Poor Communication and Missed Delivery Commitments by SMG Lexus Umhlanga and Exotic Carriers

I recently purchased a vehicle from SMG Lexus Umhlanga and required delivery to Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha).

At the outset, I was advised that delivery would take place sometime between Wednesday, 10 June 2026 and Friday, 12 June 2026. As I needed to make arrangements around the delivery, I requested a more specific date and was subsequently advised that Friday, 12 June 2026 would be the latest expected delivery date.

Thereafter, the delivery date was changed again to Saturday, 13 June 2026. I expressed my dissatisfaction as I had already made plans to be away for the weekend. Following this discussion, I was reassured that delivery would take place on Friday, 12 June 2026, and this was also confirmed to me directly by Exotic Carriers via WhatsApp.

When I followed up this morning (12 June 2026) to confirm delivery arrangements, I was informed by Exotic Carriers that the truck had been rerouted to Cape Town and that delivery may now only take place on Sunday, 14 June 2026 or even Monday, 15 June 2026.

My frustration is not necessarily with the delay itself, as unforeseen circumstances can occur, but rather with the repeated changes to delivery commitments and the lack of accurate communication. As a customer, I made arrangements based on the dates provided to me, only for those dates to continually shift.

I would encourage SMG Lexus Umhlanga and Exotic Carriers to improve communication and avoid making delivery commitments that they are unable to honor. Customers should be able to rely on the information they are provided when making plans around a vehicle purchase and delivery.

I hope this feedback assists both companies in improving their customer experience going forward.