u/CameraAway

Actually, to car owners na sa casa bumili…

Hi! I’m someone who’s so close to buying a Vinfast VF5, actually, I almost drove one out of the casa the other day. I just had a few concerns that’s why I did not get the unit right away.

(A1) The unit had paint chips. These were found on the front panel edge where this panel meets the front side panel. Sorry, I’m a new car guy, or trying to be one, so I don’t know the panel names (I might learn them in the future). They only found one and reported to me but upon visiting, I found another but less severe paint defect; (A2) Though less severe, I‘m the one who found the second paint error;

(A3) The bottom part of the windows had accumulated dirt and when I pointed that out they told me that (A4) the unit came from a Vinfast stockyard; (A5) The LTO sticker on the windshield had already faded;

Though, this is what I appreciated with my agent;

(B1) I was actually ready to pay for the unit when it arrived a few days before my visit; my agent sent me a pic and when I was about to pay, he stopped me because they noticed something with the unit and wanted me to look at the unit first before paying for it.

(B2) The manager was the one who talked to me to present the error;

(B3) They assured me that if I would still get the unit, they will fix those errors including the one I pointed out, have the unit fixed and washed, then they will release it to me as flawless as possible. Though they gave me a 1-2 weeks lead time because since the defect came from the factory, they’re asking for subsidy from the factory to fix the unit;

(B4) They’re already contacting LTO to replace the sticker;

As a new car owner/buyer, these are my concerns:

(C1) Has anyone had this experience when buying their unit? Whether it‘s VF5 or other models.

(C2) Are these paint chips/errors happen usually than most people think? Like if one preorders or reserves a unit, may it be from Vinfast or other brands that are reputable, does the casa usually receive units with errors like these then silently fix it without the owners knowing about it?

(C3) If these paint chips are repaired in house, will this be on par with factory quality?

(C4) Does this dirty window trim suggest that the unit was sitting out in an open-air yard for a long time?; (C5) Should I be worried about the batteries and tires if they are exposed like that? When I checked, the tires were good but I noticed a bit of rust on one rim;

(C5) Should I ask for a written report before signing the release papers?

(C6) Since I’m basically buying a refurbished unit, should I ask for more freebies? Like free charger installation voucher, etc. whatever they can offer of similar value. I already told them that I will choose the free charging until 2029 for the included promo but the other choice was free battery subscription for 1 year.

P.S. I know that these questions might sound ignorant for some people, but this is just from a first time buyer who already did all the research that he can do and who’s really desperate to get out of the commuting hell in Metro f***ing Manila. Yes, there’s traffic but I’d rather be stuck in traffic in a private car‘s comfort rather than wait hours in line, get stuck in traffic while squeezed in a can with 18 warm bodies in it and with a russian roulette like line up of drivers. 🥹 Please don’t judge. 🙏🏻

Also, you might say that I should just get one from a better brand, yes, I already thought about that but this is all my budget allows me. (Vinfast VF5 + battery subscription). I started from Vinfast VF3, Wuling Gameboy, DongFeng Box, JMC EV2/EV3, BYD Seagull. Lastly, I could get an ICE car but you already know why one would choose an EV in this type of economy.

Please help.