Should dealerships tell buyers that a used vehicle retailed for more £40,000?

I was looking to buy a nearly new car and eventually decided on an ex demonstrator. I knew the new price was £39,995 and cost of this one was £32,000. I decided to purchase the car. It was only when I purchased the road fund license (£560) that I investigated the website further and it appears that the paint finish of the car pushed the value over the £40,000 threshold. My question is, should the dealership have legally advised me of this unexpected situation?

Asked on 23 February 2024 by Terry Emmins

Answered by David Ross
Generally speaking it is not the legal responsibility of the dealer to inform potential buyers of the associated costs of purchasing a vehicle, as you would not necessarily expect the dealer to provide details on the insurance group of a vehicle for example. However, we would expect the dealer to be aware of the additional costs associated with the RRP being over £40,000, so from a courtesy point of view we would hope that dealer would be more transparent about this.
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