Deposits on Finance Cars

[tariq1212]

HELP SOMEBODY PLEASE!!!!!

I put down a £500 deposit to secure a BMW. I signed an order form stating that. BMW proposed me to Black Horse finance. I passed the finance. All this while the car was at another dealership, therefore I had only seen pictures of it. I asked the Salesperson for a spec list - they didnt have one available. 4 days later the car arrived, I went to see it and there was no damage to the car but in the flesh the car was not how I expected it to be. I took the car for a test drive a couple of days later and the car was not for me. It was £17000 excluding interest and to me that particular car was too basic. I told the salesperson that I didnt like this particular car; they have kicked up a fuss and are threatening me that I will lose my £500 deposit if I dont buy a car of them before the end of the month. The salesperson and her manager are forcing me into a car I dont want and after this I dont want any car of them. I spoke to BMW head office - they explained to me that since no finance agreement was signed the £500 was refundable for thirty days HOWEVER when BMW Headoffice called me back after speaking to the dealer in question their tone changed. If no suitable car was found by end of February my deposit would not be refunded. I am being forced to buy a car from a dealer who is using bullying tactics - what can I do? What are my rights? SOMEONE HELP PLEASE!!!

[hewhoisnotintheknow]

im sure there was a thread just like this the other day, have a quick search

[tariq1212]

IM new to this - how do I do that?

[Lemonade Pockets]

Depends what the dealer promised and what they delivered.

If the two are different i.e. if whats on your order form is different from what has turned up, then you have every right to demand the deposit back.

If they have delivered exactly what they promised then as harsh as it sounds there is no reason for them to return the deposit!

When you go on holiday you pay upfront normally only on the basis of pictures. If when you get there everything is as described in the brochure but you just don't like it - do they give you your money back?

Apologies if i've missed something.

[Hintza]

This might seem harsh.

Why put a deposit down on a car that you haven't seen and more importantly haven't checked the specs meet your requirements? Was it a new car?

[John Brown]

This might seem harsh.

Why put a deposit down on a car that you haven't seen and more importantly haven't checked the specs meet your requirements? Was it a new car?

Prolly used, they normally ask for a deposit to cover transport costs (and keep timewasters at bay)...it was delivered from another dealer. They normally refund if the car is "not as described"...body damage and all that.

[Lemonade Pockets]

Prolly used, they normally ask for a deposit to cover transport costs (and keep timewasters at bay)...it was delivered from another dealer. They normally refund if the car is "not as described"...body damage and all that.

Bang on sir, the other reason is the dealership normally actually have to buy it from the other dealership. So they don't wanna be messing about with people who just want to test drive one. From what i can tell from the OP's post it is as described!

[Mark Hewitt]

Fair enough if it's a new car, as you don't normally get to see those until the day you actually pick it up. But if it was a used car just transferred from another dealer then why in this earth would you put down a £500 deposit on something you've never seen!

I only put down a £150 deposit when I was buying a new car..

[Hintza]

Did the OP just change their mind?

[tariq1212]

Hi there - I have read your replies and they are useful.

The car was seen in a picture, no spec list was provided, and I was told the deposit was to take the car off sale. I gave the deposit on terms of subject to test drive. They didnt offer me a test drive in a similar before they did what they did so I assumed they knew what they were doing. I drove the car and did not like it. I told them that and they have since kicked up a fuss. I didnt ask them to buy the car of their other dealers - thats not my problem - what my problem is that I cant justify spending £17000 on a car that got on my nerves within 2 minutes. Its a simple case of a customer test driving a car and thinking this is not the car for me. I have given a deposit to VW and following test drive they told me they will send the car back to the dealer and heres your money. End of. Why do BMW have to be so long and complicated.

Surely there is a 30 days deposit refund - like everything.

[Mark Hewitt]

Surely there is a 30 days deposit refund - like everything.

What do you mean "like everything" I've never heard of such a thing. Certainly if you go into a companies premesis and sign on the dotted line then you don't have a cooling off period, at all.

That said, you were not told the specifications of the vehicle and this is probably crucial as you didn't really know what you were getting and didn't find out until later.

[Hintza]

But OP you went to the stage of arranging finance on the car, you then say that the car was too basic.

You are now saying that you you didn't like the way it drives.

Sounds more like buyer's remorse to me.

[AdrianHi]

Signing an order form for a car type you've never driven or seen a complete specification for the exact car in question, seems.... er.... unwise.
That's the key thing, you signed an order form. You ordered the car.

[tariq1212]

Thanks for the advice guys - it seems Money Saving Expert forums aren't all theyr'e cracked up to be.

I am being told that it is completely my fault for thinking "Hold on a sec this vehicle does not drive or is equipped like a £17000 car I best tell the Dealer"

You guys must be have a lot of cash indeed.

