41 replies to this topic

[Jase_MK]

They can no longer insure people on their courtesy cars apparently (Well, not at Crownhill, Milton Keynes anyway). So I have to speak to my insurance company, get myself insured, get a new cover note in the post to take to Vauxhall.... So much for dropping the car in at short notice, it's now a military operation just to get a 1.0 Corsa for the day. Sod that! I already feel like they're doing me up the sh*t box charging £180 for a basic service (not bad, but not great). -sigh-

[B5M_VX]

Sounds similar to our policy, except we can insure you but it is a £500 excess and they charge an £8 admin fee, well as far as I can remember, most insurance companies will cover courtesy cars F.O.C.

[Jase_MK]

I'm pretty sure mine charge £15 and need specific dates (and therefore issue a new cover note each time). Pain in the ass if the car has to go in for a service, then back in a week later 'cos they f*cked something up, then again because they didn't have the right parts to start with, etc. Most trips to my dealer involve 2 or 3 separate visits. Think I'll just blag lifts to and from work and not bother with the hassle.

[Thorney]

Same as BMW. They charge a £10 admin fee but normally waive that if you moan hard enough, Vauxhall dealer won't be any different.

[h8ten]

When I was in the process of ordering my VX in 2000 I was told by another dealer that Vauxhall had made it clear that VX owners would have a certain level of courtesy car available for customers. This was to be a minimum of an Astra Coupe. So far I have had Vectra GSi [old style], Astra 2.2 three door, VX Lightning [only because it had the hard top and I wanted to try it on an extended test drive] and a couple of Corsa SXi's. Only once have I had to pay for insurance and that was on the Vectra, £5. I have noticed that "V.I.P." is stamped on their service sheet whenever the car is in. If that is the way that Grieve's in Stirling deal with V.I.P.'s then no wonder I am going elsewhere to replace the Corsa, and taking the VX elsewhere from now on for servicing.

[Big_Si]

if you have to insure the car yourself, how about choosing the car?

[paulf-cam]

I can confirm that this is the case here in cambridge too. To make matters worse, they require you to be fully comp so you have to go to pains to get the insurance set up and then more pains to claim the money back again! Cost me £120 in total. Cheers, Paul.

[Northern]

It was the same with the Honda garage I used to use. Im insured with LV who cover courtesy cars, and will fax the neccessary over to the garage at a moments notice.

[Jase_MK]

Same as BMW. They charge a £10 admin fee but normally waive that if you moan hard enough, Vauxhall dealer won't be any different.

Sorry, I meant my insurance company.

Vaux used to charge me £11 admin fee (which was OK) but they now they don't offer any insurance at all. Vaux don't get involved so I have to make arrangements with my insurance company for each use of the courtesy car. I'm having a bunch of warranty work done too so I know it will be in at least three times (Once for the service, and if they get all the parts for the long list of other work I want all in one go at a second visit I will be *very* surprised)

As for being a VIP - I've had a boggo Vectra once, but the rest of the time (more than I care to remember) it's been a bottom of the range Corsa.

It's not the end of the world, just a bit of a pain inthe bum really.

[Thorney]

Jason, I think what I was trying to say is that they do have an insurance cover policy in place they're just not offering it to you. I can't see any dealer actually staying in business if it didn't offer some kind of insurance even if it meant paying. At BMW dealers they simply tell you - sort your own insurance and only offer it (subject to the fee) when you moan. It maybe Crownhill are cutting costs more than I thought

[ajrduff]

Mine's booked in at Picador for its first service on Valentine's Day. They need it for 2 days so I'm getting a courtesy car. No mention of having to insure it myself though. My insurance covers me third party for any car, but getting fully comp insurance for 2 days is going to be a pain in the a&se. Not going to do it and certainly not going to pay for it. The service is going to cost £175 (not to mention the £25k that I paid for the car) and I expect Vauxhall to sort out a courtesy car for that. Graham? Any comment?

[P11 COV]

Think I'll just blag lifts to and from work and not bother with the hassle.

Why not take up Crownhills marvellous offer of a lift to work - as long as your willing to sit around until they are ready and don't mind a tour of MK dropping other customers off on the way.

Oh....and they won't collect you at the end of the day.

[Jase_MK]

Think I'll just blag lifts to and from work and not bother with the hassle.

Why not take up Crownhills marvellous offer of a lift to work - as long as your willing to sit around until they are ready and don't mind a tour of MK dropping other customers off on the way.

Oh....and they won't collect you at the end of the day.

Think you've answered your own question there!

Thorney -> Yep misunderstood you

[mal_dun]

Grimshaw's in Manchester have never charged me. The last time the car was in was December. It was also the only time I've not had a VX as the courtesy car. They lent me a Meriva barge instead.

[TurboTomato]

Vaux used to charge me £11 admin fee (which was OK)

I still think that is a rip off, I had a courtesy Jazz when my CTR was in having warranty work and I didn't pay a thing. Can't see why they can't do the same. It's just that one dealer has started doing it so now they all do it because they know they can get away with it

Stevens tried to charge me the £10 once when the car was only in for warranty work - so I told them where to stick it

Edited by TurboTomato, 01 February 2005 - 12:27 PM.

[captain]

I've got a courtesy car at the moment and it's insured by vauxhall. it's not costing me anything... Not sure what the excess is though. Belmont vauxhall in Aberdeen. The VX is in getting a scratch on the wing fixed which was meant to be done before i took delivery.

[h8ten]

It sounds like it is up to each individual dealership on policy about courtesy cars and any costs associated.

[ratboiler]

Lance Owen are the same, cost me £10 to insure their car under my policy. At first my company Norwich Union would not accept it, until Lance Owen force their hand.

[ajrduff]

It was also the only time I've not had a VX as the courtesy car.

There's hope yet... I've never driven an n/a, wonder if Picador will lend me one?

[Mutt & Jeff]

Grimshaw's in Manchester have never charged me

Ditto & always lend me a VXT barge.....but you can't have everything (NA)