The MG Rant Thread

[Sloucher]

I thought I might add this thread as an outlet for folks to vent their spleen about frustrating issues associated with the MG4, or MG in general!

I'll start the ball rolling...
I initially ordered a ZS from my local MG dealer back in April. By the time August arrived, and the ZS hadn't, I transferred my order to the MG4. Rang the dealer in October to check on progress only to be told the car wouldn't be available until the end of February. As my PCP offer was only valid until early January I cancelled the order and initially decided to stay with my existing ICE vehicle, especially as petrol was coming down in price and electricity was rising. It took almost a month to get my deposit returned.

However, I was then contacted by a dealer 75 miles from home that said they had one in stock, was I interested? So, as I hadn't even had a test drive at this point, I thought I'd take a day out to travel to the dealer and to at least have the test drive.

Well, I was impressed enough to agree to buy the stock car (a cancelled order apparently) and pick it up on Monday 5th December. On the strength of that, I then booked a train ticket for that day, sold my ICE car, and arranged some family visits to Cornwall, South Wales and Somerset to drop off Chrissy pressies and the like.

Here's my trigger moment - today I get a phone call from the dealer to inform me that the car won't be available for a while "because of a shortage of drivers".
WTF! I was told it was an in stock car!

I now have a non-refundable train ticket and have to cancel the family visits (including a pantomime trip - oh yes I do). On top of that I have also had to cancel my installation of a dash cam that was to be done the same week. There's no more vacant spots for that now until next year. Now stuck without a car until goodness knows when now.

I really, really wish I'd never heard of MG and had not sold my ICE car. What a crock of s$*t the mg "organisation is, from MGUK to their dealerships. I'm not even going to get started on all the hardware and software problems!

EO Rant

 

[Wakefield5]

Ignoring the delay in your original ZS order, it sounds like a pure dealer-caused problem, not MG?

 

[Sloucher]

Ignoring the delay in your original ZS order, it sounds like a pure dealer-caused problem, not MG?

So far as I'm concerned, MG own the franchises, so they carry the can for any problems.
The frustrating thing is that "my" car is currently at Portbury, and has been for several weeks, yet I was told it was "in stock".
What is doubly annoying is that I live within a few miles of Portbury, yet I'm going to have to wait until the car is transported 75miles away, then I have to go and drive it all the way back again!

 

[the briggie]

As far as I see it franchises own the franchises, not MG, but with MG approval, MG being the supplier. Interesting re delivery to franchises which I have to assume is suppliers responsibility i.e MG not the franchise. I do get your exasperation and your are entitled to a good old rant. I believe almost all of this stems from MG lack of communication and forward planning. The dealerships in some cases are fed crumbs from MG and either pass that on to customers and get the expected backlash or say nothing hoping a car of the correct model type will appear in the interim or be delivered in expected timescales. All in all not good for customer relations or expectations!

 

[tsedge]

The franchise

As far as I see it franchises own the franchises, not MG, but with MG approval, MG being the supplier. Interesting re delivery to franchises which I have to assume is suppliers responsibility i.e MG not the franchise. I do get your exasperation and your are entitled to a good old rant. I believe almost all of this stems from MG lack of communication and forward planning. The dealerships in some cases are fed crumbs from MG and either pass that on to customers and get the expected backlash or say nothing hoping a car of the correct model type will appear in the interim or be delivered in expected timescales. All in all not good for customer relations or expectations!

Exactly. The franchise model by definition means that the dealers are separate businesses. It is a great shame you have had these problems. On the other hand, I wouldn’t trust any dealer’s delivery date until I confirmed the car was at their dealership. There’s a problematic tendency to promise the best scenario to win your business.

MG have caused a number of dealer delays: through the allocation model, PDIs to retrofit breathers. Other delays have been caused by capacity issues in ports, staff shortages in the supply chain.

It is the communication that’s the biggest issue.

 

[Wakefield5]

If a dealer says they have a stock car that should mean it has been delivered to their premises. It sounds like your dealer may have told a little lie to get the sale and assumed they'd be able to get the car delivered in time which has unfortunately backfired on them. That isn't MG's fault.

Having said that, I know MG's communication is not great in terms of updating dealers on orders and expected delivery dates. I have to say I experienced something similar with Skoda a number of years ago and it is incredibly frustrating when you're excited about getting your new car asap.

Is there any way the dealer will provide you with a loan car until yours is ready?

 

[Sloucher]

Is there any way the dealer will provide you with a loan car until yours is ready?

I haven't actually asked that to be honest. I was fuming to much, I didn't want to risk saying something I'd regret later!
I think it highly unlikely they would though as, other than a deposit, they've got no firm commitment from me.

 

[JohnInFrance]

I haven't actually asked that to be honest. I was fuming to much, I didn't want to risk saying something I'd regret later!
I think it highly unlikely they would though as, other than a deposit, they've got no firm commitment from me.

As a minimum I'd be asking them to cover the cost of the train ticket and bung in some good will as you are now short of transport.

 

[Ian Key]

If a dealer says they have a stock car that should mean it has been delivered to their premises. It sounds like your dealer may have told a little lie to get the sale and assumed they'd be able to get the car delivered in time which has unfortunately backfired on them. That isn't MG's fault.

A complaint was sent to the ASA about the wording dealers were using in their adverts implying cars were in stock when they weren't. While they said it wasn't strictly illegal it wasn't in the spirit of the advertising code and would have words. It worked as they now say "16 weeks lead time" or "available to order" etc.

 

[Sloucher]

As a minimum I'd be asking them to cover the cost of the train ticket and bung in some good will as you are now short of transport.

That I certainly will be doing

A complaint was sent to the ASA about the wording dealers were using in their adverts implying cars were in stock when they weren't. While they said it wasn't strictly illegal it wasn't in the spirit of the advertising code and would have words. It worked as they now say "16 weeks lead time" or "available to order" etc.

Problem I have here is that the salesman dm'd me on here initially and all other conversations were via email and on the phone. There was no published advertisement for this particular car. I was simply told that the car was in a "secure compound" and I naively thought that meant on the dealers premises, not still on the carpark at Portbury!

 

[MGforme]

I really, really wish I'd never heard of MG and had not sold my ICE car. What a crock of s$*t the mg "organisation is, from MGUK to their dealerships. I'm not even going to get started on all the hardware and software problems!

EO Rant

I sympathise with your experience - I'd be peed off too. Many dealers are guilty of this sort of thing when they are trying to offload cars. But don't let it taint your experience with the MG4, which has an awful lot going for it. 'This too shall pass' and all that.

 

[bear1]

I changed my order from a Corsa to an MG4. My Vauxhall dealer was superb, but the communication from Vauxhall to her was appalling - and incredibly frustrating for her. So it's not just MG.
A while ago I chased up half a dozen auto trader adverts purporting to have cars in stock - when pinned down, none did.
Your dealer should never have implied the car was in stock, and it's frustrating that it's you and not then who pay the price for their miscommunication. But it is the franchise and not MG who suck on this occasion. You rant well and truly earned.