Gavin AM I was in exactly the same position as you about 6 weeks ago. Even if you have been promised delivery tomorrow send a "time of the essence" by recorded delivery (Consumer Direct can give you the wording for free). You have to give them 2 weeks / 10 working days to deliver the vehicle or the contract is cancelled. I did this and my car was delivered on the absolute last day that they had. But at least it worked.

Thank you very much for this advice. My wife managed to get hold of a particular individual at NCD and she has hounded him for the past 2 days with the result that we are now expecting the car on Thursday. If we have no joy (and i have to say, based on our experience I am not that optimistic) I will certainly do as you say.

I am glad that you were sorted out - it does give me a little hope. And thank you again for the advice. Let's watch this space for some positive news for a change!

Would only use NCD if they were giving the cars away!

Ordered in Oct 07', with del date Dec 07'. Given new Del date in Jan 08 - failed to appear, no communication. Given another del date in Jan 08 - failed to appear again, but dealers fault, not NCD to blame. Given a third del date in Feb 08, Yes you guessed it - failed to appear again, but not NCD fault, dealer to blame, did not order extras. Fourth time lucky - given a date at begninning of March 08. CAR DELIVERED!!! We saved approx £1800 on forecourt price, and got good trade-in. With the wisdom of hindsight I would rather pay the extra than have the stress this company have caused. Still waiting for our Docs 8 wks after delivery. Just spoke to DVLA on tel and they confirm they have not received notification that we have this car ?!

Customer service was super until they had our deposit, We actually paid balance due in Jan 08, so they had our cash for 2 months before we got the car. Trying to get this mob to return a telephone call or email is unbelievable. Please, Please, pass on the word as to how bad this crowd really are.

I got a quote from NCD today for a new Merc and was told I would be contacted by Mercedes Dealer who would be my main contact here on in. Got a call from official mercedes dealer from stratford upon avon (I checked) and they also confirmed that I would deal directly with them. So looks like NCD just get a commision for the intro and all business is with the dealer. I don't see the downside or am I missing something ?

It would appear that you may well be lucky in that you dont have to deal with them directly.

If you do then tread carefully my friend - very carefully- they are clearly not all they seem and I would not use them again!!

After reading all the posts here I was naturally wary of dealing with NCD, despite the good discount being offered. Having spoken to the mercedes dealer I was assured that the whole order and delivery process will be with themselves. I have received a quote now and once I pay the deposit, they will send me formal order to sign. They are an official dealership who can be looked up via the mercedes website. i feel more confortable now but will still tread carefully.

Just so others know - here is my story.

Ordered a car in early Feb 08 - told delivery was possible early March for new 08 reg.Asked to pay in full for the vehicle so as to get to the top of the delivery list. (This I did @ end of Feb)

Contacted in march and told of a dealer delay of several weeks. Contacted again and told delivery would take place 22nd March - didn't arrive!!

Promised delivery again the next week - didn't arrive. Managed to speak to the ellusive Mr Schofield who went through all the logistics with me - blah blah blah.

After another failed delivery day I contacted Trading Standards who advised me to send a letter givivg NCD 14 days to deliver the vehicle. The very next day was to be another "Delivery" day.

On ringing again the next day to confirm my delivery I was told quite glibly and curtly that they had cancelled my delivery because I sent them a "Threatening" letter.Mr Schofield then took the phone and was dismissive of me saying that he wasn't going to argue with me and that he had my car taxed and ready and would deliver it on monday.

Monday came and went and by now I was just waiting for the 14 days to be up and then starting the task of getting my money back (which they had now had for several weeks).

Then by chance a lady who I had not spoken to before actually rang me to apologise for the events surrounding my order and assuring me that she was there to help. She asked for 1 day to find out where the car was and to arrange a delivery - so I agreed.

She got back to me said she had located the car and was getting a "vehicle movement" procedure done and once she could physically see the car she would arrange delivery to me. On Wednesday this week she contacted me and arranged delivery for today (Fri 2nd May) - then a further email arrived saying it might possibly be Thurs 1st.

My vehicle did indeed arrive last night, as ordered but looking at the tax disc it clearly stated that it had only actually been taxed for the road that day!! - so much for Mr Schofields claim 2 weeks previously!!

According to this site I now have the long wait to hopefully get my V5 registration document - and hope and pray that one day it too will arrive.

Well after 8 months all but a day from the day the car was delivered and having to listen to David Blah blah blah for 10 minutes, the green slip from the vehicle registration document arrived yesterday. I wonder how long it will be before the actually log book reaches me, the car will need to be taxed in September. As you say, the date on the paperwork is 26th April 2008. I will never use them again, I only hope others see this website before they contact NCD.

going through the same trauma as it seems many others have. ordered our car on the 21st of jan, paid in full on 15th april, had 3 delivery dates cancelled on the day with various reasons given, now not able to give us a date. 3 days annual leave wasted, no apologies, all joy of new car lost, posting a letter "making time of the essence" which i got off trading standards website tomorrow. see if that gets things moving. would have paid the extra and gone to a local dealer if i knew this was going to happen.

