Wary of vRS at CarGiant reg OE53 __Z

[navarino]

Just thought I'd mention looked at a Fabia vRZ with 76k on the clock at Cargiant - the cheapest vRS on Autotrader right now. Cargiants 'test drive' consisted of a half mile drive round a factory estate in which I was not able to get beyond third gear, they told me it was company policy not to allow testdrives of any greater duration!

Car in question has had some kind of accident damage - nearside front wheel arch liner is all chewed up and yet bolted back in place and the bonnet touches the top of the headlamd on the nearside. Car despite professional valet still stinks of smoke, but seemed to drive reasonably. Might save someone a wasted journey if they are thinking of having a look at it and they are fussy like me!

[VRStu]

It will be company policy to get it over and done with as quickly as possible. Stops you finding too many faults and doesn't keep the salesperson tied up for too long.

If they don't want to give you the time then don't give them the time.

Nice post, hopefully help someone.

I've been there a while ago, they used to be called something else though didn't they.

[navarino]

Cheers Stu, yeah it was a 170 mile round trip from Isle of Wight (but made a weekend of it) hoped to save someone else the bother because it is feasible to find a vRs with that mileage on in good nick, unfornuately for me it wasn't that one! Thought if I found somethimg cheaper then I could afford some of those nice mods your site recommends (would love the leather!) Wondered if you know of anyone who has fitted the eibach anti roll bars (front and back?)by the way as they are cheaper than the jabba rear and presumably were tuned in conjunction with the pro kit springs?

Ian

[Wardy]

Still looking then Ian? Oh well - I'm sure something suitable will come up

Shame about the one above. Can't believe their test drive policy, I'm amazed anyone would make a decision based on that kind of test - I know I wouldn't.

Steve

[VRStu]

Eibach don't make a rear ARB for the Fabia AFAIK and I think the front is not normally touched as it's the same size as the Eibach one.

Personally I would make sure you get yourself a good car, which it looks like you're are trying to do, and make some of the mods wait.

I think they used to be called - The Great Trade Centre

[ScoobyChris]

Originally Posted by VRStu

Eibach don't make a rear ARB for the Fabia AFAIK and I think the front is not normally touched as it's the same size as the Eibach one.

I believe the Eibach one is a few mm thicker than the standard one Don't know anyone who's running one though - I know Andy Ellis looked into setting up a group buy a while back but cost was an issue...

Chris

[cheezemonkhai]

Is that car giant in soton.

Last I went there they told me they had a C5 in great nick. All they did was say how knackered my BX must be cause it sounded odd. The odd noise was the normal suspension noise, and the C5 had done 110k, had fag burns, stank of smoke, obviously been in s prang and cheaply repaired and to top it off you could see LHM ****ing out all over the place.

The prang was in just the right place to have hit the LHM resevoir so probably that.

Either way describing it as in great condition, kinda ****ed me off as I wasted a few hours going down there so walked away sharpish.

[flatfourburble]

Originally Posted by VRStu

I think they used to be called - The Great Trade Centre

best avoided to be fair. Went to look about a few years back when I was looking for an impreza...........high mileage and as rough as a badgers a*se!

No bargins to be had there at all!!

[ScoobyChris]

Ah I remember going there too. Went in in SWMBO's Corsa looking for a bigger, newer car and the guy clocked us driving in in a Corsa so did his best to sell us another one! He also didn't know much about the stock (as PAS was a must) and we then tried to get rid of him by asking if he had an Impreza in stock.

Turns out he had, but fortunately it was the non-turbo one, although he reckoned his workshop could easily turbocharge it for us if we were interested After an hour and a quarter, we finally managed to leave

Chris

[LouisTsui]

I bought my Fabia 1.4 16v at CarGiant actually. It was my first buy, so it was quite difficult and time consuming for me to travel far in search/view for a second hand car while I had access to public transport only. After having no luck finding something suitable within my budget locally, I went to GarGiant at the end. So here are my experience:

They won't let you test drive easily, unless they confirmed that you are really interested in buying. They made me waited an hour for a test drive, they said no staff was availabe to accompany me. When finally a staff was availabe to deal with me. I swear I saw him and his colleague were doing nothing in their office for at least 30 mins.

