Discussion
Looking for some views on this as I’m now at the point of deciding whether to go formal over it.
I agreed to buy a car fom a specialist importer. The advertised price was £16,450, but we agreed £15,950 with some bits discussed around the deal.
The advert described it as:
Grade 4
just arrived in 2025
with service history
I paid a total deposit of £1,197.50. The invoice says this was a 5% deposit “to hold until customer can collect”. It also mentions:
recolour alloys to anthracite = £400
fit nav pod in dash
exchange steering wheel for standard
service & cambelt “price to be confirmed”
The steering wheel and nav pod were things I wanted from a car I was looking for and so I was initially not going to buy the car, but they were being folded into the overall agreed deal on the car at cost to the dealer. The only clearly priced extra on the invoice was the £400 wheel refurb. Cambelt and service cost TBC.
Later on, I was sent the Japanese auction sheet, which showed the car as Grade 3.5, not Grade 4 as advertised. Around the same time, the story on when it arrived in the UK also shifted. I’d originally been told it had recently arrived in late 2025, but when I got the reg and checked, it had been MOT’d in June 2025 and the dealer then said he’d actually had it since then and it had been sat in storage.
I also asked a few times for service history and cambelt history. No firm cambelt history was given. The dealer said it wouldn't take much to take the cover off and check the cambelt, they then decided to do a cambelt, water pump, oil and filters, but no fixed price for that was ever agreed with me it was always a TBC. In messages afterwards he even said the cambelt that was on it was in very good order and wasn’t actually necessary, it was done for “peace of mind”.
I was due to collect in a weeks time but I decided today that I am not comfortable with the inaccuracies.
I said I would accept losing the £400 for the wheel refurbishment, because that was clearly discussed and priced. I asked for the balance of the deposit back.
The dealer has refused and says the whole deposit has been absorbed by:
steering wheel change
nav pod/dashboard binnacle
cambelt/water pump/service
wheel refurb
His position is basically that these were works done specifically for me before collection, so he keeps the lot.
My issue is:
the advert said Grade 4, the auction sheet says 3.5
the import/UK timeline changed
the steering wheel/nav pod were part of the overall package, not separately priced extras
the cambelt/service work was never given a fixed agreed price in advance
he still has the car, the parts, and is now remarketing it
Has anyone got any advice? they just keep saying I agreed to the works and that the timeline, I learnt about it being a G3.5 on the 17th March means I am contractually commited to the deposit.
I agreed to buy a car fom a specialist importer. The advertised price was £16,450, but we agreed £15,950 with some bits discussed around the deal.
The advert described it as:
Grade 4
just arrived in 2025
with service history
I paid a total deposit of £1,197.50. The invoice says this was a 5% deposit “to hold until customer can collect”. It also mentions:
recolour alloys to anthracite = £400
fit nav pod in dash
exchange steering wheel for standard
service & cambelt “price to be confirmed”
The steering wheel and nav pod were things I wanted from a car I was looking for and so I was initially not going to buy the car, but they were being folded into the overall agreed deal on the car at cost to the dealer. The only clearly priced extra on the invoice was the £400 wheel refurb. Cambelt and service cost TBC.
Later on, I was sent the Japanese auction sheet, which showed the car as Grade 3.5, not Grade 4 as advertised. Around the same time, the story on when it arrived in the UK also shifted. I’d originally been told it had recently arrived in late 2025, but when I got the reg and checked, it had been MOT’d in June 2025 and the dealer then said he’d actually had it since then and it had been sat in storage.
I also asked a few times for service history and cambelt history. No firm cambelt history was given. The dealer said it wouldn't take much to take the cover off and check the cambelt, they then decided to do a cambelt, water pump, oil and filters, but no fixed price for that was ever agreed with me it was always a TBC. In messages afterwards he even said the cambelt that was on it was in very good order and wasn’t actually necessary, it was done for “peace of mind”.
I was due to collect in a weeks time but I decided today that I am not comfortable with the inaccuracies.
I said I would accept losing the £400 for the wheel refurbishment, because that was clearly discussed and priced. I asked for the balance of the deposit back.
The dealer has refused and says the whole deposit has been absorbed by:
steering wheel change
nav pod/dashboard binnacle
cambelt/water pump/service
wheel refurb
His position is basically that these were works done specifically for me before collection, so he keeps the lot.
My issue is:
the advert said Grade 4, the auction sheet says 3.5
the import/UK timeline changed
the steering wheel/nav pod were part of the overall package, not separately priced extras
the cambelt/service work was never given a fixed agreed price in advance
he still has the car, the parts, and is now remarketing it
Has anyone got any advice? they just keep saying I agreed to the works and that the timeline, I learnt about it being a G3.5 on the 17th March means I am contractually commited to the deposit.
