Deposit to view second hand car - is this right?

bairn7 · 10 January 2018 at 5:46PM

Hello

I'm currently looking for a new (second-hand) car. I have found a car that I'm very interested in however I have emailed the dealership (a major dealership) who have said that the car is currently stored offsite and to bring it to the showroom for me to view, I have to pay a 'holding deposit'. They haven't yet said how much this is or whether it is refundable but I didn't expect to have to do this just to view a car.

In my mind, it isn't my fault that the car is on currently on site. If it was on site, I would just call for a test drive and turn up to view the car without charge. Even if the deposit is refundable, it seems like a bit of pressure to get me invested.
Is this normal?
Thanks

Robisere · 10 January 2018 at 5:55PM

This is not normal practice and you should tell them that you will already have the expense of travelling some distance just to view the car. If they are interested in selling, they will agree to waiving this totally innapropriate fee. A deposit would be fine if you had seen and decided to buy the car. That is the practice in case of later refusal to buy, but a deposit unseen is not correct.

I may be wrong, but I have never heard of this before, even for a NEW car. Ridiculous, they are trying it on. I have a sneaking suspicion that they know you will not buy it if you see it. Unjustified or not, that is my opinion.

cb1979 · 10 January 2018 at 5:56PM

Unless its a rare model just look closer to home for one, if they are not interested in your custom without you paying a deposit its their loss

bairn7 · 10 January 2018 at 6:03PM

Thanks. Glad I'm not going mad.

Sadly it is a rare model, and only one of two models current shown as for sale in the UK within my budget. The other model is listed by the same showroom!

The person I have corresponded with is going to 'refer it' to his manager and let me know. And thanks to your responses, I'm going to query current condition/bodywork/wheels in advance as it is a few hours drive away.

Anything else you would recommend I should be confirming before I travel? Sorry, I have only bought used once before and I was naïve at the time!

k3lvc · 10 January 2018 at 6:08PM

I had this recently on a 10k 2nd hand car - had agreed on a Friday evening to drive 80 miles on Sat am to view at 11am. At 9am just after leaving I had a phonecall from Salesman asking for £200 deposit as someone else was showing some interest. He seemed genuinely shocked when I told him I was turning round and going home and wished him luck in selling it. I thought that was the end of it until he had the audacity the following Friday to tell me it was still available if I wanted to view it

IanMSpencer · 10 January 2018 at 6:09PM

bairn7 wrote: »

Thanks. Glad I'm not going mad.

Sadly it is a rare model, and only one of two models current shown as for sale in the UK within my budget. The other model is listed by the same showroom!

The person I have corresponded with is going to 'refer it' to his manager and let me know. And thanks to your responses, I'm going to query current condition/bodywork/wheels in advance as it is a few hours drive away.

Anything else you would recommend I should be confirming before I travel? Sorry, I have only bought used once before and I was naïve at the time!

If they want a deposit because they want to know whether you are serious about travelling, then it is not unheard of, but you need to be absolutely clear what the terms are. It may be that all they want is that you are prepared to part with £100 for 7 days and you'll get it back whatever, just so that you have shown some commitment. On the other hand, if they are suggesting you will lose it if you don't turn up, you need to be really clear what the implications of that are, whether you can cancel and change your mind say within 24 hours and so on.

If saving themselves a bit of hassle is more important than getting a sale, you've probably got a handle on the type of dealership they really are, but I do have a certain sympathy with dealerships who get people ringing up and then not even having the courtesy to inform them of a change in plan.

bairn7 · 11 January 2018 at 10:13AM

Thanks all. I've realised that the car is advertised in several branches throughout the UK. Apparently it is held at a central storage location and transported to a garage if someone is interested.

I still don't think I should be paying a deposit to view the car but it looks like I may have to. Have a call this morning with one of the showrooms so I'll see what the terms of the deposit would be.

motorguy · 11 January 2018 at 11:11AM

bairn7 wrote: »

Thanks. Glad I'm not going mad.

Sadly it is a rare model, and only one of two models current shown as for sale in the UK within my budget. The other model is listed by the same showroom!

The person I have corresponded with is going to 'refer it' to his manager and let me know. And thanks to your responses, I'm going to query current condition/bodywork/wheels in advance as it is a few hours drive away.

Anything else you would recommend I should be confirming before I travel? Sorry, I have only bought used once before and I was naïve at the time!

Ultimately - contrary to what some people here have said - its their car and if they want to put some "rules" around viewing then you may well have to abide by them.

If its a rare car like you've suggested then its not unusual.

Rolandtheroadie · 11 January 2018 at 11:18AM

Seen this on ebay the other day, deposit required, can't remember if it was to view or to hold it till you got there. Only refundable in person on site.
I can see the point of it, and if I was genuine, I wouldn't have a problem paying it, as long as I had proof from them that it was refundable.

IanMSpencer · 11 January 2018 at 11:19AM

bairn7 wrote: »

Thanks all. I've realised that the car is advertised in several branches throughout the UK. Apparently it is held at a central storage location and transported to a garage if someone is interested.

I still don't think I should be paying a deposit to view the car but it looks like I may have to. Have a call this morning with one of the showrooms so I'll see what the terms of the deposit would be.

...and hopefully your nearest one is a lot nearer than the one you first spotted it at.

bairn7 · 11 January 2018 at 5:02PM

Having spoken to the sales person in the closest branch (still 100 miles away) they want a £200 'delivery charge' which will be deducted from the purchase price.

He also said I would be able to get a refund if I don't take the car for any reason but also at times made reference to refund if 'not as described' or not 'fit for purpose'. Apparently, me not wanting the car would mean it was not fit for my purpose!

We've left it at me asking him to send me something in writing explaining when and in what circumstances I could get the money back. Car can't be delivered until middle of next week so I'm going to call at the start of the week to get things sorted hopefully.

To me it sounds like it's going to be a deposit with a refund only if the car is rejected for not as described etc.

Deposit to view second hand car - is this right?

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