Dealer changes model spec and price just before handover
Discussion
Bought a new car from a big/main reputable VW dealer, all the docs specify the 140bhp model. After signing all the purchase documents and day before picking up the new car, dealer phones and says they have made a terrible mistake and it is actually exact same spec but the 177bhp model.
Means £1500 more on the price, more insurance to pay, more tax to pay and worse fuel consumption. More annoying is I just sold my existing car privately, so I am without a car.
My options are:
- I could just walk away and buy elsewhere for the same price but it will be a 6-8 weeks delivery so I will need some transport until then which will be costly (rentals/taxis).
- Take it as it is that they are offering, probably net uplift is same cost compared to finding alternative transport for the next few weeks.
- Ask he honours the original price whatever the model, still means higher running costs (insurance/tax/fuel).
Could be an honest mistake, could be a bait and switch?
Any advice?
Means £1500 more on the price, more insurance to pay, more tax to pay and worse fuel consumption. More annoying is I just sold my existing car privately, so I am without a car.
My options are:
- I could just walk away and buy elsewhere for the same price but it will be a 6-8 weeks delivery so I will need some transport until then which will be costly (rentals/taxis).
- Take it as it is that they are offering, probably net uplift is same cost compared to finding alternative transport for the next few weeks.
- Ask he honours the original price whatever the model, still means higher running costs (insurance/tax/fuel).
Could be an honest mistake, could be a bait and switch?
Any advice?
I see two options.
1. You have that car and pay no extra to purchase it as it was their mistake and you are their customer.
2. A new car is built for you as soon as physically possible and you have it in under 4 weeks. They can bump you up the build queue, it's possible. Then ask them for a courtesy car in the mean time. My Dad did option 2 with a BMW dealer.
ETA: Notice how I said that walking away is not an option!
1. You have that car and pay no extra to purchase it as it was their mistake and you are their customer.
2. A new car is built for you as soon as physically possible and you have it in under 4 weeks. They can bump you up the build queue, it's possible. Then ask them for a courtesy car in the mean time. My Dad did option 2 with a BMW dealer.
ETA: Notice how I said that walking away is not an option!
Tell them you will pay the price you agreed and take the 177 not the 140.
the increased costs will probably be insignificant, and be weighed in by the higher trade in value of your car down the road.
I reckon fuel will be the same, insurance wont be much more and tax might be £100 a year more?
the increased costs will probably be insignificant, and be weighed in by the higher trade in value of your car down the road.
I reckon fuel will be the same, insurance wont be much more and tax might be £100 a year more?
From what you have said you have both signed a 'contract'. The dealer cannot honour that contract at the moment but could, presumably, get a car to the required spec but it will take time. Therefore, you have several 'basic' options:-
1. Take the 177bhp model and cough up the extra.
2. Offer to take the 177bhp model at the price agreed in the contract.
3. Ask for the contract to be honoured and wait for the new car to arrive.
4. As 3. above but negotiate reduction in price to cover additional expenses incurred until correct model arrives or get them to provide a courtesy car for the duration until the correct car turns up.
5. Walk away.
There are, of course, a number of nuances on all the above and it depends on what you really want out of this as to how you will play them out.
1. Take the 177bhp model and cough up the extra.
2. Offer to take the 177bhp model at the price agreed in the contract.
3. Ask for the contract to be honoured and wait for the new car to arrive.
4. As 3. above but negotiate reduction in price to cover additional expenses incurred until correct model arrives or get them to provide a courtesy car for the duration until the correct car turns up.
5. Walk away.
There are, of course, a number of nuances on all the above and it depends on what you really want out of this as to how you will play them out.
So costs:
- insurance works out to be £250/yr more (for my wife starting with zero NCB and only 3 years as named driver NCB recognition) plus she's tied in to a 2yr deal as part of Aviva recognising her named driver years so I can't shop around!
- tax is £50/yr more
- finance is £40/mo more
- and fuel is a bit unknown, if we do more miles then it will add up (parkers lists it as 47mpg compared to 51mpg for the 140bhp)
It's all individually small, but just feels like a drip drip adding up of costs I didn't expect.