We are also going through this - money paid three weeks ago - promises re delivery, telephone calls promised and not received. Now they are not even answering the phone. Have they gone "belly up".

I should have written a bit earlier to update you all and reiterate my advice to those who have not yet ventured into the NCD waters but may be thinking about a dip - DON'T!!!!!

In my last post I mentioned that we were all set to take delivery on Thursday, 1st May, and I was hopeful (but not optimistic) that it would happen - it had been guaranteed in no uncertain terms. Ha, ha! The wife phoned at 16:00 the day before to confirm just in case (though we had been assured earlier that week that we would not need to confirm, the car WOULD BE delivered - but we had the benefit of past experience to know that these assurances meant nothing). And, guess what, they couldn't confirm. With my wife in a state, I phoned them at 17:00. I didn't have to try very hard to put on an angry voice, but my best efforts at demanding a delivery fell on deaf ears. And they couldn't tell me why the car would not be ready. Basically I was fobbed off again - for the fourth time!

So the wife and I came up with a radical plan: I would catch a train there the very next day.

It cost me £130 for train tickets, not to mention the fact that I was losing a day's wages. Of course they had promised to phone and update me first thing in the morning, but I beat them to it (no surprise) and told them that I was en route and that my car better be ready by the time I arrived.

The short story is that I got the car, but it wasn't ready. I waited for 3 hours, during which time they reluctantly admitted that they were at fault, although in the very next breath I was told:

- The reason they had stopped dealing with us is because we hassled them too much.

- Our constant attempts to get hold of them were interfering with them serving other customers, and were doing our own cause no good.

- That my wife's emails were abusive (apparently calling their service incompetent is abusive - I really had to bite my tongue when I heard that).

- That the customer service staff's responsibilities end once they have phoned to arrange delivery (that was hilarious: so once they phone you to tell you that the car is being delivered you can expect no more customer service even if the delivery never happens - I am not sure which department you would have to speak to at that point!).

All this was all relayed to me by the Account Manager who chided me like a child when I raised my voice in protest (she told me that if I raised my voice at her she would walk out on me and not return - I was tempted to suggest that she audition for a stand-up routine at the local comedy club, but I bit my tongue again instead!).

I have contacted a lawyer to see what recourse we have for all the anxiety we went through - I am the last person to want the UK to become the "sue everybody" country that the USA is, but at times like these, my gosh, I wish I was a yank!

Anyway, there is the whole story now. I have already been to the DVLA to have it recorded that we are the new owners of the car, although I do have to wait for the supplier to sort out the paperwork on their side.

Incidentally, you might want to note the following:

- The supplier had done the pre-delivery inspection of the car 3 weeks beforehand. The tax had not been sorted, but they did it there and then for me (and posted me the disc, which I have received): So I am still not sure what the hold-up was - if they had no driver to deliver I would have gone up sooner to save all the stress but, as is their style, they never tell you anything!

- Their delivery offices are not signed. I am not sure whether there is anything untoward about the way they operate, but they certainly do not "advertise" who they are - one of the other long-standing tenants in the industrial park had never heard of them. I walked around the industrial park for ages before I found them - I had to inquire at a genuine dealership in the park (who is apparently "one of their contacts"). Not the best impression of reputable operations.

The saving we made is ABSOLUTELY NOT WORTH IT!

I wouldn't wish these guys on my worst enemy!

At any rate, I hope that my experience may in some way be of value to others. Good luck to all those who are still dealing with them - I sincerely hope that things work out for you. Phew!

I'm in the same situation vehicle 3 weeks late, delivery dates not being honoured. I last spoke to them yesterday 13th May around 3pm. They staed that they have a back log of 37 vehicles to deliver and that they would contact me today to confirm delivery. No e mails or telephone calls from them as yet. Just read your your post desparatedan and I feel absolutely sick with worry.

I too am in the same situation with NCD. I have paid in full for the vehicle and nobody is now answering their telephones - even the sales number. I have now said if I don't get my vehicle I want a full refund - I wonder if anyone has asked for their money back and did they get it - I just wish I'd have checked on this website sooner.

If I don't get any e mail or telephone response I am going up to the Nelson site tomorrow to check it out first thing. I cant believe what is happening I hope that there is a good explanation to this. But my gut feeling is that we've been taken for a ride.

Don't despair - I just hope you paid your deposit by credit card. If so, you are protected under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act - get onto fool.co.uk for details. I have sent a recorded delivery letter of 'essence of time' to NCD demanding delivery within 14 days or full refund, also r.d. letter to credit card co stating that I am looking to hold them jointly responsible for liability. Crikey, blimey I wish I had look them up before I started on this road with them. Good luck to you all.