When purchasing a car...

Bral

Hey guys i hope you can help me.


I am looking at buying a car from a Citroen dealer, they are telling me that if i want to pay with a direct debit card I must pay it and then wait 3 days before I can pick up the car...

My dad has told me the past few cars he has purchased he has done on the day with his switch or debit card.

I am really worried about paying alot of money for a car and having nothing to show for it for 3 days? Can anyone confirm this and is there any legislation that anyone knows of that could help me here.


Thanks in advance!

Alex

McKneff

Sorry, its a debit card you mean, not a direct debit card. The salesman is talking rubbish. As soon as the card machine says 'approved' there is no way it could go wrong.

Do you have a credit card, if you could pay a small amount on a CC and the rest by debit card the cc gives yo protection if something goes wrong. ie the garage going bust etc. The cc has to be in your name though, not your dads or anyone elses. If you havent, can you apply for one and just put off getting your car till you do get one.

Depending on the credit card limit, you could get a cash back card, pay it all by credit card and then just pay your credit card off when the statement comes. A little bonus you didnt expect.

Happy driving and dont forget to haggle hard,

And Welcome to the boards by the way:wave:

Bral

I did of course mean a debit card not sure how I wrote that!

Ok thats what most people have told me that as soon as I press enter on that chip and pin machine and its accepted thats the payment sorted - thank you for confirming this for me again! I don't have a credit card, but if I paid on the day with direct debit and then drove the car away theres nothing to protect is there?

If I did want to quote any legislation or anything like that would a line from my bank (Natwest) be the best way? For a main citroen dealer it seems really dodgy and im quite worried but really want the car!!

Alex

McKneff

I dont understand whay kind of protection you mean to be honest. Clarify please.

I thought you meant that maybe the garage going bust or something in between you paying and picking the car up 3 days later.

ROY47

paid for the wifes new car on a debit card £3000 taken out of my account there and then drove the car away straight away

marlot

I've piad for my last two cars with a debit card on the day. For the last one the contract did say it should be paid 3 days before, but the salesman didn't even mention it.

Bral

McKneff wrote: »

I dont understand whay kind of protection you mean to be honest. Clarify please.

I thought you meant that maybe the garage going bust or something in between you paying and picking the car up 3 days later.

Yeah thats what i was thinking about, but what i really want is to stress to them that there should be no issue with me paying on the day of the pick up in which case I wouldnt need any protection at all.

IF they are adamant that I need to pay 3 days in advance I really dont think I could do it!!

Thanks Marlot and ROY47... I hope i can pursuade them to change their mind!

Errata

I bought my almost brand new Citroen from a main dealer, warned my bank beforehand I'd be using my debit card, it went through there and then and I drove the car away.

McKneff

Just tell them youve seen another one, same price but a different colour at the next town's dealership, I bet they will snap your hand off,

They wont want to lose a sale.

Let us know how you get on.

Errata has a good point about warning your bank in advance, if you dont they could theoretically block the payment.

Bral

I will let them know for sure, but I may not even get to that stage!

As they are part of the citroen group I was considering speaking with head office first to see if they would back me up at all.

But your replies have cemented my position which was there is no issue paying on the day and making me spend thousands of pounds and having nothing to show for it for 3 days isnt acceptable!

Thanks for your replies people much appreciated

robbies_gal

if that happened everywhere noone would buy a car! surely that isnt right