Cortese Bath - Not happy - Rant

[Ren]

Well after the fiasco that has been the purchasing experience with Cortese I don't know where to start !
All I can say is what sort of company has only two sales men and lets them both go on holiday at the same time ! Car paid in full last Thursday, and then told I'd have to wait until Wednesday (tomorrow) to take the car. So finally I received a text message today (not a personal phone call) saying they (THEY) are delivering a car tomorrow (an F575) and so won't be there in the morning to hand over my car, but will let me know when they are back.

My initial response was to pull out and cancel the whole deal - this whole process has been amateurish from the start - Oldest tricks in the book "oh we have a lot of interest in this one and two people are coming to look tomorrow and it will sell if you don't make your mind up etc. etc."
This new guy they have doesn't have a clue about customer relations nor the concept of trusting that a car has indeed been sold when the buyer has put over 50% cash down on the car and agreeing to pay full asking price! Still to this day I have absolutely no paperwork saying I have paid a single penny.
OK it took a long time to sort out the final money, but whilst doing so he still advertised the car for sale and still took enquiries ........... worse still, he informed the owner (they are just brokering the car) of the very keen interest still being shown in the car !
Is it me or is this out of order ?
So when I ask if they are going to deliver my car Thursday I get a torrent of an email back saying No, what makes you think we should .................. and how they have been very patient and put in an awkward position with their client due to the delay in payment (which I did explain to him and offered to explain to the owner as well).
God help them if there is anything wrong with this car once I do collect it.
Sadly this has already put me off ever buying another car from them or recommending them to any of my friends - lesson learnt, stick to the professionals and the bigger dealers in future even if it costs more.
Rant over - sorry ................... roll on Thursday !

 

[adam01]

Ren

One could say you wern't taken to the cleaners but have taken a BATH

*groan*

 

[dickygrace]

I'm a small business and make every effort to ensure that customers get what they want. As far as I'm concerned, firstly, make sure the cars are spot on, secondly, customer service, it's not rocket science!

Sorry to hear that you've had a load of hassle, I do hope the car's a good one to make up for it.

 

[Emtee]

Sorry to read that Ren. Good customer service costs very little, but goes a long way. Instead of being able to post a helpful and supportive purchase experience, which would have been read by everyone that uses the forum, you've now posted a very poor impression, which will also be read by everyone that uses the forum. For a dealer selling such an expensive and 'specialist' marque as Maserati, that's isn't particularly shrewd!

I hope receipt of your new car helps make up for your poor initial impressions.

 

[Parisien]

A real shame Ren....hope it still works out and there are no other issues.


P

 

[Andyk]

Really sorry to hear you experience......things must have gone down hill since I dealt with them in 2007

 

[Woody]

It doesnt sound like you got off on the right foot with them - to play devils advocate for a second, paying half for the car and expecting it to be taken off sale won't have enamoured you to them. IMO, the car isnt sold until you've paid for it and I dare say they've had people in the past give sizable deposits and not complete a sale. They sell some heavy takle, so I wouldnt take it personally.

In terms of them making you wait a week since paying for it, did you keep in touch with them and tell them when you would pay and when you would like the car? Poor form for both salesmen to be off the same week, that's just bad planning.

I hope you get it sorted and that the teething problems don't detract from the ownership experience.

 

[lozcb]

It doesnt sound like you got off on the right foot with them - to play devils advocate for a second, paying half for the car and expecting it to be taken off sale won't have enamoured you to them. IMO, the car isnt sold until you've paid for it and I dare say they've had people in the past give sizable deposits and not complete a sale. They sell some heavy takle, so I wouldnt take it personally.

In terms of them making you wait a week since paying for it, did you keep in touch with them and tell them when you would pay and when you would like the car? Poor form for both salesmen to be off the same week, that's just bad planning.

I hope you get it sorted and that the teething problems don't detract from the ownership experience.

I know were talking cars here Woody and not houses , tho some of the cars on offer are as much as some houses , if you had placed a deposit (even the bare minimum) on a flat/house you would rightly expect that house to be removed from the sales lists , why should cars be any different when the £££s were talking about are relatively the same JMO as stated lets hope its doesn't detract the ownership experience once you have finally taken posession, i would be feeling like they have bugggered off on holliday at my expence and on my deposit , i for one wouldn't be best pleased



regards loz

 

[conaero]

Ren

I have known about Cortese for many years and to be honest, have only ever heard good things.

However, this is the second serious issue from Cortese in the past 2 weeks I have heard about, so I think you should proceed with caution.

If I were you, I would only handover money on the day of the car being in your possession. I am not saying this will happened, but stories do exist of car dealers in the Maserati marque, going bust and not delivering cars nor handing over the sale money to customers who's cars they have sold.

I am not saying this is what is going to happen, just offering some advice so you don't leave yourself open.

 

[lozcb]

Ren

I have known about Cortese for many years and to be honest, have only ever heard good things.

However, this is the second serious issue from Cortese in the past 2 weeks I have heard about, so I think you should proceed with caution.

