I fear a "dealer" has just had me over

[LaurasOtherHalf]

Long story short, a dealer had a rare car I've been after for sale & after a few conversation we agreed on a price yesterday & I bought it.

I offered a deposit & he said he'd email over the details & where to pay it to, everything's grand

Tonight after trying to get in touch to pay the deposit he emails to tell me he's had more interest in the car & is not accepting my deposit until they've viewed.

Fair play, the car is on sale or return so he's looking after the owners interests.

Problem is I've gone & bought 3 train tickets that are none refundable to the other end of the country.

Right to feel wronged or stupid to have taken a "dealer" at his word?

[g3org3y]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

Right to feel wronged or stupid to have taken a "dealer" at his word?

Given the above - I would be annoyed.

[crazy about cars]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

Right to feel wronged or stupid to have taken a "dealer" at his word?

I understand how gutted you feel but personally I will not be so hasty until I have everything confirmed. Verbal agreement doesn't mean squat these days.

[vrsmxtb]

It really depends on what was said. Sounds like he gave the wrong impression to you though. I'd be ticked off. Could he be fishing for a higher price by playing you off other buyers, whether they exist or not?

[LaurasOtherHalf]

vrsmxtb said:

It really depends on what was said. Sounds like he gave the wrong impression to you though. I'd be ticked off. Could he be fishing for a higher price by playing you off other buyers, whether they exist or not?

Good point, perhaps he is? With regards to what was said, it was definitely sold. In fact the main conversation was about whether he would deliver it or I would come & collect it, for ease of us both I agreed to make the journey down there

[swisstoni]

If he doesn't come back to you, well that's a lesson I'm afraid.
If he does, I'd be inclined to revise my offer downwards in view of the fact that the other interested party (if they exist) have flown the coop.

[AutoLuxUK]

crazy about cars said:

Verbal agreement doesn't mean squat these days.

So true unfortunately.

[Cemesis]

Not really very nice. I'd wait and see what happens and if he tells you it's now 'unsold' ask him to refund the cost of the tickets. He won't of course because he's that kind of guy.

[Zyp]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

Long story short, a dealer had a rare car I've been after for sale & after a few conversation we agreed on a price yesterday & I bought it.

I offered a deposit & he said he'd email over the details & where to pay it to, everything's grand

Tonight after trying to get in touch to pay the deposit he emails to tell me he's had more interest in the car & is not accepting my deposit until they've viewed.

Fair play, the car is on sale or return so he's looking after the owners interests.

Problem is I've gone & bought 3 train tickets that are none refundable to the other end of the country.

Right to feel wronged or stupid to have taken a "dealer" at his word?

As for the train tickets - nice day out?

[DonkeyApple]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

Long story short, a dealer had a rare car I've been after for sale & after a few conversation we agreed on a price yesterday & I bought it.

I offered a deposit & he said he'd email over the details & where to pay it to, everything's grand

Tonight after trying to get in touch to pay the deposit he emails to tell me he's had more interest in the car & is not accepting my deposit until they've viewed.

Fair play, the car is on sale or return so he's looking after the owners interests.

Problem is I've gone & bought 3 train tickets that are none refundable to the other end of the country.

Right to feel wronged or stupid to have taken a "dealer" at his word?

Unfortunately, us normal folk often only think of the right things to say after the conversation.

When he informed you he was backing out of his initial verbal agreement because he hoped to get a higher offer elsewhere the response should have been that you had already bought the train tickets so would be arriving at the agreed time to either collect the car or the cash for the tickets and inconvenience ( or as this is PH, a finger from his left hand;))and seen what his response was from that.

I suspect he is pulling your plonker in a tried and tested manner.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

Cemesis said:

Not really very nice. I'd wait and see what happens and if he tells you it's now 'unsold' ask him to refund the cost of the tickets. He won't of course because he's that kind of guy.

I guess he won't either, the more I think about this the more I think I haven't got a hope in hell of either getting the car or a refund for my train journey.

I have however managed to find out who the actual owner of the car is & the large franchised dealership in London he works for.

[anonymous-user]

Offer the actual owner direct and he'll save the dealer's cut, depending on his agreement with him.

[carreauchompeur]

rovermorris999 said:

Offer the actual owner direct and he'll save the dealer's cut, depending on his agreement with him.

Yes, do this. Definitely. The perfect "fk you" to the dealer.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

carreauchompeur said:

rovermorris999 said:

Offer the actual owner direct and he'll save the dealer's cut, depending on his agreement with him.

Yes, do this. Definitely. The perfect "fk you" to the dealer.

I think the owner obviously doesn't want to get involved in direct sales otherwise why use sale or return, especially seeing as he works at a car dealership himself

[DonkeyApple]

swerni said:

I've had this happen to me on property before.

Ensure if his other deals don't result in a sales and he comes back to you, that you lower your offer price!

This is very true. Point of principle plus not wanting physical reminder of being someone's bh on your drive etc.

[sleep envy]

swerni said:

I've had this happen to me on property before.

Ensure if his other deals don't result in a sales and he comes back to you, that you lower your offer price!

How did you find out who made the other offers?

[woody2846]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

carreauchompeur said:

rovermorris999 said:

Offer the actual owner direct and he'll save the dealer's cut, depending on his agreement with him.

Yes, do this. Definitely. The perfect "fk you" to the dealer.

I think the owner obviously doesn't want to get involved in direct sales otherwise why use sale or return, especially seeing as he works at a car dealership himself

It's worth asking, you having nothing to loose and all to gain.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

woody2846 said:

LaurasOtherHalf said:

carreauchompeur said:

rovermorris999 said:

Offer the actual owner direct and he'll save the dealer's cut, depending on his agreement with him.

Yes, do this. Definitely. The perfect "fk you" to the dealer.

I think the owner obviously doesn't want to get involved in direct sales otherwise why use sale or return, especially seeing as he works at a car dealership himself

It's worth asking, you having nothing to loose and all to gain.

I will try, but bloody hell it's annoying. For all I know the owner may have agreed to the deal but then backed out, though if that was the case Shirley the "dealer" would have said as much

[nickfrog]

Conversely, you were going to commit to a sale by paying a deposit without seeing/driving the car (I don't get that but that's a personal decision). Would you have still bought it at the agreed price having seen the car in the flesh and not liking it as much as you thought you would ?

[DonkeyApple]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

I will try, but bloody hell it's annoying. For all I know the owner may have agreed to the deal but then backed out, though if that was the case Shirley the "dealer" would have said as much

The client won't know anything about this. He will have an agreed price with the dealer and anything on top is his.

Ergo, you approach the owner in a sensible manner and he may listen.

Assume what the dealer is doing is a bluff and either revert with an offer less your costs, which is fair, when he comes back to you which he probably will and if rebuffed approach the owner.

The key is to step back and disconnect from the 'deaire' angle which hits us all and the dealers rely on.