Volvo UK don't know their own car dimensions - help?

[my-spirit-soars-free]

I am trying to replace my rather elderly Volvo estate.

 

At the moment, I have a wheelchair hoist in the boot that lifts up my wheelchair and deposits it into the boot.

 

The hoist is matched to the car, and the wheelchair, and it can be a pain finding a combination that will fit, and obviously, some tailgate openings are just too small.

 

I therefore went to Volvo UK, and asked them for the dimensions of the tailgate opening of each of their estates - I mean, there are only three, and armed with those numbers I can go to the vehicle adaptations place and see whether my current wheelchair is possible, or if, indeed, any wheelchair/hoist combination will go in to the new body shape.

 

Usefully, so far, I have been sent a price list with the boot volume in litres - and when I pointed out that was not what I needed, I was told to go to the local dealership and see whether my wheelchair would fit.

 

I can think of various reasons why I would prefer their customer service to answer the question I asked:

 

1. They are unlikely to have all 3 estate models in one dealership.

2. They are unlikely to be very pleased at me lifting a large, scratchy, metal chair into the boot of a brand new car. It does scratch the bumper, and make marks on the carpet.

3. They are unlikely to be very pleased at me asking two members of staff to lift it into the cars, three times over.

4. It would still only give me a guess whether there is space for the hoist.

5. It is a long drive.

6. If Volvo UK are so flipping unhelpful now, before they have my money, I suspect that I have no chance afterwards.

 

 

 

Reason 6 may yet prove to be the reason that makes the decision for me, despite my having passed my driving test in a Volvo, and always having driven them since.

 

 

Does anyone have any idea where I could find the information on the actual size of the hole what leads into the back of the car on the 3 Volvo estate cars currently available?

[ssparks2003]

Why not speak with your local agent, explain the question and see if they can either assist you or get you the information that you require?

[Rexroth]

Equality Act?

[GrumpyToSayTheLeast]

@ Rexroth. Equality act????

 

Anyhow, can you not google the models and look at the dimensions yourself? Surely there is a spec sheet online?

[GrumpyToSayTheLeast]

Failing that, I'm not sure what else you can do but visit dealerships with a tape measure and check for yourself or ask someone to do it for you.

Even if the dealership measures it for you, would you trust they have measure the right bits?

What particular models are you looking at?

[Gick]

Surely the people to ask are the Vehicle Adaption Company who will know exactly the information they need to effect a change over.

 

Forget obtaining possibly incorrect figures from either Customer Services or an albeit helpful salesman at a dealership.

 

Any professional adapter will already have that information for current vehicles, or will obtain them. If they cannot, they either would decline your custom or add caveats to the contract that should make you consider going elsewhere.

[my-spirit-soars-free]

The vehicle adaptations place can get the dimensions, probably, (not all cars have the information available), if I give them the VIN of the vehicle.

 

I don't have a VIN until I buy the car, and I won't buy the car until I know I can actually use it - I would not buy a car if I did not know how many seats it had, or what insurance group, and it seems to me that it is a very basic bit of information that the manufacturer should be able to supply.

 

Volvo UK sent me a copy of the specification/pricelist, with a snooty comment of "I can confirm that the information you require is in the attached". It wasn't, so I went back to them, and they then told me to go to the dealership and measure for myself - which I feel is not a reply I would expect from any customer service department!

 

Going with a measuring tape means a long drive,possibly to 2 or 3 dealerships, as which car I am interested in is decided by whether I can fit a wheelchair, and I am unlikely to find all three models at any one dealership. If I find, as I suspect, that the new Volvo is not going to work because of the new styling, then I want to find out what other options are available.

 

 

Checking measurements for myself makes sense when I have chosen the car, and am on the point of purchasing - it does not make sense when initially deciding which cars are even feasible.

 

 

After all, who here would expect to be told to go to the dealership to count how many seat belts in a car, or to see whether it had a heated rear window?

