How long is reasonable before collecting new car?

[Trikster]

Is an extremely weird twist of fate - a car I ordered 5 months ago expecting to arrive late 2023 (and that was still the case when i spoke to the dealer 2 months ago) has suddenly arrived at the dealership without any further comms since then!!

Long story I won't bore you with (go to the FFRR thread if you want some more info) but suddenly got a call on Thurs asking me to pick up before end of month - lol

Now the timing isn't great as money not in the right place and would take a little while to sort out without penalties, so how long is too long to ask them to sit on the car? If i don't take the car then it's back to the back of the queue again...

Edited by Trikster on Friday 25th November 15:13

[alscar]

Assuming the car was ordered by you and deposit paid by you then had it arrived when they expected it to originally how much time then would you have needed in order to be ready ?
5 days with a weekend in between is possibly a bit short notice though.
Ordinarily I’d say about 2 weeks is reasonable to both parties.

[Disco You]

Why does it matter what anyone here thinks? It sounds like you have two options:

1) work something out with the dealer to keep this car. Be it explaining the situation and them holding it, coming up with some sort of financial arrangement with them, or securing either your current funds, or new funds to pay them.

2) go to the back of the queue

What we think of as "reasonable" doesn't really matter does it? Only the contract you have with the dealer, and your ability to come to a deal with them matter.

[georgeyboy12345]

Ask him to keep hold of it until late 2023, let me know his reaction

[Earthdweller]

Did you order it with a specific date for delivery or was it just their estimate of when it would be ready ?

I know with our work cars they were often ordered 12/18 months before delivery was required, admittedly they were ordering hundreds of them and all the builds would have to be planned in with contractors etc

There was also the issue of payment within a particular financial year

I’m sure if X number of cars were ordered for OCT/NOV 2023 and the supplier said they’re here today come and get them and pay for them they’d be told to do one

[Bobupndown]

I wouldn't be registering any new car in late November. Make them keep it til January at the earliest.

[PistonRings]

Bobupndown said:

I wouldn't be registering any new car in late November.

Genuine question, why not?

[Canon_Fodder]

so it's a '2023 car, not a '2022

Doubt it makes much odds really come resale time

[ZX10R NIN]

You'll have to speak to them but, if you're not ready for it see if they have something similar earmarked for later in 2023 (so you can get a 23 plate) & see what they say.

Also if you do get the car make sure all of your features are present & correct.

[PistonRings]

Gotcha, thanks. I thought that might be it, but as you say makes little difference. It'd still be a 72 plate which sticks it in a 6 month window.

[SFTWend]

PistonRings said:

Gotcha, thanks. I thought that might be it, but as you say makes little difference. It'd still be a 72 plate which sticks it in a 6 month window.

Year of registration affects value more than registration number, especially for first few years.

As said, make sure it isn't missing any spec you ordered.

[Trikster]

SFTWend said:

Year of registration affects value more than registration number, especially for first few years.

As said, make sure it isn't missing any spec you ordered.

That’s the fun part - it’s actually come with a ‘dummy’ spec we put in to hold the slot and the sales guy was going to contact me nearer the time to come in and spec properly- not a million miles away from my ideal spec (colours ok, different wheels, no vented seats, no upgraded stereo - though that’s not available at the moment anyway) but erring towards if I’m spending that much on a new car I want it 100% and I wasn’t expecting it now anyway

[alscar]

Understandable - did you have a deposit on it though or was the dummy spec etc never translated into an actual order ?

[Trikster]

alscar said:

Understandable - did you have a deposit on it though or was the dummy spec etc never translated into an actual order ?

Hi, had a deposit in, and a 'dummy' spec put in to enable the order to be placed on the system; agreement to update nearer the time when I'd had chance to see a few more cars in the flesh, understand a few options etc

Not a huge difference, but I've probably £2k of options on there I probably wouldn't have gone for (extended leather, dark wood interior trim), and few nice to have (vented seats, HUD, upgraded stereo) that i would have added - having now seen a car on the smaller wheels (21" - small - ha, ha) I actually prefer that look (plus better ride quality no doubt)

[alscar]

Trickster , ah ok understand your position now !
Does sound like the dealer screwed up between the 2 sales people although with a deposit and paperwork not sure if the so called dummy spec is recorded as dummy so the dealer may try and argue it’s exactly the car you ordered ?
I guess then it’s your call as to whether you persuade them to leave the deposit intact awaiting a car to your exact spec ie your order is still in the queue or ask for a full refund of deposit but then back to square 1.

[ChrisNic]

If it’s a FFRR then could you not take this car and get an order in for another in your perfect spec?

It seems unlikely you are going to take a bath on the car but if the market moves against you back out of the new order.