I expressed that I wanted to test drive 2 cars, and choose one after test drving both. The sales tried everything he could to convince (or help!?) me to choose one to test dirve, base on my requirment and car's specification. I thought he won't give up, so I gave in and chose Fabia. The another car that I was interested in was little over my budget anyway.

As navarino has already said, customer can only drove the car round a factory estate which CarGiant located in.

Price are not negotiable. Well, I tried, trust me. May be it is negotiable after all, if I use the "walk away" trick, but I didn't went that far.

No free warranty what so ever, not even the usual 1 month warranty that most 2nd hand car dealer are happy to offer.

TBH I haven't done any researh on Skoda range, I overlooked fabia, didn't know it was WhatCar car of the year, didn't know Skoda is VW group etc......When I first saw the Fabia that I bought, it was its rear brake disc, the engine cover and the quality gear-box attracted me. Damn...I think I am out topic now.

Good work navarino, real and detail information is what we need in this morden world. If CarGiant has stated in their web-site that the VRS has had in accident, you won't wasted your journey.

Added: and they stick a terrible "CarGiant" sticker at the rear window. It took me good 10mins to take it off and clear up those sticky mess.

[EddyH]

Originally Posted by LouisTsui

No free warranty what so ever, not even the usual 1 month warranty that most 2nd hand car dealer are happy to offer.

You get 3 months by law.

[LouisTsui]

Originally Posted by EddyH

You get 3 months by law.

They tricked me to buy a 1 year warranty then. Will I buy a car from them again.......NO.

[joenitro]

Hi All, first post here and loving the site BTW.

Anyway, I'd seen that vRS on the 'trader website and was considering a look, although I did think it was a bit cheap and was suspicious!
Thanks for the heads up about the car anyway.

As an afterthought, it is not on their own website anymore, so quite possibly, some poor sod has bought it!!!

Joe

[navarino]

Still looking then Ian? Oh well - I'm sure something suitable will come up

Yes! I sort of acquired a Polo GLX (cant believe I did that because I had one before and knew that 1.6 is a bit juicy on fuel ) for my wife which used up some of the money I would have spent! I'd looked at Walkies which was lovely but it had a slight tracking problem and I decided to play it safe because the wife would be driving it. Now I'm going to sell the seat and the Polo and get a vRS.

Saw you bought a GTi - I always fancied on of those!

I think they used to be called - The Great Trade Centre

Yes grade trade for them but not for us by the sounds of the other posts!

No free warranty what so ever, not even the usual 1 month warranty that most 2nd hand car dealer are happy to offer.

I think this was a ruse to sell you a warranty - I'd commented about the short test drive and that I didn't want to have to bring it back - cue a load of waffle from the salesman abouy their warranty!

Is that car giant in soton.Last I went there they told me they had a C5 in great nick. All they did was say how knackered my BX must be cause it sounded odd. The odd noise was the normal suspension noise, and the C5 had done 110k, had fag burns, stank of smoke, obviously been in s prang and cheaply repaired and to top it off you could see LHM ****ing out all over the place.

The prang was in just the right place to have hit the LHM resevoir so probably that.

Either way describing it as in great condition, kinda ****ed me off as I wasted a few hours going down there so walked away sharpish.

It was the one near Acton in London - I wish it was only just over the water from me would have saved a great deal in petrol etc - but I won't be going there now either!

It will be company policy to get it over and done with as quickly as possible. Stops you finding too many faults and doesn't keep the salesperson tied up for too long.

If they don't want to give you the time then don't give them the time.

That about somes it up - a bunch of scheisters ( )- don't waste your time!