Two Customers Return EPICA's

csv8 · 16-07-2007, 09:14 PM

Two people who bought Holden's new Epica sedan have taken the company up on its unique money-back guarantee and handed back their cars.

Holden has a shopping channel-style deal for Epica buyers: if you buy one and don't like it, return it in good condition within 30 days (or 1500km) and you will get your money back.

It is the first deal of its kind in Australia and there is only one condition - you must buy another car.

One buyer swapped the Epica for a Holden Commodore, while the other - a woman from Wingham, near Taree - bought herself a Mazda6. Holden will not reveal the identity of either customer for "privacy reasons" but Drive spoke to the Mazda dealership in Taree that handled the changeover.

It says the woman bought the Epica from McGrath Holden at Liverpool when she was in Sydney on holidays. She then drove the 310km back to Wingham without incident but the car later broke down on a trip to nearby Tinonee and had to be towed to the Holden dealer in Taree to be fixed.

While it was being repaired the woman walked to the Mazda dealership across the road, Manning Valley Motors. Salesman Steve Pascoe says the woman did not initially tell him about the Epica.

"I knew nothing about the other vehicle at the time," he says.

"It was not until the transaction was done and I took the deposit that she told me about the other car.

"So I gave her a copy of the order and Holden contacted me to get our banking details and then put the money straight into our account."

Pascoe says the woman bought a Mazda6 Classic hatch, with a recommended retail price of $32,980. The Epica range sells for between $25,990 and $30,990.

The Mazda dealer then trucked the Epica (with just 501km on the clock) back to the dealer in Sydney.

The Epica was launched in late April this year and replaces the European-built Vectra as Holden's entrant in the medium-car segment. It is the fourth Korean-built vehicle released in Australia by Holden since October 2005. The Barina and Viva small cars were launched at the 2005 Sydney motor show, while its Captiva soft-roader was introduced in October last year.

In the two months the Epica has been on sale it has recorded 917 sales. In June it was the fifth best-selling car in the market, behind the Toyota Camry, Mazda6, Subaru Liberty and Honda Accord.

Holden marketing director John Elsworth says the local maker always expected some cars to be returned.

sfr rob · 16-07-2007, 09:20 PM

so they are the 2 morons that bought the Epica's. haha why you would, who knows!

Scott · 16-07-2007, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sfr rob

so they are the 2 morons that bought the Epica's. haha why you would, who knows!

dave351cid · 16-07-2007, 09:24 PM

hmmmm..... choice between a mazda 6 or a deawooo with holden badges.....?????
i think i could work that one out before 500km.
i suppose she can tell her friends she had an epic trip home.

atleast holden must be genuine with their warrenty

csv8 · 16-07-2007, 09:38 PM

JBomb3000 · 16-07-2007, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sfr rob

so they are the 2 morons that bought the Epica's. haha why you would, who knows!

No there were 916 morons and 1 smart enough to take it back and get another brand

Seriously though I'm surprised at how many they are selling

Super Snake · 16-07-2007, 09:57 PM

I think that that is a great way of selling cars. There should be more of it.

**Polyal** · 16-07-2007, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Super Snake

I think that that is a great way of selling cars. There should be more of it.

Imagine the paper work :togo: . that, just research, drive and make your mind up.

merlin · 17-07-2007, 07:25 AM

So many new cars in that price range to choose from what moron would pay hard earned money for a Daweoo epica - I scratch my head...

ltd · 17-07-2007, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBomb3000

No there were 916 morons and 1 smart enough to take it back and get another brand

Seriously though I'm surprised at how many they are selling

Don't be surprised, you gotta remember that there are on average more stupid people in Australia than smart. I define stupid as an IQ less than 105.
On the whole over 50% of people in Australia are not intelligent with an IQ of less than 100; explains why we have Bracks and Iemma back in, why we have Holden as supposedly Australias number one car and why after all these years of evolution we still have Labor voters.

