Citroen Berlingo, Drive the Deal, Carwow - Problems with online brokers - ike2

I need a 7 seater now that my parents have given up driving so I can take them, their friends and us all out together. I settled on an updated Citroen Berlingo Multispace with the Family Pack as it is cheap to buy, cheap to run and has sliding doors which are easier for ageing parents to use.

In June I saw an offer on the HJ website from Drive the Deal for the exact car I wanted at £10495 so I placed an order. After some time it transpired that the dealer could not honour the price I had been quoted but could do it for @£12600 instead. As this was more than I wanted to pay, I declined.

In July I tried again via the HJ website and found two dealers who were offering the car I wanted at £10402. After some e-mailing to confirm the price wouldn't change, like last time, I placed an order. Guess what, neither dealer is now prepared to honour the price I was quoted and one is offering it for £12800 whilst the other now wants £13331. I have declined both.

Am I just unlucky, or do online brokers and their dealers offer very cheap prices in order to lure peope in and then hit them with a higher price later on in the process?

Citroen Berlingo, Drive the Deal, Carwow - Problems with online brokers - skidpan

Probably a case of "if its too good to be true it probably is".

Bought my last car from Carfile.net. Price quoted in their site was the price I paid (4 days later when I collected the car).

Citroen Berlingo, Drive the Deal, Carwow - Problems with online brokers - RobJP

You will find that there are usually very limited cars available at those prices. By the time you've called / emailed and waited for the reply, other people have actually phoned up and paid their deposit, confirming their order.

There are far too many timewasters out there for a dealer to wait around. Money talks. Remember, once a deposit has been paid at an agreed price, a contract has been made. No deposit, you can still lose out to someone who is prepared to put a deposit down.

Citroen Berlingo, Drive the Deal, Carwow - Problems with online brokers - ike2

In the first instance, with Drive the Deal, I had paid my deposit and was then told that they couldn't honour the price that they had quoted so would have to return my deposit. Unfortunately, they returned it to the wrong credit card - but that is another matter.

My point is that even after the deposit has been paid, and the contract supposedly agreed, the dealer can still change the price and then just refund the deposit if you don't agreed to the change; leaving me still looking for a car.

Citroen Berlingo, Drive the Deal, Carwow - Problems with online brokers - skidpan

I can understand this happening with some brokers who claim to have stock.

But the simple fact is with Drive the Deal (like any good broker) you pay the dealer direct thus I cannot understand why when you were put in contact with the dealer they themselevs did not know the correct price.

Citroen Berlingo, Drive the Deal, Carwow - Problems with online brokers - Avant

It can sometimes work if you get a price from a reputable broker, then ring round some dealers to see if they can match that price.

I suspect that what often happens is that a broker gets a low price from a desaler who has stock to clear. Customers then place orders for these cars and they've gone.

Edited by Avant on 15/07/2015 at 22:03

Citroen Berlingo, Drive the Deal, Carwow - Problems with online brokers - daveyK_UK

It was an unbelivable deal on the 7 seat Berlingo Multispaces that drive the deal offered, I wanted one as well.

Fiat are giving good discounts on the face lift Doblo, Im sure it still comes with a 7 seater option.

Ford dont seem to be discounting the Tourneo Connects or Grand Tourneo Connects to the same level Citroen, Peugeot and Fiat are discounting their van based MPVs.