[ssparks2003]

I'm sorry, but for the sake of repeating myself; go to a local agent explain you wish to buy a car but need to know that you can get the hoist, wheelchair and kitchen sink in the back of it. Tell them that if they would like your business they will need to provide you with the information you require and possibly liaise with the adaptors at some point. Define clearly what measurements you require.

 

You see more keen to whinge about how customer service has let you down and finding excuses why you can't do something than simply resolving the issue.

 

You do not need to take tape measures, purchase cars before measuring or any other that get the agent to get the information that you require.

[GrumpyToSayTheLeast]

The vehicle adaptations place can get the dimensions, probably, (not all cars have the information available), if I give them the VIN of the vehicle.

 

I don't have a VIN until I buy the car, and I won't buy the car until I know I can actually use it - I would not buy a car if I did not know how many seats it had, or what insurance group, and it seems to me that it is a very basic bit of information that the manufacturer should be able to supply.

 

Volvo UK sent me a copy of the specification/pricelist, with a snooty comment of "I can confirm that the information you require is in the attached". It wasn't, so I went back to them, and they then told me to go to the dealership and measure for myself - which I feel is not a reply I would expect from any customer service department!

 

Going with a measuring tape means a long drive,possibly to 2 or 3 dealerships, as which car I am interested in is decided by whether I can fit a wheelchair, and I am unlikely to find all three models at any one dealership. If I find, as I suspect, that the new Volvo is not going to work because of the new styling, then I want to find out what other options are available.

 

 

Checking measurements for myself makes sense when I have chosen the car, and am on the point of purchasing - it does not make sense when initially deciding which cars are even feasible.

 

 

After all, who here would expect to be told to go to the dealership to count how many seat belts in a car, or to see whether it had a heated rear window?

 

Why not take a drive, look at the cars you want, take the vin number(which will be on show in the windscreen) and pass that onto the vehicle adapters?

[my-spirit-soars-free]

For the people who are telling me to drive around all the local dealerships - I knew that was an option before I posted here. I also know that I can do without a car, and get a train. I am also aware that I could just stay home, and therefore don't really NEED the information. Now we have those options out of the way, I want a car, and I am trying to start by excluding ALL cars where the wheelchair obviously won't fit, and I would to make a short list without travelling.

 

Some people might start off by saying "I want a 2 litre", or "I want a electric car" - and then, presumably, they make a list of possible cars by excluding, for instance, manufacturers that only make a petrol model. They then don't waste their time going to the Jaguar dealership looking at all the cars to see whether they make an electric car.

 

I want a car with a big enough hole in the back, I would love it to be a Volvo, but if the chair won't fit I am not about to go and drool over a car that I can't have.

 

 

So, does anyone know of any online site that would have the information?

[ssparks2003]

Do you own a telephone?

 

You obviously have a computer and internet connection.

 

Why not phone a few garages, get the names of the managers.

 

Send them an email and ask for the information you require.

 

that way if any of the information they supply is wrong you have grounds to go back to them rather than relying on information that may or may not be right of the net.

 

If you wish to rely on information that may or may not be right you could speak with http://www.rica.org.uk/content/car-search

[ericsbrother]

ask the hoist manufacturers. They make them to fit so they must know the sizes.

[Hammy1962]

Sometimes people start to erect barriers before setting off on something that should be fun, getting a new car. The title of the post gives this away.

 

Speak, with the telephone if necessary, to the Motabilty Specialist in your chosen Dealership. It doesn't matter whether you are a Motability customer or not, they may have heard the question before and already have an answer.

 

We are not always as unique as we think we are.

 

Or the hoist people.

 

H

[Nimrod205]

I am also disabled and driving an adapted vehicle. A company called Brig Ayd manufactures and fits adaptions to Volvo estates and I suggest that you give them a call. All their contact details can be found online. By the way, I am not connected with them in any way, shape or form.