Hi guys,
First time poster here.
I could really do with some advice. So I've ordered a Ford Fiesta from a large Ford dealership recently and was told last week that my car would be ready for pick up anytime after the first week of September.
I got a call from the dealer telling me that I can pick the car up next but I have to come three days earlier to make the payment (am paying with no finance). So after nearly falling off my chair at being told that I have to go the dealership first to pay up front and not being allowed to take the car home for 3 days....I asked the question why and they told me it was standard practice!!!
My question is has anyone else experienced this??? I mean I have bought two Fords in the past from the same dealership and have always payed with a credit card or debit card the full balance on the day I pick up the car. I think its just ridiculous to expect a customer to pay upfront three days before (in person only allowed) and then having to return to collect the car.
I have my suspicions that since they told me I can collect the car on the 1st of Sept, they're lying to me to make me pay before the end of August so the cash hits their books....
Any ideas???
{As you're making an unfounded allegation, we'd rather you didn't name the dealership - as per our no naming/shaming policy. Thanks}
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 25/08/2009 at 21:53
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What happens in the event they go bust is what I would be thinking.
Remember the Dixon group, here today, shut next .
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Ever thought of asking for your money back and walking away?
If they wont give you your money report them to Trading Standards. I;m sure they wont want to be over the front of the local papers so will suddenly play ball.
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Anytime I have bought a car recently its been paid by a debit card on the day and drive away in the car.
If you pay cash 3 days early then I don't know what your rights are if they go bust. On a credit card you do have rights though.
Its strange, I would be wary,
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Any ideas??? >>
Yes, see this thread:
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=76202&...f
".... ?Fine?, I say, ?I?ll be down to collect, pay the balance and then drive the car away?. ?Oh no?, he says, ?it takes 2 days for our bank to process the payment and us to do the paperwork, only then can we hand the car over to you?! .... "
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Come to think of it, when I bought my last motorcycle, I paid £100 deposit over the phone, turned up at the dealers a week later, whipped out the debit card and paid £5900. The salesman said I might have to verify over the phone, but no, I entered my PIN and that was it.
Bike and me on my way home in about an hour.
I cannot see why a car should be any different !
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as the OP says it might be that the dealer is having a slow month and wants the money early to make the books look better.
i wouldn't worry, just make sure you get a written recipt and pay with a card.
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Thanks guys for your comments!
And thanks for the link to the other thread. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one being asked to part with cash before I can take the car away.
What really annoys me is that I've bough two brand new Fords from the same dealer in the last 4 years and paid by debit card on the day of collection.
Not to mention the inconvenience of need to go to the dealer twice in three days (was planning to go to get the car on a weekend, which means i'll also have to find time after work on a weekday too)
I'm not worried about the dealer going bankrupt since SNIP - if you want to mention the dealers name then I will remove the unfounded allegation made in your earlier post are fairly well established and been around for a few years. But it's the lack of notice and the 'standard practice' excuse that I find annoying and in contradiction to what other people are experiencing.
I'm half tempted to cancel the order, but the car had to be factory ordered so I'm guessing they're not going to be too pleased with that.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 26/08/2009 at 01:15
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Picked up my new VW Golf four weeks ago, today. Took all the necessary paperwork, keys and registration document and a Building Society cheque for the balance along with me. We exchanged everthing, my BS cheque was accepted and I was presented with the keys for the new car and that was that.
My last four new cars have been paid for in exactly the same manner with no suggestion of giving them cheque several days beforehand. However, being a large and reputable dealer I don't think I would have questioned the matter had they asked for the cheque, to be honest as they had already had a £1000 deposit 5 months previously.
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The car will almost certainly be funded to the dealer by a finance company stocking plan.
The procedure used to be and probably still is, that the dealer has to call the finance company and request the registration paperwork in time for the retail registration with the DVLA.
This automatically raises a direct debit on the dealer's bank to pay the wholesale price + the VAT due on it..
I suspect that your dealer is suffering severe cash-flow problems and wants YOUR money in his bank BEFORE the direct debit hits his account.
I'd be careful here.
Edited by malteser on 26/08/2009 at 08:18
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When I pick the new Colt up I will be able to pay with a debit card there and then. A Credit card will 'attract' a 2.5% charge and if it is a cheque they require SEVEN days for it to clear.
