Just won a car - but not entirely happy
Discussion
As strange as it sounds, I've won a car - I should be happy, right?
Well, I am happy, a bit, because I won a car....but
Backstory:
Entered the comp to win a car (free entry - nothing to lose, why not!)
Prize draw was done by a very well known, and fairly large company, with a presence in pretty much every high street in the UK
I won it a few weeks ago and car is getting sent to me soon
During the draw (broadcast live on social media) they pulled my name out, and said I won the car, and said it was worth about £30k
Queue joyous celebrations, telling everyone in work, all my friends, family etc....missus already making plans on what we should do with the windfall
Find out today, the car is worth about £5k tops (I had been asking for a couple of weeks for info on the car so that I could get quotes for insurance and find out the tax cost but only got word today - not sure why they waited so long to tell me)
Obviously, my hopes were raised that I had won something of significant value and while a £5k car is better than a poke in the eye, the gloss of what I thought I had won has been tainted a fair bit. Delving into the T's and C's of the competition, the small print says what the car is, and what age it is so in that respect, they've met their T's and C's
I haven't went back to them yet, but not sure whether I just accept it for what it is, or whether to complain that I (and I guess the watching general public) have been misled somewhat. I was celebrating winning a £30k car but can't help feeling a bit of foul play with the prize draw, this reputable company claiming they are giving away a £30k car when really, its not even worth anywhere near that.
Thoughts?
Well, I am happy, a bit, because I won a car....but
Backstory:
Entered the comp to win a car (free entry - nothing to lose, why not!)
Prize draw was done by a very well known, and fairly large company, with a presence in pretty much every high street in the UK
I won it a few weeks ago and car is getting sent to me soon
During the draw (broadcast live on social media) they pulled my name out, and said I won the car, and said it was worth about £30k
Queue joyous celebrations, telling everyone in work, all my friends, family etc....missus already making plans on what we should do with the windfall
Find out today, the car is worth about £5k tops (I had been asking for a couple of weeks for info on the car so that I could get quotes for insurance and find out the tax cost but only got word today - not sure why they waited so long to tell me)
Obviously, my hopes were raised that I had won something of significant value and while a £5k car is better than a poke in the eye, the gloss of what I thought I had won has been tainted a fair bit. Delving into the T's and C's of the competition, the small print says what the car is, and what age it is so in that respect, they've met their T's and C's
I haven't went back to them yet, but not sure whether I just accept it for what it is, or whether to complain that I (and I guess the watching general public) have been misled somewhat. I was celebrating winning a £30k car but can't help feeling a bit of foul play with the prize draw, this reputable company claiming they are giving away a £30k car when really, its not even worth anywhere near that.
Thoughts?
StevieBee said:
Sounds very odd that a major brand should promote a prize of a second hand car!
The key is whether you were attracted to the competition on the basis of the prize being worth £30k - in other words, this is stated clearly in the promotional bumf - or does the advertising state the prize being worth £30k when new?
Regardless of the T&Cs, I would have thought that if the prize won isn't the prize offered then you do have some rights to remedy but you need to satisfy yourself that the advertising that attracted you to the draw was incorrect or deliberately misrepresented what the prize would be.
Yes, I certainly thought the prize was a much higher value and you could say that it was promoted as such. However, it was free to enter. You had to answer a question (which it wouldn't have been possible to know the answer to) and those that guessed correctly, all names went into a hat. Then the draw was broadcast live on social media. The key is whether you were attracted to the competition on the basis of the prize being worth £30k - in other words, this is stated clearly in the promotional bumf - or does the advertising state the prize being worth £30k when new?
Regardless of the T&Cs, I would have thought that if the prize won isn't the prize offered then you do have some rights to remedy but you need to satisfy yourself that the advertising that attracted you to the draw was incorrect or deliberately misrepresented what the prize would be.
Lots of people entered, lots of people watched the draw and then they said what the car was worth - £30k. Which is pretty much in line with what you would think a used one would be (but not, as it turns out, one that is a fair bit older than my teenage son!)
