Car Purchase Issues - Fuming

gemma83_2

Hi, hoping someone can give me some advice tonight because I am absolutely fuming!


I purchased a car from a dealership yesterday and I am due to pick it up tomorrow.


My local dealership didn't stock a suitable car but they have branches nationwide and they had one in a dealership in Scotland. I was happy with the spec and put a deposit on it to secure it and get it transfered down to the Midlands. On the understanding that i was happy with it when it arrived.


I was insuring it this evening and my insurance company stated the car was an automatic. I checked my order form and it states the car is a manual one. I double checked on the dealerships website and they are advertising it as a manual car.


I have done some research tonight and it turns out this car is a semi-automatic. At no point was this pointed out to me by the sales person.


The main reason why I am panicking is because I have applied and been accepted for car finance.


Obviously if the car is semi-automatic which it clearly is it has been mis-sold to me and I will be demanding my deposit back.


I am worried however about the finance I have accepted because I don't really want to buy a car off this dealership now as they have mislead me but will this affect me getting finance elsewhere?


Feel so silly now for buying a car without seeing it! Won't be doing that again!

LandyAndy

gemma83 wrote: »

My local dealership didn't stock a suitable car but they have branches nationwide and they had one in a dealership in Scotland. I was happy with the spec and put a deposit on it to secure it and get it transfered down to the Midlands. On the understanding that i was happy with it when it arrived.


!

Given that the purchase is subject to you being happy with it just say you aren't happy.

JQ.

gemma83 wrote: »

The main reason why I am panicking is because I have applied and been accepted for car finance.

I don't really see what type of gearbox is installed has to do with car finance.

Lots of modern cars have very good semi-auto box's which are meant to be excellent to drive and provide better fuel efficiency than manuals. If this was an expensive optional extra on the car then you could be getting a bargain, as you thought you were paying the price of a manual.

I don't think it being a semi-auto will affect your finance or insurance, so long as it's declared. Take the car for a test drive and see if you like it, you might be surprised. Plus you might also be getting a bargain if the garage has priced it incorrectly.

Out of interest, what is the car and how old is it?

Quentin

gemma83 wrote: »

I was insuring it this evening and my insurance company stated the car was an automatic......

Why were you insuring it anyway if the deal is subject to you being happy when you inspect the car??

Insuring it yesterday, then wanting to change your cover if you reject the car after seeing it will certainly involve you in some unnecessary expense.

But cancelling the deal and the finance arrangement won't cost you or cause any problem!

NeverAgain_2

You were not silly buying a car without seeing it.

Every new car bought to order is bought without seeing it.

I don't think the garage is pulling a fast one, but they have wrongly assumed you knew the car was a semi auto.

It says 'manual' on the order, the car isn't, so they are obliged to return your deposit.

As others have said, you could have a think about whether a semi auto might suit.

Some are nice and smooth, others are jerky, and a lot hesitate when pulling away, which is unnerving at junctions and roundabouts until you get used to it.

I don't think backing out of this deal should effect you getting finance in future.

You have been approved, but for whatever reason the funds have not been drawn down - it happens.

I would write a short note to the finance company saying you will not be proceeding with the loan because the garage has been unable to find the correct spec car.

Hammyman

If this is a car where it is only available in semi-auto or full auto, some people would mistakenly describe the semi-auto as a manual.

vikingaero

Sometimes cars are registered incorrectly with the DVLA and when the Insurer pulls the data off the DVLA website it could be incorrect. My sister had a problem with her MINI.

Flyboy152

NeverAgain wrote: »

You were not silly buying a car without seeing it.

Every new car bought to order is bought without seeing it.

I don't think the garage is pulling a fast one, but they have wrongly assumed you knew the car was a semi auto.

It says 'manual' on the order, the car isn't, so they are obliged to return your deposit.

As others have said, you could have a think about whether a semi auto might suit.

Some are nice and smooth, others are jerky, and a lot hesitate when pulling away, which is unnerving at junctions and roundabouts until you get used to it.

I don't think backing out of this deal should effect you getting finance in future.

You have been approved, but for whatever reason the funds have not been drawn down - it happens.

I would write a short note to the finance company saying you will not be proceeding with the loan because the garage has been unable to find the correct spec car.

It is more likely that the transferring dealer ship has incorrectly described it as a manual. There is often confusion about how semi-manual transmissions (SMT) are to be described. They are officially automatics (from the DVLA's perspective), because they have no clutch pedal. It is possible that either the person entering the details on the website did not know that the car was an SMT, or that they assumed that "semi-manual" meant "manual," or that that particular dealership calls SMTs "manuals."

Gemma83,

I would hope that the dealer would have no issue refunding your deposit, as they are unable to supply you with the car you have ordered.