MD
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Yes - the credit card issuers are stitch-up merchants with their high merchant charges.
In the USA (most states) adding a credit card surcharge to the customer's bill to cover the merchant fee is illegal.
I came across this when, many years ago, trading on eBay, I was not able to add the CC charge if I listed on eBay.com, but after a strenuous argument was able to list on eBay.uk as such fees are legal in Britain.
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Paid £500 deposit by CC for my V50 on 15 June. On 25 July paid the balance of £14400 by debit card (chip n pin no telephone verification much to my surprise) and drove away from the dealership at the same time .
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Pay by debit card on the day you pick the car up or tell them they can whistle for it!
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I buy cash these days, paying by debit card on the day of collection and after having a good look over the vehicles.
Our car and van were both purchased new, but I would only put down a deposit (with no charge) on a credit card.
With me it`s a matter of take it or leave it - as there are plenty of new cars and dealerships.
Sometimes there has been a sucking of teeth, but I just sit there making it obvious there will be no movement on my part.
This is Yorkshire at it`s best and they know what to expect ;-)
I once fancied a big leather sofa - sat down to buy it -Salesman "we need a deposit" I said, "I wonder how much to give" pulling a wad out that would easily have covered it in cash. (brought for that very purpose before I bothered with a credit card)
Then I said " none, you can have it COD in case you go belly up"
Not a word said. COD no deposit.
It`s Yorkshire.........
Edited by oilrag on 26/08/2009 at 09:37
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Banks often have a daily limit on debit cards which I ran into recently when I tried to pay a five figure sum. However I rang them up told them what I was doing and they put a marker on the account which they said they would withdraw if I didn't complete the transaction in a couple of hours -everything went smoothly.
No reason why they can't take a debit card on the day -I wouldn't pay them in advance.
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We paid £1000 deposit and paid the rest by debit card at the time of collection.
No way I would pay all the money without the keys and log book
MVP
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My VW dealer gave me sheet of paper outling methods of payments, when I ordered my car. IIRC they were payments accepted by Debit Car (obviously I would pre-warn bank of large withdrawal), Banker's Draft, BS Cheque with photocopy of page showing transaction (not in fact required). No cash would be accepted.
I don't know whether I have omitted anything.
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However being a large and reputable dealer I don't think I would have questioned the matter had they asked for the cheque to be honest as they had already had a £1000 deposit 5 months previously.
The largest reputable dealers can go bust. Once you pay for the car then it theoretically becomes yours but it'll be messy as the dealer won't have paid the manufacturer at that point.
It's up to you how you conduct your affairs obviously, but it's considered to be a good idea to pay the deposit by credit card - the charges aren't so much of an issue and it means the whole transaction (not just the deposit) is protected by the Consumer Credit Act. That could be useful in the event of any future dispute.
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Tell them it's not convenient to come in three days earlier, and that you will be in at XX o'clock on the due date with your debit card.
They are unlikely to sell it to anyone else, and if they've not prep'd it then you can just walk away.
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I pay by card usually. Not until I've inspected the car, including fluids, do they see the card. Saves any difficulty re something they have "overlooked", and gets instant action. Too late if they have their hands on your money, and the car has a bodged repair.
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I wouldn't pay anything more than the deposit, not until it was time to collect the vehicle. If they do go belly-up in those three days, you will be out of pocket by about the price of a new Fiesta and you will have great difficultly getting your money back. If you can afford to take that risk then go ahead, but I wouldn't...
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I agree with Simon. I bought a new A6 last January. Deposit paid by credit card over the phone, balance paid on collection by debit card. I didn't have to ask to check the car over before giving them my debit card - that was their standard practice. Your Ford dealer's 'standard practice' is not fair on you, and puts your payment at risk. I have bought several Fords in the past and not met this practice, which would worry me.
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I would also echo the statement from everyone else, pay on collection. Also check the car and test drive it BEFORE paying. If you drive home and notice a warning light or rattle then they'll book it in, loan cars = hassle.
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the named garage (now oblique) is to my knowledge owned by the manufacturer so i would be calling them asking if its now standard practice to give a limited company all your hard earned savings 3 days before you got your goods
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