XRchic · 17-07-2007, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ltd

Don't be surprised, you gotta remember that there are on average more stupid people in Australia than smart. I define stupid as an IQ less than 105.
On the whole over 50% of people in Australia are not intelligent with an IQ of less than 100; explains why we have Bracks and Iemma back in, why we have Holden as supposedly Australias number one car and why after all these years of evolution we still have Labor voters.

I could not have said that better myself!

irlewy86 · 17-07-2007, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ltd

Don't be surprised, you gotta remember that there are on average more stupid people in Australia than smart. I define stupid as an IQ less than 105.
On the whole over 50% of people in Australia are not intelligent with an IQ of less than 100; explains why we have Bracks and Iemma back in, why we have Holden as supposedly Australias number one car and why after all these years of evolution we still have Labor voters.

One could argue that Australia is devolving. Look at the sucsess of Howard and Big Brother no wonder the Epica is a top seller.

:

weenie · 17-07-2007, 11:25 AM

Should make it a rule across the board. There would be a few holdens & fords being given back. Would certainly make suppliers of diffs, gearboxes & engines pull their fingers out of their back sides.

banarcus · 17-07-2007, 12:45 PM

Imagine if Ford did that for the BA?

BENT_8 · 17-07-2007, 12:59 PM

A good friend of my fathers was telling me about a guy he knows who bought one of these things here in SA.
He had it for a few thousand k's and the engine shat itself.
He had it towed to the dealer where he bought it for warranty repair and they told him it wasn't their problem.
They gave him an address of the company in Korea who handles these problems and apparently they sent him a cheque for AU$600 to get it fixed as they dont offer a great range of spare parts for the car.

I'm not exactly sure what the failure was in relation too but i do know the car no longer is usable.

Apparently there will be a story about them on one of the current affairs shows soon.

I'd love to know how they can dodge a claim under new car warranty.
I'd take a guess that it is written in to the contract somewhere that Holdens only act as an agent for the Daewoo motor company and get off on a technicality.

It will be interesting to see what unfolds.

FORD3V · 17-07-2007, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ltd

Don't be surprised, you gotta remember that there are on average more stupid people in Australia than smart. I define stupid as an IQ less than 105.
On the whole over 50% of people in Australia are not intelligent with an IQ of less than 100; explains why we have Bracks and Iemma back in, why we have Holden as supposedly Australias number one car and why after all these years of evolution we still have Labor voters.

I guess the same group of morons that keep voting state labor governments in are the same group of morons who keep voting liberal at federal elections.

Ringo · 17-07-2007, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BENT_8

A good friend of my fathers was telling me about a guy he knows who bought one of these things here in SA.
He had it for a few thousand k's and the engine shat itself.
He had it towed to the dealer where he bought it for warranty repair and they told him it wasn't their problem.
They gave him an address of the company in Korea who handles these problems and apparently they sent him a cheque for AU$600 to get it fixed as they dont offer a great range of spare parts for the car.

I'm not exactly sure what the failure was in relation too but i do know the car no longer is usable.

Apparently there will be a story about them on one of the current affairs shows soon.

I'd love to know how they can dodge a claim under new car warranty.
I'd take a guess that it is written in to the contract somewhere that Holdens only act as an agent for the Daewoo motor company and get off on a technicality.

It will be interesting to see what unfolds.

This is either inaccurate telling of exactly the siutation or plain b/s.

You saying that Holden will not do warranty repairs on a Holden Epica but instead refers its customer to a Korean company who will then send a check to cover costs?

This cannot be true...its just not possible...there has to be more to this.

Ringo · 17-07-2007, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csv8

Two people who bought Holden's new Epica sedan have taken the company up on its unique money-back guarantee and handed back their cars.

It is the first deal of its kind in Australia and there is only one condition - you must buy another car.

One buyer swapped the Epica for a Holden Commodore, while the other - a woman from Wingham, near Taree - bought herself a Mazda6.

I thought the deal was that you had to buy another HOLDEN of the same or great value ???????

