Buying nearly-new used car- dealer now asking for more money
Buying nearly-new used car- dealer now asking for more money
Author
Discussion

Chris993C2

Original Poster:

656 posts

241 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
quotequote all
A couple of weeks ago I paid a deposit on a nearly-new "approved used" car, from a franchised dealer.

This was subject to couple of minor issues being rectified - I have a list of these, and the dealer's agreement, in writing.

The dealer has sorted all-but-one of these issues - but is now steadfastly refusing to touch the remaining one.

However, they have "kindly" offered to let us pay them to do the work...

Apart from being mightily annoyed, what are my options?



(Deposit was 250 pounds on a credit card, sticker-price is around 15k, cost of remedial work is 1,200)



GT03ROB

14,024 posts

251 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
quotequote all
Deposit back go elsewere. If you have it in writing... should be no issue

Dan W.

1,196 posts

108 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
quotequote all
get your deposit back and leave a review stating what happened on their website.

Chris993C2

Original Poster:

656 posts

241 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
quotequote all
GT03ROB said:
Deposit back go elsewere. If you have it in writing... should be no issue
Dan W. said:
get your deposit back and leave a review stating what happened on their website.
Unfortunately the car is quite an unusual spec - I still want it, but in the condition that both parties had agreed to...

Butter Face

34,888 posts

190 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
quotequote all
What's the work?

Dan W.

1,196 posts

108 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
quotequote all
Chris993C2 said:
GT03ROB said:
Deposit back go elsewere. If you have it in writing... should be no issue
Dan W. said:
get your deposit back and leave a review stating what happened on their website.
Unfortunately the car is quite an unusual spec - I still want it, but in the condition that both parties had agreed to...
what reason have they given you to why they are trying to charge you ?

a deal was agreed with the work being done

GT03ROB

14,024 posts

251 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
quotequote all
To be honest unless you go legal not a lot practically you can do. If they don't want to do the work unless you pay the extra the question becomes how much do you want it?

I had a garage do it on me once, with a rare spec car. Walked away, wasn't prepared to be screwed over, never recommended them since. In fact actively talk ill of them.

Chris993C2

Original Poster:

656 posts

241 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
quotequote all
Butter Face said:
What's the work?
Nothing major - some of the bodykit needs to be removed / refitted properly (VHB tape and perhaps a couple of plastic clips etc.)

Mexman

2,442 posts

114 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
quotequote all
They have probably reached the end of the budget with the additional expenditure on the car that you have requested and feel that it's no longer financially viable to do any more work on it.
You could threaten to pull out of the deal and see if they buckle or they could take that opportunity to think they have dodged a bullet with an overly fussy buyer who is likely to be a massive pain in the ass.
Your call.

Butter Face

34,888 posts

190 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
quotequote all
Chris993C2 said:
Butter Face said:
What's the work?
Nothing major - some of the bodykit needs to be removed / refitted properly (VHB tape and perhaps a couple of plastic clips etc.)
That doesn't sound like £1200 worth of work? Or was £1200 the total amount of all work?

As Mexman says, likely just hit the 'fk this' barrier which makes the deal unworkable/unprofitable. If you walk, they'll likely let you and just sort it and put the car back up for a higher price.

Dan W.

1,196 posts

108 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
quotequote all
sounds like they have advertised the car before its been fully prepped which they shouldn't have done.

the underestimated the costs and now ask you to foot the bill.

i would just get the deposit back and move on, would you want to deal with these people after this anyway ?

Chris993C2

Original Poster:

656 posts

241 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
quotequote all
Dan W. said:
i would just get the deposit back and move on, would you want to deal with these people after this anyway ?
TBH I didn't really want to deal them in the first place laugh

Just walking away seems like the sensible option...

Podie

46,649 posts

305 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
quotequote all
I'm curious about the car / spec....

Dan W.

1,196 posts

108 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
quotequote all
Chris993C2 said:
Dan W. said:
i would just get the deposit back and move on, would you want to deal with these people after this anyway ?
TBH I didn't really want to deal them in the first place laugh

Just walking away seems like the sensible option...
good luck buddy and hopefully you find the right car soon.

99dndd

2,155 posts

119 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
quotequote all
If they're going to be this difficult when selling the car to you then how much more difficult will they be when you bring it in for work under warranty?

Wacky Racer

41,363 posts

277 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
quotequote all
99dndd said:
If they're going to be this difficult when selling the car to you then how much more difficult will they be when you bring it in for work under warranty?
This.

If you really really want the car, offer to contribute 40% to the cost.

mgv8

1,657 posts

301 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
quotequote all
I would still walk away. If anything else goes wrong it going to be hard, Just seems life is to short.

Mexman

2,442 posts

114 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
quotequote all
99dndd said:
If they're going to be this difficult when selling the car to you then how much more difficult will they be when you bring it in for work under warranty?
This works both ways though.
If the customer is going to be this difficult when buying the car, then how much more difficult will be be when he brings it back for work under warranty?
I would firstly speak to the sales manager and ask what the problem is straight out.
If it is a budget issue then perhaps come to some sort of arrangement with them regards perhaps meeting them halfway on the additional work required, if you really want the car.
I know that sounds a little underhand but you have to understand although this is a nearly new car, it is NOT a new one.
These issues cannot be anything serious like mechanical issues or they would have been dealt with under the remaining manufacturers warranty.
I'm presuming these issues are all cosmetic issues? which therefore go hand in hand with purchasing a second hand car.
If you want new, then you need to buy new.

PaulD86

1,842 posts

156 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
quotequote all
Mexman said:
This works both ways though.
If the customer is going to be this difficult when buying the car, then how much more difficult will be be when he brings it back for work under warranty?
You've posted a lot of interesting and useful stuff on the ask as car salesman thread, but I think this is trying to stand up for your profession a bit too much. "If the customer is going to be this difficult" - I don't think in business you can call someone difficult for wanting both parties to stick to an agreement. It's more sort of standard practice that you honour an agreement. Apologies if I have misinterpreted what you were saying, but it did read to me that you thought the OP was being difficult for wanting the garage to honour what it said. Which seems a bit daft.

OP. Just walk away with your deposit. I had a friend in the same situation except he only found out they weren't going to do the remedial work promised when he arrived to pick up the car (a 300 mile drive). After a lot of back and forth he returned home without the car but with his deposit.

anonymous-user

84 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
quotequote all
I can see a couple of options

You could try to push them to complete the work they said they would do when the order was agreed and the deposit paid

You could retrieve your deposit and shop elsewhere

If the car is suitably desirable that you want to pursue the former, then an approach that starts amicably will probably be more likely to work out well

A couple of steps into that process might get to contacting the gaffer at the dealership, showing her the written agreement and subsequent reneging with questions about is that how she expects her staff to operate?