17th of March would have been the time when you'd have stood a better chance of getting your deposit back, when you learnt of the grade 3.5 instead of the advert that said grade 4.
You stuck with the deal, and allowed them to continue prepping it for you?
So I can understand the dealer wanting to withold at least some of the deposit.
Nothing to stop you going for it, money claim online, but not sure you'd win all of your deposit back.
Might be different if you went to take delivery, then found something wrong, and refused to complete the purchase.
But you're pulling out before that.
Only my opinion that, I'm sure one of the legal eagles will be along in a minute.
You stuck with the deal, and allowed them to continue prepping it for you?
So I can understand the dealer wanting to withold at least some of the deposit.
Nothing to stop you going for it, money claim online, but not sure you'd win all of your deposit back.
Might be different if you went to take delivery, then found something wrong, and refused to complete the purchase.
But you're pulling out before that.
Only my opinion that, I'm sure one of the legal eagles will be along in a minute.
My view for what it’s worth:
The dealer has incurred costs in swapping a steering wheel and doing the infotainment pod along with the wheels and cam belt. The prices were TBC and part of the overall cost to you to purchase but the dealer has still incurred those costs
I’m not too sure on when the car arrived in the UK is really an issue for you?
The only valid point in my view is the auction grade listing but in the end the car should in my view be considered on its own merits, have you seen the car in person?
It does sound like you are having second thoughts and looking for reasons to pull out rather than genuine concerns over the condition of the specific car.
The dealer has incurred costs in swapping a steering wheel and doing the infotainment pod along with the wheels and cam belt. The prices were TBC and part of the overall cost to you to purchase but the dealer has still incurred those costs
I’m not too sure on when the car arrived in the UK is really an issue for you?
The only valid point in my view is the auction grade listing but in the end the car should in my view be considered on its own merits, have you seen the car in person?
It does sound like you are having second thoughts and looking for reasons to pull out rather than genuine concerns over the condition of the specific car.
Jamescrs said:
My view for what it s worth:
The dealer has incurred costs in swapping a steering wheel and doing the infotainment pod along with the wheels and cam belt. The prices were TBC and part of the overall cost to you to purchase but the dealer has still incurred those costs
I m not too sure on when the car arrived in the UK is really an issue for you?
The only valid point in my view is the auction grade listing but in the end the car should in my view be considered on its own merits, have you seen the car in person?
It does sound like you are having second thoughts and looking for reasons to pull out rather than genuine concerns over the condition of the specific car.
No I haven’t been to see it yet but the nature of it is that I was looking for the specific grading of vehicle. It might not mean much to some but to me it was something I wanted. After all it was advertised at that so I shouldn’t expect anything les in my opinion. The dealer has incurred costs in swapping a steering wheel and doing the infotainment pod along with the wheels and cam belt. The prices were TBC and part of the overall cost to you to purchase but the dealer has still incurred those costs
I m not too sure on when the car arrived in the UK is really an issue for you?
The only valid point in my view is the auction grade listing but in the end the car should in my view be considered on its own merits, have you seen the car in person?
It does sound like you are having second thoughts and looking for reasons to pull out rather than genuine concerns over the condition of the specific car.
The reason the arrival date is important is because I want to trust the person selling the vehicle. The date is pretty redundant. But the fact it was said to be the latter part of 2025 but it was early 2025 is a lie. Weeks of chasing paperwork and history.
These things niggled at me and led to me making my decision to cancel the purchase. I should have done it sooner but had that underlying FOMO factor.
A expensive lesson I’ll put to experience
fflump said:
It seems odd for a dealer to do work inc cambelt, water pump, oil and filter, steering wheel etc without agreeing a price. Do you even know to this day how much the car would ultimately cost to have it in your possession?
Yeah I have the final price of the car. The dealer said they inspect the cambelt etc then get back to me with price of cambelt and ancillaries. However they just did the work. Invoice says cambelt price (tbc) just like that. Edited by fflump on Tuesday 31st March 22:29
bennno said:
Why didn t you go and view the car?
Your post refers to having work done on it to specifically suit you and it being held for weeks for you.
Normally distance sales rules would apply, but this has become a bit murky, you d need legal advice as a result.
I work offshore, haven’t been home yet hence the delay. Agreed to the holding deposit so as not to loose the vehicle and maybe 2 weeks after that got the auction sheet etc. Your post refers to having work done on it to specifically suit you and it being held for weeks for you.
Normally distance sales rules would apply, but this has become a bit murky, you d need legal advice as a result.
They sound like liars.
You don't mix up auction grades by accident. Funny how they're never a higher grade than advertised.
May be worth doing your own CarVX report to see if it's been clocked, that would give you a get out I'd have thought.
