I must be totally stupid

[loulou]

Hi,

 

I'm really annoyed with myself today and really cross with a car salesman

 

Basically, i am buying a new car and found one i really liked. I wanted to view it this weekend, but didn't know if i'd make it (as with Kai being so unpredictable).

 

Anyway, the salesman phoned me and said he had two people interested in it and said i could put ?100 to secure it. I must be a fool b/c i put ?100 down on my credit card. What he didn't tell me was that i couldn't get the money back if i didn't BUY the car.

 

I went to see it yesterday and it wasn't quite right, so i didn't buy it.

 

Now they won't let me have the money back .

 

I've spoken to the manager and he said that the terms were that i went and viewed the car. WHICH I DID . I said to him it wasn't explained to me properly and he's denying it .

 

I must be soooo gullable. I called trading standards but they said unless i had the terms in writing, i don't have a leg to stand on.

 

Any suggestions how i can get my money back?

 

Loulou

[Canopus]

I think the general rule is that reservation charges are not refundable regardless of whether you do or don't buy the product/service. Have a word with your credit card company about it.

[DaisyProudfoot]

Just a thought - have you tried contacting your credit card company to see if they can recall the payment - that way when the salesman kicks up a fuss you could get them to ask for the agreement in writing and you can take it to trading standards - long shot but "he who dares" as Del Boy would say!

[Paula]

The robbing b*st*rd*

 

A sales man once told us that we had to put ?250 quid down on a vehicle to secure it.Wed been to view it but wanted time to think about it all.We did like the car and like idiots we gave him ?250 so that hed hold the car for a few days.Againe we werent told that wed not get the cash back if we didnt buy.By the way this wasnt a back street garage but a well known peaugot dealers.

 

We decided ahgainst buying it and asked for our cash back to be told we couldnt have it.

 

I kicked up a hell of a stink.I spoke to the manager caused a load of bother and still they wouldnt budge.So i thretened to a, inform tradeing standerds,B,get a soliciter, and c splash the ###### all over the newspapers in a scandel expose.

 

They must have realised i meant busness although i was only bluffing coz hey presto we got a refund.

 

Kick up a stink play up threaten stuff youve nowt to loose.I useally find pitching up on a busy work day with customers in the showroom and talking loudly about yer greivence gets results also.

Edited March 20, 2006 by Paula

[Viper]

My aunt once bought a cassette player from a market stall and when it didn't work she took it back but they refused a refund (a long time ago) Anyway she stood by the stall all day telling people not to buy stuff from there etc and eventually they gave her her money just to get rid off her.

 

Worth a try.

[Jill]

Alternatively turn up with Kai and let him have a wander round the cars whilst you try to discuss this reasonably with the sales manager?

 

It's just an idea -

 

The Boy would create quite a lot of disturbance if I did this - you wouldn't actually be doing anything wrong, just waiting to see someone to discuss it. P'raps it would make them realise why it was so difficult for you to make definite arrangements to view the car?

 

It would also give you the opportunity to "chat" to other viewers at the same time, making sure to mention exactly why you were there & maybe put a few off?

[Jill]

BTW I don't think you're stupid at all - I've done something similar in the past (if it makes you feel any better it cost us ?600 ). You're probably like me and assume that people are honest and trustworthy.

 

I don't think this any more - it's an expensive lesson to learn but I've never done it since.

[lil_me]

Local newspaper might be interested in this, this type of scam was shown on Real Hustle last week I think, its used a lot. Sometimes the threat of contacting a solicitor can help, your credit card company might, but deposits are a tricky one and I don't think he's under and legal obligation to refund it, but he should have explained you were securing the car, not the viewing.

[justamom]

What a pig of a man to do that to you. I don't have any advice for you other than what lil-me said to contact a local newspaper and name and shame as they say!!

 

I must admit that i would also have paid the deposit and been none the wiser!!

 

justamom

[phasmid]

Contact BBC Watchdog via the BBC website. It uses an 'internal' e-mail client so make sure you copy what you have written somewhere else (word document etc). Once you have written the e-mail print the page with a segment of the e-mail showing before it is sent and print off the page where it says 'Thank you for your message' Take copies of these to the garage/salesroom and hand them to the manager...oh and include with it a list of local newspapers with contact details on it. The message being I am about to make this public! I can't guarantee it will work but I have used similar tactics in the past to good effect.

 

HTH

[Kathryn]

You could also try contacting the radio 4 You and Yours programme. They deal with consumer issues and also with disability issues. They might be interested in a story which involves both.

[jen]

Take your son along and make sure hes upset that way you will put off any future customers. Say you will remove your child only when you have a refund

 

 

Jen

[E=mc2]

Loulou,you have not entered a contract to purchase this car till you have seen it, they asked you for a deposit to secure your veiwing of the afor said motorcar.If you do not want/like it tell them you have canceled you card details, The sales guy will very ,very quickly respond to you as you where not present at the time the card transaction took place

[loulou]

thanks everyone,

 

I'm not backing down on this one. The manager phoned me back and was a right gobby s**. I told him what was ?100 to them anyway? He talked a load of nonsense about me agreeing to buy the car (which i did not). Then he went on to say that two other people were put off buying the car b/c it was reserved. I told him that wasn't my problem. Then he prattled on about trying to find me the car i wanted, and he said he didn't think he'd be able to get one within my budget. He must think i'm a fool b/c i've seen other cars for less (i'm just fussy about the colour!).

 

Anyway, i'm not backing down! I WILL get back the money and i'll try some of the tactics mentioned here.

 

Loulou x STILL ANGRY!

[Paula]

Dont back down loulou thats what they want to scare you.

 

We once had a cocky salesman tell us that hed lost money on the vehicle wed said wed have we later changed our minds because hed registered the car in our name and now it would appear to have two owners instead of one therfore wed to refund the loss hed incure.

 

He talked ######.I called the DVLA and they said in cases where a salesman has jumped the gun thyed to just inform the dvla that the said buyer had pulled out they then would revert the documents back without cost so that it still showed only one owner.Apparently it was common practice.

 

I informed the salesman about this and he sh*t himsen because id actually checked what hed told me out.He backed down and we never heard anything from him againe.If id keeled over and complied hed have conned me out of ?300 quid plus.How many more people had he conned though.