Accelebrate said:
Cheeky... But it's still a win. Stick it on eBay and go on a nice holiday or similar.
And you know what - I need to look at this from a clear perspective. Its something for nothing so while I was disappointed when I found out its real value earlier today, its still a £5k value car I didn't have before I entered.Gonna be hard to shift being an old V8 - might just have to drive it....vroom vroom! (until it inevitably breaks!)
valiant said:
What £100k car is worth £5k today?
Place your bets;
I’m going for a 20 year old high spec S Class with moon mileage.
Go on Op, as least give us a clue...
Ok - the one and only clue.Place your bets;
I’m going for a 20 year old high spec S Class with moon mileage.
Go on Op, as least give us a clue...
Its got a 6L petrol engine. However - if anyone guesses, I can't really say yes or no until at least Wed (when I expect to get the car)
rix said:
Subscribed - really interested out of curiosity as to whether there could be any 'claim' from a legal perspective. On the one hand you could say you've suffered no loss, on the other you could say you're £25k down! Maybe citizens advice or trading standards for some freebie semi qualified opinion or a solicitor if you're prepared to spend? How about a small claims case for not much outlay?
Thats something worth looking into perhaps. On one hand, I would feel like a bit of a cock for complaining about a free car and on the other hand, wondering if the draw/advertising campaign was a bit misleading from the start. I genuinely have been buzzing for the last couple of weeks, but now - just a little deflated.zedx19 said:
What happens if the car turns up and is knackered? Needs x amount spending on it to make it roadworthy?
That's partly why its taken so long for me to get the car - It was away getting polished and checked over to make sure it was running well. So it 'should' arrive in good nick. Sheepshanks said:
soupdragon1 said:
Its got a 6L petrol engine.
I can't believe any proper company would give away a car like that these days - unless they were trying to provoke publicity. Made doubly likely by the first bill a £5K verion of a £100K car throws up will probably write it off.shalmaneser said:
If it's really that s
t take the car and put it on ebay. 7 days later you've got £5K (or whatever) which you can spend on something good.
Or give it to me!
Quite a few on Ebay....no completed sales though.t take the car and put it on ebay. 7 days later you've got £5K (or whatever) which you can spend on something good.Or give it to me!
On another note, Ebay's probably a good place to start my cassette collection for the stereo
Looking for:
Stop crying your heart out
Fast car
Cry me a river
Winner takes it all
Cry me a river
WinstonWolf said:
soupdragon1 said:
Or maybe I should just go back to the company and say look, really pleased to win - but you made me believe I had won a fantastic car....but actually, its a shed. Surely in the spirit of your company, you could throw in a Brucie Bonus to make me feel better?
Is £5k for free not enough for you? #SadFaceIts only £325 tax and £420 insurance so apart from the high fuel cost, would be a cheap runaround until it breaks. The kids are gonna love it too so yes, always look on the bright side!
Integroo said:
There are only three cars with a 6l engine on AT for less than 7k
CAT D LPG converted Cadillac Escalade for 6,995
Audi A8 W12 with 'minor faults' for 4,000
MB CL600 for 6,950
What could it possibly be ...
I probably haven't helped with your search - I was looking at completed sales on ebay rather than asking prices - they are selling for more than £5k on autotraderCAT D LPG converted Cadillac Escalade for 6,995
Audi A8 W12 with 'minor faults' for 4,000
MB CL600 for 6,950
What could it possibly be ...
Countdown said:
OP - why do you think that the car is only valued at £5k ?
Second-hand cars, especially prestige second hand can vary significantly in value depending on mileage and condition. My guess is that the "real" value is somewhere between your estimate and the Company's.
Good point - its the kind of car that could be pimped up, especially with a 6L engine. All I was using was completed listings on ebay as a guide price.Second-hand cars, especially prestige second hand can vary significantly in value depending on mileage and condition. My guess is that the "real" value is somewhere between your estimate and the Company's.
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