If I were you, I would only handover money on the day of the car being in your possession. I am not saying this will happened, but stories do exist of car dealers in the Maserati marque, going bust and not delivering cars nor handing over the sale money to customers who's cars they have sold.

I am not saying this is what is going to happen, just offering some advice so you don't leave yourself open.

Exactly my sentiments Matt, what with Verdi going pop over the same thing just a few months back , i would proceed with due caution


hope you enjoyed the break , and the flight home was far better than the one there




regards loz

 

[nigw]

Matt/Loz - original post says Ren paid in full last Thursday.

Ren, hope you pick up your car soon and can start enjoying it and forget about the hassles!

 

[conaero]

Well, if the money has been paid, then legally the car is yours and I would march round there and pick it up straight away, or at least, get the log book signed over so if they welch on the deal, it will then be theft and you can legally seize the car.

 

[hodroyd]

Ren, if you do not have the car yet, at the very least get a receipt for your money immediately, demand it from the business owner face to face. At the moment you have nothing to prove your position, you need to get SOMETHING and fast mate.

 

[Woody]

This thread has the potential to go into a bit of a frenzy - what is there to suggest that there is any potential that this will go wrong - am I missing something? It sounds like the OP and Cortese haven't exactly hit it off, but really, is there a high chance of this sale not being honoured??

Call me niave, but Cortese have a reputation to uphold and if, heaven forbid, it was to go wrong in any way, the difference between having a reciept or not is not going to make a jot of difference. Proof of payment could easily be provided by your bank (unless you delivered it in a sack?) should push come to shove.

My money is on this being fine and Cortese merely not delivering the car when desired as there are other customers already lined up. While its not everyday we buy cars, it is everyday that these guys sell them.

Just my opinion.

 

[nigw]

I agree with Woody!

 

[lozcb]

This thread has the potential to go into a bit of a frenzy - what is there to suggest that there is any potential that this will go wrong - am I missing something? It sounds like the OP and Cortese haven't exactly hit it off, but really, is there a high chance of this sale not being honoured??

Call me niave, but Cortese have a reputation to uphold and if, heaven forbid, it was to go wrong in any way, the difference between having a reciept or not is not going to make a jot of difference. Proof of payment could easily be provided by your bank (unless you delivered it in a sack?) should push come to shove.

My money is on this being fine and Cortese merely not delivering the car when desired as there are other customers already lined up. While its not everyday we buy cars, it is everyday that these guys sell them.

Just my opinion.

Whilst the probability of what you say Woody is (hopefully) correct , in part its the purchasers fault for not requesting receipt of payment at the time , never the less you obviously have never been on the recieving end of a company going bancrupt or into administartion , believe me i have and its a nightmare , to be left dangling with endless excuses and £30-40K of funds tied up not knowing whether you will get them back or the goods to value of is mind shattering,

Lets not forget these are difficult times ,It happened to Verdi a short while ago remember , endless customers who had left there cars forsale via their showroom were left out of pocket to the tune of £250K with NO warning , pretty sure there a few on here that would say Verdi wouldn't do that , they have a reputation to upkeep Hmmm, just pays to be extra vigilant

So not wishing to be a scaremonger i certainly wouldn't want a potential member to get stung equally so


regards loz

 

[DaveT]

Too true Loz.

Woody is most probably right but in these times I wouldn't want to take the chance

 

[conaero]

I think Loz and I are only raising our concerns as if it were us purchasing the vehicle, we would go down and view it, do the deal, then either transfer the money there and then and take the car or come back and do the transfer and take the car on another day.

Its a lot of money at risk here.

 

[nigw]

Agreed - I think Woody was just sounding sensible caution though - in the absence of any evidence of problems this is how rumours can start, which does nobody any favours!

Lack of providing a receipt, whilst unprofessional, would be unlikely to make a difference to any ownership dispute though. In reality, bank evidence would negate the need. Aside frm anything else, I'd want my car asap after it was paid for!

From what I read, the Verdi sale/return issues had actually been going on for a few years for some individuals, before it all became widely known.

 

[Woody]

Loz, I have actually been stitched up by a non-payer in the past to the point my business got wrapped up, yes. I've also had someone do an IVA on me too. I've read with interest the Verdi saga and was close to a very similar situation where a mate bought a 355 from another supposedly well known dealer only to find out it was on SOR and the owner never got the money from the dealer. Ironically, my mate then sold the 355 to Verdi. I know it happens from time to time, I'm not quite that niave, but I'm also aware that internet speculation can quickly get out of hand.

I think Loz and I are only raising our concerns as if it were us purchasing the vehicle, we would go down and view it, do the deal, then either transfer the money there and then and take the car or come back and do the transfer and take the car on another day.

Its a lot of money at risk here.

Totally agree Matt, but that's not how it seems to have been here. In some cases that certainly can bite, but I think its fair to say that thats the exception rather than the rule. I know it happens but I genuinely hope it doesnt happen in this instance and hope that at some point tomorrow we'll have pics of a forum members shiny new pride and joy.

If not, then I'm sure there will be some excellent advice on offer from the forum members.

Let me be clear - I'm not saying you're all wrong as I dont know the facts from the OP or Cortese, as Nigw says, just sounding caution.