GrollySTI

I was due to pick up my new 05STI PPP on Friday of this week but it seems to have gone completely pair shaped and I may end up with nothing!!

I agreed with the dealer that I would buy the 05 STI,and have the PPP fitted as long as the standard 17" gold wheels were changed to something more to my liking.I had a look around and noticed that they had a car there fitted with what looked like the exact same design wheel,with the same rubber (new Bridgestones semi-slicks) but in the anthracite colour.

Dealer said "Can't see a Problem with that"

Excellent I thought - then a day later came the call - "Can you come down and make sure the wheels are the correct ones" - I thought that this was a bit strange as I had pointed them out to the salesman the day before?

So anyway I go down to the dealer and he points out that the wheels they want to fit but thay are the new WRX ones in anthracite.Now these are different in design (slightly) but only have a 215 old style Bridgestone rubber fitted.I point out that they aren't the wheels I showed him the day before but he just acts a bit dumb and says that they must have been a customers wheels non-standard.

Eventually someone in their parts department informs the salesman that the wheels I saw are a special set taken off the WR1 by Prodrive prior to the fitting of the current WR1 ones!!

The good news is they have them in stock at a rock bottom price of £700+vat incl tyres!!!
After much thought i agreed to buy them as the tyres can be used at a later date.All plain sailing from here???? - no chance......

Today I get a call from the dealer "They don't fit!!!"

WTF........ do these muppets know what they are doing or selling?Apparently it's a different hole configuration for 04 and 05 models.

So having put a deposit down on a new car,PPP and new wheels,arranging insurance cover note,signing credit agreement,giving credit company remaining deposit,I don't know what the hell is going to happen.

The dealer has now suggested that he takes the gold wheels to be resprayed and lackered in a new colour - is this Ok , does it work and end up maintenence free??

Anyways I told the dealer thet if they want a sale they gotta do that as part of the sale at no cost to me!

Rant over

I hope I can get it sorted as I really want this car but I'm not gonna accept any more crAp from them!!!

Robocop

As far as I understand it, because the PCD ( the distance between the wheel studs) is different on the MY05, MY04 wheels will not fit.
Also, if I was spending that amount of money ( and I did in Sept 04), there is no way I'd have wheels resprayed, unless it was a professional job. Even then I would hesitate in having it done.
Just my opinion.

GrollySTI

Thanks Robocop - i'm very hesitant as well.

Oh well - looks like I may be waiting a while longer for my new scoob

MTR

GrollySTi,
In fairness to the salesman, the PCD (pitch Circle Diameter) of the Impreza wheel studs hadn't changed since 1992.
It had stayed the same for 12 years. AFAIK.

So except for some differences in offsets, and brake caliper clearance problems, you could pretty much swap any of them around.
Thats why you see much older cars sporting some far newer design wheels from much later models.
They may not exactly match the original sizes, but often will fit.

Its not suprising really, that given the STi02/03/04/05 brake and hub assemblies look identical, he made an assumption they would fit.

I thought they did.

And I have owned 4 Impreza Turbos over the last 7 1/2 years, currently an STi MY02, (for which I have 2 sets of std wheels, both gold).

Its not usual practise to go into any main dealer, for whatever model of car, and start asking to put the wheels from one type of car onto another.
They would normally expect you to select a set from the accesories catalogue, if some are listed.

The mechanics MAY know which wheels from what car will swap about, but even then they wouldn't ordinarily be swapping them around, so why would a salesman know.

If you were buying a 1.4 Focus, do you imagine the Ford sales lady would have the faintest idea wether RS Focus wheels would go on? I doubt it.
I don't know, and I consider myself a petrol head.

With manufactures changing specifications constantly, it is very easy to read it wrong.

I suspect this particular change will catch a few people out, until it becomes common knowledge.

Out of interest the Subaru web site still lists the Prodrive FF7 in bright Flitter, but wether they fit the latest hubs I don't know.
See here
http://www.subaru.co.uk/IMGGB/WWW/Su...3?Opendocument

As for having them painted, I wouldn't imagine for a moment they would offer anything less than a professional job.
The wheel refurbishers are pretty adept at doing the sort of thing you want.
And even bodyshops can and will make a good job, if they take care.

Cheers
MTR

MTR

Another point to consider.
Main dealers do read this BBS.

So calling the dealers muppets, WTF etc BEFORE you have even got your car, might not be the most circumspect thing to do.

A misunderstanding has taken place.

You presumably want to keep a harmonious relationship with your dealer, for any serious problems you may have(hopefully none will occur) during ownership.

Just an observation.

Cheers
MTR

GrollySTI

Thanks MTR for your informative reply.

I'm really just venting my dissapointment.I do understand that my request may well have been unusual, it's just I was told something which turns out to be wrong , and although I agree unintentionally , it doesn't change my situation.
Now there won't be a new scoob for me on Friday.Even if I agree to the wheel re-spray it's gonna take time for all the finance paperwork (not done by the dealer) to be redone etc etc...

