Porsche Owner Stages Sit In Protest Outside Porsche dealership
One Porsche owner was clearly upset with his recent 2.7 million RMB Cayenne purchase, after owing the SUV for just two months the owner found a string of problems with the super-SUV and tried to talk things over with the dealer in Shenzhen city, without a solution being found the owner towed the Cayenne to the dealership and staged a loud protest outside the dealership.
The owner says that Cayenne has serious problems which lead to him nearly crashing on two occasions, the owner took the SUV to the dealer and they agreed to fix it, the problem appeared a further three times and on the third time the owner took matters into his own hands and hired a flatbed truck to take him to the dealership.
According to Chinese media reports the the dealer originally offered to swap the Cayenne for another Cayenne, but apparently the owner demanded his money back which Porsche was obviously not going to agree with in a hurry. Eventually Porsche caved in and offered the owner his money back but on condition he sign a confidentiality agreement and agreed not to disclose why he gave his Porsche back. The car owner told willing Chinese media that as soon as Porsche signed the agreement they reverted on it and decided not to take back his lemon Cayenne which forced the owners hand into performing his sit in protest outside the dealership.
So what next for Porsche and the car owner? Previously I had a chance to talk to a senior executive from a premium car brand, we had a little chat about the Lambo case last year where an unsatisfied customer destroyed his lambo with sledgehammers, apparently in such situations if a customer is trying to get one up on you, its better to play it firm otherwise the customer will tell his social circle, which are potentially your customers, that he managed to get his money back or a new car from you, and ultimately, it barely affects the manufacturers in terms of PR.
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Who bets the guy bought his driver’s license and doesn’t know how to drive properly, fucked something up, customized the car incorrectly at a 3rd party (maybe it’s too dark to tell but rims look dark, doesn’t look all stock), or the dealership mechanics are not qualified to fix a simple issue? I’d wager the truth is somewhere in there, and I find it amusing the crowd gathers so large when it’s likely none of them own Porsches and they’re just wanting to join in something to feel like they belong/are capable of demanding something from someone else….
2.7 million or 27,000rmb, I’d be pissed if I bought a lemon and the manufacturer messed me around like this.
Of course, as always we’re hearing it from the consumers point of view, I wonder what the official take on it is? The Lambo-sledgehammer story was a very strange one eventually.
I stopped following the Lambo-sledgehammer story – what happened in the end?
Owner bought it from Germany second hand, he was unhappy with the service Lamborghini provided in China (to a second hand Lambo), so he smashed it up. Lambo cant be seen to be giving in, and rumor has it the owner found himself in trouble with the law on some other issues.
Got it, I didn’t realize that the Lambo was a second-hand import.
you gotta be kidding us, thought you are the automotive specialist here….
beliving porsche or any other european manufacturer would produce and sell a car that is unable to match chinese substandards, that is simply a joke and not plausible.
Mr. Laowai, I am saying that the media have only run with the consumers side of the story so far. I’d be interested to hear what Porsche’s side of the story is, if you can find it in reports, please post it here.
Should have bought a Range Rover Sport!
Fact is lots of Chinese customers are quietly eating the effects of poor build quality in the cars they spent hard earned savings on. How long will it take for the law to be written that gives them a voice? We’ve seen too many photos of luxury imports being towed by donkeys in protest.
I like this part: “hard earned savings”
Cynical bastard. What if he made his money in a legitimate way, you know, going to the office 9-5 everyday and making PPT’s and sales pitches?
Definitely could be. In my experiences few wealthy people go to any office 9-5 in China, but that’s just my experiences.
You got that right. I am 7:30-4:30, and not a minute more. Then I go home, and do another two or more hours.
Replace “office” with KTV and 9-5 is really 9pm – 5am.
Three words here – LACK OF EDUCATION. Driving in China is still such a new part of the culture, and as a result there is a lack of awareness when it comes to proper driving habits, and proper maintenance. Driving schools teach NOTHING about how to care for your vehicle, and very few dealerships make a active effort to educate the customer as well. Who knows how this guy was driving his Cayenne? I’ve seen enough taxi drivers lugging around at 2000rpm in 5th gear – can anyone here say “engine abuse”????
Bottom line – drivers need to be more aware of proper driving habits AND proper care for a vehicle (I know, I know – a pipe dream), AND dealerships need to take a more active role in educating the customer a bit before the customer drives off in his/her shiny new car, without any real idea of how to take care of it (this is possible considering the push to offer higher customer service overall in China).
Ok, I’m done ranting – happy new year everyone!!
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