If I put down a deposit on a car, can I get it back?

funkycoldribena

If you wrote off the 250 and went and bought one for a 1000 less as you say you've seen, arent you 750 up anyway?

edit-just read post no 6

flyingscotno1

I suspect they'll play hardball. Deposits usually are non refundable but you never know unless you ask.

Strider590

Deposits are nothing more than a psychological barrier, they should be refundable but salesmen use them as a way for you to tie yourself into a deal.

10JH

Don't forget that prices between main dealers, small dealers and private sales do differ.

Buying private is normally the cheapest way, but can we prone to risk as no 'expert' has looked at the car.

Whereas a main dealer is normally most expensive, but may provide a warranty included in the cost. And, in theory, are meant to be more reputable.

Mankysteve

From what I gather there not allowed with hold deposit but they can recover there costs .

harveybobbles

Strider590 wrote: »

Deposits are nothing more than a psychological barrier, they should be refundable but salesmen use them as a way for you to tie yourself into a deal.

The whole point in leaving a deposit is to take the car off sale and to stop other people from buying it.

We only take £100 deposit which in the eyes of any CAB/Solicitor person would be deemed more than reasonable to hold back.

It's rare we refund deposts as we make it clear from the start that deposits are only to be left when a person is 100% happy with the car/deal.

If someone left £250 deposit then we'd probably refund half just to keep things nice.

Finding a car cheaper isnt really a valid excuse for wanting to pull out of the deal. Homework should have been done first.

harveybobbles

Mankysteve wrote: »

From what i gather there nit allowed with hold as much of deposit to cover there costs and the rest you get back.

We could have turned away 3 or 4 potentiol buyers...

bb69

Hello

How did you get on?

DWTB

Hi everyone, thanks so much for your advice.

harveybobbles, I understand what you are saying, which is why I rang them as soon as possible, the day after I put down the deposit. The car had just literally come in when I saw it so it hadn't even been cleaned or priced. I hope that that meant that they didn't lose any potential customers.

Anyway, I called them up and the salesman who was lovely the day before turned out to be not so lovely after all. But I guess you can't blame him. He actually told me, before I had a chance to say anything, that they'd got the engine size wrong and that it was actually a larger size than I had been sold.

That gave me the option to use the fact that it was a different car to that which I had agreed to buy but I didn't need to go there. I mentioned that I had not signed anything and that they had left the terms and conditions off my documents and I think they realised that legally, they wouldn't have had any grounds. They kept me stewing for a few hours before they got back to me and told me they'd refund me. Thank goodness!

I learnt a valuable lesson though and I will never purchase anything again without thorough research.

Thanks again for all your help, I really appreciate it. Especially when it was so late at night!

skiddlydiddly

Personally I normally wouldn't have expected the deposit back, as Harveybobbles said they have withdrawn it from sale and potentially lost the chance of selling it.That is why we pay a deposist,
However as you said it had only just come in and not been prepped, I can see why you'd want to try and the fact it wasn't as described meant they had to refund anyway .