I'll see what they say tomorrow.

Anyone had experience of wheel respray and laquer (sp?)

scoobyjohn2000

just a quick one i had a set of wheels refubed last year and the center re painted the out side edge was polished and is now f#@#ed....but the centers look like i had them done yesterday so as long as its a proper painter i cant really see a problam.

GrollySTI

MTR - just read your second reply.

I've been working pretty hard at trying to keep the relationship as good as possible but to be honest I didn't write everything that happened
ie.
1.Salesman didn't know much about the car ( and I mean seriously poor - I knew more and that isn't much!!)
2.If you keep being told one thing and it changes to be something else wouldn't that frustrate you?
3.They are hardly giving a new customer a good impression of their business and I no longer have any confidence in them.
4.When I was told about the wheels I was initially not offered any sort of solution at all!! It was not until I got annoyed that they decided to take a look at the alternatives.

I don't think I have been at all unreasonable in anything I have said - muppet is probably about right for someone trying to sell a £28k car package when they know little or nothing about the vehicle.I probably should have read the early signs and walked straight out but I'm too nice.

MTR

Grolly STi,
You may well be right about the salesman.
But fortunately the salesman dosen't build the car, Subaru do.
It will not disapoint you.

Cheers
MTR

craigdmcd

iTrader: (2)

Well, by judging by the Subaru website, a different part no for the 05 and 04 STi wheels is there, so presumably the wheels are different, but if you are paying what seems to be retail price for the car, I'm sure (and trust me, I know what discount I got on my car 8 months ago, and am also in the motor trade) that there should be enough come and go in the deal to fit the 05 PFF7's with tyres on the assumption that they can keep your old wheels and sell them and the tyres as new (at least £150 a tyre I would imagine). If you suggest that the current course of action is not satisfactory, and have the right to pull out of the deal, they might look upon this deal to salvage the sale. Just a suggestion.
Craig

scoobyboy

how long has the sales man worked there? it might only be a day to a week to a month i dare say if you left one job and walked in to something different would you know everything? i doubt it give him a chance he's probably new and still learning and just beacuse he stumbled at the first hurdle don't tar the whole dealership with the same brush it might have very good service and parts departments.

Midlife......

iTrader: (2)

Grolly

Just a quick post about wheels.. My local Scooby dealer here in Carlisle (Stan Palmer) have their wheels refurbed by Colour TeckniK.

Stan Palmer supplied me with some 19" Kahn RS-V's (originally in silver) in a PFF7 Bright Flitter colour. The final finish looked better than OEM supplied wheels

Midlife.....

Robocop

I thought that whilst the MY05 "only" went up by £1k, the dealer discount or whatever it's called, was reduced at the same time. Thus they may not have so much profit in it to be able to stand giving too much away.

GrollySTI

I totaly agree - however if I knew that I wasn't knowledgable about the product/parts etc I think I would check with someone who did before advising a potential client.A simple "I'm not sure but will find out for you" would have been fine.

I also realise I shouldn't use this experience to formulate my opinion of the whole dealership - however it is difficult not to and I would really kick myself if something happened further down the line which could have been avoided by going elsewhere.

GrollySTI

Oh and thanks to everyone who has advised me about the wheel respray - I think I will accept this compromise if the dealer agrees to do it.

p1doc

ring stan palmers and ask for ian-he will give you a quality deal that will leave you with extras and cash left over,gave me £1,000 more than anyone else for my trade ina nd i got new tyres,mats,petrol,gearknob,baby seat and a good deal on a gauge pack!
martin

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Two points here: I've been offered those WR1 wheels for MUCH less than that dealer was asking.


My eldest recently bought an Ibiza 1.4, one year old.

He wanted alloys, and the salesman there new EXACTLY which wheels would, and would not fit, and was able to give him a "price to swop" off the top of his had for each set.

He eventually went for some aftermarket ones, which he got for £200 inc tyres etc.

Alcazar

davedipster

The new 05sti wheels look the nuts in my opinion, and getting them painted in anthracite would look even better.
I much prefer these to the old sti wheels in any colour.
Sounds like you have chosen the best route in the end, the 05 wheels look much better.

Dipster

GrollySTI

Just to let everyone know, the dealer has agreed to change the colour to anthracite at no charge.

I am now a happy bunny looking forward to his new STI next week!!!

Thanks again.

craigdmcd

iTrader: (2)

I would be more than surprised if a dealership did not have a margin of a least 10% ( I got surprisingly close to that discount on my deal), never mind dealer incentive bonuses for exceeding sales targets for the year (I know that Mercedes Benz definately do these, sometimes it's why you see a small group of pre-registered cars). At least you are sorted and happy withyour outcome, enjoy the car.
Craig