Is a handshake (and a deposit) binding?

lynnemcf

I test drove a car today, and offered and had accepted a price £500 lower than the screen price. We shook hands and I then went with the salesman to the cash desk and handed over a deposit. The salesman then walked me to his desk, handed me a cup of coffee and said he would get the paperwork for me to sign. I waited 10 minutes and the salesman returned with a manager who said the salesman had made a mistake and the car was for sale at the screen price only, no deal available.

I assumed this was like the case where Tesco refused to honour an online deal, and so I accepted my deposit back and went home, but now I am wondering if I should have shown a bit of backbone and made a fuss.

londonTiger

Legally it's binding but difficult to prove without witnesses, unless you're willing to take them to court, there's nothing much you can do.

from a practical POV, obviously the £500 discount was a serious deal breaker for them because any salesman worth his salt would have at least countered with some other offer before handing your deposit back. maybe £200 or £300 off.

My gut instinct tells me that their margins were just too slim so they realised and recanted on their deal.

Hintza

Hope your parting shot was where they could stick their car. Name and shame?

lynnemcf

I wouldnt feel comfortable naming and shaming, cos as londonTiger says, I was there on my own so its my word against theirs. Thanks for your kind words, I feel much better now.

Mr_Thrifty

They presumably thought you were a mug.

gilbert_and_sullivan

I'd wash that right hand very carefully if i were you, shudder to think where a man with no honour might have put it before, he might have shaken hands with a politician just before you, a double dose of dishonour....yuk, perish the thought..

londonTiger

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

I'd wash that right hand very carefully if i were you, shudder to think where a man with no honour might have put it before, he might have shaken hands with a politician just before you, a double dose of dishonour....yuk, perish the thought..

A bit harsh, sales clerk made a mistake and the manager overrode his decision, you can't put that on the salesman.

Having said that a friend of mine told me how his inlaws managed to get a £7K discount on a brand new lexus.

The salesman was clueless about a new range, one of the cars had all the options and the salesman mistook is for a basic one. And charged him for it. The in law even took a picture of the fully featured car with the basic price on it, with the reg and everything (to show a friend).

During the sale the buyer realised that was some discrepency between what the salesman was saying about the features and what the car actually had. (full audio system, and some other deluxe addons).

Told the salesman, but still insisted that he's been quoted the better price and even had pictures for it. Ended up buying the car for £7K less than what it should have cost.

colino

Yes londonTiger, we fully believe a Lexus dealer gave, after a protracted fight, a full seven pounds discount, Sounds about right.

DUTR

lynnemcf wrote: »

I test drove a car today, and offered and had accepted a price £500 lower than the screen price. We shook hands and I then went with the salesman to the cash desk and handed over a deposit. The salesman then walked me to his desk, handed me a cup of coffee and said he would get the paperwork for me to sign. I waited 10 minutes and the salesman returned with a manager who said the salesman had made a mistake and the car was for sale at the screen price only, no deal available.

I assumed this was like the case where Tesco refused to honour an online deal, and so I accepted my deposit back and went home, but now I am wondering if I should have shown a bit of backbone and made a fuss.

What is not clear from the thread is whether you told them to stick the deal or not?

CKhalvashi

colino wrote: »

Yes londonTiger, we fully believe a Lexus dealer gave, after a protracted fight, a full seven pounds discount, Sounds about right.

If you don't get the price you want, walk.

CK

Hintza

DUTR wrote: »

What is not clear from the thread is whether you told them to stick the deal or not?

lynnemcf wrote: »

and so I accepted my deposit back and went home,

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