Admin Fee Stratstone

[Callughan]

Hi Chaps,

Today bought a 2 year Evoque from Stratstone over the phone. They didn't budge on the price but they were selling the car for an ok price and car has just been serviced so agreed on free delivery as I live far away and full tank of petrol.

I paid deposit on phone and I just received the invoice for the remainder. What is new to me and was not mentioned is an £80 admin fee has been included.

Any idea what this I have never come across amongst the 15 or odd cars I have bought, saying that I have never bought from Land Rover or Stratstone.

Is this normal? I know its not much but should i refuse to pay as it was not mentioned before when agreeing the price.

Cheers,

Cal

[911wise]

Had exactly the same. Complained sent emails etc. Gripe wasn't so much the charge but why not just build it in to price. Seems I'm not the only one to be annoyed by this approach then!!

[Callughan]

Wouldn't have minded if they have told me when agreeing the price.

It's a bit Arthur Daley style

[phib]

Stratstone …. don't get me started !!!

Phib

[Cliftonite]

Do not pay it.

[evoivboy]

phib said:

Stratstone …. don't get me started !!!

Phib

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=1348832&mid=310872&i=0&nmt=Used+Car+Purchase+-+Expectations+too+high%3F&mid=310872

[evoivboy]

[waterwonder]

They've been doing it for years.

Tell them to lose it or refund the deposit as that is not what you agreed.

They'll lose it. Completely unscrupulous to add it on with out mentioning it when you've agreed a deal, it's just pure profit margin.

[Pistom]

waterwonder said:

They've been doing it for years.

Tell them to lose it or refund the deposit as that is not what you agreed.

They'll lose it. Completely unscrupulous to add it on with out mentioning it when you've agreed a deal, it's just pure profit margin.

This.

I had a similar situation and pulled out on principal. That was on a £42K car. You think they'd learn.

[Tonto]

I refuse to deal with this company after i asked for a small discount off a car ( for me, its the principle of the thing). They refused, stating company policy. I told them i would just walk away if they didnt offer me even a token discount. They lost a £16000 sale over a couple of hundred quid.

[Siscar]

Tonto said:

I refuse to deal with this company after i asked for a small discount off a car ( for me, its the principle of the thing). They refused, stating company policy. I told them i would just walk away if they didnt offer me even a token discount. They lost a £16000 sale over a couple of hundred quid.

But that depends on detail, every seller has a bottom line below which the deal isn't worth it, maybe you were at that point. I don't know what the circumstances were but it sounds like you'd rather they inflated their price and made you feel good by reducing it a bit than saying what they wanted in the first place.

[Pistom]

Tonto said:

I refuse to deal with this company after i asked for a small discount off a car ( for me, its the principle of the thing). They refused, stating company policy. I told them i would just walk away if they didnt offer me even a token discount. They lost a £16000 sale over a couple of hundred quid.

Good on you however they don't care as their business model is not aimed at people like us.

They must believe they make more money that way.

[911wise]

Pistom said:

This.

I had a similar situation and pulled out on principal. That was on a £42K car. You think they'd learn.

Unfortunately all they have learnt is that for every 1000 cars they sell they earn an extra 80k. So if they lose a couple of sales every now and again who cares.

Edited by 911wise on Saturday 8th February 11:28

[hilly10]

Admin fee so that's to cover the Office staff. What tosh I would not pay it. Walk away there are plenty Evoques around.

[NPI]

911wise said:

Unfortunately all they have learnt is that for every 1000 cars they sell they earn an extra 80k. So if they loose a couple of sales every now and again who cares.

This.

It's a Pendragon corporate thing. Makes them a lot of money.

[Tonto]

I refuse to deal with this company after i asked for a small discount off a car ( for me, its the principle of the thing). They refused, stating company policy. I told them i would just walk away if they didnt offer me even a token discount. They lost a £16000 sale over a couple of hundred quid.

[NPI]

Tonto said:

They lost a £16000 sale over a couple of hundred quid.

No they didn't. Someone else bought the car.

[Pistom]

911wise said:

Pistom said:

This.

I had a similar situation and pulled out on principal. That was on a £42K car. You think they'd learn.

Unfortunately all they have learnt is that for every 1000 cars they sell they earn an extra 80k. So if they loose a couple of sales every now and again who cares.

Yes, and they are better qualified than I to assess whether that strategy works. That's if they only drop £80 a car and I was expecting more off than that.

When there are a limited supply of cars then their strategy is correct.

[mr pg]

Lookers tried the same when we were buying our FL2. Told them where to go if they wanted us to buy the car. We bought it. Never come across this before at any other dealer (this was our first LR).

[waterwonder]

NPI said:

This.

It's a Pendragon corporate thing. Makes them a lot of money.

Trouble with policies like this is that there is no reliad way of assessing the downside. Also dealers aren't stupid, often they'll discount the car to placate the customer but still show the admin fee in full. So even the 'upside' is questionable.

I sort of sympathise, in the Internet world you need to be the cheapest on the base product (see airlines etc etc). However when it comes to agreeing a deal the time to come clean about hidden extras is not at the point of invoice. That just perpetuates the car sales image and won't help long term. See above for anecdotal evidence.

Edit: Merging responses now i'm on a computer.

Edited by waterwonder on Tuesday 11th February 16:06