Cheers

[Mark Hewitt]

Thanks for the advice guys - it seems Money Saving Expert forums aren't all theyr'e cracked up to be.

Or "I don't like being given a dose of reality".

I think perhaps it is you who has a great deal of money. If I was paying £17,000 for a car, I'd be wanting to inspect it in microscopic detail before I signed anything.

In fact I did recently pay £14,000 for a car and I went through the entire specification sheet in tedious detail to make sure exactly what I was buying.

Only a fool would do anything else.

[Hintza]

Thanks for the advice guys - it seems Money Saving Expert forums aren't all theyr'e cracked up to be.

I am being told that it is completely my fault for thinking "Hold on a sec this vehicle does not drive or is equipped like a £17000 car I best tell the Dealer"

You guys must be have a lot of cash indeed.

Cheers

You have been on here 5 minutes and your now telling us our advice is not up to scratch? What do you want from the forum? Someone to tell you it's all some elses fault? You sound like my teenage children in that they blame everything is some else nothing is their fault. :mad:

You can't get any help if the problem is of your own making by not looking after your own interests.

You have signed an order, paid a deposit and arranged finance on secondhand car site unseen. The dealer then arranged to get it delivered to their premises. If the car is not as described or has a fault then of course you can fight to get your deposit back.

If you have just cocked and/or changed your mind then you probably won't be able to.

If you still think you have a case either employ a solicitor or take out a small claims case against the dealer. Perthaps they will then decide that it is cheaper and/or easier just to pay out then you can congratulate yourself.

[CHR15]

How can the Spec be wrong??

The specs are listed on the 'tinternet, e.g

http://www.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/pricesandspecifications_detail/0,,1212_160173800__bs-Mw%3D%3D@bb-Q1AwNg%3D%3D@bm-V0QxMg%3D%3D,00.html

Are you saying you thought you were buying an SE spec but Actually bought an ES spec??

You could test drive a same model car (engine size, spec etc) to get the feel. Another car from a different dealer should drive the same way.

This all sounds like cold feet at the prospect of £17K on a car.

If all deposits were fully refundable, there would be no point in deposits.

[Westie19]

This might seem harsh.

Why put a deposit down on a car that you haven't seen and more importantly haven't checked the specs meet your requirements? Was it a new car?
Agree with this.

[harveybobbles]

I only ask for a deposit once a customer has satisfied them selfs that this is the car that they want. they lose their deposit if they pull out on the grounds of "Oh I don't want it anymore"
However, some dealerships will ask for a hefty deposit to cover transport costs etc to get a car from another dealership.

I certainly wouldnt work for free wasting a few hours of my day (with a driver) driving to another dealership for a car, then spend time, money and effort getting it prep'd just for you to say no.

If the OP is saying that the car is too basic for their needs then why ask for a test drive of it? I find it hard to believe that the dealer couldnt find what spec it was, also what type of BMW did you search for? Just one with pretty wheels or summat?!

[drivebyargument]

To the OP;

What did you not like about the drive?
What features/accessories did you think the car was lacking?

Your original lengthy post seems to give enough information but I think we are all missing something that should be obvious but isn't.

I have just bought a Mazda 2 for around £10k and despite the fact there are only 3/4 models to choose from I researched every last inch of them and knew exactly what I wanted and would be getting...
On a £17k car with many more models and engine sizes plus accessories to choose from I'd expect anyone to be even more thorough?

Reading between the lines I wonder...[not that it's really any of our business] if you have only recently acquired enough money to buy a £17k car and it's simply a case of cold feet?

[Hintza]

What are the odds on never hearing from the OP again? Don't think he was too impressed with us.

[Lemonade Pockets]

About the same as him getting his deposit back!

[Doozergirl]

I bought my MINI this way, very much attached to the BMW dealership, but the experience was totally different to that described. (I think it's a bit odd that the OP also did the same with a VW and they gave the money back!)

I test drove two models decided on the one I wanted, we then went through all the spec I was looking for, all the bits and pieces were shown to me on other models. The salesperson found the car I wanted in group stock. We then spent a couple of days haggling over the price. When I paid my 500 deposit, I was in no confusion that this was the car I had ordered. I was also told that my deposit would be refunded if the car were not as described.

When the car turned up it actually had a fancy roof and stripes that weren't on the spec list and I was given the opportunity to reject the car or they would remove it for me free of charge - I was happy with them being removed.

You have to take it seriously - you've ordered the car, you're not just having cars shipped all over the place just for you to test drive and reject. It sounds to me like the OP took advantage, especially if they have done it before.

[xycom1]

TBH I don't think I would have parted with a deposit before seeing the car, although I am very fussy about cars. Even if I had to drive to the dealers where the car was actually located in order to have a look. Either that or move on and look for another one closer...