[stevemdaw]

Hi all, I had to pop into my dealer today to tidy up some paperwork (re-value my part exchange car) as my delivery is approaching.

I ordered a 2.0D M Sport in Space Grey with Black leather, reversing camera, panoramic sunroof, privacy glass and towbar (for my cycles) at the start of April. I had confirmation that the car has been made and is awaiting despatch from the plant, with delivery to me due in September.

Whilst at the dealership today, they noticed that the car that had been manufactured under my order did not have the panoramic sunroof or the towbar. These had been additional options that I had added a month after order (start of May), and had signed a new contract accordingly being assured that they would be included - the sunroof had been an oversight in my original order.

Anyway, due to an oversight at the dealership, these additional options were never added to the manufacturing instructions and haven't been included. I can always get a towbar fitted (ok, not as nice as the OE one, but ok), however the sunroof is an issue - I know I didn't order it originally, but once I sat in a car that had it, I had decided that it is a must have.

The dealership are very contrite about the error, and have been super-helpful to try and put something right. They have advised three options:-
1. Place a correct re-order, though this will not be delivered now until Feb 2015.
2. I accept delivery of the car without the sunroof and towbar (with a small discount from the price I agreed orginally)
3. They have a pre-LCI 2014 plate in the showroom (carbon black with oyster leather) which does have the options I chose (minus the towbar and reversing camera), plus a lot of others : Professional Sat Nav, Servotronic Steering, Advanced loudspeaker system, folding mirrors and internet (they had added the auto bootlid and heated seats as well).

So in effect the car in the showroom has nearly all that I had specified, is available now and they have given me a great discount price to make up for their error. The car is worth £41190 list price( 3K more than the one I ordered), but they will sell to me for £5K discount (over 10% discount).

Of course I am gutted that I wouldn't be getting the car I specced - when you order a new car (especially such an expensive one) you want it to be exactly right, but I can't wait another 6 months - it would be 11 months from the original order before I took delivery.

I am very tempted to take the discounted showroom model, as it has the must-have sunroof. However, as it's the pre-LCI model, I don't know if this is wise.

I could take delivery of my ordered car, and spend my time driving it resenting the fact that it doesn't have a sunroof, or take the heavy discounted pre-LCI model which does have a sunroof. Something makes me think I may think more positively about the discount received, rather than resenting the lack of an option.

This is so much fuss about the lack of a sunroof, but I'm not sure what other options I have. Would you guys take the pre-LCI model, take the wrongly ordered new car, or make another order. Am I overreacting?

The other option is to buy a nearly new, the thinking being, if I'm going to be driving a car that's not 100% right, then I may as well pay £10K less for it.

Any advice appreciated.
Thanks