There was a Facebook page called Clockers Exposed that started calling out dealers recently. Quite of a few of well known names in the JDM market clocking sometimes over 100000 miles off cars.
Not sure if they've ruffled a few feathers but the page has gone from Facebook.
You don't mix up auction grades by accident. Funny how they're never a higher grade than advertised.
May be worth doing your own CarVX report to see if it's been clocked, that would give you a get out I'd have thought.
There was a Facebook page called Clockers Exposed that started calling out dealers recently. Quite of a few of well known names in the JDM market clocking sometimes over 100000 miles off cars.
Not sure if they've ruffled a few feathers but the page has gone from Facebook.
Finners999 said:
Further to this, The car has been relisted, No mention of the servicing or cambelt and still with the the aftermarket Steering wheel and no Nav Pod.
So whilst they may have "Sourced" the items. They aren't fitted.
evidence it before they remove it.So whilst they may have "Sourced" the items. They aren't fitted.
Ask for a detailed breakdown of costs to see if they have "labour" for fitting those parts.
TheDrownedApe said:
evidence it before they remove it.
Ask for a detailed breakdown of costs to see if they have "labour" for fitting those parts.
I already have, I asked if the wheel and Navigation pod have been fitted and the seller started typing then didn't reply. Yesterday I asked for a list of costs and was just issued their final stance that there is no money being returned. Ask for a detailed breakdown of costs to see if they have "labour" for fitting those parts.
I backed down following the initial comments by users here, But given it seems to be more lying. It's becoming increasingly frustrating as that's why I changed my mind.
Further further further....
I know this is like a soap opera but I am sorry. The original advert didn't have any pictures of the rear of the car but did have plenty of other angles... Again. Naively I didn't think anything of it. But where it has been relisted It shows the rear bumper with damage and popped out, the exhaust has a massive flat bottom on the tip where its been smashed and a massive cut out where the previous exhaust was.
Essentially. It was hidden so when I go there I see it for the first time but I've travelled so far to get it I don't want to turn around without it. I F***ing hate wheeler dealers.
I was all for accepting I have been wrong in this and loose the deposit but everything I find makes me more angry.
I know this is like a soap opera but I am sorry. The original advert didn't have any pictures of the rear of the car but did have plenty of other angles... Again. Naively I didn't think anything of it. But where it has been relisted It shows the rear bumper with damage and popped out, the exhaust has a massive flat bottom on the tip where its been smashed and a massive cut out where the previous exhaust was.
Essentially. It was hidden so when I go there I see it for the first time but I've travelled so far to get it I don't want to turn around without it. I F***ing hate wheeler dealers.
I was all for accepting I have been wrong in this and loose the deposit but everything I find makes me more angry.
Definitely seems like a dodgy dealer, I agree regarding the auction grade, that is a significant difference.
Fitting tht cambelt kit without telling you and price and acknowledging it didn't even need to be done is very sneaky.
Sounds like they didn't actually do the other work either.
Could you take the car via delivery and then return it using the 14 day cooling off period? Not sure if that would work out better.
Fitting tht cambelt kit without telling you and price and acknowledging it didn't even need to be done is very sneaky.
Sounds like they didn't actually do the other work either.
Could you take the car via delivery and then return it using the 14 day cooling off period? Not sure if that would work out better.
rotaryjam said:
Definitely seems like a dodgy dealer, I agree regarding the auction grade, that is a significant difference.
Fitting tht cambelt kit without telling you and price and acknowledging it didn't even need to be done is very sneaky.
Sounds like they didn't actually do the other work either.
Could you take the car via delivery and then return it using the 14 day cooling off period? Not sure if that would work out better.
I would really rather not have that hassle, Parting with nearly 20k on the basis I may be able to use the 14 days cooling off thing to get it back would be particularly risky. Interestingly They offered me a dramatic discount. I politely declined and put their message into an AI detector which came back as 100% AI so at this point I'll just issue a LBA and present the case to the courts if need be. Fitting tht cambelt kit without telling you and price and acknowledging it didn't even need to be done is very sneaky.
Sounds like they didn't actually do the other work either.
Could you take the car via delivery and then return it using the 14 day cooling off period? Not sure if that would work out better.
I really don't see an alternative. None of the other work has been done but which he admitted too this morning and then his discount offer stated again it was fully prepared. The whole thing is a joke at the moment.
Finners999 said:
Essentially. It was hidden so when I go there I see it for the first time but I've travelled so far to get it I don't want to turn around without it. I F***ing hate wheeler dealers.
I got caught out with that from a very well known importer. No pic of the dash and after I’d driven 600 miles to get there, I was faced with it having gone ‘sticky’.‘Oh we didn’t want to change that and lose the originality’ FFS
Pity you can’t link to the re-listing.
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