references make sense!
Our friends have got a 5008, top spec but with 1.6 diesel. They absolutely love it. The interior is handsome, well put together and spacious. It has all the performance they need and - so far - nothing has gone wrong other than tyre pressure sensors saying there's a puncture when there isn't one. They've had theirs 18 months now so happy motoring.
Honda CR-V ES 2.2 i-DTEC/Citroen DS3 1.6 VTi DStyle Plus
19 May 2009
I am not sure how far back this level quality goes in Peugeot's
I think they got their act in order with the double Os. The first French car that heralded the change was the current Citroen C5. As far as interior ambience was concerned the previous C4 and C5, the C2 and the Pug 407 were still a bit old school.
it certainly proves that it takes a fair amount of time for people (especially as we are "car" people) to revisit a brand and consider it again.
Yup. Every time I say anything positive about French cars I get it in the neck from an element of the forum (who probably have fixed their views on an experience of a mid 90s Laguna or Clio they were in a dozen or so years back).
17 July 2009
You could always let these boys run it in on the dyno for you. Jesus!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Es9iXxmyE2Y
17 July 2009
Actually the guy who delivered it was off to BMW's HQ next to pick up a new 3 series (still in disguise) so he could put around 1000 miles on the clock and run it in before the press got hold of it
Why was he in disguise?
Just kidding. 250 quid seems a lot. Nice profit in them for that probably. Tempting though just so you know it's been run in exactly how you like it. What is the running in procedure these days on a brand spanker? You hear people say 'cars don't need running in nowadays as the tolerances are so tight on modern cars' but I think I'd still take it easy.
I remember reading bike mags from my biking days and they reckoned the first 500 miles should be on non synthetic oil and make sure the engine IS put under decent load, otherwise the bores will glaze over. Not over revved but do work the engine somewhat and not just sitting at 2000rpm on a motorway for 1000 miles.
25 November 2007
tannedbaldhead, I agree with your sentiments.
I am not sure how far back this level quality goes in Peugeot's but it certainly proves that it takes a fair amount of time for people (especially as we are "car" people) to revisit a brand and consider it again.
Evo-ermine, Happy New Car gave me the option of having it delivered on a transporter but it was an extra £250 which I couldn't justify. It rocked up with just over 200 miles on it and some petrol in the tank none the worse for it's journey.
Actually the guy who delivered it was off to BMW's HQ next to pick up a new 3 series (still in disguise) so he could put around 1000 miles on the clock and run it in before the press got hold of it.
It's all about the twisties........
17 July 2009
Did they deliver it in a transporter or drove it to you Teg?
19 May 2009
The first thing on initially getting in to the car is how far Peugeot have come in build and interior design over the last couple of years. The dash is a driver orientated almost Audiesque affair with a classy looking set of instruments. The centre console has high gloss metallic black finish with a nice simple switch set, something a lot of other manufacturers would do well to consider.
I had a sniff about the RCZ and DS3 and noticed at the time how much French interior designs had progressed since I had last run a 306 in 1996 and a Xantia in 2000. Was so impressed at the time I started this thread.
http://www.autocar.co.uk/forums/p/13955/122365.aspx#122365
25 November 2007
After reading some articles from the USA, I'm a little bit concerned about the safety using this row of seats. How close are they to the rear door and how safe they are in case of the rear impact ( God forbidden!).
European 7 seaters have lower safety standards for that occasion that in USA.
I must admit, I've never like the idea of putting children in the very back. Fortunately, that isn't what we'll be doing. The main use of the boot, will be as a boot! The seats will only be occasionally put up in the event of ever having to give other parents and children a lift home from school. It's more of a useful feature to have rather than something to use every day.
With the rear seats up though, there is about 300mm between them and the rear door - okay in a slow speed shunt but I wouldn't like be in them during a significant rear impact.
By the way, cong's for your 5000 th post coming soon!
Thank you!
It's all about the twisties........
1 June 2010
You specced the car in a very clever way in my opinion. Leather is a must for retaining the new-feel of the interior for long time. And I would have avoid satnav too, handheld devices are small and cheap and in 2 years time they get generally better than the one fitted to cars bought 2 years earlier...
You are right, many of us are not used anymore to drive a non-sports car that it isn't diesel, so everything seems lacking torque!
11 December 2007
You got a seriously good deal Teg. Interesting to hear about the 5008. I'm currently driving a hired 1.8 Zafira and it's pretty dire. They may be cheap, but I'd steer anyone away from one. You're right about being used to torque rich diesels though, I really miss that diesel punch on the open road, but in town the petrol is perfectly usable.