- insurance works out to be £250/yr more (for my wife starting with zero NCB and only 3 years as named driver NCB recognition) plus she's tied in to a 2yr deal as part of Aviva recognising her named driver years so I can't shop around!
- tax is £50/yr more
- finance is £40/mo more
- and fuel is a bit unknown, if we do more miles then it will add up (parkers lists it as 47mpg compared to 51mpg for the 140bhp)
It's all individually small, but just feels like a drip drip adding up of costs I didn't expect.
I'd get them to order what I wanted originally. You're obviously concerned about increased costs which will be every year you have the car and every year you'll be annoyed at the extra you are needlessly paying.
See if you can get a courtesy car for some of the time or help towards a hire car if needed. If it's an honest mistake they may be more helpful and accommodating.
It's only for a few months so you can look at it as a Christmas preesie for yourself or alternatively call a few other VW dealers and see if they can get a car quicker.
See if you can get a courtesy car for some of the time or help towards a hire car if needed. If it's an honest mistake they may be more helpful and accommodating.
It's only for a few months so you can look at it as a Christmas preesie for yourself or alternatively call a few other VW dealers and see if they can get a car quicker.
nagatana said:
So costs:
- insurance works out to be £250/yr more (for my wife starting with zero NCB and only 3 years as named driver NCB recognition) plus she's tied in to a 2yr deal as part of Aviva recognising her named driver years so I can't shop around!
- tax is £50/yr more
- finance is £40/mo more
- and fuel is a bit unknown, if we do more miles then it will add up (parkers lists it as 47mpg compared to 51mpg for the 140bhp)
It's all individually small, but just feels like a drip drip adding up of costs I didn't expect.
If you really don't want to pay for these additional annual costs then I suggest insisting on the original spec vehicle being supplied and get the best deal you can on reduced price and/or a courtesy car. The courtesy car route is usually the best to go for as no additional expenditure on your part and the fact you have it usually chivvies the dealership along in getting the correct car pdq.- insurance works out to be £250/yr more (for my wife starting with zero NCB and only 3 years as named driver NCB recognition) plus she's tied in to a 2yr deal as part of Aviva recognising her named driver years so I can't shop around!
- tax is £50/yr more
- finance is £40/mo more
- and fuel is a bit unknown, if we do more miles then it will add up (parkers lists it as 47mpg compared to 51mpg for the 140bhp)
It's all individually small, but just feels like a drip drip adding up of costs I didn't expect.
Herman Toothrot said:
I'd push for them to give you the 170 for the price you agreed to buy the 140 for, at least that way you offset the fuel, insurance and tax expense by having a more expensive car you have not paid the extra for.
But that doesn't reduce the cost of owning the 170.The only realistic option is surely to walk away or take a courtesy car whilst they build you the one you ordered.
I do smell a rat though, bet they had a 170 they wanted to shift, and for that reason alone I'd walk away.
budfox said:
I do smell a rat though, bet they had a 170 they wanted to shift, and for that reason alone I'd walk away.
I doubt that very much. If it was in stock, why sit on it for six weeks (or whatever) pretending it was being built? Why not offer it at a special deal at the time? And if it was the former then they've had six weeks of not being able to sell the car (because they're going to try and palm it off on the customer) and are risking it being rejected and losing the sale of it and a the ordered car.Mistakes like this get made all the time. In the short time I worked for a Ford dealer I've seen three door cars arrive when it should have been a five door, cars in completely the wrong colour (ie not the wrong shade of blue but green instead of blue) etc.
Very embarrassing, and normally resolved by offering a bit more discount for the customer to take it, or if he won't (usually the case) then taking the "wrong" car into stock and ordering the correct spec car and either letting the customer keep their p/x till the new one arrives or, if no car, giving them a courtesy car to use in the meantime.
I'm really disappointed in this thread, it's full of sensible and articulate advice.