But she bought a Mazda6? Huh?

JBomb3000 · 17-07-2007, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ringo

I thought the deal was that you had to buy another HOLDEN of the same or great value ???????

But she bought a Mazda6? Huh?

No, any other car as long as it's the same or greater value.

JBomb3000 · 17-07-2007, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ringo

This is either inaccurate telling of exactly the siutation or plain b/s.

You saying that Holden will not do warranty repairs on a Holden Epica but instead refers its customer to a Korean company who will then send a check to cover costs?

This cannot be true...its just not possible...there has to be more to this.

Sounds like crap to me, holden would have a riot on there hands if they did that

apolloxbgt · 17-07-2007, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBomb3000

Sounds like crap to me, holden would have a riot on there hands if they did that

Agreed,but wait,didn't he say it was going on one the current affairs shows?I've changed my mind,it MUST be true if they're going to air it

4.9 EF Futura · 17-07-2007, 02:10 PM

So by the magic of inference...

Might i suggest that the target market of the Holden Epica is someone who is so abundant in cash that they can purcahse a vehicle and, despite having a significant amount of money tied up in said vehicle, still be able to drop a deposit down at the local japanese car dealership!!

xr8 utey · 17-07-2007, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FORD3V

I guess the same group of morons that keep voting state labor governments in are the same group of morons who keep voting liberal at federal elections.

R0BD0G · 17-07-2007, 04:42 PM

i like the epica...stop bagging it out...

**Polyal** · 17-07-2007, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kermit 73

i like the epica...stop bagging it out...

/tries to find sarcasm..and struggling :togo:

MethodX · 17-07-2007, 05:50 PM

Must burn some of u that its only 2.
lol.

good for Holden, If it keeps ppl out of Toyleta's

colossus · 17-07-2007, 05:54 PM

Error 404: Sarcasm not found.

Tles · 17-07-2007, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4.9 EF Futura

So by the magic of inference...

Might i suggest that the target market of the Holden Epica is someone who is so abundant in cash that they can purcahse a vehicle and, despite having a significant amount of money tied up in said vehicle, still be able to drop a deposit down at the local japanese car dealership!!

"I was thinking about getting a Camry to do the big round Oz trip and then use for the Mrs car, whaddya reckon?".
"Hmmm...why don't you get an Epica to do the trip in and then give her back and get the Camry then. Save wearing out your car and using up your warranty clicks..."
"Now there's an idea..."

Thunder · 17-07-2007, 07:32 PM

The 30 day "cash-back" guarantee is a great idea. Honestly, how much can you learn from a new car in a 20 minute test drive? apart from enjoying the new-car smell.

The dealer would frown upon you for wanting to keep the car for 2 weeks to try it out and make sure your truely happy with it. You know, how does it fit in the garage/driveway? How easy is it to manuver into your favourite shopping centre/carpark/ Hungry Jacks drive through? Does it take all your thursday night shopping/saturday afternoon sports equipment? How does it go on your sunday cruise to the beach?

All these things need time before you can decied if the car is right for you. I think Holdens offer is great!...................................but you still couldnt pay me to drive that piece of trash

BENT_8 · 17-07-2007, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ringo

This is either inaccurate telling of exactly the siutation or plain b/s.

You saying that Holden will not do warranty repairs on a Holden Epica but instead refers its customer to a Korean company who will then send a check to cover costs?

This cannot be true...its just not possible...there has to be more to this.

Dont worry mate, when i was first told about this i called BS aswell as i have had a few years experience in the motor industry and have an idea how some things work.
I cant believe the government would allow the selling company to back out of warranty on a new car as even used car deals are given stat 3 mth warranties.
I believe the issue is that whatever part failed on the car is not available as a replacement part and so he was given a cheque and told to make his own arrangements.
I know it sounds far fetched but this guy is a senior citizen who has no reason to lie about it.
As i said apparently there will be a story done on these problems so time will tell.