Brand New CITROEN DS5 with miss-coloured bumper and steering

[qprdude]

Also, as regards the "only three miles on the clock" so they couldn't have tested the car after the repair? I can't see where they have admitted to carrying out a repair, or have I missed something?

Of course they're not going to admit that the car required repairs before being sold as new...

We can only infer it from the mismatched bumpers and obvious suspension/tracking faults that are too much of a coincidence for a brand new car... Unless it was assembled late on a Friday afternoon or the day before a strike I suppose...

Yes, I know all that. What I'm saying is, if there was fifty miles on the clock, it might infer a repair and test had been done on a "new" car, so giving the purchaser a reasonable doubt that the car had not been damaged and that the paint mismatch was a normal manufacturing occurence. The dealer might struggle to sell the car as new, with more miles on the clock, so he's never going to admit damage/repair/test, without an independent report.
I agree with the poster who said to bring it into the public domain but first give the dealer time to agree a refund. Once you bring it to the media, you might just have fired your best shot.

[BX]

Many vehicles have a delivery odometer reset. Some can clock up to 200Km and be reset to zero by pushing buttons on the dash. This is usually done just before handing the vehicle over to the "first" owner. The reset method is usually similar to resetting the trip meter. This operation can only be carried out once. It is to keep those who want a zero ode new vehicle happy. Remember the vehicle is driven from the production line to the storage yard., loaded onto transport. Offloaded and driven onto the ship etc, as well as being moved about the dealers premises. Some are even driven from one dealer to another for example if a customer wants a specific spec and another dealer has it in stock. Several vehicles are damaged in transit. They are seldom sold as damaged. I have no idea as to what might have happened in this case. However look carefully at plastic bumpers. Many cars have a mismatch including models from highly regarded makers. This is due to the production process where bumpers are coloured using a different process to the rest of the car and are often done in another plant even sometimes in another country.

[Stickyfinger]

. Many cars have a mismatch including models from highly regarded makers. This is due to the production process where bumpers are coloured using a different process to the rest of the car and are often done in another plant even sometimes in another country.

Take it from a guy who spray paints every day......that is not correct.........as the OP's rear bumper shell can testify. The paint should match END of STORY

[BX]

Stickyfinger I both agree and disagree. The good refinishers generally get a perfect match. Brand new is different. I have seen mismatches from Mazda and Mercedes and Ford, amongst others. I don't know about Citroën. It is a manufacturing problem. It is more evident in light metallic colours. Any repair work (which was contracted out) always matched. The tell-tale is when you have a number of identical brand new cars side by side with the same mismatch. I can only assume it still happens as I am no longer involved with new vehicles but it was happening in 2012. Take a look in dealers displays and in car parks. I'm sure you will find examples before long. You are probably correct about the rear bumper. For some reason I never really noticed the rear ones.
As I pointed out I have no idea whatsoever about the op's car but I have done the mileage reset on several new cars and commercials and have gone to follow up on a front bumper mismatch on a Mazda 6 only to find the whole batch were the same. Ditto the C200D. Since then I noticed several deliveries with different degrees of mismatch.
P.S. I forgot about the "off the back of a truck nose first" yes it happens.

[Gibbo2286]

I think the biggest mystery here is why did the op accept a car that was clearly defective when he went to collect it, the tracking problem he obviously couldn't see but mismatched paint could hardly go unnoticed/ also a huge discount from recommended price should have rung warning bells.

[mbrad26]

That discount is normal for Citroen, specially in March when the Dealer is trying to sell as many cars as possible to keep their fleet discounts. That's why on-line car broker have great prices for cars compared to the Dealer.
When I took delivery of the car I didn't noticed because to be honest I didn't think for one second that there may be a problem with a Brand New Car. After 13 days I did noticed and I returned the car to the Dealer.
There is no mystery - my naivety and trusting Citroen and it's Dealer. This wasn't my first brand new car that I purchased. Never ever had a similar problem with a new car. For me this is a life lesson.

[mbrad26]

Hi

News time

I have received a settlement offer that me and my wife decided to accept it. "The terms of this settlement shall remain confidential" so please understand why I can't make this terms public. I want to say thanks to Citroen for making this settlement possible and although, sometimes I doubted it, they can be nice guys with a little push.

My deepest gratitude goes to ALL OF YOU, the members of this forum and others, for your continuous and amazing support. I have no doubt that without your help this wouldn't be possible so THANK YOU.

One more time a sincere:

THANK YOU

Cheers

[Stickyfinger]

I hope it is a correct and fair offer that has cost you ZERO !..................happy you are happy

[Xantidote]

Well done for persevering and not being fobbed off. Hope the final settlement makes you think it was all worthwhile.

[mbrad26]

Thanks guys

[Hell Razor5543]

Well done. If Citroen (dealership or higher) accepted they were in the wrong then I would hope they offered you a new car of the same (or better) spec than the original, some sort of servicing deal, and a few quid off the price to say 'Sorry'.