Where's the usual crowd of "WTF are you doing buying a brand new car if you're whinging about a few extra quid a month, you should buy a three grand luxo-barge and pay for the fuel with the depreciation you save"?
PH is not what it used to be.
Where's the usual crowd of "WTF are you doing buying a brand new car if you're whinging about a few extra quid a month, you should buy a three grand luxo-barge and pay for the fuel with the depreciation you save"?
PH is not what it used to be.
charltjr said:
I'm really disappointed in this thread, it's full of sensible and articulate advice.
Where's the usual crowd of "WTF are you doing buying a brand new car if you're whinging about a few extra quid a month, you should buy a three grand luxo-barge and pay for the fuel with the depreciation you save"?
PH is not what it used to be.
Haha, I was wondering this but didn't want to say it.Where's the usual crowd of "WTF are you doing buying a brand new car if you're whinging about a few extra quid a month, you should buy a three grand luxo-barge and pay for the fuel with the depreciation you save"?
PH is not what it used to be.
nagatana said:
So costs:
- insurance works out to be £250/yr more (for my wife starting with zero NCB and only 3 years as named driver NCB recognition) plus she's tied in to a 2yr deal as part of Aviva recognising her named driver years so I can't shop around!
- tax is £50/yr more
- finance is £40/mo more
- and fuel is a bit unknown, if we do more miles then it will add up (parkers lists it as 47mpg compared to 51mpg for the 140bhp)
It's all individually small, but just feels like a drip drip adding up of costs I didn't expect.
That all adds up. £40 extra per month on top of the £300 per year is enough. I think the advice to insist on the agreed-upon car is sensible. They can't really expect you to shoulder £800 per year because they made a mistake. A courtesy car while you wait would be nice.- insurance works out to be £250/yr more (for my wife starting with zero NCB and only 3 years as named driver NCB recognition) plus she's tied in to a 2yr deal as part of Aviva recognising her named driver years so I can't shop around!
- tax is £50/yr more
- finance is £40/mo more
- and fuel is a bit unknown, if we do more miles then it will add up (parkers lists it as 47mpg compared to 51mpg for the 140bhp)
It's all individually small, but just feels like a drip drip adding up of costs I didn't expect.
The car isn't as ordered, you're within your rights to walk away. They really don't want that car on their books, so they'll be desperate to make a deal. The trick is to screw as much as you can out of them.
Assume you'll get around half of the extra sales cost of the car back on resale, and then work back from there on the extra costs to you. Take a little list in with you when you go to talk to them, and remember that you don't have to buy the car, and really shouldn't on their terms. I would think they'll be willing to take a few grand off in order to make the sale, as cashflow is usually king.
Assume you'll get around half of the extra sales cost of the car back on resale, and then work back from there on the extra costs to you. Take a little list in with you when you go to talk to them, and remember that you don't have to buy the car, and really shouldn't on their terms. I would think they'll be willing to take a few grand off in order to make the sale, as cashflow is usually king.
davepoth said:
The car isn't as ordered, you're within your rights to walk away. They really don't want that car on their books, so they'll be desperate to make a deal. The trick is to screw as much as you can out of them.
Assume you'll get around half of the extra sales cost of the car back on resale, and then work back from there on the extra costs to you. Take a little list in with you when you go to talk to them, and remember that you don't have to buy the car, and really shouldn't on their terms. I would think they'll be willing to take a few grand off in order to make the sale, as cashflow is usually king.
Cashflow is important, paying a customer to take a car is not good business and very very unlikely to happen. The chances of getting "a few grand" off are slim to none. The dealer will not have any extra margin to play with so whilst be willing to take a drop in what they made on the deal they won't want to make a loss on it. In terms of cashflow, new stock doesn't need to be paid for for up to 180 days usually so it wouldn't make a difference.Assume you'll get around half of the extra sales cost of the car back on resale, and then work back from there on the extra costs to you. Take a little list in with you when you go to talk to them, and remember that you don't have to buy the car, and really shouldn't on their terms. I would think they'll be willing to take a few grand off in order to make the sale, as cashflow is usually king.
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